Genesis 36:129? Huh? Say What?

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“When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be”

Songsmiths: Paul McCartney / John Lennon [Full Lyrics Here]
Owing to John’s agnostic politics, it would be fair to note how
Let It Be’s sentiments have a distinctive Sir Paul quality to ’em.
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Throughout my nearly seven decades, I’ve relied on the Soundtrack of my Life‘s selections to ease me thru my own times of trouble; be these playbacks, PASSIVELY, via vinyl 45s / LPs / half-speed masters, analog / digital cassettes, minidiscs, CDs, I-tunes, VHS / DVD film scores; be they, ACTIVELY, via my piano keyboards.

And, btw, to the best of my knowledge, my post’s headlined numerical notation appears in no known version of any Bible; and, with good reason, too. When typed out more correctly / completely, SD 36 – 129 has a decidedly secular spin; for it then becomes the official catalog number for A Trick of the Tail; the vinyl album released on 20 February 1976 by the Phil Collins fronted, art / progressive rock group, Genesis.

No sooner had I added this pièce de résistance to my record library on 28 May 1976 than I discovered how easily one could become mesmerized by Tony Banks’ CALMATIVE, compelling synth strings; how taking this disc out on its first spin and attaining the speed of sound fully revealed this keyboardist, extraordinaire’s penchant for drifting off into entrancing, instrumental, unabridged bridges; involving 3 out of Trick’s 8 tracks; namely: Entangled / Mad Mad Moon / Ripples.

Considering how, I’m no stranger to those times of trouble (the particulars to follow momentarily), this is why I had made Trick my go-to album to cop that CALMATIVE effect. Indeed, so powerful was/is this effect that one would almost expect raiding narcs, with search / arrest warrants in one hand, drawn guns in the other, busting down the door and bursting thru the splintered frame; bleating out in unison, “FREEZE!” Guess CALMATIVE can only go so far, eh?

Anyway, it’s that Moon selection, in particular, that still inspires entire album playbacks; oft synchronized with the fullest of the lunar phases. Post twilight time is when I’ll shut down all artificial lighting; making the streaming down moonbeams, filtering thru the sheer, gently swaying in the breeze, curtains, the only light I’ll see.

Well, as promised, let’s now take a moment to flesh out my times of trouble…

In the beginning… that all followed an honest self-reevaluation of my prospects for ever landing a radio station / DJ gig. Alas, assessing my chances at slim-to-none, certainly did seem incongruous, too, considering how, one scant spring earlier, at the completion of my Junior College studies, I had accrued a 4.00 GPA; even experienced the Graduation Day pomp and circumstance, where Da Dean shook my hand, handed off my Associates Degree in Broadcast Arts, and promptly shoved me onto the real world stage; to either sing… or sink.

Suffice to say, that “sink” did necessitate trading off variety for monotony; forsaking the creation of cheery audio art for the retail cash register’s dreary racket; sorta reminiscent of R2-D2-esque beeps.

In the here and now… I’ve discovered how most of my bygone disappointments have paled in comparison TO / in the wake OF the yet to be resolved (perhaps impossible to resolve) multiple disasters; such ecological, microbial, ideological and sociopolitical / socioeconomic catastrophes all playing out, concurrently and unchecked, in real time.

Needless to say, I’ve not been awaiting the full moon’s arrival to frequently revisit Genesis 36:129.

My recommendation to all, who may be feeling similarly troubled, DO seek out your own CALMATIVE effect. Embarking on such a life journey is totally possible; wherever your own head, heart and musical tastes may lead you.

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Be people vaxxed OR unvaxxed, We
can still shed and spread the batcrap
crazy contagious coronavirus which,
in turn, spawns new variants; which,
in turn, could, eventually, render the
available vaccines worthless; which,
in turn, will drag out the pandemic’s
needless suffering, illness and death!

HENCE… this easy as pie, cover your
nose and pie-hole/hole-up heads-up:

Stay Publicly / Properly Masked!
Stay Safe at Home!
Stay Healthy!

