You’ve had a chance to live your life

Song recommendation: Birmingham Jail by Chatham County Line

Four little girls tying their sash in the basement room that day 

Poking fun and making jokes before getting on their knees to pray 

Just so young with all their dreams and years to their end

Strewn away in the rubble by the hatred of scared white men 

It was early December in the year of ‘63 

George Wallace defied what the federal courts they did decree 

They said make your school doors open for the child of black & white 

Wallace clenched up both his fists and he called out for a fight 

Down in the Birmingham Jail 

Down in the Birmingham Jail 

You’ve had a chance to live your life but now you’re locked. . . 

In the Birmingham Jail 

When the locals heard the news that day, their blood began to boil 

They decided the only good coloured man is down beneath the soil 

So with their hate and money, they began to conspire 

And soon in Birmingham the air was thick with powder and fire 

Down in the Birmingham Jail 

Down in the Birmingham Jail 

You’ve had a chance to live your life but now you’re locked. . .

In the Birmingham Jail 

Four little girls tying their sash in the basement room that day 

Poking fun and making jokes before getting on their knees to pray 

Just so young with all their dreams and years to their end

Strewn away in the rubble by the hatred of scared white men 

Down in the Birmingham Jail 

Down in the Birmingham Jail 

You’ve had a chance to live your life but now you’re locked. . .

In the Birmingham Jail 

Let's still believe in love (Parlons encore d'amour)

Song recommendations: The Ugly and the Beautiful and La Bête et la Belle by (the real) Tuesday Weld

Well after all that we've been through

Would you still call this love baby?

Cause love's the only proof

That the ugly could be beautiful

God knows i'm feeling spent

Though i've still got my money honey

Money's the revenge

Of the ugly on the beautiful

Well the drugs just ain't enough

Though i like the way they made us crazy

But love's the only drug

It turns the ugly into beautiful

And i can't tell you why

I'm still so much afraid of dying

Dying reconciles

The ugly with the beautiful

Though we've been burned by it

Let's still believe in love

Cause love's the greatest gift

Of the ugly to the beautiful

(repeat 1x)

[no video available on you tube]

Au lendemain de nos déboires

Pourra-t'on parler d'amour

Mon amour

Écoute bien cette histoire

C'est l'histoire de la bête et la belle

Dieu sait que j'ai ramé

Mais j'ai gardé mes sous ma pauvre

Dignité

Car l'argent est la revanche

Que la bête prendra sur la belle

Les drogues étaient trop douces

Mais quelle exquise petite folie

Mon amour

Les drogues sont la seule route

Qui fera de la bête une belle

Non ne me demande pas

Pourquoi j'ai tellement peur de mourir

Alors que la mort verra

La bête s'unir à la belle

Bien qu'il nous ait brûlés

Parlons encore d'amour

Car l'amour est le plus vrai

C'est le cadeau de la bête à la belle

Non ne me demande pas

Pourquoi j'ai tellement peur de mourir

Alors que la mort verra

La bête s'unir à la belle

Happy birthday! (Your life still isn't over)

This Post is dedicated to my best friend AI.  Happy birthday!!!!!!!!!!

(Happy Birthday by the Arrogant Worms)

Once a year we celebrate

With stupid hats and plastic plates

The fact that you were able to make

Another trip around the sun

And the whole clan gathers round

And gifts and laughter do abound

And we let out a joyful sound

And sing that stupid song

Happy birthday!

Now you're one year older

Happy birthday!

Your life still isn't over

Happy birthday!

You did not accomplish much

But you didn't die this year

I guess that's good enough

So let's drink to your fading health

And hope you don't remind yourself

your chance of finding fame and wealth

Decrease with every year

Does it feel like you're doing laps

And eating food and taking naps

And hoping that someday perhaps

Your life will hold some cheer

Happy birthday!

What have you done that matters?

Happy birthday!

You're starting to get fatter

Happy birthday!

It's downhill from now on

Try not to remind yourself

Your best years are all gone

If cryogenics were all free

Then you could live like Walt Disney

And live for all eternity

Inside a block of ice

But instead your time is set

This is the only life you get

And though it hasn't ended yet

Sometimes you wish it might

Happy birthday!

You wish you had more money

Happy birthday!

Your life's so sad it's funny

Happy birthday!

How much more can you take?

But your friends are hungry

So just cut the stupid cake

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday, dear...

