Howl-Allen Ginsberg

Let the Night Air Cool You Off

Not much new to report, here. I just bought some new outdoor furniture, I think I'll break it in, tonight with some tunes & a beer.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Danko/Manuel-the Drive By Truckers, the Dirty South

Idiot Wind-Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks

Sometimes I wonder what some of the great poets of the past would think of songs like this, maybe they'd slag it off as gibberish as Philip Larkin did, but something tells me guys like Rimbaud & Walt Whitman would dig it. I know Allen Ginsberg was one of his biggest fans, high praise from the author of one of the greatest poems of the 20th century...



Guns Are Drawn-the Roots, the Tipping Point

My favorite rap album...

What are They Doing in Heaven Today?-Jarma Kaukonen, Blue Country Heart

The Water is Wide-Eva Cassidy (trad.)

Mr Bob Pergler introduced me to Eva, I finally got around to listening to it today, brilliant.

Happy Friday, friends...

andrew

Were You There? Johnny Cash & the Carter Family

Almost as good as Mom's...

Friday's here (well, almost) but...

Sunday is coming! I love that line, was that dad's or was that Pastor Summerfield's? For Christians, it hints at everything you ever need to know. Life would be much easier, I think, if we always kept this little saying at the forefront of our daily lives. What hardships can't we overcome if the ultimate hardship has already taken place without us doing a thing to deserve it?

I've always liked Holy Week, it's one of the few religious observances that hasn't become too distorted, especially Good Friday. It's hard to turn that day into a party, although the party is surely to come, Sunday that is.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Don't Think Twice (It's Alright)-Bob Dylan, Eugene, Oregon 1999

This concert is one of the absolute gems of the "Never-Ending Tour", & this song, in this arrangements, is one that got me hooked on hearing as much as I can from the tour. You just kinda wasted, wasted my precious time, but don't think twice, it's...all...right... The way his voice drops off at the end sounds like a coffin closing. It's punctuated by a very repetitive but extremely effective harmonica solo that only Dylan can pull off.

Another Sunny Day-Belle & Sebastian, Life Pursuit

This album gets my vote for album of the year thus far. I'll be picking up the new Drive By Truckers & the new Alejandro Escovedo album this weekend, though, so I don't know how long that'll last.

Blind Willie McTell-Bob Dylan, Eugene, Oregon 1999

God is in his heaven, & we all want what's His, but power & greed & corruptible seed seem to be all that there is... Amen, brother.

Daddy Sang Bass-Johnny Cash

I remember hearing this song for the first time when I was driving around East Grand Rapids about eight years ago. I think I was lost, but this song brought me back home, immediately. Obviously it's a take off of the Carter Family's "Can the Circle Be Unbroken?", but I don't think it bothered them that he stole the melody & the refrain from them.

Time Has Told Me-Nick Drake, Five Leaves Left

Happy Thursday & Good Friday, friends...

andrew

Watching the River Flow

I've been seeing the beauty of Grand Haven more & more since spring has started to turn. We took Dan's boat out on it's maiden voyage the other day on the mighty Grand River. It's amazing how many nooks & crannies the Grand has, lots of room for exploration. Yesterday, a few deer came right up close to my back door behind my condo. Very nice.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

We'll Sweep Out the Ashes-Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris

Watch Me Fall-Uncle Tupelo, Still Feel Gone

Somebody that I Used to Know-Elliot Smith, Figure 8

Lonesome Day Blues-Bob Dylan, Love & Theft

happy saturday, friends

andrew

I Like this Poem

Retro

That's me
in the smallest frame,
walking the dog
through the rebuilt

library, taking him
off someone else's hands.
It's been years
since I've held a leash.

but now I'm tugging
at that sheath of noise
and darkness underneath.
What's clear to me now

is you in the carrel,
where you've been sitting
and reading for days,
then the soft incline

of your neck-
the leaning stack
of leather & crumble;
and soon I'll see

the bark won't wake you
neither would my voice
like this, or this:
you need

to take care; look,
the sky has changed
from cloud
to star.

Christina Pugh

I painted the bathroom today. It looks good. That's all I got for today.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Boots of Spanish Leather-Bob Dylan, Hamburg 2003

I don't think I've heard a version of this song I didn't like, which is saying quite a bit since it's been performed quite consistently for over 40 years now. This one's probably my favorite, though. Bob's voice is quite worn these days, but he puts everything he's got into this one.

Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (& I'll Go Mine)-Bob Dylan, Blonde on Blonde

Song of Joy-Kevin Davis, the Symphony Valley Visitor's Bureau

"if one desire's to find one's way then one must first be familiar with direction."

Period Piece-Kevin Davis, the Symphony Valley Visitor's Bureau

This is definitely Kevin's most experimental song, it sounds vastly different from anything he's ever done, & it works brilliantly. The way the harmonica weaves behind & underneath the vocal is genius.

Stranger's in Passing-Kevin Davis, the Symphony Valley Visitor's Bureau

"soon the heart will understand will every motion of every hand & every hand will be a hand you'll wanna hold".

I heard this song soon after Hurricane Katrina hit, & although I'm sure the song was written before, I remember thinking how much I hoped that the people stranded in New Orleans would experience some of the same feelings of this song. If anyone would like a copy of this cd, let me know.

Cheers.

andrew