The Cumberland Post

The Cumberland Post
My Backyard, Six Miles from the Cumberland River

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Remembering JFK: "The Golden Cup," A Song

Like Martin Luther King, President John F. Kennedy envisioned a "New Frontier," a U. S. where everyone, including African Americans, had equal opportunities for success. His vision also included a U. S. which took a leadership role in the exploration of space as well as a growing and vibrant national economy unhampered by restrictive tax rates.

And like millions of other Americans at that time, I shared his vision of America. Today, some of us are beginning to question whether we can sustain our success and others doubt our nation's ability to lead in these difficult times.

In my view, were JFK alive today, he would disagree with those doubters. Read these words from JFK to see what I mean.
“The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were.”
"I think we have to revitalize our society. I think we have to demonstrate to the people of the world that we're determined in this free country of ours to be first -- not first but -- not first when -- but first." 
I was in my early twenties when Kennedy was assassinated. I miss him. I miss those days when Kennedy embodied the youthful confidence of our country, the boundless possibilities of success, the great give and take of American politics, and the hope that we could all somehow make a difference in this hard world. I confess that I miss the excitement that people felt as the myth of Camelot began to take shape; I know it was a bit over the top romantically, but still, it was a great national fantasy.

All that ended on November 22, 1963. Before we drank our fill, the golden cup of promise was shattered that black day.

Here's a folk song from the album, "The Golden Cup," which honors JFK and what he stood for.




3 comments:

  1. Joyce has a BEAUTIFUL voice! Has she ever sung anything else professionally?

    Once again, we're pretty much in agreement where JFK is concerned and about our country's possibilities, as well. I remain a "glass half-full" kinda guy.

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  2. Joyce thanks you, Buck. She started studying classical voice when she was about ten and is a coloratura soprano. When she was a junior and senior in high school she sang solos in the Martin Jr. college choir all over middle TN. During that time and while we were in college together she also sang on every talent show she could find (she won quite a lot of cash for the time), lots of service clubs, country clubs, funerals, and a TV show in Nashville. Because of a year long throat infection in 2000, she feels she's lost a lot of her voice and sang in a lower key on the album song. I know she's lost a little, but to me she still sounds great. I wanted her to do so other songs on the album, but couldn't talk her into it. Maybe next time! :-)

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    1. Ah, I thought Joyce sounded like an experienced vocalist. Thanks for the back-fill.

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