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Unsung Hero (BlogCast)

02/11/21 Update: Throughout most of George Harrison’s career, he had been known as “The Quiet Beatle”. Seeing how his videos have been getting yanked from this BlogCast, how I’ve had to seek replacements to restore 3 out of the 4 clips below, he has certainly been living up to that reputation. My best advice to my listeners / readers is to click fast while they last…

Scant months after the spring 1970, Beatles disbandment, George Harrison released his solo album, All Things Must Pass, ATMP (on this very day, fifty years ago).

My local FM station’s late afternoon DJ, Jim Curtis, immediately opted to air it, in it’s entirety, and, upon my ear-witnessing that bygone broadcast, four things became abundantly clear:

• John, Paul, George and Ringo, recording / performing, individually, could now offer their mourning fans four times the musical output; a consolation prize that was truly groovy (slang-wise and in the vinyl sense, too).
• For far too long, songsmith Harrison’s talents had been underappreciated and inordinately eclipsed by the Lennon / McCartney songwriting team.
• Had the Beatles continued recording together, all 18 of those ATMP tracks could’ve fit in, perfectly, on their albums. Alas, one can only imagine how John, Paul and Ringo’s instrumental and vocal interpretations would’ve enhanced / changed the final mix.
• I needed to get this musical masterpiece into my life / record library, ASAP (and did so scant days later).

Upon spinning this album in its entirety, late last evening, I decided to blog about it on its golden anniversary; to feature, in Side 1 thru 4 numerical order, each lead off track. It’ll be up to you whether you listen to all four songs in their entirety OR choose just one or two, OR merely sample ’em, etc.

Seeing how Harrison’s songs amply speak for themselves, my commentary will be minimal.

I’d Have You Anytime

This Harrison / Dylan collaboration, at face value, serves as a let’s take our friendship to the next level appeal to that special someone. Yet, the lyrics could also be interpreted as George’s clever way of re-introducing himself; his own appeal to fans to accept him in his new soloist role.

What Is Life

Could this track be considered the sequel to Lennon / McCartney’s All You Need Is Love? The resounding chorus, “Tell me, what is my life without your love; Tell me, who am I without you, by my side” doth ring true.

Beware of Darkness

The couplet, “Watch out now, take care, beware of greedy leaders; They take you where you should not go”, admonishes average Janes and Joes to never empower ideologues who are little more than PTDs (Politically Transmitted Diseases).

I Dig Love

We get a glimpse of Harrison’s less serious side. His whimsical, lyrical reversal, “I Love Dig”, doth prove so Lennonesque, too. Obviously, George spending all those years with John served him well. Even better, this track ends this post on an upbeat, playful note.

If you’d like to track thru past BlogCasts, they’re all neatly archived within both my BlogCast and Music categories. Check ’em out at your convenience.

Stay Publicly Masked!
Stay Safe at Home!
Stay Healthy!

-30-

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Build The Soundtrack To Survive The Pandemic

In younger days, I discovered a surefire Rx to chase away the blues / blahs / doldrums / emotional storm clouds… whatever ya wanna call ‘em. And no, I’m not talking about OTC meds / controlled substances / illicit street drugs… whatever ya wanna call ‘em.

Of course, lyrically speaking, John Lennon and Paul McCartney euphemistically called ‘em “friends” while Keith Richards and Mick Jagger opted for “little helpers”… but… lest I dig myself too deeply into the pit of digression… allow me to refocus…

What my “drugs” of choice actually involve are musical selections, which contain as many of the following active ingredients as possible: [1] whimsical or meaningful lyrics [2] compelling arrangements, [3] intricate chord progressions, [4] shifting key signatures.

Well… we’re in luck! The Welsh/Brit band Badfinger’s, Carry On Till Tomorrow has all four bases covered. They recorded it back in 1970, under the auspices of producer Sir Paul McCartney, no less! And song composers Tom Evans and Pete Ham’s minor chords, notwithstanding, their guitar driven musical arrangement, interwoven with lyrical rays of hope, drive it all home. Oh, btw, of the Four Stanzas my fave is the 3rd… but more about that in a moment.

