Sunday, December 20, 2015

December 20th, 2015

The playlist for the 20th went like this...

1) James McMurtry's Holiday Message (played every year at this time)
2) Bob Dylan; Winder Wonderland; Christmas in the Heart

3) James McMurtry; Panting by Numbers; Too Long in the Wasteland
4) John Fullbright; Keeping Hope Alive; Songs
5) Chris Stapleton; Traveller; Traveller

6)  John Prine; The Sins of Memphisto; The Missing Years
7) Donnie Fritts; Them Old Love Songs; Oh My Goodness
8) Nanci Griffith; Working in Corners; One Fair Summer Eventing

9) John Prine; A John Prine Christmas; A John Prine Christmas
10) Bob Dylan; Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas; Christmas in the Heart

11) Steve Goodman; In Between the Lines; No Big Surprise
12) Guy Clark; To Live is to Fly; Poet--A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt
13 Steve Goodman; My Old Man; No Big Surprise

14) Sarah Jarosz; Simple Twist of Fate; Build Me Up from the Bones

Show notes...

After my dad passed away 18 months ago I thought I'd probably never again be able to listen to Steve Goodman's My Old Man, but it felt right here around the holidays...McMurtry's Christmas Message is kinda right on, but when you have an 11 and 8 year old at this time of the year he sure seems wrong.  My daughter asked me for the history of Santa Clause, why we have him, etc., and I didn't really have a good answer.  Here's one, well kinda anyway...this is one of the best books I read in 2015, and I really liked this article for some reason.

Happy Holidays everybody...thanks for listening.



Sunday, December 13, 2015

December 13th, 2015

Hey Everyone,

I've been away from the blog for quite a while now...the show is alive and well.  New shows nearly every weekend, but for one reason or another the blog has drifted. I shall try once more...maybe I'll even change the color or something.

Playlist for the 13th went like this...

1) James McMurtry; Where's Johnny; Candyland

2) Robert Plant & Allison Krauss; Raising Sand; Killing the Blues

3) Bob Dylan; Hazel; Planet Waves
4) Sarah Jarosz; Rearrange the Art; Build Me Up From the Bones

5) Chris Knight; It Ain't Easy Being Me; Chris Knight

6) Dave Alvin; Ol 55; Step Right Up--The Songs of Tom Waits
7) Tom Waits; Old Shoes (& Picture Postcards); Closing Time
8) Tom Waits; Little Trip to Heaven (On the Wings of Your Love); Closing Time

Three from Chris Stapleton's new one, Traveller


9) Traveller

10) Fire Away
11) Tennessee Whiskey

12) Lyle Lovett (with intro by Guy Clark); South Texas Girl; It's Not Big It's Large

13) Bruce Springsteen; Badlands; Darkness on the Edge of Town

Show thoughts..........

Man is it fun to revisit a song after the passing of a good many years.  Like a conversation with an old friend.  They've changed.  You've changed.  But it's all the same, too.  Haven't heard Where's Johnny for probably five years and like so many McMurtry songs you find a little more in it every time you listen.

Dylan's Hazel ain't a bad song either, though I played it by mistake.   It sounded right though and you can't ask for more.  Was trying to play this one, which I believe is the only time Bob talks about Duluth in a tune.

Maybe I just have James McMurtry on my mind, but Sarah Jarosz's song Rearrange the Art got me thinking of McMurtry's Painting by Numbers, probably the first song of his I ever heard.

Played some Tom Waits today, a guy I've never really listened to quite enough.  Found myself watching a video of his for God's Away on Business which I thought was just delightful and not a bad commentary on the state of things in this goofy ol' world.  Got to thinking I need more Tom Waits in my life...

And speaking of God being away on business, this is an awfully powerful article, the kind that messes you up in all the right ways.  I don't think Donald Trump will read it.

No word on when Chris Stapleton will be around Minnesota, but don't forget Jason Isbell will be here on Feb. 22nd.  One week before Springsteen plays Xcel on the 29th...

I don't know he does it, but for me anyway Lyle Lovett can create an entire visual scene in my head with two or three words.  Seems no matter what he says I somehow find myself outside riding my Big Wheel in the driveway of my childhood home with my parents holding hands and watching me through the picture window...or maybe closing down a bar with old friends.

Thanks for listening.