All My Life

I've been walking in the rain just to get wet on purpose

She wanted to spend time with him.

I don't know what he wanted. If he didn't want to spend time with her then he was an idiot. But I don't know.

She didn't go out drinking. She thought that was stupid.

She didn't smoke pot with the others. She'd tried it and didn't like it.

She wanted to spend time with him.

And he was not there. This was before cell phones. Before texting. Before email took off.

So there were long pauses. And long unpauses.

But mostly long pauses.

I know this. She told me.

She wanted to be with him. And he wasn't there.

And she smiled wistfully as she told me. And I answered. Truthfully. Before I could stop myself.

"Then he's an idiot."

And she nodded. Not because he was an idiot. But because she was sure.

She'd wanted to be with him. And he wasn't there.

It Probably Went Something Like This

I wasn't there, but...

"So honey, I know there are a lot of problems in the world."

"So many problems that could use your thoughts and energy and hard work."

"Yeah. I couldn't decide if I should spend time on solving the energy crisis, cleaning up pollution, solving our political problems, or curing cancer."

"I know. Where do you begin?"

"So instead of doing any of that... I put all my time and energy into... this:"

Songs of Thanks

Triptophantastic

A few songs of Thanks for Thanksgiving:



and



and, just for good measure:

New Graham Parker and the Rumour

First New Album in 31 Years

And it's great. (Don't just take my word for it -- read what Holly has to say about it.)

The Rumour split up 31 years ago (although Parker has worked most of them individually since then). But this is the first new album they've put out as "Graham Parker & the Rumour" in 31 years.



The cover (even if it's meant ironically) is just... um... awful.

Oh... and they misspelled the band's name on the CD (but not on the cover).

*sigh*

Even 31 years later, GP's still not getting the respect he deserves.

But, as has been the case for his entire career, the music is still great. (And isn't that what's really important?)

Anything That's Rock and Roll

'Till The Sky Went Light

The skies shimmer.

Shake with light.

Shimmy. Almost.

And they float above the horizon.

Dancing. Almost.

And the people below watch.

Listen. (Because there's a sound.)

And marvel.


And then, from the edges of long ago, from a corner of my consciousness comes this. This long-ago song I'd play immediately. If only I could play guitar:

This May Have Made More Sense 10 Days Ago...

But...

Chris Stamey from the dBs, reminds you to Vote.



The best thing about this is that it sounds like it could have been recorded anytime in the last 40 years.

James and the Royalty-Free Peach

Jump Right Over Your Down-in-the-Dumps Thing

In the early 1990s, Andy Partridge from XTC wrote and recorded four demos for Disney's James and the Giant Peach movie.

Disney reportedly offered him a buyout that gave them total ownership of the songs and didn't require them to pay any royalties on any of the songs.

He said no.

Disney replaced him with Randy Newman. Who is a great songwriter (and, as someone who both was a relatively big name and a vet of Disney movies, presumably was able to get a better deal from the Mouse).

But I still want to see the Andy Partridge-ified movie. And I still want to hear these songs fleshed out, given the full Disney treatment. I'll bet they'd still be identifiable as Andy Partridge songs. (And I'll bet that movie might have been a huge jolt for Andy, with or without XTC).

Instead, it's yet another alternate universe project that never saw the light of day on this side.

So... in honor of spending too much time on the phone arguing with insurance companies about something that was their fault nearly a year ago...

And in honor of all my friends who are going through difficult times lately.

Here's my hope for you, courtesy of Andy Partridge:

Can We Just Make Johnny Rivers the Head of the CIA

Seriously. Can we?

It's about time we had someone in Foggy Bottom who could play guitar...

Go Here, Listen To This, Read That

Post-Election Edition

Mr. Who, of the fantastic Any Major Dude with Half A Heart blog does an impressive survey of Right-Wing Pop-Songs. Wish I'd thought of it (or had the energy or knowledge to organize it this well). My only minor quibble: where's Neil Young from his pro-Reagan period? Go read now.

Hope Street celebrates voting through doodles on calendars (and, hey, why not?)

7 Inches of 70s Pop celebrates election day with Chuck Berry's only certified million-seller, the intensely stupid "My Ding-A-Ling." Maybe after all the racial persecution he suffered, it was just Chuck's way of flipping the bird to the suburban white kids who never gave him enough credit.


And finally, although it would be a huge stretch to call this post-election (not only for the content, but also because it was written weeks ago), here's a story I can't resist:

AM, Then FM tracks down the original owner of a vinyl copy of the White Album, bought in a used record store in Madison.

Blast From Your Past

Just as true today as it was 40 years ago.

Wild Kind of Look to the Day

Talk Amongst Yourselves

In my lifetime, I've seen people literally give their lives for the right to vote.

I've watched Chinese students stand up to tanks.

I've watched Gorbachov take power back from the Army.

I've seen people willing to pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor just to be able to cast ballots.

Compared to that, my petty concerns about waiting in line (or the incompetence of polling place workers) just seem ridiculous.

So...

Vote.

Hurricane Sandy Telethon

In Case You Missed It

And donate a few bucks to the Red Cross while you're at it, okay?