This Modern World

Tom Tomorrow's latest cartoon. These truly are the days of great sorrow (uh, forget the Bush years, the Patriot Act, Guantanamo, Abu Grahib, Katrina, etc...).  Click for the full size image.

Classic Country

I touched on the genre of classic country in my Valentine's Day post with a few choice cuts by Johnny Paycheck.

I was listening to RadioIO Classic Country today, and while I could list quite a few, today I will focus on Merle Haggard and Marty Robbins.

Marty Robbins was probably the most versatile country performer of his generation.  In his career, he experiemented with not only country, but rockabilly, pop, and even traditional Hawaiian music.  Of course, his biggest hit, "El Paso", was from his 1959 concept album "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs".  The cover showed Robbins in a costume and pose reminiscent of Richard Boone as "Paladin" in "Have Gun Will Travel":

Here is Marty's 1961 hit, "Don't Worry".


Merle Haggard grew up in Bakersfield California with parents who moved there from Oklahoma, perhaps something of an inspiration for his best known song, "Okie From Muskogee".  Something else that helped Merle's feeling for honest to God country was the time he spent in Folsom Prison for robbery.  Later, after becoming a start in his own right, Merle Haggard met Johnny Cash.  Merle told Johnny, "I really enjoyed your show in Folsom Prison.  It helped me become a country singer".  Johnny replied, "I don't remember you being in that show Merle".  Merle replied, "I wasn't in the show, I was in the audience!". 

Here is Merle singing, "I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am"


This is a real treat. This is a clip of Marty Robbins and Merle Haggard together, live in front of an audience. Merle dons Marty's jacket and does a dead on impression of Robbins.

A Few Perspectives On Health Care

Now that the initial euphoria following the success of health care reform has passed, here are a few perspectives on it's passage:

What Atrios said from "This Modern World" by Tom Tomorrow

Republicans face drawbacks of united stand on health bill New York Times (excellent article!)

How the Senate will tackle healthcare reform Salon.com

More on those "neutralized" special interests by Glenn Greenwald

America, here are ten things you've just won with health care reform Alternet/Mother Jones

And a few from the "loyal opposition":

Gov. Mitch Daniels on healthcare reform from Jim Shella's Political Blog

The ten most outrageous right wing freakouts over the health care bill Alternet

13 (GOP) attorneys general file lawsuit against health reform Raw Story

Last, but not least:

March Madness

Sunday night, the biggest cheers were not for the NCAA basketball tournament, nor were all eyes on "Sportscenter".  They were on C-Span.

The Vote:

The Reaction:

Song of the Day: Same Old Lang Syne

I have mentioned before how Dan Fogelberg is a guilty pleasure of mine.  I heard this song twice today, so it must be a sign "syne".

Really a very good song with some lyrics that someone said were "sublime".  That is as good a description as I could come up with, although I would add "wistful" and "nostalgic".  The best part?  It's a true story.  Dan was visiting his parents in Illinois over the holidays one year.  He went to the local store for something on Christmas Eve and the rest is history. 

This is a great, original video for the song.  Not by Dan Fogelberg, but a couple of fans.

Dan Fogelberg, "Same Old Lang Syne"

Song of the Day: When In Rome

CLASSIC 80's music. 

When In Rome, "The Promise"

R.I.P. Alex Chilton

I just read that Alex Chilton died.  Strangely enough, most of the stories I have seen give short shrift to his time in the Box Tops, skipping ahead to his more critically acclaimed time in Big Star. 

Memphis music loses "Big Star"-Alex Chilton dead at 59

Here is one of my favorite Box Tops songs. 

"She Shot A Hole In My Soul"

Sweet Painted Ladies

Nursing home brothel?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/03/16/vbs.house.setting.sun/index.html?hpt=Mid

This Modern World

Here is the new Tom Tomorrow cartoon (click on the image for the full size version):

I have to wonder: why are we going to the mat now?  Why not before?  Why not for single payer or, at the very least, public option?  God knows the Bush White House pushed through legislation that they felt was beneficial to the country.  And that was for the Patriot Act, etc... 