Granted, my affinity for Carry On is not without good reason. I first heard it over my staticky FM car radio’s tinny speakers on Friday 11/09/1973, right after my early a.m. spin-out on an icy freeway overpass… one where I had narrowly averted a head-on collision with a semi-tractor-trailer. Winding up with nary a scratch on my body, my Chevy Nova’s body and any of the other motorists’ corporeal or vehicular bodies… well… to this very day… I still believe everyone’s unscathed condition had involved a miracle. I must’ve had an unseen co-pilot tug at my panic frozen hands… just in the nick of time… to steer everyone out of harm’s way. By the by, to date, this has been the closest I’ve ever come to death.

Just as I was drifting back into the slow flow of traffic on this stormy day, Carry On Till Tomorrow was carrying on, against the backdrop of the rising sun, breaking through the overcast and transforming the adjacent, freeway shoulders’ thigh high weeds into golden fields. WOW! In real time and nearly on cue, I was living out the 3rd stanza’s lyrics… check ’em out and try not to ditto my “WOW!”

“Drifting on the wings of freedom, leave this stormy day
And we’ll ride to tomorrow’s golden fields
For my life’s too short for waiting when I see the rising sun
Then I know again that I must carry on”

While the music continued melding with the meteorology, I offered, upward, my undying gratitude for all the tomorrows I was certain that (t)his miracle had just granted me.

My listening to this track, anew, earlier today, has reminded me of my long ago spiritual experience. Carry On Till Tomorrow is far more than a Tom Evans / Pete Ham song title. Even sans the miracle, this composition can stand alone as a motivational selection. I mean, the words “carry on” are right in the song title and get sung nearly 30 times… in just under 5 minutes.

I’ve now, officially, added this anthem to my playlist, which I’ve dubbed: The Soundtrack To Survive the Pandemic. Even if you’re not into tunes originating from this dinosaur’s musical epoch, don’t dismiss the overall concept. I highly recommend that you track down whatever anthems mean the most to you and create your own, unique version of The Soundtrack To Survive the Pandemic. Rallying around such music can be your morale booster. My version certainly is a mood elevator!

Danny McEvoy’s 03/31/2015 following cover will breathe new life into this rock classic, advance composers Tom Evans and Pete Ham’s half century old masterpiece into the new millennium and end this post… save to say…

Stay Safe – Stay Home – Stay Healthy… and Carry On Till Tomorrow… and Tomorrow… and Tomorrow… and Tomorrow… and Tomorrow… and Tomorrow… and Tomorrow… and Tomorrow… and Tomorrow… and Tomorrow… et cetera…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive (Vid of the Day)

SIr Paul McCartney, in fine, stylish retro mode, adds his distinctive voice to the lengthy list of vocalists (both pros and laypersons), who, for nine decades, have been covering the clef dotting Harold Arlen’s and wordsmith Johnny Mercer’s 1944 composition… Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive.

Their catchy tune served as a WW-II morale booster for legions of war weary souls… soldiers and civilians alike.

If you’ll now indulge me in a little wordplay, I’d certainly Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive, too, to say Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive will help summon up our own similar sentiments as we… the socially distancing souls… all soldier on to do our civic and moral duty… to prevent further spread of Coronavirus… to ultimately save humanity.

My Rx…

Playback Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive frequently. It’ll be
HABIT FORMING but only in the best sense of that phrase.

 

Stay Safe! Stay Home! Stay Healthy! And also Stay On Board with medical professionals and legal authorities, who routinely back their health promoting, life saving advice to us with sound, time honored scientific / medical facts.

It is in everyone’s best interests to…

[1] Practice good hygiene (scrub hands often at least 20 seconds), [2] Cover coughs and sneezes, [3] Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth, [4] observe social distancing protocols (remain at least 2 meters / 6 feet apart [5] wear a protective face mask [6] avoid large crowds, [7] socially isolate /  hunker down at home and [8] self-quarantine if you’re feeling ill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hear Today (and Forevermore)… Vid(s) of the Day

 

The invention of gun powder and inhalation of nicotine…

Imagine that!

Deadly chemical compounds aided and abetted the Grim Reaper in his undying quest to prematurely rob music lovers… spanning cultures, ideologies, generations and geopolitical boundaries… of two of the most accomplished and acclaimed singers / songwriters / instrumentalists, who ever breathed in the oxygen.

