The Model T Ford in my view was the car of cars, it literally put the world on wheels, BUT WHY? Great question. It’s simple like the car itself -PEOPLE COULD AFFORD IT – AND IT WAS A GOOD CAR. The wisdom of that is long lost I’m afraid, the miracle of Henry’s vision – it started out in 1908 at $850 and by 1924 Henry through many innovations including the assembly line got it down to $250. In today’s’ dollars (2022), that is $4,481. Now I ask you if any manufacturer would grab that vision again they would take the market by storm and put all the people to work to provide them.

Somewhere about 3000 years before that Solomon who had written 1005 songs, (5 more than his wives and concubines) wrote the Song of Songs. It too was affordable to anyone, (which is deeper that you may think) and a good song. The best way to illustrate the need we have for a song more than a Model T would be this story.

Arturo Toscanini, one of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th century and 20th century. He was renowned for his brilliant intensity, his restless perfectionism, his phenomenal ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory.

Toscanini was sitting one day with one of his biographers. Together they were listening to a recording of a certain overture. The piece was a complicated one – many movements, complex arrangements, and sophisticated orchestration. The two men listened silently, concentrating on every note and every emotion.

When the recording was finished, the maestro turned to the author and remarked, “Did you notice anything unusual about what we just heard?”

He had not. The rendition had been stirring, perhaps even exceptional, but the writer could not imagine what the genius was referring to.

“I have no idea,” he confessed. “But I am curious. What was so unusual about this piece of music?”

“There should be 14 violins in that orchestra. I only heard 13.”

Toscanini explained. “My familiarity with this overture is great. Believe me I know what it is supposed to sound like. There should, in fact, be exactly 14 violins in that orchestra. But in this particular recording of this overture, I only heard 13 violins. One violin is missing. I am certain.”

The biographer knew better than to chuckle in front of the great conductor, but he was mystified. How was it possible for Toscanini to discern that one violinist was missing? And how could he dare to be certain of that? It made no sense.

The next day the man began to do some research. To his amazement, Toscanini was precisely correct. One of the violinists had indeed been absent when that recording was made.

Yes, everyone has a note to play in God’s symphony- a song to sing. The root of song in Hebrew is GIFT. Shin – Yud – from Psalm 76:11. In my view by meditating on the Song of Songs we get tuned up for our note.