Thursday, November 8, 2012

An Erratic Flying Ruby, Asking for Sweets Among the Sticky-Throated Flowers




Friends analog and digital directed me to this Ta-Nahasi Coates column on the scope of "one of the most progressive nights in American history, and arguably the most progressive night in American history in some 40 years.." From a social issues point of view, I see his point, I said, but can we listen to some very good music and read some smart opinions and some very good poems while I marinate a d(ec)a(de)y in my complicity's stomach acids before we start jabbing and smacking each other on a car trip from hell from now to 2016 please? No? I can't either, but Irwin played that Mekons song above yesterday, it's not zombie-pandering, but sure, it can be if you want it be, I think we can at least all agree no one can have enough Mekons. Yes?






  • The question, of course, is does a move to the left on social issues drag the Democratic Party in general and Obama in particular to the left on economic issues re: Corporate and issues of privacy and police state and war? Is the argument that the social move need come first or is that move sufficient unto itself as the most that's attainable (and most essential)?
  • Status quo.
  • Hangover.
  • That didn't take long.
  • The real winner.
  • Of course he will.
  • Of course they will. When you see me ask me to tell you the story of a conversation I had at Illtopsay yesterday I don't want to relate here for reasons that will be obvious once you hear the story.
  • Related, it's not power, it's power in service of a theology. All visa versas apply, of course.
  • If I was Chris Christie I'd double my bodyguard protection.
  • Speaking of Illtopsay conversations, a friend, a huge supporter of Elizabeth Warren who insistently reassures me of Warren's progressive credibility, told me that Warren could quickly become to the Democratic Left what Wellstone was, could in fact run in the 2016 primaries as the progressive candidate on the palette.
  • Of course they were. I never said Republicans aren't motherfuckers. 
  • YFWP brings the duh.





  • Romney camp retooling after latest setback.
  • OK, one tidbit: On the "revenge" remark, why would Obama use the word "revenge," it's evil. I said, the context was that voters could get revenge for being lied to in Romney's notoriously deceitful add about Jeeps and Japan. It wasn't deceitful, I was told, the liberal media lied that it was a lie. Also, Romney lost because he's too decent and honest a man who couldn't be a meanie like Obama.
  • I am delighted this motherfucker lost. Now if the Redskins never win again I'll be ecstatic.
  • The degradation of Third Party politics.
  • Celtic beating Barca made Rod Stewart cry. His music still sucks, but I now like the guy.
  • United's game postponed last night because of winter storm. United wanted to play - the field conditions would favor United, United outraged game not played, the field conditions would have hindered Metros, Metros pleased game not played, United fans outraged, Metro fans pleased, fine metaphors, as always, abounding.
  • It's 2012, why the fuck can't I watch the game on my computer?
  • Winner plays in Houston Saturday, gets home game next week.
  • Silliman's always awesome litlinks.
  • >>Deleted bleggalgaze<<
  • Is there gonna be a Zappadan this year? Haven't seen any rumblings, know it's still weeks away but.... 
  • Ok but not excellent Kate Bush cover
  • Mekons requests still solicited. Here are two from Destination Out (sorry, I couldn't find the third): Only Darkness Has the Power  &  Insignificance.
  • Your request here.






AFTER WORKING LONG ON ONE THING

Jane Kenyon

Through the screen door
I hear a hummingbird, inquiring
for nectar among the stalwart

hollyhocks - an erratic flying
ruby, asking for sweets among
the sticky-throated flowers.

The sky won't darken in the west
until ten. Where shall I turn
this light and tired mind?



20 comments:

  1. Good story about Gary Johnson.

    I wonder why Ames mentioned Rocky Anderson, but not Jill Stein?
    ~

    ReplyDelete
  2. Re: Elizabeth Warren. Does your friend know her progressive views on Iran and Israel? Didn't think so.
    My concern has always been that Obama would see his win as an endorsement of his wrong-headed policies. The Pom-Pom Squad will adopt his framing of "Saving Social Security" and the Rs will live, yet again by Obama's hand, to attack Ds as the Party that took you SS and Medicare away. Plus ca change.

    ReplyDelete
  3. yeah, no one likes rod stewart. but check out this great cumbia cover of his if you think im sexy song:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRlkt-qRdh0

    ReplyDelete
  4. Somebody somewhere will be celebrating Zappadan. I usually start the
    How many days until Zappadan question around Halloween. Also, too, Night of The Living Van Vliet

    ReplyDelete
  5. More election crap? Sheesh, what's everyone waiting for, 2016 will be here before you know it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Winner plays in Houston on Sunday. MLS' LA/NY love could still benefit us, a little bit. Y'know, by repairing some of the damage it did already.

    The crazy is already doubled down. I had someone (a Christian) rant at me yesterday that Obama isn't a Christian. Because he's for abortion. I asked what he'd done that affects abortion (expecting maybe an at least coherent answer about executive orders). I got headsplatter.

    Yeah, okay, fine. I admit it was fun.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would recco "Orpheus" one of my favorites for the lyrics and the way they trade off vocals.

    "Memphis Egypt" because it can NEVER be loud enough for me.

    "Warm Summer sun" or "Calling All Demons" from the most recent album

    "the cover of "Wild And Blue" because Sally just handles it so loverly...

    "Millionaire" again because Sally....

    Or hell, as I said at my joint, just all of 'em, Katie....

    As for thunder and the crap about some imaginary thing the Dems might do in the future....I am done arguing about it for a while. I am going to drink some, look at the kittehs, and listen to the Boomtown Rats....

    ReplyDelete
  8. I got headsplatter.


    Dammit, now I'm hungry.

