9. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Neil Diamond

 9. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Neil Diamond

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdlYnrwaQ6w&list=OLAK5uy_lelFztmiUGVIAvJvu3oFxaeSvEyFhp118

In the late '60s, Richard Bach wrote a series of short stories about a seagull that was trying to learn how to fly and, in doing so, become a more perfect being. These short stories got published in book format in 1970, but it became a best-seller in 1972 and 1973. A film based on the book was released in 1973, but it pretty much bombed in the theaters. However, the soundtrack by Neil Diamond did very well in the record stores, selling over 2 million copies. It also won a Grammy in 1974 for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special. In fact, because of all the Neil Diamond fans that were out there, the album made more money that the movie did.

The book, movie, and soundtrack escaped the attention of everyone in the Olson family until the passing of my brother Jeff in 1976. At his funeral, his band teacher, Ms. McKnight, played the song "Lonely Looking Sky" on Jeff's trumpet. It was a song that Jeff had been practicing for band class. My aunt Beverly (who has been the subject of many a joke I've told over the years) did something quite unexpected and completely awesome that I will always be incredibly grateful for. She went out and bought a copy of the book "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" and drove up our lane to give it to my family. My dad read the book to us while we sat in the living room together. For some reason, it touched us all deeply, and it was very comforting to us as a family. After that, I went out and bought my own copy so that I could read it in bed over and over before I went to bed. Also, the family bought the Neil Diamond album, and I would listen to it on the record player before going to sleep. It found it to be extremely comforting, and while it reminded me of my brother, it just reminded me of the good things, and not all the fights we used to get into.

Several weeks after reading the book to us, Mom and Dad went to the temple in Idaho Falls, and my dad was impressed by the mural in one of the rooms that had clouds with seagulls flying through the air. Dad looked up in the corner of the mural, and he could see an image in the clouds part of Jeff's face with a hand placed on his head. And the opening lyrics to the song "Be" came to his mind--"Lost on a painted sky where the clouds are hung for the poets eye. You may find him, if you may find him." After that, Dad would share with us that he could see that same image every time he went to the temple, and the image got clearer and clearer to him each time. Later on when I went through the temple in preparation for my mission,  Dad was by my side through the whole ceremony. He pointed out the section of the mural where he could see Jeff's face. At first I didn't see anything, but as the temple ceremony continued, I was able to see the outline of a face in the clouds. I didn't recognize Jeff in it, but I could see the face that Dad had talked about all those years. And I was able to continue to see it whenever I went through that temple ceremony in later years.

While I was in Sweden and having a very difficult time, I got a copy of the soundtrack to listen to on tape, and it had that same comforting effect on me. That tape, along with The Man From Snowy River soundtrack, helped me tremendously. They reminded me of home in a way that inspired me instead of making me homesick. I also broke mission rules and purchased a copy of Jonathan Livingston Seagull in Swedish and read it repeatedly, which actually helped me with my Swedish a lot because I knew the book so well I could figure out the meaning of the Swedish words without even consulting a dictionary. 

Because I loved this album so much on my mission, later on I sent copies to all of my nephews and my niece that served missions. I told them it was sacred music in the Olson family, so it was okay to listen to it as much as they wanted. 

While I've continued to listen to this album over the years, there has not been any additional memories that I relate to the album except for one follow-up story. My sister got in contact with Ms. McKnight on Facebook and told her how much we appreciated her playing "Lonely Looking Sky" at Jeff's funeral. She responded by telling my sister that while teaching at Marsh Valley Jr. High she had never been interested in attending the Mormon church or learning its doctrine. But she had an experience on the day of Jeff's funeral that changed her life. Right after she finished playing the song, she said she clearly heard Jeff's voice say to her "Thanks Ms. McKnight." She said that she was stunned by this because she had never thought that there could be an afterlife until that moment. Because of that experience, she eventually investigated the church and converted, and she has even served a mission with her husband. 

So that's why this album is in my top ten. I have lots of other reasons for the other albums in the top ten, all of which are much less spiritually oriented and, in fact, quite profane. In putting this list together, I even thought about leaving it out completely. But then I thought that it really wouldn't be a very honest list if I didn't include it and recognize the impact that this music had on my life. So this is the one album on this list that has a strong spiritual meaning for me. And because I'm such a practiced old sinner, 1 in 60 seems to be about right. 

Nardo