Keep loving each other, keep respecting each other and keep on dancing.

The summer of 1965 was a fun-filled, nearly carefree summer that I’ve written about several times in these pages. It was the beginning of my 50-year friendship with Don Dale and its music was the soundtrack to our anniversary celebration last fall. There were truly great songs popular that summer: I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch); You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling; My Girl; I Got You Babe; Mr. Tambourine Man and dozens more, including two of the greatest rock and roll songs ever, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction and Like a Rolling Stone.

Missing from Billboard’s Top 100 but nonetheless a great favorite of mine that summer was the Gentrys’ Keep on Dancing.

Now that title comes back, bearing a new and horrible meaning; Jimmy Fallon urged us all to keep on dancing as he ended his comments about the Orlando obscenity.

I agree, we need to keep loving each other, we need to be more tolerant, we need to celebrate our differences and we need to keep on dancing, but, most importantly, WE NEED TO ABOLISH THE SECOND AMENDMENT!

That of course won’t happen in this gun-crazy country but maybe momentum will finally build to at least abolish the sale of assault weapons. Maybe.

A very big maybe.

I can add little to the national commentary on this horrific act but I want to make sure you all heard the impassioned plea made my Lin-Manuel Miranda as he accepted the Tony award for Hamilton’s Best Score. Dedicated to his wife Vanessa Nadal he brought the audience to tears with his eloquent, impassioned, beautiful words. The text is below; click the link for the incredibly powerful video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAG_7qeiOZA

My wife’s the reason anything gets done

She nudges me towards promise by degrees

She is a perfect symphony of one

Our son is her most beautiful reprise.

We chase the melodies that seem to find us

Until they’re finished songs and start to play

When senseless acts of tragedy remind us

That nothing here is promised, not one day.

This show is proof that history remembers

We lived through times when hate and fear seemed stronger;

We rise and fall and light from dying embers, remembrances that hope and love last longer

And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside.

I sing Vanessa’s symphony, Eliza tells her story

Now fill the world with music, love and pride.