(random calling out of names, including Ralph, Bill, Ralph Kramden, bob,

Skippy, the bush kangaroo, Stanly, starts with a 'J', and the b-b-b-b-b-bu-bu-bu- that leads into

"Dangerous")

What I got to do to be heard?

Song recommendation: Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word by Elton John

What I got to do to make you love me?

What I got to do to make you care?

What do I do when lightning strikes me?

And I wake to find that you're not there?

What I got to do to make you want me?

What I got to do to be heard?

What do I say when it's all over?

Sorry seems to be the hardest word.

It's sad, so sad

It's a sad, sad situation.

And it's getting more and more absurd.

It's sad, so sad

Why can't we talk it over?

Oh it seems to me

That sorry seems to be the hardest word.

What do I do to make you want me?

What I got to do to be heard?

What do I say when it's all over?

Sorry seems to be the hardest word.

It's sad, so sad

It's a sad, sad situation.

And it's getting more and more absurd.

It's sad, so sad

Why can't we talk it over?

Oh it seems to me

That sorry seems to be the hardest word.

Yeh. Sorry

What I got to do to make you love me?

What I got to do to be heard?

What do I do when lightning strikes me?

What have I got to do?

What have I got to do?

When sorry seems to be the hardest word.

Dig out the cancer of all human greed

Song recommendation: Rise Up by Flogging Molly

God you say is always the answer

But what is the answer for our cruelty

We punish a life 'til it's life ever after

Ever after the place that we all end up being

O' such is a morn' as this to awaken

Forgotten the hour that was yesterday

With a standing blow to the head of frustration

Divide and we fall have you nothing to say?

[Chorus]

So let us rise up

Stand and be counted, stand and be counted

On that let's agree

Rise up

Dig out the cancer; dig out the cancer of futility

Many's the word that's been broken true anger

Lips that are sealed as the hour slips away

Belief is a joke to this lost generation

Building the walls as the mind segregates

But when all is said

The voice that is silent can't be heard

[Chorus]

For we, we shall overcome... someday

So we bring the head of the ol' palace tribe

For there is the rapture that bleeds out a life

Hand over fist from their pulpit they spew

Liars they'll crumble not knowing the truth

But when all is said

The voice that is silent can't be heard

[Chorus]

So let us rise up

Stand and be counted, stand and be counted

On that let's agree

Let us rise up

Dig out the cancer; dig out the cancer of futility

Rise up

Stand and be counted, stand and be counted

On that let's agree

Let us rise up

Dig out the cancer; dig out the cancer of all human greed

For we, we shall overcome...

Nobody's permanent, everything's on loan here

Song recommendation: Time the Avenger by the Pretenders

Nobody's perfect

Not even a perfect stranger

But oh what a gal

She was such a perfect stranger

And you're the best in your field

In your office with your girls

And desk and leather chair

Thought that time was on your side

But now it's time the avenger

Nobody's permanent

Everything's on loan here

Even your wife and kids

Could be gone next year

And with what you have left

You'll be forever under pressure

To support her

And a lover who looks strangely

Like time the avenger

Time, time, hear the bells chime

Over the harbor and the city

Time, one more vodka and lime

To help paralyze that tiny little tick, tick, tick, tick

Nobody's perfect

Not even a perfect gent

When your property took the a train

I wonder where your manners went

You were standing at the station

In your briefcase

Was your aftershave and underwear

Can you hear the whistle blow?

Sounds like time the avenger

Time, time, hear the bells chime

Over the harbor and the city

Time to kill another bottle of wine

To help paralyze that tiny little tick, tick, tick, tick

While the birds fly, I sink below

Song recommendation: Draw the Stars by Andrea Triana

[I can't find a video that works, try going on YouTube to find it.  It is a lovely song, I'm sure you'll enjoy it]

While the people sleep, I lie awake

Encased in dreams, That carry me

To a distant sound, To undertake

I feel it's way

Even though I am helpless of

The force above

And even though I Can't see far

I hold tighter and draw the stars

While the birds fly

I sink below

Into the cloth and weeping willows

Binding me to the wood

A shelter from a world of good

Even though I am helpless of

The force above

Even though I can't see far

I hold on tighter draw the stars

Upon my page

And while the wind blows

I open my arms

And just let them go

Even though I am helpless of

The force above

Even though I can't see far

I hold on tighter and draw the stars

You'll find your legs and go and stay gone

Song recommendation: Beg, Steal or Borrow by Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs

