John Lennon, Love

A Lennon classic.

Shinedown, Simple Man

"Don't forget that there is Someone up above." Simple living and high thinking, not the other way around. Right?



And here's the original.

Pearl Jam - Masters Of War

Haven't heard much about the masters of war this election cycle, but it is at the heart of what this election is really about.



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Studs Terkel, 1912--2008

See here, you NeoLibs. If you don't know about Studs Terkel, you should. The great man passed away today at the age of 96.

Terkel has been one of the most important figures in progressive thought since FDR. Before there was all this NeoCon crap about Joe the Plumber, Terkel was telling it like it really is.

He said he never met a petition or a picket line he didn't like.

The First Episode Of The Munsters

It's in color, it has a somewhat different cast, and it was never aired. But why were shows like The Munsters and The Addams Family so popular? We might as well throw in The Beverly Hillbillies, because these shows were about the stupidity of American society--the conformity, materialism, and obsession with ordinariness. I think this kind of television was a reaction to Leave It To Beaver and Ozzie And Harriet, that never challenged anything and always supported the status quo. But the 1960's blew the dominant paradigm wide open.

And now Obama is about to become our President, so I think Herman Munster has been proven right. Sometimes it pays to think outside the box.

It always has, in the long run.

Grateful Dead, Ripple

Would you hear my voice come through the music?

Bobby "Boris" Pickett And The Crypt Kicker Five, Monster Mash

Dracula and his son? Not as scary as McCain-Palin, but have no fear...

Obama's here.

Paul McCartney, Goodnight Tonight

1978.

Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever

Madonna, Get Into The Groove

Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins

Joan Jett, I Love Rock And Roll

Liz Phair, Johnny Sunshine

Where, Oh Where, Has Joe the Plumber Gone

John McCain can't nail down the fact that Obama is a socialist, commie, red, pinko with his trusty sidekick Joe the Plumber. Problem is, Joe's off plunging a toilet somewhere.



Maybe Joe was fixing the plumbing in the office of his new publicist, or perhaps he was writing some new songs for his forthcoming country music record, which is rumored to drop on inauguration day.

There are still undecided voters. Just sayin'.

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The Battle Hymn Of The Republic

Selma, Alabama, 1965.

When I go searching for "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", I always return to the dignity of this version.

Jay Ungar's Ashokan Farewell

I just have to post this one every once in awhile. It's one of the most beautiful melodies ever written.

Republicans For Obama

So many prominent Republicans have endorsed Barack Obama. I wonder why?

Mosaic Whispers, Portions For Foxes

I'm sitting here devising an exam for 140 students of Religions in Asia, and I just gotta have some tunes. This one fills the bill. Instant good mood!

When you hear how intensely Rilo Kiley has been covered, you have to consider them one of the great bands of all time.

Busy Night For Obama

Turns out the Obamercial, which is drawing strong reviews, was just the beginning of a busy and late night for Barack Obama.

Obama campaigned earlier tonight in my old stomping grounds--Broward County.



After that rally, he linked up with Jon Stewart for an interview on The Daily Show.



Not to be outdone, Stephen Colbert decided to steal back some of his fellow conservatives thunder and endorse Barack Obama.



Then...

After 11pm, actually right about the same exact time Obama's Daily Show interview aired, Bill Clinton took the stage at a late rally in Central Florida. Bubba was great, nailing down the type of high octane endorsement that Chris Rock and I wanted to hear a while back. Obama followed with one of his high quality performances. He dropped in the "shared my toys" line that he's been using and I swear Bill Clinton looked like he was going to shit his pants laughing. It may have been forced camaraderie between the two, but I don't think so. It looked very natural.


It was a good night for the campaign, especially in Florida.

Beatles LP Countdown, She Loves You

It is difficult to post every Beatles song because of conflicting versions of albums in the UK and the US, and some songs do not appear on albums in both markets, for instance, "She Loves You". KTWS Radio is posting all the songs from every UK Beatles album, and "She Loves You" does not appear on any that were released while the Beatles were together. Such a shame. In this one instance, Capitalist Records in the US gave people what they wanted by including "She Loves You" on The Beatles Second Album.