    ReplyDelete
  9. For a zombie, I am pretty fucking easy, it is true.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lyrics to Orpheus:

    All my time I spent in heaven
    Revelries of dance and wine
    Waking to the sound of laughter
    Up I'd rise and kiss the sky

    Ecstacy and fornication
    Music, lust and poetry
    Something stirs, I hear a warning
    I look for Euridices

    Lose your head

    Searching through the pits of Hades
    Like a miner in the gloom
    I seek out to find my babies
    Don't look back the warning booms

    In my thoughts that warning shakes me
    How can fate deceive me now?
    I will think on worlds in order
    I will make a solemn vow

    Lose your head

    One last glimpse to take back with me
    Set my eyes, despite the fear
    One last glimpse was all they needed
    LOOSE THE MEKONS came the cheer

    Torn in two, and cut and scattered
    Limb from limb and heart from mind
    In the water hear me singing
    As my head swirls in the brine

    Lose your head

    I will teach them from my lesson
    I will teach them from my song
    I will speak of all lives wonder
    Where I land will be renowned

    Where I land will be the fortress
    Of this fight against the tides
    Tides of rotten patriarchy
    Tides of greed and tricks and lies

    Lose your head

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, wait! Gin Palace:

    Down in the Glen there's a band of old men
    Drinking their cider till dawn
    Warming to fires made of ashcans and tyres
    The outcasts on Liberty hill
    In the Gin Palace now!
    We're swaying together as one
    Ill-defined features and hair stood on end
    The Dandys the Fops and the Goths
    Come on and get dressed baby pull on your pants
    We're going to go out tonight
    Through the dirty dark streets
    So cold and so bleak
    See the lights turn fog into gold
    A community centre for the hopeless
    The brains of the dispossessed
    Sometimes it turns reeling into your arms
    Cling together excited and laughing
    Strangers flung together on a fast fun-house floor
    It turned you out of your bed
    The right to stew in your own juice
    The freedom to freeze and die
    Inside so hot so bright and so loud
    The people all talking at once
    Flashing dark eyes shining red lips
    Beautiful glistening clothes
    In the Gin Palace now!
    We're swaying together as one
    They've cashed in the chips on our shoulders
    In the Casino economy
    Place your bets

    ReplyDelete
  12. Look, BDR, you fecking asked for it. Here's Memphis, Egypt, and a companion song that mixes up slave trade and vietnam:

    destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late,
    the battles we fought were long and hard,
    just not to be consumed by rock n' roll...
    capitalismos, favorite boy child, we must apologise,
    up in the rafters a rope is danglin',
    spots before the eyes of rock n' roll...
    we know the devil and we have shaken him by the hand,
    embraced him and thought his foul (stinking) breath was fine perfume
    just like rock n' roll...
    east berlin can't buy a thing, there's nothing they can sell me,
    walk through the wall no pain at all
    i'm born inside the belly of rock n' roll...
    it's something to sell your labor for when hair sprouts out below,
    i'm a microscope on that secret place where
    we all want to go, it's rock n' roll.


    Amnesia:

    it was a dark and stormy night and the ship was rockin' on the open sea
    tossing and turning and rolling in our bunks the first mate the boss and me
    from bristol to the ivory coast then on to jamaica
    down in the hold there is no sound we're taking rock n' roll to america
    bless my soul what's wrong with me i forgot to forget to remember
    the king of england waits in exile in the crack fields of bolivia
    burning white house shining path back to reconquer americay
    eric burdon stunned in mississippi on the animal's u.s. tour
    mardi gras indian segregation 1964
    up the river wah wah throbbing heavy artillary
    blackface painted floodlit jungle gringo military
    any old army high on drugs fighting that rock n' roll war
    truth justice and led zepplin heavy metal marine corps...

    ReplyDelete
  13. You DON'T want me to get into the Curse/Retreat/Me axis....

    ReplyDelete
  14. OK, see now you know what you asked for. Here is "Dancing in the Head" which is NOT the first Mekons zombie-related song:

    http://youtu.be/qYLQLynXuiY

    ReplyDelete
  15. Do you want more? Here's more; a timely song from an end-of-the-world musing, journey To The End Of The Night, called the Flood (and timely as fuck, am i right)

    I was pretty, you were clever
    You helped me out in my endeavours
    Down die river late in September
    We told jokes I can't remember

    Deeper men with truer vision
    Never knew what they'd been missing
    'Ehe rwer's full but not for fishing
    Ihe wish comes true but not through wishing

    Up in die hills you trickled slyly
    'through die grass a flash ofsilver
    Just let me do all the talking
    Together we'll pull it 0ff

    Sing me a worksong, water baby
    Sing your heart out through the city
    Wider boys with bottles shiny
    Sailed away down to die briney

    Zip up those pants, there's someone coming
    Pull on your vest and over die side
    One more rain will flood the cellars
    Under the car parks in die dark

    I sat in a bar at night, right at river level
    And watched die black swollen river in fiill flood
    Great broken trees spin slowly, just feet away from me
    On die other side of die plate glass

    ReplyDelete
  16. LOOSE THE MEKONS came the cheer!


    Oh yeah...

    ReplyDelete
  17. AND, to be completely and fully annoying as possible, here is the post I made after going down to Chicago to see them about one year ago:

    http://empireofthesenseless.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/i-was-tempted-to-believe-i-was-tempted-to-believe/

    ReplyDelete
  18. I do have to say, however, thank you; I was on a Boomtown Rats kick all day, but based on my comment-frenzy, have been digging into my Mekons Playlist and it is fine, yes sir, it is fine....

    ReplyDelete