I just finished listening to the latest album from David Crosby – I loved it from the first verse. Crosby, even at his ripe old age, is a master of lyrical compositions and tonal interpretations of feelings that accompany such prose. He hasn’t lost a beat in this regard – soulful, melodic, and entrancing. The title track is a composition written by one of his older love interests and an inspirational writer and songstress in her own right – Joni Mitchel. He Plays Real Good for Free offers not so subtle advice to her contemporaries in the music business – think about why you became a musician.
Food for thought – the same can be true for all of us who spend a good portion of our lives in professional kitchens. Mitchell’s verse is not meant (from my perspective) to chastise musicians for accepting pay and accolades for their work – they earn it and are entitled to what comes their way. But it does point to those who get so wrapped up in what is owed to them for the art that they offer that they lose sight of the joy and privilege that comes from mastering their craft and enjoying what really counts. In the case of a musician, it might be a listener who becomes nostalgic about a song, melancholy because the music makes them “feel”, responds to the beat and drives them to move or dance, or brings a smile when those listeners chime in and sing along. Cooks and chefs know that the greatest satisfaction comes from cooking for family, friends, neighbors, or grateful strangers. To watch that level of enjoyment that comes from food that is beautiful to look at, smells heavenly, stimulates the sense of taste, and brings people together through a common bond and appreciation of good cooking is so gratifying. This is where we all began, and time and again this is what we relish – the chance to make people happy through the craft of cooking. Salary, notoriety, personal brand building and profit can never compare to the satisfaction that comes from making people happy, giving them a reason to pause and savor a plate of food. Music and food should bring joy to those who make it and those who consume it.
Yesterday, today, and tomorrow
A knife, a cutting board, a pan
I slice, chop and dice
Cook for you is my true vice
Mother Nature provides so many tools
Our role is to treat them with respect
To give thanks for the farmer, the rancher, the fisherman too
Working with these tools is what we do
To hold a carrot, a potato, a tomato in our hands
To scale a fish, truss a chicken, or French a rack of lamb
Saying grace in the presence of such gifts
Lifts our spirits and gives us purpose
To trim, slice, mince, and dice
To tourne, to caramelize, to sear and roast
This is the craft that others toast
I cook for you, it’s what I do
My hands, my heart, and my soul
Giving joy is always my goal
Breaking bread, listening to what is said
We raise a glass to celebrate
Life’s gift of food and all that it means
The smells, textures, tastes and sound
Of cooking for you is so profound
It gives us meaning, a purpose in life
It gives us joy, it sets aside our strife
The flavors marry in the hands of one
Who knows the craft, who does it for fun
To some it’s a job, a means to an end
A way to get by, to this I send
A message of angst, of a need for more
A way to get by, this is the lore
My hands are rough, my back is sore
It’s a job, a means to an end – no more
I cook for you, it’s what I do
My hands, my heart, and my soul
Giving joy is always my goal
Breaking bread, listening to what is said
We raise a glass to celebrate
Life’s gift of food and all that it means
We started out giving joy to some
A way to communicate
A skill that allowed
You and me to control the way
That people express some joy today
The smells, the textures, the flavors were fine
This was unique, this skill of mine
We need to survive, to pay the bills
Recognition is important of what we do
Fair pay, a pat on the back, a good review
Boosts us up and gives us pride
But in the end let’s push that aside
Remember why we started
Remember the feeling of being complete
When others said thanks with their eyes
For the food on their plate
It may not pay the bills, but it is so true
This feeling of giving is what we do
I cook for you, it’s what I do
My hands, my heart, and my soul
Giving joy is always my goal
Breaking bread, listening to what is said
We raise a glass to celebrate
Life’s gift of food and all that it means
DAVID CROSBY: For Free
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