When You Need a Smile
Okay, so on Wednesday my wife moved a little closer to that magical life milestone—the big 60. I won’t say exactly how close because if I did, she’d quickly remind me, “I’ll still never be older than you!”
And she’s right. I crossed that milestone a couple of years before she did.
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve found myself thinking about many of the folk singers I’ve loved over the years. One morning I was remembering the passing of Steve Goodman. Then I realized it was the anniversary of Jim Croce’s tragic plane crash in 1973.
With all of that on my mind, I decided it was time to spend a little while with someone who almost always makes me smile—John Gorka.
Choosing the Perfect John Gorka Song
I headed over to YouTube and started looking.
Should it be “I’m From New Jersey,” with the wonderfully truthful line:
“I’m from New Jersey… we don’t expect much.”
Or maybe “The Gypsy Life,“ which opens with a line my wife insists describes me perfectly:
“There is nothing in my head today…”
Then there was “Stranger in My Driver’s Seat.”
Finally, I found exactly what I needed.
People My Age
Maybe it wasn’t exactly an upbeat song, but it certainly fit the week. John was born in 1958—just a youngster compared to me! 😄
The song was “People My Age,” and the video still makes me laugh.
Spambassadors? 😂
Sometimes all it takes is the right song from an old friend to brighten the day.
2026 Update
John Gorka has always has a wonderful gift for mixing humor with wisdom. That’s one of the reasons I’ve kept returning to his music for more than three decades. Whenever life starts taking itself a little too seriously, John usually has a song that reminds me to smile.