Our lead Vid of the Day features YouTuber Paola Quezada’s visual montage tribute to John Lennon and George Harrison. As most of us already know, Lennon was shot to death by a mentally disturbed “fan” in NYC 39 December 8’s ago AND Harrison likely smoked himself into a November 29, 2001 early grave. The music accompanying the pix, of course, is none other than Harrison’s tribute to John… All Those Years Ago…

Bonus Vid of the Day…

No tribute to Lennon would be complete sans YouTuber Jarle’s photo montage set to Paul McCartney’s musical memorial service for John, titled: Here Today…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What if the Beatles Never Existed? (Vid of the Day)

Taking the plot of Director Danny Boyle’s alternate reality film, Yesterday, one step further, across into my multiverse’s uncharted spacial and temporal territory…

I believe it possible that, in a Beatleless world, 1950s era rock and roll could’ve gradually faded from the music scene and evolved into several, far more subdued musical eras.

That would’ve meant that the far less famous Paul McCartney, who still existed in our world, would’ve channeled his untold musical energy and talent into a different direction as well… as seen in our above clip.

BONUS VID: Speaking of channeling untold musical energy and talent, let’s make tracks over to YouTube to give a listen to the Glory of Love, a cappella cover by Leiana Kanae.

 

 

 

 

September Songs

One of my most cherished, technically challenging, recording studio projects, ever, transpired on this very day in 2002. I owed my project’s success, in part, to being under the creative influence of…

Jose Feliciano: 8-time Grammy Award winner / musician / singer / composer
Sir George Martin: record producer / trailblazing, recording studio wizard / 5th Beatle
Mike O’Brien: DJ / poet / critical thinker (wellknown to Michigan’s 60s Era hippies)

To tell you my story, I need to tell you their stories…

Mike O’Brien had worked in an era where FM jocks were free to program their own music… free to speak their own minds, too. Both his musical and ideological tastes were frequently in tune with my own. Unbeknownst to him, he’d even played a minor role in my choosing broadcast arts as my college major.

He worked the 6 to 9 p.m., M-F gig and, along about 8:55 each night, concluded his broadcasts by playing two Jose Feliciano covers of Lennon / McCartney compositions… the instrumental Here, There and Everywhere [HTE] followed by the vocal In My Life [IML] (both of these tracks culled from the same album… titled Feliciano!).

His DJ MO: With HTE faded low, he’d [1] open up the talk-over mic to deliver his heartfelt, spoken interpretation of IML’s lyrics, [2] wish his listeners a goodnight, and [3] cross-fade / segue to track, fully, thru IML. In time… for reasons unknown… he stopped playing HTE. Perhaps he’d accidentally damaged / rendered un-listenable one of the record library’s, vinyl album copies?

Within two years… again, for reasons unknown… on a late September, Friday evening, O’Brien aired his farewell broadcast. Fortuitously, I had my monaural Sony TC-100 tape recorder rolling… a device (about the size of a Classic Star Trek tricorder) that boasted a fairly respectable frequency range of 50 – 10,000 hertz. Not bad, considering the snail’s pace tape speed of  4.7625 centimeters per second / 1.875 inches per second! Additionally, since I had also purchased that era’s state-of-the-art, Scotch brand, blank cassettes, I was assured sound quality par excellence.

Fast forwarding to 1995… with my own vinyl copy of Feliciano! now stylus damaged / rendered un-listenable, I was thrilled to discover an available CD reissue. However… one OH NO moment did reveal itself during the initial playback. AGAIN…for reasons unknown… reasons that defied all reason… In My Life’s ending had been radically shortened.

It was within that same era that the three surviving Beatles, courtesy of a recording studio, high tech exhumation, had been reunited with their old bandmate, the late John Lennon! How bittersweet that must’ve felt. Although the longtime Beatles producer, George Martin, had not been in charge, undoubtedly, his flair for trailblazing studio wizardry had rubbed off on co-producers Jeff Lynne and JPGR. Their project had resulted in the first new Beatles studio recordings since the band broke up in 1970… namely… Real Love and Free As A Bird. None of this would’ve been possible without Lennon’s home demo cassettes, which, ultimately, breathed new life into his old recordings. All in all, the word extraordinary does come to mind.

