Monday, March 31, 2008

Thanks, Ed H. A post for today...bein' green

When Ed H's mother passed away, I had the honor of having a recording of mine played at the memorial service.

It was of one of her favorite songs, "Bein' Green".

For those who don't know it, here are the lyrics:

It's not that easy bein' green...
havin' to spend each day the color of the leaves,
when I think it could be nicer being red
or yellow
or gold
or something much more colorful like that.

It's not that easy bein' green...
you seem to blend in with so many other ordinary things
and people tend to pass you over,
'cause you're not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water
or stars in the sky.

But green is the color of spring,
and green can be cool and friendly-like.
And green can be big
like a mountain
or important
like a river
or tall like a tree.

When green is all there is to be
it could make you wonder why
but why wonder, why wonder...
I'm green, and it'll do fine,
it's beautiful,
and I think it's what I wanna be.

(Joe Raposo wrote the lyrics and music...)
Here are three good clips of it:

First, Ray Charles singing it...




Next, Kermit by himself (the clip I first remember seeing):



Finally, Kermit and that beautiful jazz great, Lena Horne:



When I chose to sing this song, it was at the urging of Ed H., because he and his mother loved it so. I loved it too, but I wasn't sure. After all, it's aimed at kids and who will take it seriously if a grownup sings it?

But then I remembered these singers tackling it with grace and beauty, and really, it fits my life.

I get so frustrated thinking about the fact that I feel ordinary. I'm not a supermodel, I don't have a closetful of Grammys or Oscars in my bedroom, or anything like that. I am not a successful athlete, I'm in a non-glamorous job, and I'm not anything to write home about sometimes.

But then, something knocks me in the head and shows me that I'm OK, and I have a place in this world, even if it's nothing more than "comic relief" at times.

I'm me, and it'll do fine.