The song was released by Swan Records in the US in the fall of 1963, and failed to crack the top 100. Crazy, huh? I think it's one of the Beatles' best songs.

Another Reason To Not Eat Red Meat

Certified safe to eat.

It's interesting that no one has ever been advised by doctors to not eat vegetables.

A new study on the deleterious effects of eating cows.

The Best Ever

There's a broad conversation that comes with the territory any time anyone tries to define the greatest [fill in the blank] of all time. What is the criteria? How much work was put into the list by the list makers? With that in mind, I'm going to offer an off the cuff list of what I consider the ten most important bands or solo artists of all time. Then I'm going to do another list for bands and solo artists of this decade, since they can't really compete with the groups on the first list.

The word "important" is the key word here. While I think there are arguments for bands that have had more influence than some of these on my list, I think that their influence may not be a good thing, so they're off the list.

The ten most important bands or solo artists of all time:

10) Tom Petty. Don't laugh. Tom Petty has done way more than you think. It took watching the four hour documentary Running Down a Dream to see the fullness of this man's work. And try to not enjoy "American Girl".

9) Pearl Jam. This is about as high as I can justify ranking this band, simply because they came on the scene so late in the game. Beside the virtuosity of singer Eddie Vedder, lead guitarist Mike McCready and former drummer Dave Abbruzzese, the band carries forward the fully realized promise of the early nineties Seattle music scene. Still, rock was defined long before PJ came along. They have, however, managed to define the best possible business relationship between a band and their fans in an age of extreme exploitation throughout the music industry. The band puts on sprawling, energetic, well-rehearsed three-hour plus sets, and a different set every night, when most of the best bands out there throw up ninety minute sets and call it a night. The band can play any of over a hundred songs at the drop of a hat. Pearl Jam makes high quality recordings of nearly every show they play available to their fans, which is important because they play more covers than just about any band in the business. Through covers and duets with other rock legends and rising stars, Pearl Jam has cemented their place in the on-going dialogical conversation that keep rock refreshed this late in the game.

8) Jimi Hendrix. I think Hendrix's music is generally over-rated, and the shortness of his career hurts his standing a bit, but the man completely changed the way people perceived the guitar. And just because his music tends to be overrated doesn't mean it wasn't awesome.

7) Neil Young. Neil Young could be anywhere on this list. He's written more good songs, by himself, than probably anyone. His brilliant collaborations with Crosby, Stills and Nash really add to his stature. Young has also mentored many of the best young acts of this century.

6) Bruce Springsteen. The Boss set populism to music. Working primarily in two vernaculars--solo acoustic and E-Street mode--no one since Dylan has told the stories of the American people so well.

5) Bob Marley. I can't bring myself to put Bob Marley's music in my CD player or my MP3 player anymore because I wore those songs out many years ago. But if I hear just a moment of that great man's music blasting from a passing car, or if it comes on the jukebox at the bar, for instance, immediately I find myself smiling and having a good time. A catalog full of music that consistently fills it's listeners with joy while standing as a monument to integrity and social consciousness is no easy feat.

4) Bob Dylan. Words and music. It's a simple concept, but Dylan brought literature to music in a way no one had before or since. Comedian Marc Maron once said that the answer to every question is contained somewhere in a Bob Dylan song.

3) The Who. Four absolutely scary talents. Keith Moon's brilliant drumming was an invention of his own. Pete Townsend wrote songs that I would play for aliens if they asked me what rock music sounds like. Roger Daltry's scream is the pain that all young, angst filled teenagers feel in thier souls. John Entwhistle's bass was the persistence of time in groove form.

2) The Stones. The Stones are the Stones.

1) The Beatles. The Beatles are the Beatles.

There are plenty of other bands that probably belong on that list. Early Aerosmith and early Black Sabbath could have been there if it weren't for late Aerosmith and late Black Sabbath. Led Zeppelin should probably be on the list, but I find Robert Plant's approach to vocals grating. The Beach Boys, The Greatful Dead, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, Portishead, REM, U2 and Stevie Ray Vaughn all have compelling claims to place on this list. I also left off my own personal favorites Rage Against the Machine, Ani DiFranco, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tori Amos, Tool, Blind Melon, Bjork, Steve Earle, Sublime, System of a Down, The Beastie Boys, The White Stripes, Rilo Kiley, Elliott Smith and Jane's Addiction because they just don't have the status of these other groups, though they do, or did, have the chops.

