I n 1995, fire erupted at California’s Point Reyes National Seashore, a place of wild beauty about 30 miles north of San Francisco. Fed by hot, dry winds, the conflagration scorched more than 12,000 acres of brush and woods. Forty-five buildings went up in flames, including the home of legendary singer/songwriter Jesse Colin Young and his family.
Young didn’t realize it at the time, but the fire and its aftermath would mark a significant turning point in his life. It set in motion forces that pulled him into a downward spiral of poor health and emotional turmoil, before leading to a surprise diagnosis of neurological Lyme disease.
He has endeavored to capture what happened in a song he calls “Lymelife.” In it, he distills many years of experience into 30 lines of lyrics.
He and his band the Youngbloods burst into musical prominence during the 1960s with their hit song “Get Together” Just about anybody who lived through that era probably recalls its refrain:
Come on, people now. Smile on your brother.
Everybody get together, try to love one another right now.….. Join or login below to continue reading.
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