Fast forewarding to this day in 2002… It was while reminiscing about those long gone FM radio days of 1970, that it suddenly occurred to me that I possessed all the source material, audio gear and know-how necessary to produce an extraordinary recording of my own. As I brainstormed the procedure, it kinda / sorta felt like I was treading upon Sir George’s hallowed turf.

My Mission: To recreate / restore / enhance the last five minutes of Mike O’Brien’s final broadcast and simultaneously restore the musical measures missing from the Feliciano! CD reissue. The individual parts of the source material could all be played off each other… wind up complementing each other.

My DJ MO: engage my audio mixer to [1] playback the monaural cassette where O’Brien recites the IML poem while mixing in the absent HTE track (at a decibel level he would’ve chosen), [2] wait for O’Brien to cross-fade to IML, [3] at that point, seamlessly cross-fade my synchronized CD copy of IML (to eliminate the FM hiss / static, improve the signal to noise ratio and expand the frequency range), [4] execute a second seamless cross-fade back to the monaural cassette to restore the CD’s missing, song concluding measures and [5] utilize the finished master to burn a CD copy.

My Results: Sound-wise… my sector of the universe was, once more, in balance… everything back in its proper place! There were even a few hints of the very FM hiss / static, which accompanied O’Brien’s last show… so long ago. And somehow, even extraneous noise made it seem all the more real! Project-wise… all in all, the word extraordinary does come to mind.

My wish: For you to hear My Results. However, at present, that wish is not possible to fulfill. Even so… it’s still possible for us to get Jose Feliciano’s cover of In My Life into our lives. Play Back and Enjoy!

 

 

 

Blur’s Clear View of Real Life ~ Sunday Song Series

Our Sunday Song Series, Week #44 selection (aptly titled Sunday Sunday), features alternative rock band Blur’s 1993 musical interpretation of traditional, Sunday activities. While some might deem drawing upon a slice of real life yawn-worthy, who, among us, would not also find such a thematic “hook” relatable?

Of course, some of us will be able to free associate Blur / Beatles comparisons considering how this track features [1] a musical arrangement reminiscent of the genius and sensibilities of the late Sir George Martin and [2] a storylined, frenzied videography evocative of the late Alun Owen… the gifted, imaginative screenwriter renown for A Hard Day’s Night.

Or, are my drawn parallels broad-brushed and/or overly charitable? If so, I guess we could chalk that up to my [1] now eyeballing far more days in my rearview mirror than on the road ahead, [2] wishful thinking that time travel could take us back to those magical, mystical Beatles yesterdays and [3] belief in Quantum Theory that suggests possible crossovers into alternative timelines… i.e., to points, somewhere in the vast Multiverse, where John Lennon had never been assassinated and George Harrison had not smoked himself into an early grave… where Owen and Martin, too, now enjoy a substantially enhanced longevity.

Don’t let me be misunderstood, either. Broaching such Beatles similarities is not to, in any way, detract from Blur’s own considerable body of work, created by singer/keyboardist Damon Albarn, guitarist/singer Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. One must never blur Blur’s own, stand on their own eight feet, noteworthy talents.

If Blur blurring Beatles boundary lines occurs unintentionally, they could hardly be faulted for being under the Fab Four’s influence. I mean… one needn’t even be a musician to experience something so unavoidable.

Even if Blur’s blending occurs by design, it would be still be Albarn, Coxon, James and Rowntree clearly paying homage to Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr. And who, among us, could not wholeheartedly offer up our “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” to such a sentiment?

And while we’re on the subject, why not say, “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” to our next Sunday Song, too? You are cordially invited back here… seven days from now…

 

 

 

 

Try DownPlaying This

The Beatles’ 1964 Stateside Tour involving their February 7th arrival in NYC (at the newly christened JFK International Airport) and appearance on Ed Sullivan’s nationally televised variety show (on the 9th) could not have been better timed.

Americans, still in deep mourning following the 11/22/1963 assassination of our youngest, ever, 35th President… John F. Kennedy… desperately needed a reminder that life could go on.

To all horrified by that grotesque gun violence… especially this (then) 9-year-young boy and my contemporaries… John, Paul, George and Ringo were the embodiment of youthful exuberance. While their prime-time TV debut showcased their unique interpretation of rock ’n’ roll… one eventually becoming the soundtrack of life for an entire generation… something even more significant was in play… namely… how their raucous energy / high decibel music was the perfect Rx for blowing away that lingering, pervasive, suffocating, Dealey Plaza stench.