Here is a good perspective from Tom Tomorrow's blog:

http://www.thismodernworld.com/

Song of the Day: Information Society

This was a big hit in 1988, when I was a freshman in high school.  Good times!

The "Star Trek" samples make it.

Information Society, "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)"

Three Sides To Every Story

There is an old saying, "There are three sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth". 

Now there are three more sides: Andrew Young, Rielle Hunter and the truth.  Who do you believe? 

First John Edwards came out with his story.  Then Andrew Young wrote his book, "Politician".  Now Rielle Hunter has broken her silence with a Q&A in the latest issue of GQ.

Who to believe?  I read both the Young book and the Hunter interview.  I do not know.  I believe them both.  They may have fudged some details and misremembered some scenes, but I can see Young's side and, after reading the interview, I have a better grasp of who Rielle Hunter is. 

Update: The photos that accompany the GQ interview were the most unsettling part of the whole thing for me.  It seemed like a ready made Playboy "newsmaker" pictoral that Playboy had somehow passed on.  Now it seems that Hunter is unhappy with the pics.  Could it be due to the backlash the pictures have caused?  Like a PR campaign gone horribly awry?

Song of the Day: George Michael Unplugged

About ten years ago George Michael filmed a show for MTV's "Unplugged" series.  The set list was a mix of solo stuff, a few covers and, as he says, "one Wham track".  That Wham track was one of many highlights of the evening; reworked with a funky new arrangement.  Enjoy!

George Michael, "Everything She Wants"

Surfin' USA

Hey, dude!  Grab your board and let's go!

Waterboarding for dummies Salon.com

Can you believe this?  And we have people not only defending it (I'm looking at you, Liz Cheney), but claiming it isn't really torture. 

Song of the Day: "Outside"

I caught George Michael in concert on HDNet.  Great show with a very imaginative set.  Here is one of the songs featured in the show.

After his high profile arrest in a Los Angeles men's room, not only did George Michael appear on the Letterman show, he made this video.  What balls. 

George Michael, "Outside"

Song of the Day: Queen

I have returned, faithful reader, from a short break from posting.  Alas, I have returned with a short post about one of my favorite Queen songs, "Sail Away Sweet Sister", from their 1980 album "The Game".

One of but a handful of songs not sung by Freddie Mercury (save for a short few lines in the middle) this is sung by it's composer, guitarist Brian May.  Mercury does, however, play piano.  Brian May remarked a few years ago on his blog that he coaxed Freddie into playing piano on this because he wanted the sound of Freddie's great rhythmic piano playing on the backing track.

"The Game" signaled a change for Queen.  Gone were the ornate arrangements and theatrics of their 70's albums.  Instead "The Game" featured (for them) a more stripped down and basic rock style.  "Sail Away Sweet Sister" does feature one of Brian May's best orchestrated and layered guitar solos. 

Queen, "Sail Away Sweet Sister"

This Modern World

The new comic from Tom Tomorrow (click on the image for a full screen view):

Songs of the Day II: 70's Rock

I recently had a request from a reader for some 70's rock.  I can dig it.

Legend has it that when the Eagles were working on their last album "Long Road Out Of Eden", one of Glenn Frey's kids found an old video of them on YouTube performing on a Dutch tv show in 1973.  Frey had forgotten about the song they performed and reminded Don Henley of it.  The band reworked the song and it became the lead single from their new album.  Here is the original performance from 1973 of "How Long":



And the 2008 version:


Led Zeppelin, "Since I Been Loving You"


Bad Company, "Ready For Love". A little shaky on the audio side, but vintage:


Steve Miller Band, "Jet Airliner"


Doors, "L.A. Woman", directed by Ray Manzarek

Songs of the Day: 80's Anime

Here are a few of the better 80's songs with videos featuring animation, either as large or small portions of the video:

First, a small example: "All I Wanted" by Kansas, 1986


"Save Me" by Queen, 1980


One of the most famous examples, "Take On Me" by A-Ha, 1985  Damn good video, lo these many years later.



Bonus:
Although it was released in 1991, this is one of my faves and features some Disney animation, "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" by Queen.  Freddie Mercury's last video performance: