For my birthday, I treated myself to a recording session, which I have not had in over six months. Per my tendency, I played quite a few songs by Bob Dylan amidst a ditty by Townes Van Zandt and, of course, a couple originals.
Here’s what came of it (click on the title to download):
“Absolutely Sweet Marie” (dylan)
“Dead Flowers” (van zandt)
“Corrina, Corrina” (dylan)
“I Shall Be Released” (dylan)
“Hurricane Rains” (kola)
“I Told Everyone But You” (kola)
“Tangled Up In Blue” (dylan)
“Forever Young [for Jackie and O]” (dylan)
What does music mean to you?
Seriously.
Do you listen passively or actively?
For the passed decade, I have thought about the influence that songs, be them played on an iPod or a car-cassette or the radio, have on the ideological makeup of a human being.
To speak specifically, how does the fan of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” vote come election time? Or how about you fans of the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street?
I am afraid that there are those who listen to music to be “cool,” but when push comes to shove, the same individuals abandon the very same muses and vote against their musical interests.
If so, why?
Perhaps I’m talking nonsense, but the songwriters who have dominated my playlists for the passed twenty years or more have also influenced the way I view and act upon the world.
Seriously, I find it difficult to distinguish my personal politics from that of Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Bob Marley, Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Tweedy, et al. Am I misguided?
How about you? Do you listen for mere aesthetic purposes or do you believe in the music?
It has been quite some time since I have posted here on the Kolog, which is due to the fact that I have not had access to the Internet at home and have not felt comfortable posting personal opinions via non-personal means such as my computer at work. Now that my Internet connection at home has been re-established, I feel obliged to comment on the recent debate concerning the national budget.
Without belaboring the point, for many other more-informed and eloquent individuals have already commented on the issue, I want to acknowledge the class warfare that is being waged on the American public in the age-old guise of American politics. There is no doubt that all aspects of spending by the U.S. government must be curtailed in order to deal with the anemic economic conditions, which includes such third-rail issues as social security, medicare and medicaid; but to refuse to touch the other third-rail in U.S. politics that is the defense budget is unreasonable not to mention irresponsible. Furthermore, to ignore the issue of revenue, specifically as it concerns the tax credits awarded to those privileged Americans who over the last decade have earned enough money to finance the rest of us, is flat-out absurd.
Why in the world would any of you, whom like me earn a relative minimum wage, object to the wealthy free-loaders of this country paying more taxes in order to support their fellow Americans? Maybe there is a need to redefine patriotism, which has less to do with the silly pin worn on the lapel of a politician and more to do with those who can financially support the foundation of this country.
Do what you must…dismiss what I have to say. After all, I am no one but a frustrated citizen with no more political clout than my dog; but try to challenge President Obama’s argument made earlier today. Go ahead, and I’ll see you at the ballot box in 2012; for I, like so many other Americans, will cast my vote for a vision of hope and optimism. No matter how naive or foolish, it was the belief in our country that led to a revolution against the invincible empire of Great Britain, it was the belief in our country that eventually led to the abolition of slavery, it was the belief in our country that led to the emergence of the United States out of the doldrums of the Great Depression, it was the belief in our country that led to the voting rights of women, and yes, it was the belief in our country that led to the unthinkable election of Barack Obama in 2008.
So, yes, I still believe and hope you do too.
