The Genius That Is White Lion

I tell you what, no matter what reason, no matter what mood a person is in, the band from the Glory Days of Rock called White Lion had it all figured out.

The reason why I bring this up: there's this little guy, a sixth-grader. It's been a few weeks ago that his "girlfriend" dumped him for the most un-holy of reasons. Ever since then, he's been in this senseless funk, wondering how he can carry on.

I was doing my PowerPoint unit for my sixth graders. I requested the students to do an autobiography presentation. But this hurtin' dude -- dedicated his slideshow to the break-up of his loved one. I've seen my share of dudes hurting from break-ups, but this lil' shaver takes 'em all.

Sure -- why should I care? He's only in 6th grade! But there's something about this little guy that I can relate to. He's one of the most respectful guys, nice as can be -- and physically, he's probably the shortest boy in his class, something that him and I share in common.

Then, this is where White Lion steps in.

Back in the day, I was saturated with White Lion through Mike, who used to blast this back in his old Ford Bronco. Rarely, I listen to music for the lyrics (I like a good steady beat, something that sounds good -- probably why I just like musical scores so much), but as Mike pointed out -- White Lion had it all. Whether it's love, hate, war, politics, family ... it's absolutely stunning how White Lion pulls it off.

With all the knowledge that I had gained from White Lion, I felt an obligation to pass it on.

Two songs come to mind: "Broken Heart" and "Little Fighter." I have a small collection of my CD's at school, so this guy stops in my room after school, already looking like he had a rough day.

I told him to hang around a little bit -- while I played him the two songs. I also printed out the lyrics so he could read and better understand them. During "Broken Heart," I thought the guy was going to lose it, but I said, "Hey, listen ... 'there is life even after a broken heart.'" He just nodded.

Then, I played "Little Fighter." He read the lyrics, then he smiled. Rise again, little fighter!

I got the "pound-of-the-fists," a quick thank-you and good-bye, and he was off with a renewed confidence and vigor.

Even though this guy wasn't even born yet when White Lion was in full-force -- they still speak today. I was just glad to pass this on to a new generation.