Moving right along, here's the ten most important bands and solo artists of this decade (century):

10) Flogging Molly -- Massive punk/Irish arrangements garnished with heartbreaking folk ballads--you'd think a lot more bands would be able to pull this kind of potent mix off, but they can't. Besides, any band that wrote "What's Left of the Flag" would be in the top ten.

9) Kimya Dawson -- Not sure how important her music will turn out to have been to subsequent generations, but Kimya brings enough Bob Dylan to her tender anti-folk ditties that she manages to stand in an important place of her own, transcending the need to be noticed, though she is gaining some traction in the wake of her work on the Juno soundtrack.

8) Bishop Allen -- The heirs to Sublime have had a difficult time getting their career in gear, but what we have from them so far is very promising.

7) Postal Service -- Only one album, but what an album it was. The perfect blend of electronica and indie pop.

6) Mountain Goats -- After a while the Mountain Goats' music all starts to sound the same, having said that, the best music they've recorded this decade is utterly mind blowing, especially the classic "No Children".

5) The Shins -- Three awesome albums in, the Shins are on track to be a cultural staple for as long as they feel like it.

4) Rilo Kiley -- My favorite band and the band that has the best catalog going today just hasn't connected with the masses the way the probably could have in another decade. Still, their legacy is measurable. The quality of their records, their advanced songwriting, their top notch musicianship and the quality of their side projects carries them the rest of the way.

3) Bright Eyes -- I have a soft spot for the prolific Conor Oberst, but his erratic career has shown that he just is not consistent enough to top Jack White and Elliott Smith for catalogue purity. Still, his high points are as high as it gets.

2) The White Stripes -- Jack White is this decade's Jimi Hendrix according to Seamus O'Rourke, and he's right. In a very short period of time, White has dropped a record store full of awesome music on the public and the public has connected with it.

1) Elliott Smith -- A lot of his great run came in 90s, but there was enough of a contribution between 2000 and his death in 2003 to put him at the top of the list.

Good cases could easily be made for Fiona Apple, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Death Cab for Cutie, Feist, Dresden Dolls, The Blow, Ted Leo, Herman Dune, Nellie McKay, Page France, Regina Spektor and Tegan and Sara to name only a few.

Michelle Obama on Leno

Michelle Obama discusses her family life and where she shops, you know, as opposed to some people.

Three from Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger Album

Soundgarden's 1991 record Badmotorfinger was at the heart of the early 90's grunge and alternative explosion that emanated from Seattle. This was by far the band's signature release.

"Drawing Flies"


"Searching With My Good Eye Closed"


"Mind Riot"

A Man For All Seasons

Here's the next President of the United States stumping in the cold rain today in Pennsylvania. He is comfortably ahead in the polls and he didn't have to do this, but just to make sure, he set the example for us all.

I must tell you that I have never felt inspired by a politician before until Barack Obama. I'm writing a dissertation, it is difficult, and sometimes I just want to give up. But then I think of Obama. If I could tell him of my troubles, what would he say?

I know exactly what he would say, so I just continue on. God bless Barack HUSSEIN Obama.

And I'm a Hindu.

A Friend Of A Savage Is Also A Savage

Here's ultra-right-wing hate radio jock Michael Savage with his buddy John McCain, endorsed by Savage just yesterday.

Any questions?

Eric Clapton, How Long Blues

Johnny Winter Live, Jumping Jack Flash

Totally freaky dude.

Lynyrd Skynyrd, That Smell

We're playing this one by request.

Pretenders, Boots Of Chinese Plastic

I'll clue you if you don't get it, about the boots of Chinese plastic. Chrissie Hynde is a vegetarian activist.

