John “the Duke” Wayne was an American film icon best known for his roles in western movies. In a career that spanned over 50 years, Wayne held the starring role in 142 films. His distinctive speech and stride were imprinted on generations of viewers. Yet, the Duke also left a legacy of memorable quotes. One in particular came from an interview Wayne did with Playboy magazine in 1971. The quote has been emblazoned on Wayne’s tombstone:
“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.”
Perhaps the solitude of the trail, the wide open space of the west or the sense of insignificance that one feels under the vast sky leads to ruminations about what was and what might have been. It’s a theme that often shows up in country music as well.
Here are five songs that take Wayne’s message to heart, and remind us that we should learn from the past and make the most out of every day we’re given.
“Here for a Good Time,” by George Strait
“Folks are always dreaming about what they like to do,
But I like to do just what I like.
I’ll take the chance, dance the dance,
It might be wrong but then again it might be right.
There’s no way of knowing what tomorrow brings,
Life is too short to waste it, I say bring on anything.”
“We’re Here for a Good Time,” by Terri Clark
“We’re here for a good time,
Not a long time (not a long time).
So have a good time,
The sun can’t shine every day.”
“Let the Good Times Roll,” by Brad Paisley
“Hey everybody, let's have some fun,
You only live for once,
And when you're dead you're done,
So let the good times roll, let the good times roll.”
“Life’s too Short to Love This Fast,” by Alabama
“If we don’t slow down our hearts won’t last,
We can’t keep up this pace we’re on right now.
We burn the candle at both ends,
The circle turns, we start again.
Let’s make our future better than our past,
Life’s too short to love this fast.”
“Days Like These,” by Jason Aldean
“Life is short, let’s go live it,
Ain't no time for wasting time.
Days like these, they go by way too fast,
Yeah, days like these, you wanna make 'em last.”