Opinion

Why ReLove’s ‘Who Calls’ Track Answers Society’s Plea for Help

L.A.-based musician reaches out to those left adrift by the culture, depression

What happened to the days when you could trust people’s good intentions?

As a kid, I was fortunate to learn this confidence from my family, friends, teachers, clergy, police, politicians, and even the greasy door-to-door salesmen was someone who could be trusted!

Everyone seemed to have a similar purpose of doing the right thing. Rich or poor, there was an underlying social awareness guided by ethics in people.

You were only as good as your word, at least in my blue-collar neighborhood bubble.

Growing up in Buffalo, N.Y. was humbling and very cold, but the folks were genuine and kind-hearted. They helped each other, perhaps out of survival, but their actions revealed their true beliefs. I felt empowered as a sixth grader riding my bicycle all over town, making money delivering newspapers and shoveling snow. I could hear any music I wanted at the local Tower Records shop.

ReLoVe - Who Calls? (Official Music Video)

Filled with dreams and overconfidence, I would make my mother cringe by saying that life was just a game. Now it feels more like a sinister circus filled with clowns and talking heads.

I still follow my musical dreams transplanted here in Los Angeles, but viewed from the seasoned perspective of a husband, father, and earthquake retrofit salesman having a mid-life COVID crisis. Thank God I don’t have the virus, but in my daily sales calls, I have been tasked to do a lot more listening and consoling.

People have sincere frustration out here in LA, and it’s difficult to find anyone who cares about anything. We’re locked up and paralyzed waiting to see what’s next.

The world is numb with noise, oversaturated with opinions, and in the last year a new fear has set in. Not necessarily of COVID, but fear of depression throughout the entire human race. It breaks my heart to see anxiety in the kids and the elderly.

I’m cynical enough to keep fighting on, but it is exhausting.

ReLoVe - Somewhere (Official Music Video)

Trying to share songs with a positive message to the general public is a daunting task. So, I shut up, remain thankful that I have a job listening to landlords who can’t collect rent because of politics, and try not to dream too much…

The single “Who Calls?” takes a deeper look into these intentions. No one picks up the phone or takes your call unless they know you. Now, emails are filtered, texting has become spam and social media is, well shall we say, BIG business.

What is the agenda of the algorithms? It seems as if everyone is a singular, screaming microcosm trying to post their passions, but bundled together with money in a business model or social cause, can metastasize like cancer through the media. We all must pay in some form to get attention. It may be a monetary exchange, or perhaps your personal data sold for manipulation.

“Who calls for a favor? Who calls in disguise?

Who calls you like a friend and fills you full of lies?

Who calls preaching the right way? Who calls selling sin?

Who calls all of us, is it your turn now to lose or win?

Who calls out of obligation? Who calls, who really cares?

Is there anyone worth listening to, who knows how to share?”

I hope this is not too cryptic, because I still believe that people are born into this world to be inherently good.

This goes beyond all religious boundaries. God don’t make junk, whether you’re an atheist or guided by evil, you started out pure and hopeful. We can still find that place within. It’s called the gift of choice; freewill to think on our own.

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Drawing on our own conclusions. Love is the freedom of choice. Choose it or not, at least we know it’s ours to have if we want it! A quote from Viktor Frankl:

“The last of human freedoms – the ability to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances.”

Now, the neediness of our silly ego. How we LOVE our likes, and wait for our dopamine beeps, dings, and vibrations. Scandalous and shocking what we post for attention. We’re our own worst enemy. But there is hope,

“I heard a voice inside saying do not be afraid.

Peace I have and love I give, do not be afraid.

Who calls on you? It’s just a personal point of view.

We choose what’s true; the freedom of our mind is a gift from you know who…”

Let me know what you think of the song — glennjost (at) gmail.com and ReLove.com.

————–

Glenn Jost is an L.A.-based musician. You can find his music at YouTube and Spotify.

Who Calls? © 2019 (Jost) All Rights Reserved. Published by Beyond Logic Music, ASCAP and Boing Boing Music, ASCAP Produced by Victor Bender and Glenn Jost, Performed by ReLoVe, Glenn Jost – Words, Vocals, Drums, Victor Bender – Keyboards & Guitar, Sonia Harley – Vocals, Hussain Jiffry – Bass, Chris Brennan – Guitar, Video Direction by Jaronie Tha Real, Video Editing by @THE_KOKO_SHOW

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