Sympathy For the Dead
In his time, Johnny Cash sang more than one murder ballad. Adam Cohen, Kenny Rogers, Crooked Still, Sting, and Tom Waits also recorded songs in this genre. Even the consummate pop songwriter Barry Manilow wrote a song about murder (perhaps one day I will expand on these other murder-ballads). What is it about murder…
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Mr. Radio
A few days ago I posted a blog entitled “On the Radio” which featured the lyrics of a song called “Radio” by Steep Canyon Rangers. Today, as a follow-up to that blog, I give you the lyrics to the song “Mr. Radio.” The song was written by Roderick Taylor and has been recorded by Linda…
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Earth Day
My band, Key of Zed, just posted a new song at ReverbNation. The song is called “Earth Day” and it is dedicated to Jordyn Katherine Haeckel who was born on Earth Day (April 22) in 2014. Here are the lyrics. Earth Day Life marches ever onward Thousands of years come and they go Constant…
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On the Radio
What will we tell future generations about “the radio”? My grandchildren will have a hard time understanding the extent to which radio stations influenced my childhood and teenage years. We scooped the radio waves out of the air with nothing more than a transistor receiver that ran on a nine-volt battery; or with the large…
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Violet
You have got my heart on a string. I haven’t even met you and you You have got my heart on a string. You are brightening my senses Ignoring all my defenses You have got my heart on a string. You’ve a name that makes me think light, Posies and roses, sun-beams bright Wonderland, daisy…
Continue readingThere is Nothing to Writing
“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” – Ernest Hemingway I have not yet written a book, but I have written 600 blogs since January of 2009, and each time I sit down to write I am aware I am revealing a portion of myself. The…
Continue readingFollow-Up to Big Smoke
The Del Barber deer story and my own Blackbird story from yesterday’s post led me to think of this powerful song. I Hung My Head (Words and Music by Sting) (Performed by Sting – listen here and Johnny Cash – listen here) Early one mornin’ with time to kill I borrowed Jeb’s rifle and sat…
Continue readingBig Smoke
Del Barber (composer and performer; album: Praireography, 2014) (Listen while you read the lyrics) Blinded by the city lights No one can see you stallin’ It’s been so long since you’ve seen the prairie stars You’re not sure you can recall them But there is something here for you to find You may have found…
Continue readingThe Problem with Debate
High school debate teams are a useful method of teaching critical thinking, logic, etiquette, English and Humanities; but, beyond high school, the strict rules of debate largely go unheeded. View any political debate (there are plenty to be seen on YouTube) and you will soon understand that the structure of such debates is loose, judges…
Continue readingLuka
“Luka” is a song by the artist Suzanne Vega who recorded it in 1986. It was number three on the Billboard charts in 1987. It is a haunting song that speaks of a young person caught in the cycle of domestic violence. It is about love, hate, secrets, distrust, loyalty, and fear. The song and…
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