So your home town's bringing you down

Are you drowning in the small talk

and the chatter

Or you gonna step into line like your daddy done

Punching the time and climbing life’s long ladder

You've been howling at the moon like a slack jaw fool

And breaking every rule they can throw on

But one of these days it's gonna be right soon

You'll find your legs and go and stay gone

Young man full of big plans and thinking about tomorrow

Young man going to make a stand

You beg, steal you borrow

You beg you steal you borrow

Well all the friends that you knew in school

They used to be so cool and they just bore you

Well look at them now, already pulling the plow

So quick to take to grain like some old news

Young man full of big plans and thinking about tomorrow

Young man going to make a stand

You beg steal you borrow

You beg you steal you borrow

Dreaming of the day

You're gonna pack your bags

Put the miles away

Oh, just grab your girl and go

Where no one knows you

What will all the old folks say?

So the home town's bringing you down

Are you drowning in the small talk and the chatter?

Or you gonna step into line like your daddy done

Punching the time and climbing life’s long ladder

Young man full of big plans and thinking about tomorrow

Young man going to make a stand

You beg, steal you borrow

You beg you steal you borrow

Feels like I'm livin in the middle of doubt

Song recommendation: I'm Eighteen by Alice Cooper

Lines form on my face and hands

Lines form from the ups and downs

I'm in the middle without any plans

I'm a boy and I'm a man

I'm eighteen

and I don't know what I want

Eighteen

I just don't know what I want

Eighteen

I gotta get away

I gotta get out of this place

I'll go runnin in outer space

Oh yeah

I got a

baby's brain and an old man's heart

Took eighteen years to get this far

Don't always know what I'm talkin' about

Feels like I'm livin in the middle of doubt

Cause I'm

Eighteen

I get confused every day

Eighteen

I just don't know what to say

Eighteen

I gotta get away

Lines form on my face and my hands

Lines form on the left and right

I'm in the middle

the middle of life

I'm a boy and I'm a man

I'm eighteen and I LIKE IT

Yes I like it

Oh I like it

Love it

Like it

Love it

Eighteen!

Eighteen!

Eighteen!

Eighteen and I LIKE IT

Our best defence is no defence at all

Hi guys, just so you know, because of my job (and my best attempt at a better social life) I won't be posting daily.  Instead I'll try weekly.  Forget that, I'll post when I feel like it.  Hopefully that will be at least weekly.

Song recommendation: Love's the Greatest Instrument of Rage by Thea Gilmore

I heard the deal was done

That it was sealed last night

The red woman stood to take the oath

lt wasn't front page news

She wasn't pretty

These days things are either nothing or they're both

Another sip of wine another card

And then I really have to leave

They saved my place in line

The ugly anodyne

To beg another's master for reprieve

Uhuhuhu uhuhuhu woho.

Well is it just my ears

Or does that beat appear

Just a little quieter than before

I guess we knew the score

The centre couldn't hold

The ladies pearls will skid across the floor

It'll come from Albert Dock

It'll come from Tower Bridge

It'll grab our politicians by the balls

Our quiet stupor our broken culture

Our best defence is no defence at all

Uhuhuhu uhuhuhu woho.

And you can call it progress

And you can call it foresight

Oh I don't know its name baby

But it keeps me up at night

And I'm sure there's something coming

I'm sure it will be soon

That the devils of our time will slouch

Across a blackened room

So take this epitaph

Take anything that's left

I don't want to be here

Come the day

I did my best you know

I tried to swim the tide

But I am just as guilty in my way

For every beaten brow

For every heaving chest

For every shaky word on every page

It’s taken 30 years

And a little pill to learn

That love's the greatest instrument of rage

It’s taken 30 years

And a little pill to learn

That love's the greatest instrument of rage

Uhuhuhu

Uhuhuhuhuhuhuhu

Uhuhuhuhuhuhuhu

Uhuhuhu woho woho.

Stop and smell the smoke

Song recommendation: Smoke by Ben Folds Five

(I was unable to find a video that worked, read the lyrics anyway.

I'll try to find a video after the long weekend.)

