Monday, October 28, 2002

ain't nobody that can sing like me

grumpy. moody. nothing different, nothing terribly bad, same ol' no one loves me, and why doesn't that guy want me, and other assorted related things like: my apartment doesn't feel like a home anymore, I have too much crap in here, I want sex but don't want to put in the effort for the inevitable disappointment. Anyway, just going with the flow, but happened to select one of my favorite albums from 1998 to listen to today - Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg and Wilco. I figured I'd post a song or two to share, but it was tough to only pick one - most of the album I can sing along with (I mean can, not should) - but Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key is just so fantastic that I can't help but sing, even if around other humans. A great mix of optimism and self-assuredness, but still fairly sad (at least to me). For beautiful sadness, try At My Window Sad and Lonely. Well, you really shouldn't just listen to a handful of songs, but get the album, and really enjoy it. It has that wonderful mix of sillyness, pensiveness, sing-along-ability, beautiful melodies and wise lyrics (Woody Guthrie, but the link above can give you all the background). Anyway, another favorite for me is something that I'd want played at my funeral -
Another Mans Done Gone - less than 2 minutes, it always brings a tear to my eye, it's quiet humbleness (is that a word?), but yearningly hoping that some mark has been made on the world, just beautiful. For you more political types (it is Billy Bragg and Woody Guthrie, afterall) who like something a bit more upbeat, of course the fantastic, toe-tapping (and timely, with U S elections in 8 days) Christ For President is great.