Somers Winter Band Concert

On Wednesday January Somers High School presented their annual Winter Band and Guitar Concert. The affair was conducted by Director Terry Reynolds and was dedicated to the memory of Steve Ucko - a dear friend and tireless advocate of music in Somers. So everyone tuned up, a strong mix of Jazz, classical and old and new school tunes filled the auditorium with delight and cheer. Not thrown off by the mix, Allie O’Connor on Baritone Sax could say the same thing about the make up of the players. The senior says it’s often believed that the kids in band are a bit out of the mainstream of the student body, but the opposite is true, according to the musician. “You get athletes, theater kids, academics and everyone else,” she assured.

That said, the Somers Stars Program wants to keep the momentum going. The program is sending students to Canada to hone their musical skills so a raffle is being held. First prize is two free domestic airline tickets and second prize wins acoustic guitar and introductory lessons. More details can be found on Facebook at Somers Stars

And if case you ever wondered, here's the meaning of some of our favorite classic rock songs.

Band on the Run by Paul McCartney

The song had its origins in a comment George Harrison made as the Beatles were fizzling to an end, according to the reporting of Tyler Golsen in Far Out Magazine. “If I ever got out of here,” the quiet Beatle commented during one tumultuous Apple meeting.

He was saying, “we are all prisoners in one way or another,” according to McCartney, and the desire to escape is universal.

Providing further fuel, McCartney and Denny Laine were robbed in NYC and among the possessions stolen was the early demo of the song. Nonetheless, the song was further inspired by all the legal run-ins McCartney had over the years. "So I just made up a story about people breaking out of prison,’” McCartney explained.

Who'll Stop the Rain

The Credence song emerged from Fogerty's experience at Woodstock and crossed over with Vietnam. A deluge coming from the sky, the festival of peace and love turned into a swamp for the revelers. But when the rain stopped after Zeppelin played, Whole Lotta Love, Fogerty saw the clearing skies as a sign, according to Michelle Nash of Old Time Music. "It was as if the music held the power to stop the rain," he explained. In turn, Nash wrote, "The song itself speaks of searching for a savior to stop the rain, making the interpretation of the song multi-layered. It could be a reference to a higher power, a way to hold onto hope, a search for a leader to end the war or the belief that music could bring a sense of normalcy."

Young Americans by David Bowie

The song is a commentary on the actual realities of the American dream. Bowie had just moved to LA and couldn’t miss the disparity between the glamorous Hollywood elite and the poverty that surrounded. In this, Young Americans follows a disenfranchised young man who is lost among the shuffle of materialism and conformity. As such, “Bowie was disillusioned with the idea that hard work and perseverance would lead to success and prosperity. Instead, he saw a society that was rife with inequality, racism, and a pervasive sense of apathy,” according to the reporting of Jennifer Bell in Old Time Music.

That said, the anthem is a call to action for Young Americans, and he believes they could effect change. Hence the line, “They’ve got the guns, but we’ve got the numbers.”

The song is also a rally for LGBTQ+ rights, and calls out Nixon for his opposition to same sex marriage. “Do you remember your President Nixon,” Bowie implores.

And so it continues to go.