Leonard Cohen – Live @ The Academy of Music

May 12, 2009 – Philadelphia

I consider myself lucky to have seen Leonard Cohen perform twice in my life, albeit on the same tour. Although the novelty of seeing Leonard Cohen was greater in Toronto (2008) – this show (better seats) surprised me with how well he is holding up over a long year (plus) on the road. Jumping a bit, a definite spring in his step. Not bad for a 74 year old. Van Morrison at 61 (2007) couldn’t even come close.

Dance Me To The End Of Love
The Future
Ain’t No Cure For Love
Bird On The Wire
Everybody Knows
In My Secret Life
Who By Fire
Chelsea Hotel #2
Waiting For The Miracle
Anthem
Tower of Song
Suzanne
Sisters of Mercy
Take This Waltz
Boogie Street
Hallelujah
I’m Your Man
A Thousand Kisses Deep
Democracy
So Long, Marianne
First We Take Manhattan
Famous Blue Raincoat
If It Be Your Will
Closing Time
I Tried To Leave You
Whither Thou Goest

Volume 65

1.) Aimee Mann – Freeway
2.) Bishop Allen – Like Castanets
3.) The Wave Pictures – Leave The Scene Behind
4.) Aberfeldy – What You Do
5.) Arthur Russell – I Couldn’t Say It To Your Face
6.) Mick Harvey – Out of Time Man
7.) Chain and The Gang – Reparations
8.) Ingrid Michaelson – Be OK
9.) Big Star – The Ballad of El Goodo
10.) Robyn Hitchcock – Hurry For The Sky
11.) The Isley Brothers – Voyage to Atlantis
12.) TV on The Radio – DLZ
13.) Chad Vangaalen – Willow Tree
14.) Arthur Russell – This Is How We Walk On The Moon
15.) Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer
16.) The Chapin Sisters – Kill Me Now
17.) The Wave Pictures w/ The Mountains Goats – He Swims Like a FIsh
18.) Bob Dylan – Corrina, Corrina
19. The Avett Brothers – Murder In The City
20.) The Wave Pictures – I Love You Like a Madmen

The Best Best Show Ever?

Tonight, a six hour celebrity call in spectacular is underway on The Best Show on WFMU… two hours to go and here’s the list so far:
patton oswalt – comedian/actor – king of queens/ratatouille
paul scheer – comedian/actor – human giant/piranha 3-d
paul f. tompkins – comedian/actor – best week ever/there will be blood
john hodgman – writer/comedian – mac commercials/areas of my expertise
matt walsh – comedian/actor – upright citizens brigade/i love you man
wyatt cenac – comedian/journalist – daily show
aimee mann – musician
michael penn – musician
andy kindler – comedian
rob huebel – comedian/actor – human giant/i love you man
lisa jane persky – actress/photographer – kiss movie/blondie book
todd barry – comedian/actor – the wrestler
andy daly – comedian/actor – mad tv/eastbound and down
dj terre t – deejay – cherry blossom special
janie haddad – vlogger – fiance of pft
jesse thorne – deejay/podcaster – the sound of young america
chris hardwick – comedian – singled out/web soup
jen kirkman – comedian
JAMES!

You Don’t Love Me

You say you like my eyes only
Or just the way I giggle
Sometimes you like the smell of me
Or how my stomach jiggles
You don’t love me
That’s alright
Cause you cling to me
All through the night

– Bonnie “Prince” Billie

Chain and The Gang – Lyrics

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this is my favorite album of the year so far… and the lyrics are unavailable.

