Jacob Cabot’s Playlist of Remembrance
Growing up, Jacob listened to all kinds of music, enjoying anything with a decent beat. He discovered most of the men in his life had a certain type of favorite genre. Some many of the people in his life fill his thoughts as one of their “favorite” songs comes on the radio.
Much of Jacob Cabot’s downtime overseas was sent sitting with his buddies, playing cards, and arguing over who was in control of the stereo system.
When Tank was in charge, the songs were old school rock, classics to blare out the top of his lungs:
Livin’ On A Prayer | Bon Jovi
The Boys Are Back in Town | Thin Lizzy
With or Without You | U2
More Than A Feeling | Boston
Tank was from Detroit and he knew every word to the classics and loved to belt them out. The other guys ragged him because he had a terrible voice, but it didn’t stop Tank from singing out at the top of his lungs. No one was really going to threaten the big guy – he wasn’t called Tank because he wore green.
If the mission went well, Tank belted out We Will Rock You by Queen, if the mission went bad, the guys could hear him whispering Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door | Guns N’ Roses under his breath.
The day of Tank’s memorial, every Marine in attendance sang Tank’s favorite song: Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison. There wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd and to this day, Jacob can’t hear the song without seeing Tank dancing around the mess hall.
Tyler Clark was different, he liked The Beatles, Beach Boys, and an occasional Johnny Cash.
Here Comes the Sun | The Beatles
I Walk the Line | Johnny Cash
Tyler’s family grew up on the west coast and he had a love of sunshine and music. He didn’t sing loud and strong like Tank did but Jacob did find out Tyler could sing. Ty’s mother mentioned in one her letters her boy’s angelic voice and how it was missed in church on Sundays.
Jacob can still see Tyler roll his eyes over the comment and knew he’d be sworn to secrecy. The men in their unit would have hounded him if they had known and Jacob knew it.
Men with a little bit of country…
Now, whenever Jacob hears a country song, he thinks of his Uncle Red, sitting on the front porch watching the clouds roll across the sky, the wheat swaying in the fields, or riding in his old pickup truck to check out a new picker, and of course sitting in Uncle Red’s workshop whittling a piece of wood while they talked man business.
Always on My Mind | Willie Nelson
Amarillo By Morning | George Strait
Forever and Ever, Amen | Randy Travis
Something Like That |Tim McGraw
Uncle Red taught him about God, working with your hands, and the love of a good woman. He always said, “Country singers know the heart of God and a woman, but often too late. Men can learn a lot about both from a good country song.”
Jacob still says the Lord’s prayer by adding, “forever and ever, amen” as the ending thanks to Uncle Red who learned it from Randy Travis.
I’ve compiled this playlist to feature songs from all of the men who have influenced Jacob’s life. Read more about their influences in Healing Grace, Book Five in the Grace Series. Now available at Amazon and other retailers.
Until next time, may God’s grace surround you,
