Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas, Baby

I feel mighty fine y'all, I got music on my radio...

Otis Redding - Merry Christmas, Baby

Saturday, December 19, 2009

E-I-E-I-O

A modern day Old McDonald Had a Farm:

King Khan & BBQ Show - Animal Party


Count the animals and play along with your children...

FYI, other select song titles from this duo: "Suck It and Smell," "Blow My Top," and "Treat Me Like a Dog." Fun for the whole family!

Friday, December 18, 2009

(Just) One More (Time)

The connection between these songs is kind of neat, if a bit generalized. First, we've got the great Rev. Johnny L. Jones (a.k.a. Johnny Hurricane Jones) known for his fiery preaching and soulful singing at his Baptist church in Atlanta. The good reverend is getting on in years now, but he knows that the time is coming soon. One more time, I'm assuming, refers to Jesus's return. Right?

Rev. Johnny L. Jones - One More Time


The next song is a postmodern indie gospel tune, courtesy of Canadian hipster Jon-Rae Fletcher and his old band, The River. His father was a preacher in the rural West, and you can hear the influence. God and Jesus and his teachings have become love and sex and its lessons. It's raw, raunchy, and oozing with passion:

Jon-Rae and the River - Just One More


The parallels here are in the strong undertow: the gospel. Things you don't know empirically, things that just are because they are. They are indescribable and intangible and you feel it somewhere so deep you can't show it, you can only sing about it. The gap between the second coming and a second cumming has never been so narrow.

Sometimes, when everything else has been stripped away, there's still this feeling -- soul, you might call it -- and the gospel, a belief in what you can only take as His word.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Aches and pains

I've had some pretty awful back pain for the last five or so days. It starts in my back, but it goes through my ribs and all the way around to the front side. Maybe it's really just a heartache.

The Flirtations - Nothing But a Heartache


Paul Butterfield Blues Band - One More Heartache

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Somebody Fix Me

Feeling a little low tonight and thought I could use a little Grace. When she says, "I have no idea how I got so mean," I know that feeling.

Grace Potter - Somebody Fix Me