so here they are, as transcribed by me:

chain gang theme (i see progress)
i see progress in paint peeling
i see progress in leaky ceilings
in the sun setting at night
in the moon getting bright
in autumn leaves

i guess thats what they said
this is what they said
they said to me, they said
they call it the beach when the surf meets the sand
for you me it’s a chain gang

i see progress in paint peeling, yeah
and i like leaky ceilings
i guess i see the future in the lunar
our greatest hope at the end of the rope
i guess that why they said
thats why they said to me, something like
yeah they call it the the beach when the surf meets the sand
yeah but you and me they call a chain gang

cemetary map

trash talk
trash talk
yeah i saw him the other day
he looked like a million bucks,
green and crinkly
and did you see what he was wearing
they have a name for that style, it’s called ‘birth control’

trash talk
trash talk

yeah first they did it in the magazines
now they do it electronically
beamed via satellite in the stratosphere

don’t worry dear its just trash that you hear
trash talk
trash talk

i went in the bathroom to see what the people think
let me tell you – it stinks
judged by a jury of one’s peers

don’t worry dear its just trash that you hear
trash talk
trash talk

well we got what we got, even if it’s from the garbage can
yeah we got the garbage really thinking out by the garbage man
well its trash, yeah thats true
some is yellow, some is blue

don’t worry dear its just trash that you hear
trash talk
trash talk

well they’re gonna bury it for future generations to see
so they know what it was like to be me
yeah through our trash, we’ll still be here

don’t worry dear its just trash that you hear
trash talk
trash talk

i’m not saying i don’t like it but…
this analysis is infantile…
their new record is so dull, its prescribed for insomniacs…
he’s not all he’s cracked up to be…
it’s like sawdust…
my ears are burning…

reparations
[well what do you want to talk about? i dunno.]

people talk about reparations, yeah, they do
people talk about reparations, yeah, well me too
i want reparations from the government
i want reparations from the school
i want reparations from the tv
i want reparations from you

i’m gonna needs some reparation, yeah yeah
im gonna needs some reparation, oh yeah
put in direct deposit in my account, if you want
i’m gonna get reparations right now, right now

people talk about reparations, well you know what?
the people who made this country they weren’t given given one red cent
the people who built this country ended up scavenging, living in tents
well i’ve been laughed at
i’ve been spit on, kicked and abused
i want reparations, yeah, how about you?

i’m gonna needs some reparation, yeah yeah
im gonna needs some reparation, oh yeah
put in direct deposit in my account, if you want
i’m gonna get reparations right now, right now

what is a dollar?

interview with the chain gang

deathbed confession
yeah i was walking down the street
i saw a helicopter flying over me
and some guy was being held from it – by his feet
well he was dropped down and he hit the ground
and i approached him and asked him if there was anything i could

he said its too late for me i guess
but there’s something i’d like to get off my chest
and would you listen please?
well i had to say yes

this is what he said, he said:
i killed JFK on a sunny day
with some other guys you still see walking around
i was on a grassy knoll, dressed like a hobo
with another guy dressed like a clown

i said: wow, is that true?
but he just turned blue, yeah

and then he said, he said:
it’s my time i’ve got to go, let this be a lesson, this is my deathbed confession
it’s my time i’ve got to go, let this be a lesson, this is my deathbed confession

well after that i decided to take a walk by the seashore
and i was looking out at the ocean – a submarine surfaced
i saw a guy get thrown off the deck
as he tried to swim ashore he was badly mauled by sharks
he crawled on to the sand
i tried to give him a hand,
but he said no, its too late for me
you know i’ve got some stuff i gotta confess

this what he said, he said:
i killed MLK, for the CIA
and malcolm x, for federal express
george jackson
fred hampton
bobby hunt
and yeah, and all the rest

yeah thats what he said, he said:
it’s my time i’ve got to go, let this be a lesson, this is my deathbed confession
it’s my time i’ve got to go, let this be a lesson, this is my deathbed confession

man, so i kept walking
i walked by this fast-food establishment
there was this distinguished looking guy inside
and he started choking on his french fries
he crawled out on the pavement
and then started to die
i tried to give him CPR, and he said no
but sonny i’ve got something to confess
i said i’m no priest
he said thats OK
make this easy on me

this is what he has to day said:
i faked the moon landing
i saved hitler’s brain
its in argentina, but it controls the USA
i fixed the pope’s election
i did the october surprise
i was the french connection
i’ve got ray charles’ eyes
i did the gulf of tonkin
i got saddam to invade
i planned the bay of pigs
i put lamumba in his grave

this is what he said, he said:
it’s my time i’ve got to go, let this be a lesson, this is my deathbed confession
it’s my time i’ve got to go, let this be a lesson, this is my deathbed confession

room 19

(looking for a) cave girl

unpronounceable name

Non-Album Tracks:
We’re Living Rough
I Can’t Get Away From Myself
Detroit Music
Youth Is Wasted

Chain & The Gang on swine flu

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“Yes… it is. I soaked this rag in swine flu… it gives me energy. I thrive off swine flu.” – Ian Svenonius after being asked if he covered his microphone because of swine flu

New (To Me) Fast Food

The Bad:

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Tag line:  “founded by fireman”… who gives a shit. Stick to putting fires out.