Ten Singers Who Could Stand In For Robert Plant on Led Zeppelin's Reunion Tour

In light of Robert Plant's decision not to participate in any more Led Zeppelin related activities, the remaining band members have decided to go on tour with a new singer. The idea of Zep without Plant must sound like sacriledge to die hard fans, it strikes me as an idea whose time came decades ago. While I have a grudging respect for Plant's and Zeppelin's contributions, they are one of the most over rated bands in history. Many Zep fans act like The Beatles, Black Sabbath, The Who, Clapton, The Stones, The Kinks and many others didn't all at one time or other make the same and far greater advancements to the rock lexicon.

Having said that, Zeppelin recorded some awesome music over the years. I can never get enough of this one, for example:



Here's a list of ten singers who would make for interesting stand ins for the wailing wonder, Robert Plant. Yes, some of these are just jokes.

10) Jack Russell. This would really be a sad turn of events. The only choice that could render this project into the bargain bin faster would be longtime Plant wannabe David Coverdale. Russell's time in the sun with the band Great White passed quickly and without the slightest impact on the rock landscape. Russell is probably as well known for being in a band vilified for being on stage when their pyro started a deadly fire at a club gig. But here's the thing--Russell's chops on "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" are just awesome.

9) Leona Lewis. I didn't like the way the pairing of Plant and Lewis worked out at the Olympics, but a lot of people did. Using a female vocalist to replace Plant, whose range is a good deal higher than most male singers, is not a bad idea.

8) Bono. One of the few frontmen with the voice, the ego and the charisma to step in for Plant. The pairing is oddly compelling, considering the wide divergence in the sensibilities of U2 and Zep. This would give Bono a new context in which to make a mark without actually leaving U2 for a solo project which would probably be dead on arrival.

7) Puff Daddy. The biggest problem is they could only play one song--Ditty and Page's ill fated mauling of Kashmir, "Come With Me" from the Godzilla soundtrack.

6) Tori Amos. If she leaves the piano at home, Tori could be perfect for this. If she slides into a pair of bell bottoms, the folks in the upper deck might even think that was Robert Plant down there with a fresh die job on his once red head. Dave Mustaine of Megadeth has a similar advantage, but come on, Dave Mustaine? I think not.

5) Mike Patton. Patton bounces around more than just about any frontman in the business. His vocal prowess is beyond top notch. Patton could infuse the old material with new life, or he could push beyond the point of being seriously annoying. Patton may have a more exciting reunion--one with Faith No More--in the works.

4) Chris Cornell. Cornell became boring long before teaming up with Audioslave, but he has the range to pull it off. Here's Cornell doing a soulful rendition of Zep's "Thank You".

3) Maynard James Keenan. Hard to imagine Maynard being in Jimmy Page's Rolodex, but if you want a guy with the range and the power to do it the job, Maynard is your guy. Maynard also has the advantage of being the best in the business at making nonsensical lyrics sound profound. Tool did a spine tingling version of "No Quarter" a few years back, and If I had to hear "Stairway to Heaven" one more time, I can think of no one I would rather hear sing it than Maynard.

2) Eddie Vedder. He's sang with the Doors. He's done spots with Peter Townsend. He winds up singing duets regularly with the likes of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Chris Cornell, Steve Earle, Bono, members of Sleater-Kinney, Ben Harper, Neil Finn and many others. No one with as much rock legend credibility gets around nearly as much as Vedder. By the way, Plant has been known to join Pearl Jam on stage from time to time.

1) Axl Rose. This may be a massive step down for the band, but it will really help the rest of us out. We need some way of averting the upcoming so-called Guns N' Roses tour, and if Zep has to take the bullet, so be it.

Tommy James, Crystal Blue Persuasion

So don't you give up now, so easy to find
Just look to your soul, and open your mind

The Best Election Poll Data Available

If you look at this graph, the only way McCain can win is for election day to look like a very brief time two months ago, depicted at far right. Click here for an interactive version. Just move your mouse over the image to get the stats.

Ravi Shankar, Chants Of India

Meditating beside the Ganges River

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Moody Blues, Are You Sitting Comfortably

Hindu Holiday Govardhana Puja Today

Krishna lifting Govardhana Hill

The storm was going to take their lives, but Krishna, heroic avatar of compassion, saved them by making an umbrella out of a hill. Looked real good doing it, too.

