like my smarter-than-I wife sez, we stop voting for Democrats because they are so awful, and then we find out what Awful truly is.

As always when I get into the voting booth, do I vote my deepest truths, and vote for the guy/gal who will ghet, if lucky, 0.34%, or I do what's "practical" and "best for the overall populace" (i.e., what will slow the greased slide of entropy a bit) ...

Bodhisattva, take me by the hand.

In November, it's "put an X next to the D" for me.

But for February (we're a Super Duper Tuesday state), that one goes out to the one I love. Oh, wait, wrong band....

the fluff of hope
the friends Republican
make Barack a pitiful thing

(say it again)

no, we got nothin' in common
no, we can't talk at all

http://thepage.time.com/2008/01/06/who-i...

All the corps/industries he lobbies for are here: http://www.sos.nh.gov/lobname.html

I think it's trial lawyers too--i've never heard of trail lawyers.

You're gettin' lazy, sugar.

More liberal media at The Sideshow.

Who are these voters who cream over his style?
Who speak of the man as if he's The Child?
Where is the substance, how will it fly?
And why do they mumble and then start to sigh?

(chorus)
Throw out your core beliefs
And see how they fold
The anthem is a spiel
"Let us all heal"

Who are these strangers who say less is more
Who smother the questions with deafening roar
If you're feeling lucky than this guy's for you
It's their game the fools are the ones who will choose

(repeat chorus)

++++

Anyone for "Only a Fool Would Say That"?

If Obama wants to get on the Danwagon, he could probably get some mileage out of this one.

CHANGE OF THE GUARD

If you listen you can hear it
It's the laughter in the street
It's the motion in the music
And the fire beneath your feet
All the signs are right this time
You don't have to try so very hard
If you live in this world
You're feelin' the change of the guard

All the cowboys and your neighbors
Can you swallow up your pride
Take your guns off if you're willin'
And you know we're on your side
If you wanna get thru the years
It's high time you played your card
If you live in this world
You're feelin' the change of the guard

http://steelydan.com/lyrthrill.html

Could work for Edwards, too, but he knows we will have to try hard, and he's not expecting the cowboys to put down their guns.

Call me Deacon Bluestate...

... I did in Photoshop a while back:

I did take the easy way out this go-round.

And now Lambert hates me, because you called me "sugar." He's such a jealous guy.

Dang, wrong band again.

...obviously loves him some Steely Dan!

one of my favorite "great lost" records is Becker's "11 Tracks of Whack". vanished without a trace, and was truly great...

Consider it Amazonned.

...that Walt's voice will never even charitably be described as pretty, and that much of the album is almost demo-ish (drum machines etc).

BUT if you love Dan Steele (and you seem to) and can deal with the above (and I've probably made it sound worse than it is), the album's a smallish masterpiece, and for the $2.99 you'll pay at Amazon Marketplace, is the Deal Of The Century. moreover, it'll take your mind off of stupid politics for around 50 minutes, and THAT'S priceless.

(...ever heard the Gaucho outtakes? I have no idea why "The Second Arrangement" has never seen the light of day, except of course for the legendary B/F standards of quality. amaaaaaazing song...)

Actually, I bought it as a regular new purchase. Apparently it's back in print.

Though I delight in a lovingly crafted recording, gems like Pete Ham's and Chris Bell's demo work can be a real treat. Looking forward to hearing Walter's.

It's heresy, I know, but my interest in them began to wane with their popular "Aja" album. The tug-of-war between pop and jazz was becoming settled in favor of the latter, whereas I'm more of a "pop" guy, and the balance had been working just fine.

Do you listen to The Band at all? In some indefinable way, the songcraft of the first several albums of the Dan's and of the Band's is kind of comparable. Songs no one else would have written, and no one else would have recorded that way, illuminating odd little corners of North American life -- with deeply talented musicians playing (somehow) tightly and freely at once.

it's all 24-bit and shiny, but for whatever reason, Becker decided to keep Steve Gadd (or whoever was drumming) off of a few of the songs. never you mind, it works wonderfully. and I think of it as more pop than much of their later output, so that should work for you, too.

me, I liked the Dan straight through Gaucho, although I know what you mean...it was never easy defending them to my punkrock friends, and along about "Aja", most of them could see no difference between the Dan and the Doobie Brothers. the thoroughly twisted lyrics, though, were enough to keep me coming back, and the music, though not the three-minute masterworks of the earlier years, was still brilliant--even moreso, in certain regards-- in its own way.

