PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

February 19, 2025

KEEP YOUR HEAD UP

Monday morning, February 13^th, Andy Grammer was a guest on “Fox and Friends.”  With the release of his “Keep Your Head Up” video he went from a roving singer on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California, to being named by Billboard magazine as an “Artist to Watch.”

As a part of his interview on “Fox and Friends” Grammer related how he came to write “Keep Your Head Up.”  Grammer had spent an especially long day playing at the Third Street Promenade and had collected only $12.00.  Returning to his parent’s home, Andy sat down and wrote in part the following.

I’ve been waiting on the sunset

                                Bills on my mindset

                I can’t deny they’re getting high

                                Higher than my income

                                In comes breadcrumbs

                I’ve been trying to survive

                The glow that the sun gives

                                Right around sunset

                                                Helps me realize

                                This is just a journey

                                                Drop your worries

                You are gonna turn out fine.

                                Oh, you’ll turn out fine.

                Fine, oh, you’ll turn out fine.

                I know it’s hard, know it’s hard,

                                To remember sometimes,

                But you gotta keep your head up, oh,

                                And you can let your hair down, eh.

In his interview on “Fox and Friends” Grammer said that perhaps the best thing that ever happened to him was just earning that $12.00.  It caused him to reflect on his life and reminded himself that “Only rainbows after rain, the sun will always come again.  And It’s a circle, circling, around again, it comes around again.”

                Grammer’s take on the earning of the $12.00 reminds me of what Joseph says to his brothers when they are reunited in Egypt.  “What you intended for evil, God intended for good.” Joseph was knocked done when his brothers sold him into slavery but arose to be overseer in Potiphar’s household.  Joseph was knocked down when he was falsely put in prison but arose to be only next to Pharaoh.  Each one of his setbacks brought him closer to his ultimate goal.

I suspect that one of the reasons that Grammer’s song has resonated with so many people is that they can identify the consequences out of which it grew.  In their own lives or the lives of people they know they are acquainted with hard times.  They are looking for some hope, a reason to continue.

Speaking out of his own experience, Andy Grammer reminds us that even on the darkest night the sun will rise and each day brings the prospect of new possibilities.

(This article was originally published February 19, 2025.  Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)