So… why the need to rehash this nearly 56-year-old tragedy?

Because of the swamp monster, who has been masquerading as the 45th president. Even though he is alive and (physically) well… well…

Ever since the orderly transition of power to that disorderly doofus, We… America’s critical thinkers… have been mourning the 01/20/2017 death of the presidency… the death of democracy, decency, intellectualism, logic, liberty, peace and genuine patriotism… the death of joy, itself.

From that day forward… uh… better make that backward… We have been in deep mourning… in desperate need of a lifeline. But, where to go to find that?

My reader(s)… just when I had begun to suspect those DC Washington Woes had indelibly stained my mood… my entire outlook on life… a deep shade of blue… somehow… someway… on some entirely different plane of consciousness… I wound up free associating the power of music… its stain remover / curative capabilities. Lo and behold, the Fab Four came to mind.

True, I could not step into a time machine to re-witness the birth of the Beatles. But, the next best, equivalent was well within reach… my access to CDs representing JPGR’s entire, recording studio produced discography.

Last week… I decided to PB that massive, Beatles soundtrack in chronological order. No sooner had Sir Paul’s 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 counted in I Saw Her Standing There than I felt my much needed grin begin… followed, a scant nanosecond later, by my buoyant mood… those lofty spirits persisting while tracking (at a clip of one or more CDs per day) until I polished off all 13 Beatles albums plus the two Past Masters volumes. And there were a couple of bonus tracks, too… namely… Free as a Bird and Real Love (McCartney, Harrison and Starr’s 1995 collaboration / overdub of their tracks with the late Lennon’s two previously recorded vocal tracks).

Even upon completion of my musical adventure last Friday, I could still revel in the fact that this was far from over. Hence, my spending the better portion of this week listening to these bonus Beatles albums… [1] Star-Club Live! in Hamburg, Germany 1962, [2] Live at the BBC, [3] Yellow Submarine Songtrack, [4] 1! [5] Let It Be Naked / Fly on the Wall and [6] LOVE.

My parting recommendation… should you ever find yourself feeling down about anything, try taking your fave recording artist / band out for a spin. Once that smile returns to your face, I’m sure you’ll concur that the healing power of music can never be downplayed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Could this be the Perfect Song for Imperfect Times?

As a virtual DJ on the www, I’m here to plug the perfect song for our imperfect times… Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2! This catchy little ditty (a.k.a. the Funeral March) does have crossover appeal, too! It could be a Billboard EZ Listening chart topper! A night-clubber’s let’s fall in love, dance floor fave! The ultimate sports arena, pregame tune that’ll get fans off their asses and standing to salute the flag… AND MORE!

By now, some of you may be asking…

“Hey, hold your horses Mr. DJ, don’t they already play that ‘oh-say-can-you-see’ thingie?”

So true! So true! BUT… if all goes wrong… we’ll soon be needing to replace the Star Spangled Banner. Hey, don’t blame me, it’s not my fault. I voted for Hillary! So, just who should we point the (middle) finger at?

Well, in case you haven’t kept up with the front page news, Bad Vlad Putin and You-Know-Who’s Helsinki Summit is now one week off! You’ve just gotta know… or at least suspect… that this is the venue where they’ll be colluding to finalize their wretched plot to overthrow America… to bump off and bury Lady Liberty.

Hence, the all too real need for Chopin’s Funeral March. What better tune to play once that Russian puppeteer and his puppet… once that Russian ventriloquist and his dummy deep-six America.

Now, don’t look so glum… maybe we can even persuade pianist Sir Elton John to play at Lady Libby’s memorial service? Of course, from that point forward… no… strike that… from that point backward… long sigh… it’ll all be downhill.

But hey… let’s turn our frowns upside down! This is where the crossover appeal aspects to Piano Sonata No. 2 really start to kick in… full force! Considering this dirge’s Putinesque, dreary, Dark Ages, dystopian “feel”, it could easily catch on as the new national anthem for The-Nation-Formerly-Known-As-America!