Jimmie Rodgers, Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

And I just can't resist throwing in Andy Williams' version.

Glenn Yarbrough, Baby The Rain Must Fall

Here's another big hit from 1965. Yarbrough was one of the founding members of the folk group the Limelighters.

Gary Lewis And The Playboys, Save Your Heart For Me

Lewis is the one on drums, and that's a bit unusual. The only other drummer headliners from my youth that I can remember are Lee Michaels and Karen Carpenter. I guess we should count Ringo Starr after the Beatles broke up.

I have always thought that "Save Your Heart For Me" is a catchy melody, but the instrumentation trivializes it. Just my humble opinion.

Beatles LP Countdown

The lyrics of "Money" do not reflect Lennon's values later in his career, but man, what a great vocal. "Money" is the last track on the Beatles' second album, With The Beatles.

Wassup 2008

You want to watch this one to the end.

Real Love

If there was one word that could describe John Lennon, I think it should be R-E-A-L. No matter what you can say about him or what you have heard from others, you have never heard anyone accuse the man of being phony. This is because, in spite of all his human failings like anyone else, he always challenged himself and the entire world to be real. You have to respect a person like that.

The Station Agent's post of Regina Specktor doing Lennon's "Real Love" the other day has been haunting me, and I have realized that it is one of the most beautiful melodies Lennon ever composed.

Here's Lennon accompanying himself on guitar, when the song was still a bit inchoate and has lyrics that eventually were included in the song "Isolation" from his 1970 album John Lennon And The Plastic Ono Band.



Here's Lennon with a piano backing. I believe it's Lennon sitting beside Nicky Hopkins, and they are both playing.



And here is the posthumous Beatles' production. Doesn't it get to you inside?

Three From Fleetwood Mac

"The Chain"


"Monday Morning"


"Landslide"

Jane's Addiction Reunite!

All four members of Jane's Addiction reunited last night for a set at a bar in L.A (h/t Stereogum).

A look at the setlist shows this was an old school Jane's Addiction show. Everything they played was from the band's run of greatness in the late 80s and early 90s.

01 "Up The Beach"
02 "Trip Away"
03 "Whores"
04 "One Percent"
05 "Ain't No Right"
06 "Pigs In Zen"
07 "Ted Just Admit It"
08 "Ocean Size"
09 "Hadadad"
10 "Been Caught Stealing"

The amount of rocking that went on could not be contained by this You Tube clip of "Ocean Size":



So, in order to remind you exactly who this band is, here's the studio version.

Allied Radio - Sell Your Mother a Flag

This is a song my friend Jason and I wrote a couple years ago about the war. He wrote the music on his guitar and set my lyrics to it. Our friends, Henry, Rob and Mike, filled out the band. We recorded it on Garage Band software in Jason's bedroom. The song has not been properly mastered yet. That's DIY for you.

Allied Radio - 01 - Sell Your Mother a Flag by Allied Radio

Rilo Kiley, Jenny You're Barely Alive

Byrds, Eight Miles High

Joy Division, Disorder

Ian Curtis

Blackbird

Peter, Paul And Mary, Puff The Magic Dragon

Jefferson Airplane, How Do You Feel

Surrealistic Pillow is one of the greatest albums of all time.

Beatles LP Countdown, Not A Second Time

Palin Is No Tightwad...

...and that's a bad thing. Obviously, Sarah Palin and the RNC have never heard of Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced decision) or her best selling book, The Tightwad Gazette. Dacyczyn points out that being a tightwad is a good thing, because those who know how to save money by not wasting it will have enough for the things that are really important.

On the other hand, Sarah Palin and many of her fans want to be able to spend money without thinking; that's why they are upset with "socialism". If they would become tightwads, they would have enough money for the things they REALLY want even after paying for all the dead beats. But they do not THINK in tightwad terms.

For instance, Sarah Palin's wardrobe for the McCranky campaign for President cost Republicans $150, 000. Now the only thing I like about that figure is that it helps to win the election for Obama if McCain has to drop 150 grand on clothes, not ads. But fashion pundits say it was well worth it.

