My Gen X Playlist: That’s the Way of the World – Earth, Wind and Fire

I was on a backpacking trip once and struck up a conversation with an older gentleman on the trail. I was single at the time and he gave me some good advice.

Learn how to dance and cook. The majority of young men can’t do either well. Just think how you’d stand out.

Although I found that to be sage advice, I sadly never improved either of these skills. Fortunately, I wasn’t totally depleted of both. I mean, I can find the beat on a dance floor, and after a couple of drinks, it’s more like the beat finds me. I’m not a great cook, but give me a recipe and I think I can limp my way to the finish line without pulling a muscle. But I do admit, I wish I was better in the kitchen.

One of the shows I like to watch is the Food Channel’s Tournament of Champions. This essentially is a March Madness style cooking competition with chef seedings and brackets for head to head competition. The main ingredients and style of the dish are randomly selected by the luck of a spinning wheel. The chefs have a short time limit to create a fabulous dish that are blind judged by renowned culinary experts. It’s a great show.

If I could do a job for a day, I’d like to compete in the finals, under the pressure of the clock, leaving my fate to a random spin and publicly judged by the greatest chefs in the country. Now this dream scenario also assumes culinary skills are magically pumped into my veins in order to compete in the finals. There wasn’t any fine print in today’s WordPress prompt, so I made this leap of faith. If in fact this is an impossibility, then this turns into a complete shit show. I don’t think my spinach omelette and air fried potatoes with a blob of ketchup will be able to cut the fancy Dijon mustard. That would be a train wreck you definitely would not be able to look away from nor want to miss. I’d even watch that if it weren’t me in the starring role. That’s just great TV.

Today I’m taking another song from Anthony Bourdaine’s 25 Favorite Songs to Cook To. Earth, Wind and Fire’s That’s the Way of the World is a great one. If I’m going to humiliate myself in the kitchen on national TV, what better way than doing it to good music. It makes the pain hurt just a little bit less.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Hearts of fire creates love desire
Take you high and higher to the world you belong
Hearts of fire creates love desire
High and higher to your place on the throne

We've come together on this special day
To sing our message loud and clear
Looking back we've touched on sorrowful days
Future, past, they disappear

You will find (you will find) peace of mind (yeah yeah)
If you look way down in your heart and soul
I don't hesitate 'cause the world seems cold
Stay young at heart 'cause you're never old at heart

That's the way of the world
Plant your flower and you grow a pearl
Child is born with a heart of gold
The way of the world makes his heart so cold

Hearts of fire creates love desire
Take you high and higher to the world you belong
Hearts of fire love desire
High and higher you you you

Hearts of fire love desire
High and higher

We've come together on this special day
To sing our message loud and clear
Looking back we've touched on sorrowful days
Future disappeared

You will find (you will find) peace of mind
If you look way down in your heart and soul
I don't hesitate 'cause the world seems cold
Stay young at heart 'cause you're never old at heart

That's the way of the world
Plant your flower and you grow a pearl
Child is born with a heart of gold
The way of the world makes his heart so cold