My Wife and My Dead Wife?

Insanely Jealous of You?

Only one of the best albums of all time. I mean, beyond the bad rhymes. The wife on the beach, eating the peach, being ‘in reach,’ and all that. Actually, that’s on another album. But pretty much, yeah. Song sample, etc.

A little Dylanesque. The whole album just astonishes.

Thanks for that.

Best albums, indeed. Gonna listen to it NOW.

“Queen of Eyes,” that’s my jam.

That’s the most ’60s-sparkly one.

s/Greenpiece/Greenpeace

I Wanna Destroy You

one of the best punk songs ever, from one of the twee-est bands (i think they invented twee)

I want to be an anglepoise lamp is another classic (though not from this album, i cannot recommend the b-sides album enough).

holy shit i’m a geek.

That is one of my favorite albums ever (yeah I got the vinyl). I nearly wore that album out. And the cover is hilarious.

once saw the unmistakable robyn hitchcock perusing through the air & space museum in d.c., circa mid-1990s. couldn’t think of anything to say and didn’t know his work too well.

turned out, i learned from the local ‘modern rock’ station, he was living in d.c. and would spend a day or a few at the air & space each week.

robyn hitchcock=top geek.

I saw Mr. H play in a small venue the winter before last. I’ve probably seen him a half dozen times and he always puts on a great show. What made this show cool is that he got off the stage and strolled around the club serenading the crowd. Then he led everyone to the lobby of the club and led a sing-along to Beatles tunes on the lobby piano. Neko Case was in the crowd singing too.

and balloon man blew up in my face

Gregor, you are banned. And your Neko Case-autographed ass!

Geesh, is it not enough that I have Adorable Girldfriend chasing me all over the intertubes telling me that I can’t comment here or there because I haven’t commented recently at Republic of Dogs? Now I have Pinko Punko banning me!

BTW, Neko Case enjoyed every minute of my ass signing!

I’ve seen him play 7 times in 24 years, and been in love with him from the git. My other lifelong heartache happens to be Nick Drake, and the first time I heard him do it I froze straight through, didn’t move a muscle til he was done. He sang it live on the radio, acapella, here in Austin, a town he loves to visit because we are all groovers.

…I saw Nick Drake
At the corner of time and motion
I caught his eye
And he caught mine
I said “You’re tall”
He said “No taller than tomorrow’s ocean”
I saw Nick Drake
And he was fine

I saw Nick Drake
As we were carrying the ice together
I saw his face
Beneath the glass
The net was gone
And all the strawberries of English weather
I saw him pass
Right through this place

I saw Nick Drake
The habits of a lifetime
Will lay you low
Into your grave
And when you’re gone
You take the whole world with you
I saw Nick Drake
I saw him wave

And we’re in bloom

If you have not yet heard it, The Soft Boys’ “reunion” album, Nextdoorland is nearly as wonderful as any of their earlier ones.

Underwater Moonlight is probably their best album, but my personal favorite is , one of the best “best of” albums I have ever heard. “Wey-Wey-Hep-Uh-Hole,” “Have A Heart, Betty (I’m Not Fireproof),” “Rock & Roll Toilet” — I love that stuff.

Uh, sorry.

I forgot to mention a couple of my favorite “quirky” Soft Boys songs, too, which feature prominently on my iPod: “How Do You Work This Thing?” and “Sandra’s Having Her Brain Out.”

And that personal favorite album is called Invisible Hits.

Gol durn it.

I done told you kids that in my day, cueing up the title track of of a record considered by any hep cat to be a masterpiece was not, in any way shape or form, nerdy.

What is it with this “oh I have superior taste in music, I am such a nerd” bullshit that you kids are slinging around nowadays? In my day, we’d just snap our fingers like we taught Deano how to do it, and make like Sammy was our houseboy.

Now leave me alone so I can watch my Mattlock.

It is a little odd to hear “Underwater Moonlight” in a Greenpeace video, though. The lyrics:

He was white and she was white
As only statues are
Fifty years they stood there looking
Stupid by a jar
One night in mid August when the
Moonlight got too strong
They climbed off their pedestals and
Then they sang this song

Past the gun emplacement and the
Bones as white as bleach
Through the rats and ivy till they
Came out on a beach
Out into the ocean til they
Disappeared from view
Honey, when it gets you there’s just
Nothing you can do

Underwater moonlight sets the body free
Underwater moonlight, baby you and me
Underwater moonlight
Underwater moonlight

He was pink and she was pink and
Onward they did row
Didn’t see the giant squid though
It was fairly slow
When they hit the bottom they were
Well and truly dead
The statues took their place and then they
Rowed back home instead

Underwater moonlight, take your baby down
Underwater moonlight watch your baby drown with love
And in the moonlight
Underwater moonlight
Underwater moonlight
Underwater moonlight

What skill
I can take you down
Through the sea (moonlight)
You can feed the fish (moonlight)
Why don’t you feed the fish? (moonlight)
Why don’t you feed the fish? (moonlight)

Underwater moonlight sets the body free
Underwater moonlight, baby you and me
Underwater moonlight
Underwater moonlight
Underwater moonlight
Underwater moonlight

I wish Robyn Hitchcock would come and set this thread free from the italics monster.

meanwhile, it’s been non-stop Hitchcock/egyptians/Soft Boys since yesterday! Outgeeked you all!

I saw Robin Hitchcock & the Egyptians in Madison on the Globe of Frogs tour in ’88. Some dude named Peter Buck played about 1/2 the show. I saw him do a solo acoustic show the summer of ’90 in Milwaukee at Shank Hall, which was the Eye tour. My friend Kevin and I talked with him for about a 1/2 hour after the show. He was very approachable and frienly.

I’m eternally grateful to my buddy Kevin for lending me his import copies of Can of Bees and Underwater Moonlight back in 1982!

Gotta Let this Hen Out is one of the best live albums EVAR!!1!!1!!!! (I’ve always wanted do that…)

Mark

Mark-

I was at that Shank show.

Wish I had hung around after the end!

He’s been back a couple of times since then.

My god! That video is so Steve Zisou!