Leaf by Leaf page by page

Throw this book away

All the sadness all the rage

Throw this book away

Rip out the binding, tear the glue

All of the grief we never ever knew

We had it all along

Now its smoke

The things we've written in it

Never really happened

All of the people come and gone

Never really lived

All of the people have come have gone

No one to forgive smoke

We will never write a new one

There will not be a new one

Another one, another one

Here's an evening dark with shame

Throw it on the fire

here's the time I took the blame

Throw it on the fire

Here's the time we didn't speak

it seemed for years and years

Here's a secret

No one will ever know the

realsons for the tears

They are smoke

Where do all the secrets live

They travel in the air

You can smell them when they burn

They travel

Those who say the past is not dead

Stop and smell the smoke

You keep on saying the past is not dead

Come on and smell the smoke

You keep saying the past is not even past

You keep saying

We are, smoke

And in her eyes you see nothing

Song recommendation: For No One by the Beatles

Your day breaks, your mind aches
You find that all the words of kindness linger on
When she no longer needs you

She wakes up, she makes up
She takes her time and doesn't feel she has to hurry
She no longer needs you

And in her eyes you see nothing
No sign of love behind the tears
Cried for no one
A love that should have lasted years

You want her, you need her
And yet you don't believe her when she said her love is dead
You think she needs you

And in her eyes you see nothing
No sign of love behind the tears
Cried for no one
A love that should have lasted years

You stay home, she goes out
She says that long ago she knew someone but now he's gone
She doesn't need him

Your day breaks, your mind aches
There will be time when all the things she said will fill your head
You won't forget her

And in her eyes you see nothing
No sign of love behind the tears
Cried for no one
A love that should have lasted years

What is the color, when black is burned?

I won't be able to post at all this long weekend, maybe even longer.  I'm moving down south for the summer for the job I wanted.  There'll be free Wi-Fi once I'm at my residence, but it'll be awhile until I get to my there.  I'll post a few extra song recommendations today to make up for it.

Song recommendation: I Am a Child by Neil Young

I am a child, I'll last a while.

You can't conceive

of the pleasure in my smile.

You hold my hand,

rough up my hair,

It's lots of fun

to have you there.

God gave to you,

now, you give to me,

I'd like to know

what you learned.

The sky is blue

and so is the sea.

What is the color,

when black is burned?

What is the color?

You are a man, you understand.

You pick me up

and you lay me down again.

You make the rules,

you say what's fair,

It's lots of fun

to have you there.

God gave to you,

now, you give to me,

I'd like to know

what you learned.

The sky is blue

and so is the sea.

What is the color,

when black is burned?

What is the color?

I am a child, I'll last a while.

You can't conceive

of the pleasure in my smile.

A place you can hide ’til the war has begun

Song recommendation: Native Son by John Hiatt

(sorry for the low quality video!!!!)

You finally found the mainstream

In the middle of your life

You tapped into a vein

Of endless gold chains

Now you’re locked up tight

Tearing down the middle of it

Splitting it right in half

Bobbing up and down the waves

Like a runaway slave

On a huck finn raft

[Chorus:]

Take your wife

Take your family

Take your gun

Running through the woods

And the burned out neighborhoods

Looking for someone

A member of your tribe

A place you can hide

’til the war has begun

’cause in the fields before the flood

You’ll be spilling blood

Like a native son

Where you gonna run to

There ain’t no underground

If only you could fly

You’d cut across the sky

Like a rifle round

Oh, who are your people

And where is your homeland

’cause they’re dying side by side

At the river of pride

Where we tried to take a stand

[Chorus twice]

In the fields before the flood

You’ll be spilling blood

Like a native son

I need to protect you, keep you from harm

Song recommendation: Porcelain Doll by Chatham County Line

Unfortunately I couldn't find the lyrics for this beautiful song.  I urge you to spend a few minutes of your time to listen to this song.  I love this song a lot, I am so disappointed that I couldn't find a web site with the lyrics.  I do not believe it would be a waste of your time to take a moment to listen, to lose yourself in this song.

Please beware the quiet front yard

Song recommendation: She's a Jar by Wilco

She's a jar

With a heavy lid

My pop quiz kid

A sleepy kisser

A pretty war

With feelings hid

She begs me not to miss her

She says forever

To light a fuse

We could use

A hand full of wheel

And a day off

And a bruised road

However you might feel

Tonight is real

When I forget how to talk, I sing

Wont you please

Bring that flash to shine

And turn my eyes red

Unless they close

When you click

And my face gets sick

Stuck

Like a question unposed

Just climb aboard

The tracks of a trains arm

In my fragile family tree

And watch me floating inches above

The people under me

Please beware the quiet front yard

I warned you

Before there were water skies

I warned you not to drive

Dry your eyes, you poor devil

Are there really ones like these?