I'm an unregenerate popfiend, too...love the aforealluded-to Badfingers and Big Stars and the like, and also (answering your question) the Band, at least the early stuff. (The Basement Tapes is one of my all-time faves.) from Cahoots on out, it got kinda iffy for me, although some of my favorite Band songs are on the last few. (Twilight, Acadian Driftwood.) hell, I've even got a soft spot for Moondog Matinee on certain days.

glad to have made your (musical) acquaintance, vastleft! :)

... arranged to leave my wife for you. Now, it's getting painful. But I shan't be a cad*, as you've rebuffed my advances. I'll speak no more of it. But I will mention again that Avedon called me "sugar." That will have to sustain me!

Anyway, I raided my myspace page for a list of musicians I like:
The Beatles, ELO, The Move, The Idle Race, Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne, Stackridge, Badfinger, Yes, The Sugarplastic, They Might Be Giants, The Band, Jellyfish, XTC, Dukes of Stratosphear, Ben Folds, 10cc, Brian Protheroe, Emitt Rhodes, Shoes, Kayak, Aimee Mann, Elvis Costello, early James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Queen, The Three O'Clock, Split Enz, The Kinks, Cheap Trick, 20/20, Chris Bell, The Vapors, Reggie Knighton, Rudy Vallee, English music-hall / vaudeville (especially Harry Champion), Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Starmania, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Bernard Herrmann, Beethoven, Prokofiev, Saint-Saëns.

Any pet sounds among those, or left out?

___

* A question I've never gotten a decent answer to: what is the female equivalent of "cad"?

"Cahoots." IMHO, one of the most gorgeously produced records ever.

...you've pretty much hit the heights, dude! (besides which, I'm many things, but not a homewrecker. now, go hug your wife.)

I've always found the simple "ho" works as analog for "cad". although, if you're feeling multisyllabic, "althouse" will do, as well.

musical overlap is about 30% (so we probably wouldn't last, anyway)...although I'll confess to loving Stackridge's "Pinafore Days", but who wouldn't love a George Martin production like that? oh, and the 2nd movement of Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 makes me cry every time, especially when Heifetz is doing it.

do you like the jazz at all? you might try Thelonious Monk, especially his "Brilliant Corners" or "Monk's Music"...I'm not big on endless improvisation-type jazz, either, but Monk was simply one of the best composers EVER, regardless of type.

... it says you're a particular kind of empowered dirtbag. Perhaps that's a feminist milestone to look forward to, the day there is a proper analog.

I'm not a jazz fan much at all, though I go to see Les Paul's "trio" every chance I get (Monday nights at the Iridium. The cat's 92 years old — what are you waiting for, folks?).

I'll give one of your Monk picks a try. Thanks.

May I toot my own horn? Anyone intrigued can check out Don Tiki at my www.dontiki.com, or at our MySpace site.

Thank you. Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

"althouse" hehehehehe. please, anna, do your part to make that a blogosphere wide meme. i sure will.

if you're not a homewrecker, grrl, there's always the Dark Side. ;-)

I didn't like the looks of a comment in my thread called "Self-indulgence advisory."

Looks/sounds like you're into a cool vein. Thanks for sharing!

The Meryl Streep ex-wife turns lesbian subplot, not the dating 17-year-old Mariel Hemingway part.

And it all happened so quickly!

Mahalo for your kind words, Vast.

...you still checkin' comments here? if so, could you pliz drop me an e-mail at:

annagranfors@sbcglobal.net?

it's not about wife-leaving or anything; just need your e-address for something you'll enjoy, like as not.

(oh, and chicago dyke--I've been a denizen of the Dark Side fo' years. many attempts have been made to get me go to rehab, but I said no, no, no.)