Helen Reddy at the Ready.

We are Orleanians, hear us roar, in numbers too big to ignore. We know too much to go back and pretend. Because we’ve heard it all before, and we’ve been down on the floor, no one’s ever gonna keep us down again.

It may surprise you to learn that I am not the world’ biggest Helen Reddy fan. If you were expecting her name to come up, here it is. A tip of my fedora in your direction. You must be over 40. I don’t cater to the cool kids.

I haven’t listened to a Helen Reddy song in, probably, thirty years. It may be even longer. It has probably been thirty years since I even thought of Ms. Reddy. She is Australian by birth.

So is Olivia Newton John, who I think of just as often.

Serendipity brought Ms. Reddy to top of mind today. Was it a passing car? A bit of undigested beef? It is none of your concern how it happened or why. Like many things, let us keep this one of life’s nagging, niggling mysteries.

In my latest gambit to annoy the neighbors, I was occupying my time in my back yard while playing the same one Helen Reddy song over and over at full blast. It’s the only one I know. It’s no wonder I am hard of hearing.

I was singing along, loudly and proudly, a baritone to Ms. Reddy’s alto. You don’t need to be a woman to identify with the lyrics. I do. I changed the song to fit my needs. You can end your version of the chorus any way you like.

Yes, I am wise,
But it's a wisdom born of pain.

Yes, I've paid the price,
But look how much I've gained

If I have to, I can do anything.

I am strong.
I am invincible.
I am...King.

This song is just the pep talk I needed. I’ve been feeling kind of low and disconsolate recently. I needed to be reminded, don’t we all sometimes? If we have to, we can do anything.

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