The ones I dream

Float like leaves

And freeze to spread skeleton wings

I passed through before I knew you

I believe it's just because

Daddy's payday is not enough

Oh, I believe it's all because

Daddy's payday is not enough

Just climb aboard

The tracks of a trains arm

In my fragile family tree

And watch me floating inches above

The people under me

She's a jar

With a heavy lid

My pop quiz kid

A sleepy kisser

A pretty war

With feelings hid

You know she begs me not to hit her

Well exactly who or what would I be?

Song Recommendation: Mora (Blackberry) by Corb Lund

What if I wound up spending most my whole day through

Talking over coffee, leftist politics with you

And my face lit up with Che Guevera

Hero of all of South America

Challenging the yanquis of America

Well exactly who or what would I be?

And if because of prison beatings and corrupt police

I had to flee beloved Chile in the seventies

Come to seek asylum in your embassies

Well exactly who or what would I be?

CHORUS:

My name would be Jose Alberto Mora (Blackberry)

And I would be a good man

His name would be Jose Alberto Mora (Blackberries)

And he would be a good man

What if I lost my arm as a younger lad

When I broke it at the shoulder in the hilly lowlands

North to Santiago by the quickest route

Because we didn't have good medicine or medics in the south

Hurrying to try to keep infection out

Well exactly who or what would I be?

If we arrived too late and it was all gangrene

And the doctor said it was the worst case he had seen

We'll have to cut the arm and the extremities

Well exactly who or what would I be?

CHORUS

What if wound up marrying a gringa who

Gave me one young son with the eyes like hers, of blue

And we named him well for Simon Bolivar

Handsome as a Latin silent movie star

How could we have known that we'd have come this far

Well exactly who or what would I be?

And if I not so good with English much when I arrive

But I sent for my old father to come start a brand new life

If you come close but don't quite sing my accent right

Well exactly who or what would I be?

CHORUS

Ai!

No one's sorry, you did it yourself

Song recommendation: Bandit by Neil Young

Turning the pages in this old book

Seems familiar, might be worth a second look.

Wrapping up dope in a paper bag.

Talking to yourself taking a drag.

Who you kidding, is what you say.

Does it matter? They’ll never hear it any way.

Gotta get past the negative things.

Lawyers and business, you get what you bring.

No one's sorry, you did it yourself.

It's time to relax now and then give it hell.

Someday you'll find what you're looking for.

Someday you'll find what you're looking for.

You didn't bet on the Dodgers to beat the Giants.

Then David came on,

Now you gotta pay up.

You didn't count on that.

Gee, half the money's gone

The month is still young.

Where are you gonna go now?

Things are closing in.

Gotta trust someone.

Trust someone.

Someone one you trust.

Gotta be careful, careful.

Can't go to your brother

That money's all gone

Can't go to your friends.

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for.

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for.

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for.

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for, yeah.

Made out like a bandit for so many years.

What are you working for?

One more big score?

What are you trying to prove?

Try to get closer, but not too close.

Try to get through, but not be through.

No one can touch you now.

I can touch you now.

You're invisible, you've got too many secrets.

Bob Dylan said that.

Or some’in’ like that.

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for

Someday you'll find everything you're looking for, yeah

Future outcasts and they don't last

Song recommendation: Androgynous by Crash Test Dummies

an·drog·y·nous [an-droj-uh-nuhs]

adjective

1.

being both male and female; hermaphroditic.

2.

having both masculine and feminine characteristics.

3.

having an ambiguous sexual identity.

4.

neither clearly masculine nor clearly feminine in appearance:the androgynous look of many rock stars.

5.

Botany . having staminate and pistillate flowers in the sameinflorescence.

Here comes Dick, he's wearing a skirt

Here comes Jane you know she's sportin' a chain

Same hair, a revolution

Same build, evolution

Tomorrow who's gonna fuss?

And they love each other so, androgynous

Closer than you know, love each other so, androgynous

We'll don't get him wrong, and don't get him mad

He might be a father but he sure aint a dad

And she don't need the advice that is sent to her

She's happy the way she looks, she's happy with her gender

And they love each other so, androgynous

Closer than you know, love each other so, androgynous

Mirror image, see no damage, see no evil at all

Cupie dolls and urine stalls will be laughed at

The way you're laughed at now

Something meets boy and something meets girl

They both look the same they're overjoyed in this world

Same hair revolution

Unisex evolution

Tomorrow who's gonna fuss?

And tomorrow Dick is wearing pants,

Tomorrow Jane is wearing a dress

Future outcasts and they don't last

And today people dress the way that they please

The way they tried to do in the last centuries

And they love each other so, androgynous

Closer than you know, love each other so, androgynous