Here’s a quick list of lyrics that hit me right in the gut—not the whole song, just those specific lines that sting:
Paul Simon, Jonah: No one lets their dreams be taken lightly They hold them tightly Warm against cold
Because it implies—at least how I read it—that everyone eventually gives up on their dreams anyway. The whole track just sinks me, mostly because it feels like it's about a musician who never made it. Or, well, that's just my take, anyway.
Elliott Smith, Ballad of Big Nothing: you can do what you want to whenever you want to you can do what you want to there's no one to stop you
If he’d said "nobody can stop you," it would feel bold, rebellious—like, "hey, nobody can stand in my way." But he says there's *no one* there to stop you. There's a massive difference between being unstoppable and just being alone.
Neil Young, Needle and the Damage Done: I caught you knockin' at my cellar door I love you, baby, can I have some more Ooh, ooh, the damage done.
I don't think this needs an explanation. Yeah, I love you, baby, but can I have some more? God, how do I always manage to talk myself into my own bullshit?
Gonna go listen to The Clash now and get ready to head out. It’s probably healthier.
Right, because I’m obsessed with accents—the weirder, the better. Honestly, I can't imagine hating an entire language—even Canadian or German. Anything that hits my ears sounds great, not just music.
ruggedcrane22 said:But honestly—you guys claim to be such an athletic nation? If I were running things in Germany, I’d make second graders pass a mandatory bike riding and swimming exam. Most of you wouldn't even make it through elementary school.
Well, we actually have swimming tests—my kids went through them last year. Back when I was in grade school, they tested us on swimming and sent us off to bike safety classes. And man, we used to have those full physical checkups too—they'd look for flat feet or scoliosis... you don't see that in schools anymore. Too much budget cutting.
God, I seriously messed up—I was acting like I’d done some deep research when I barely even looked around Martha's Vineyard last spring😳 It’s actually kind of embarrassing, to be honest
Bryan Barrett said:I think there’s some younger girl—maybe? 😬—with her mouth wide open just to the right of Mr. Fish. Too late to go hunting for it now... but I'll try to scan and upload once I get a chance.
Don't kill yourself over it—the photographer sent me the shots directly. I'm the one on the right in the photos, which means I'm actually on the left in real life. As for the rest—the part about my jaw hanging open like a Great White or being "younger" only because of my mom—let's just move on. 😬
Bryan Barrett said:There’s even a photo in The Evening News 😁
I was actually standing right by the Redfin sign when that guy snapped the shot—is there really some middle-aged lady standing next to him in the picture?
Don McLean - Vincent Maybe it’s because I’m obsessed with Van Gogh—my place is basically covered in his prints—and when I visited the MoMA last year, I seriously almost broke down crying right there in the middle of the gallery. Or maybe I’m just a total crybaby.
Looking at the list though, Jeff Buckley really hits me where it hurts—"Hallelujah" actually floors me more than "Lover, You Should've Come Over" or "Lilac Vine." (Not that Leonard Cohen's original doesn't hit, he's got better stuff out there, but Buckley's take... man, that vocal... just chills me to the bone.)
Try Manitoba - Skunks Alright, this one won't make you sob. 😁
What a circus... I was honestly thinking the mods should just rename this section from 'Music' to 'The Piano Bar.' Seriously—even the loners at the local dive bar don't drink as much as these musicians do.
But look, this is clearly just a misunderstanding. Everyone agrees that when you feel that groove in your heart, you're supposed to let loose at the club, right?
Alright, we have a deal. I’ll be there after 8—maybe closer to 9—since I still have to get everything packed for my trip. Heading back out to Chicago this Friday. I'm going to a wedding with 500 people—yeah, five hundred—which is basically my personal record right now. By the way, just saw this on TV by total accident—Oliver: Autumn is coming, oh my goodness (not the "play me an autumn song..." version, just "autumn is coming...")
I’m opening up a public auction for a meetup at Hungry Joe—maybe we can coordinate rides too. If anyone actually wants to hang out, feel free to suggest a decent starting point first. Regarding transport, I was being serious about carpooling—not just squeezing people into trunks, but actually planning routes where I could swing by somewhere like downtown Chicago on the way back. It's an easy detour if you're heading toward the depot.
Kevin Chavez3 said:I might actually show up if redcrane28 is my guide. 🙂
Come on, just come! I'll drive you—can't have you getting lost. 😁 I don't drink at shows, so I can give you a lift after, plus I know the Utrin area pretty well since I'm always hanging out there. Buying my ticket tomorrow—things aren't *that* tight right now.
Yeah, totally—it’s like some old-school slang term. A total relic. Honestly, language is dying. I was just packing my kids' gym clothes for tomorrow when my late grandma’s ghost basically popped up in my head asking: "Did you guys do any gymnastics at school today?" And like... yeah, gymnastics...