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"