Actually, the first song is more a favorite than the second. But you have to watch the second video. Contrast the black drummer at 30 seconds in with the white back-up band at around one minute in. Crica 1967. What an embarassing time for white America, particularly when it came to fashion and style.
A protest song against United Airlines, "United Breaks Guitars", draws 2 million YouTube hits in four days.
And some nice acoustic guitar at OG. I was playing ever day for a while, then I got busy again. Drat!
Courtesy of Mr. Ray Charles. Happy Birthday, America.
File under unfortunate, but unavoidable, perhaps.
Charles Johnson versus a large number of conservative blogs, some of whom call him a "former conservative," or something.
I'm not in the mood to take a side on this one, though I do believe some of CJ's particular criticisms of Beck have it wrong from what I've read. A few thoughts, though.
Neither Conservatives, nor Republicans should be taking advice from items like this Cohen piece at Politico. They come with an agenda of their own.
As for the feud mentioned above, WTF have people been smoking out here all this time? Much of the Right side of the blogosphere, as it came to be defined, was never about Conservatism. It was about 9/11 and later fighting a war. The actual politics of several thus aligned blogs and bloggers were never Conservative, so it is inaccurate to call them turn coats now. Argue with them if you wish, debate them, whatever. But don't call them names they are not.
Make what you will of this perhaps former conglomeration of Conservatives, hawkish moderates, libertarians and perhaps even hawkish liberals. But for heaven's sake, have the intelligence to understand it for what it is. Failing to do that only makes you look dumb.
This split is utterly predictable and was predicted by many bloggers over the years including me. With the WOT slipping from the headlines and a new administration, people are simply being who they always were politically. How this all ends up is hard to say just now. But it's a shake up, or a re-alignment that has always had to take place one day.
That day has arrived. As the post title and the song below both say - that's the way of the world. Deal with it - hopefully as constructively as you can.
Because I can.
Elmore James had the misfortune of drinking himself to death just before the late sixties explosion in Rock that gave many black Blues performers the recognition they deserve. While James is certainly known, I think his rep is actually stronger among musicians than it is with the public as he wasn't around to perform and there's little if any video of him. There isn't even much in the way of pictures. Check out the singing on the cut in the video below - It Hurts Me, Too - if nothing else.
The story goes he started out on a one string diddley bow and built his own electric guitar while working at a radio repair shop. His grave: King of the Slide Guitar.
YouTube has some great cuts that speak to his influence: Done Somebody Wrong, One Way Out,- two the Allman Brothers covered. The Sky Is Crying, Long Tall Women, Every Day I Have The Blues, Got To Move. Too many to list.
I've been pretty sick since CPAC but haven't wanted to say much about it. Just a bug, but it morphed and took a couple different antibiotics before, hopefully, it's finally started being rooted out. Started with the Flu, I guess - and went from there. That's why the light posting and ornery disposition when I have, probably.
Anyway ... here's a little ditty from The Highwaymen with some interesting history. Part of the back story certainly makes Arlo Guthrie look like a freaking jerk. If it wasn't for Guthrie's Father Woody, we wouldn't have had to endure the mostly untalented fool. Figures he's a Paulbot. Goodman battled Leukemia throughout most of his career.
While at the Quiet Knight, Goodman saw Arlo Guthrie, and asked to be allowed to play a song for him. Guthrie grudgingly agreed, on the condition that Goodman buy him a beer first; Guthrie would listen to Goodman for as long as it took Guthrie to drink the beer.
City of New Orleans:
Featuring Natalie Merchant.
Kind and Generous
Give them what they want - a better musical version here without Stipe
Not quite silent, but I haven't posted any music in a while and nice to take a break from it all, especially given what I imagine we're in for right ahead - non-stop campaigning with no punches being pulled.
Thanksgiving 1975 - get passed the turkey bit for The Boxer. Ha. When it came out I still remember being able to go to the local deli that had magazines and you could see the word "whores" in print in Words and Music. My, haven't we come a loooooooooooong way? Shame, really. Actually, a better version of it here, though. The original is here.
Anyway, you can enjoy the Central Park version of this next piece here. I like the harmony in the original below.
Another one from, I believe, the concert in Central Park.