"We hear the number and we say, `Wow, that's a lot of money.' And it is a lot," says image consultant Diane Craig, who, as president of Corporate Class Inc., has helped Canadian political leaders style themselves for the campaign trail. "But in the end, with the work she has to do, the people she has to see, the places she has to go, it's not unreasonable. She's going to face a lot of critics, and she has to look good."

But think, people. Who is Diane Craig? She is the president of a company that advises corporations, that routinely save their own money while wasting yours by selling you things you don't need, and if you are a stockholder, wasting money on obscene salaries and golden parachutes for executives. In other words, Diane Craig and the people she advises don't have a tightwad bone in their body.

Now if the McGrumpy people had hired Amy Dacyczyn, she would have figured out a way to get all the stuff bought for Palin at half the cost or even less. But the problem is that people don't even think about saving money, and therefore they wouldn't know a smart money decision if it walked up to them and bit them on the ass.

Now if you are drinking a $4 latte and can afford to do that because you apply tightwad principles elsewhere, you get my drift. That's what tightwadism is all about.

Whatever happened to Protestant frugality? It's like sociologist Max Weber warned, materialism is choking the Protestant ethic, and mindless consumption is ruining the world because America is exporting its stupid anti-tightwad values. Some fool wrote "Tightwads and spendthifts usually have psychological problems compared to those in between. Tightwads can't bear to part with money which they see as part of themselves while spendthifts cast it away in the hope it will bring happiness. Spend less than what you earn but not less than what you can afford."

This fool does not understand the principle of tightwadism at all. He thinks you should not spend less than what you can afford. No--you should almost always spend less than what you can afford for the following reasons. 1) Because you never know what you can afford or not afford in the future. 2) To save money you don't need to spend, and be in a position to help others. Last I heard, the Good Samaritan was still a hero in Protestant circles...or is he?

Finally, books like The Tightwad Gazette show you how you can spend less than you can afford and still get most of the stuff you REALLY want simply by eliminating mindless spending.

As for Palin's profligate wardrobe, although I love to see the enemy wasting their resources, the tightwad in me cringes. When you too get to this level of tightwad consciousness, let me know and we'll discuss it some more.

And one more thing. Both conservatives and liberals, by my observation, are in dire need of tighwad education. If the whole world practiced tightwadism, we wouldn't be in the mess we are in now.

Will Ferrell Endorses Tina Fey

Bush and Palin in the Oval Office. Thanks for the night terrors, SNL.

Andy, Opie And The Fonz Back Obama

See here. If you are not going to listen to Sheriff Andy Taylor and the Fonz, you don't know Jack.

Seriously.

Amy Poehler Fills in For Sarah Palin

No blog would be complete without it.

Regina Spektor - Real Love (John Lennon Cover)

One of the finest Lennon covers out there.

Pierre de Reeder - That's The Way That It Was

Rilo Kiley bass player Pierre de Reeder's first video is out. It's a light airy song called "That's The Way That It Was". A very convincing debut.

Pierre de Reeder - "That's The Way That It Was"

Amy Winehouse, In My Bed

I'm not a big Winehouse fan, but I like the production on this one. It reminds me of the stuff pioneered by Marvin Gaye.

Cat Stevens, Morning Has Broken

Sunrise photo from Apollo 12

Cat Stevens did not write this song. God wrote this song, using Cat Stevens to hold the pen.

From The Unintentionally Great Monologues Series

William Shatner didn't know he was about to deliver a classic monologue when he was asked about being snubbed by George Takei, who did not invite him to his wedding.

What follows should be on high school drama syllabi for generations. The projection. The pathos. The egotism. The irony. My god, it's Shakespearean.

Nine Inch Nails -- The Wretched

Sending this one out to the old dirty bastard's campaign.

Was that negative?

The Who, Won't Get Fooled Again

I attended a campaign rally today with Michelle Obama. When she walked out on stage, "Won't Get Fooled Again" was playing.

Jenny Lewis - The Charging Sky

At QMU, Glasgow show on October 18.

Green Day Covers Lennon's Working Class Hero

The missing word in this song is "fucking". I do not think it is a dirty word. Whoever replaced fucking with silence does not understand how dirty the Sound of Silence can be.

I think Billie Joe Armstrong and John Lennon would agree.