Tastes like: Overpriced Quizno’s that actually tastes worse. What is the obsession with toasting hoagies? Who likes wilted lettuce and sweaty tomatoes.

The Good:

zaxbysjpg

Tag line: “real chicken”, seems legit… tasted and smelled like chicken. Also look for Fred Willard in the commercials.

Tastes like: chicken, what Chick-Fil-A is supposed to taste like.

I Couldn’t Say It To Your Face by Arthur Russell

I couldn’t say it to your face, but I won’t be around any more. 
I couldn’t say it to your face, but I won’t be around any more.
I needed a place, so I walked in the door,
I couldn’t say it to your face, but I won’t be around any more.
It’s my world, it’s my song, didn’t ask you to sing along;
in my arms, you girl, you won’t be here to say I’m wrong.
I couldn’t say it to your face but I won’t be around any more.
I couldn’t say it to your face, but I won’t be around any more.
I needed some space, so I walked out the door,
I couldn’t say it to your face, but I won’t be around any more.
I heard them say maybe some day I’d have to pay.
I don’t say one word to you that you know I’m going away.
I couldn’t say it to your face, but I won’t be around any more.
I couldn’t say it to your face, but I won’t be around any more.
I needed a place, so I walked in the door.
I couldn’t say it to your face, but I won’t be around any more

Accidentally Like a Martyr – Alternate Lyrics

I prefer these alternate lyrics to “Accidentally Like a Martyr” off of Warren Zevon’s Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings as compared to the Excitable Boy version. I couldn’t find the lyrics anywhere on the internet so here they are as transcribed by me.

Why’d I let you get to me again
And get me all confused
Can’t I ever get it through my head
I’m only being used
Why’d I let you get me to again
Why’d I let you in
Knowing you were only going to nail me up again

Making mad love, shadow love
Random love and abandoned love
Accidentally like a martyr
The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder

Why’d I let you get to me again
And treat me like a fool
Sometimes I wonder if your being deliberately cruel
Can’t I ever get it through my head
And ain’t it time I learned
That the greedy just get greedier
And the vulnerable get burned

Making mad love, shadow love
Random love and abandoned love
Accidentally like a martyr
The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder

Why’d I give you all the love I had
To squander like you did
My friends all shook their heads and sighed, such a naive kid
My friends all shook their heads and wished I’d find somebody else
And now I’m all alone and feeling sorry for myself

Making mad love, shadow love
Random love and abandoned love
Accidentally like a martyr
The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder

We’re making mad love, shadow love
Random love and abandoned love
Accidentally like a martyr
The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder

The Beatles

Sometimes, I can listen to The Beatles and feel like all is right in the world. Things seem to fit into place. I toss around the word genius in my head when I listen to them.

Other times, I think they’re the biggest fraud in the world.

Volume 64

1. Nick Lowe I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass
2. The Kooks No Longer
3. Paul & Linda McCartney Monkberry Moon Delight
4. Elbow Grounds For Divorce
5. Steve Earle I Ain’t Ever Satisfied
6. The National Gospel
7. Frightened Rabbit Head Rolls Off
8. Plastic Bertrand Ca Plane Pour Moi
9. 10cc Rubber Bullets
10. Fine Young Cannibals Good Thing
11. Roky Erickson Goodbye Sweet Dreams
12. Guy Clark The Cape
13. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists Timorous Me
14. Ron Sexsmith Heart With No Companion
15. Andrew Bird Tenuousness
16. Cheeseburger Commin’ Home
17. The Band It Makes No Difference
18. Ida Maria Oh My God
19. Nick Lowe Cruel To Be Kind