Thursday, August 1, 2013

But I'm Not Altogether Evil, There Are Also Times When I Will Refuse to Lick or Swallow Anything That's Not Generally Available to Mankind




Jerry Garcia was born 71 years ago today. Something else I say once a year: that 4/12/78 Durham show, one of the five best nights of my life, the buzz, the girl and that week, the intimacy of the venue, the Dead on. Saw dozens of dozens of shows, others who have can vouch too, there were stinkers, there were the many meh minus to meh plus shows (though, with few exceptions, BLAST was had), then there were the shows when the band clicked, as infrequent as a come-from-behind walk-off home run home game, and made all the mehs and stinkers worth it.





  • One thing I remember: in the late 70s, early 80s, there were always Talking Head shirts at Dead concerts, Dead shirts at Talking Head concerts, I was always pleasantly surprised and delighted at the overlap.
  • But yes, loved them, lost them, have gained them back.
  • And always the best album covers to sift seeds on. We used to have to sift seeds, youngsters.
  • Slapping ToobinWe wouldn’t be having this discussion if it wasn’t for him (Snowden). Why do you think–I mean, that’s the thing I don’t understand about the climate in Washington these days, is that people want to have debates on television elsewhere, but then you want to throw the people who start the debates in jail.
  • Hola NSA.
  • @firetomfriedman has a blog. Who knew? Looks like he forgets about it from time to time too.
  • "It's your moment, Obama. Don't blow it." 
  • Obama losing his poise?
  • Larry Summers and the end of political shame.
  • Obama a fucking dick?
  • Cat signs.










EATING FRIED CHICKEN

Linh Dinh

I hate to admit this, brother, but there are times
When I’m eating fried chicken
When I think about nothing else but eating fried chicken,
When I utterly forget about my family, honor and country,
The various blood debts you owe me,
My past humiliations and my future crimes—
Everything, in short, but the crispy skin on my fried chicken.

But I’m not altogether evil, there are also times
When I will refuse to lick or swallow anything
That’s not generally available to mankind.

(Which is, when you think about it, absolutely nothing at all.)

And no doubt that’s why apples can cause riots,
And meat brings humiliation,
And each gasp of air
Will fill one’s lungs with gun powder and smoke.



7 comments:

  1. I saw them in 78 in New Haven. (Saw the Talking Heads in Hartford the same year, I think.)
    ~

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  2. Replies
    1. A Bartleby allusion? Well played - the Melville birthday post will be this afternoon.

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  3. Thanks for plug and the funny dig. And for reminding me that when the buzz was right and they were on, it was as good as it gets.

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  4. when i saw the talking heads in buffalo, level 42 opened for them

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  5. Never got into the Dead much. Never had extra change (nor balls to sponge same) to see them, tho' many many friends from those days did. Did, indeed, sort seeds on Live in Europe Double Album. Owned American Beauty.

    Big Star movie can be rented On Demand—at least that's how I saw it on Comcast. Twice. Check your local cable/satellite provider. It had problems getting distributed. I blogged about it.

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  6. What? These fucking kids don't have to sift out seeds?

    Jesus H. Tittyfucking Christ, what a pack of entitled babies. Now I don't feel as bad for yelling at them to get off my lawn.

    ReplyDelete