Of course, wherever / whenever this dirge winds up getting played… be it on your home or workplace device… be it spun by some nightclub disk-jockey… be it blasting over a sports arena’s loudspeakers… be it tracking out on the late Lady Libby’s graveside boombox… this tune is practically screaming out for some lyrics.

I mean… doncha think it’d be kinda-sorta lazy and lame… at times even insensitive… to just hum or whistle along? Even orchestrating this with a kazoo and/or harmonica section could never do it full justice! And let’s not forget that Sir Elton is the consummate vocalist, too!

Perhaps some of you WordPress wordsmiths, poets and songwriters… who are able channel the spirit of Francis Scott Key… could step up to home plate? Yes? No? Maybe?

I can almost hear you objecting…

“Hey man… this is YOUR premise! Why should you make US do all the heavy lifting? Compose your own damned lyrics!”

Uh… so sorry. I’ve become so geeked about this track, I momentarily failed to realize how unfair of me it would be to put you on the spot like that… and on such short notice, too! Hell I cannot even offer you any monetary compensation!

I can almost hear you asking…

“Why are you making such a fuss over an 1840 Chopin composition?”

Well, here’s why. Now, while I’d never blame the messenger, NPR’s All Things Considered… it’s the Trumpian messages / stories, which they have little choice but to report, which have been rendering me disgusted, disconsolate and disillusioned. So much so, that one afternoon, this past week, I just had to sit down. My piano bench being handy, I parked my butt there. Slumping over in woe-is-me mode, I cradled my head in my crossed over forearms… just in time to hear the fake prez’s soundbite featuring his gleeful outburst / announcement of his intent to “rob the judicial cradle”… i.e., just to ensure his handpicked wretched SCOTUS judge’s decisions could lay waste to my homeland for the next 40 to 50 years!

Now, be your “political party hat” hued blue, red or purple, to smell such extreme partisanship stench anywhere near the Supreme Court bench should disgust you! The mere notion of that sure as hell disgusts me!

Shortly thereafter, once my nauseous feelings subsided a bit, something totally unexpected happened. My limp body shot upright into a sitting position. The heat from the brightly glowing, metaphorical lightbulb hovering over my noggin was almost palpable. The voice in my head was now offering up what I believed to be a brilliant suggestion.

“Hey Tom, what this endless barrage of bad news is sorely lacking is you coming up with a clever way to marginalize it.”

Free association (and the fact that I was already seated at my piano) did the rest. I then brainstormed along the following lines. “Hmmm… how about an editorial comment / musical statement… to reflect your mood? Naturally, it’d have to be loaded with minor chords! But, what oh what should I play? As I positioned my ten fingers on my piano keyboard… EUREKA… in a flash, Chopin came to mind. I’d transform Piano Sonata No. 2‘s first eleven notes into a riff. By the time NPR aired (out) the next DC disaster, I played that dirge and actually found myself chuckling! But laughter? Why laughter I wondered?

I then realized that, subconsciously, I’d been channeling the schtick of my newest keyboard hero… Jon Batiste. For the benefit of my international readers, I’ll briefly mention that Batiste is frontman for Stay Human… Stephan Colbert’s Late Show house band. During many a show opening Colbert monologue, Batiste’s keyboard comedic timing is just as flawless and funny as the wisecracking Colbert’s routine. Both the scripted and improvisational performances… indeed the genius… of both of these super-talents truly compliments one another. True, I’ve yet to hear Batiste play this Chopin riff… but it would not surprise me were he to… someday… do so. Additionally, I do plan to continue my own musical accompaniment of the bad news stories which are sure to follow… as the days drag on and On and ON!

Suffice to say, I’ve only partially explained away my chuckling. But, the following two quotations might help complete this layperson’s introspective, psychoanalysis… as well as complete this post…

Said Erma Bombeck…

“There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.”

Said John Lennon and Paul McCartney in a lyrical couplet…

“And though the news was rather sad. Well I just had to laugh.”

Folks… I’m only human. There’s no telling how a steady diet of head-on pain, tragedy, hurt and sad news will impact this caring soul… impact any caring soul. Now… more than ever before…maintaining my / our sense of humor is a literal life or death matter. Forgive me for permitting my sarcasm and gallows humor to kick in. In venting both in this post I can only hope I’ve prevented my body and/or sanity from kicking off.