Here's an interesting side story to Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne", and I do believe it might be true. I have a friend (Rozanne), who has a friend (hang with me) who roomed with Hillary Clinton in college. The friend of my friend, loved the song "Suzanne" and Hillary or so the story goes, loved the Joni Mitchell song "Chelsea Morning". They each said if they had a daughter they would name her after the song they liked. My friend Rozanne's friend named her daughter Suzanne and well, we all know there is a Chelsea Clinton.

I must say I am a bit tired of reading the same ol' arguments again and again about how silly the idea of god, capital G and small g, is and how useless and detrimental religion is. Logical or illogical -- life is both, but more than anything life is #@&% hard and what ever it takes to get through the night is what it takes.

Whatever gets you through the night
by John Lennon

Whatever gets you through the night 'salright, 'salright
It's your money or life 'salright, 'salright
Don't need a sword to cut through flowers oh no, oh no

Whatever gets you through your life 'salright, 'salright
Do it wrong or do it right 'salright, 'salright
Don't need a watch to waste your time oh no, oh no

Hold me darlin' come on listen to me
I won't do you no harm
Trust me darlin' come on listen to me, come on listen to me
Come on listen, listen

Whatever gets you to the light 'salright, 'salright
Out the blue or out of sight 'salright, 'salright
Don't need a gun to blow your mind oh no, oh no

Hold me darlin' come on listen to me
I won't do you no harm
Trust me darlin' come on listen to me, come on listen to me
Come on listen, listen

Saffron wrote:I must say I am a bit tired of reading the same ol' arguments again and again about how silly the idea of god, capital G and small g, is and how useless and detrimental religion is. Logical or illogical -- life is both, but more than anything life is #@&% hard and what ever it takes to get through the night is what it takes.

A great gospel song from Stevie Wonder ... no matter what you believe.


Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away

They say that heaven is 10 zillion light years away
And just the pure at heart will walk her righteous streets someday
They say that heaven is 10 zillion light years away
But if there is a God, we need Him now
"Where is your God"
That's what my friends ask me
And I say it's taken Him so long
'Cause we've got so far to come...

Tell me people
Why can't they say that hate is 10 zillion light years away
Why can't the light of good shine God's love in every soul
Why must my color black make me a lesser man
I thought this world was made for every man
He loves us all, that's what my God tells me
And I say it's taken Him so long
'Cause we've got so far to come...

But in my heart I can feel it, yeah,
Feel His spirit wow oh woo...
Feel it, yeah, feel His spirit...

I... can't say that heaven is 10 zillion light years away
But if so let all be pure at heart
Just to walk her righteous streets I pray
Let God's love shine within to save our evil souls
For those who don't believe will never see the light
"Where is my God" - He lives inside of me
And I say it's taken Him so long
'Cause we've got so far to come...
No people, "where is your God?"
Inside please let Him be
And I say it's taken Him so long
'Cause we've got so far to come...

But if you open your heart you can feel it yeah yeah
Feel His spirit, yeah
Feel it, feel His spirit, wow oh wow...
Feel it, you can feel His spirit
I opened my heart one morning and
I sho nuff could feel it yeah yeah
Feel His spirit yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
You can feel it, yeah, feel His spirit
You can feel it, yeah, feel His spirit

"Half a World Away" R.E.M.

This could be the saddest dusk
Ive ever seen
Turn to a miracle
High alive
My mind is racing
As it always will
My hand is tired my heart aches
Im half a world away here
My head sworn
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Go it alone
Hold it along and hold, hold.

This lonely deep sit hollow
Im half a world
Half the world away
My shoes are gone
My life spent
I had too much to drink
I didnt think
And I i didnt think of you
I guess thats all I needed
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Blackbirds backwards forwards and fall and hold hold.

YouTube -- REM

On a Cream CD I checked out from the library: the song title "SWLRB," which reputedly was so named because Eric Clapton thought the song title too weird: "She Walks Like a Bearded Rainbow." But such a title shouldn't be ignored, and here are the lyrics. I have no idea whether you can hear this song on Utube or someplace, since I don't "get" Utube and thus
have not, properly speaking, joined the 21st C., but maybe someday. The song is not bad, though.

Coming to me in the morning, leaving me at night.
Coming to me in the morning, leaving me alone.
You've got that rainbow feel,
But the rainbow has a beard.

Running to me a-cryin', when he throws you out.
Running to me a-cryin', on your own again.
You've got that pure feel,
Such good responses,
But the picture has a mustache.

You're comin' to me with that soulful look on your face.
Coming lookin' like you've never ever done one wrong thing.

You're comin' to me with that soulful look on your face.
You're comin' lookin' like you've never ever done one wrong thing.

So many fantastic colours, I feel in a wonderland.
Many fantastic colours, makes me feel so good.
You've got that pure feel,
Such good responses,
Got that rainbow feel,
But the rainbow has a beard.

Here you go DWill -- I know you can't listen, but the rest of us can. What a wild and weird little song.

A friend from work lent me a Jimmy Webb CD. Turns out he wrote one of my favorite songs! Before I get to that one, it also put me in mind of another song that is a favorite, and contains what maybe my favorite lines from any song -- John Prine's Angle from Montgomery.

If dreams were thunder
And lightning was desire
This old house would've burned down
A long time ago

Here's the Jimmy Webb (I particularly like Shawn Colvin's cover) --

If These Walls Could Speak

If these old walls, if these old walls could speak.
What a tale they have to tell, hard headed people raisin' hell.
A couple in love livin' week to week.
Rooms full of laughter, if these old walls could speak.

If these old halls, if hallowed halls could talk.
These would have a tale to tell, the sun goin' down and dinner bells.
And children playin' at hide and seek.
From floor to rafters, if these old walls could speak.

They would tell you that I'm sorry.
For bein' and cold and blind and weak.
They would tell you that it's only that I have a stubborn streak.
If these old walls could speak.
If these old fashion window panes had eyes.
I guess they would have seen it all.
Each little tear and silence step fall.
And every dream that we came to seek,
And followed after, if these old walls could speak.

They would tell you that I owe you,
More that I could ever pay.
Here's someone who really loves you,
Don't ever go away.
That's what these walls would say.


My search for the lyrics led me on a fun little webpage romp. Here is my find:
sweatshirtpoesy.com/2008/04/14/headphone-love-the-poetry-mix-vol-1/

This page has great links to other poetry resources.

This youtube video is in response to the Cream song posted earlier by saffron. Buffalo Springfield live performance of For What its Worth in Monterey, California, 1967... check out the flower power and the side burns (ouch)! " ... paranoia strikes deep ... ooo ... ooo". yikes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g9PiEgYYUU

This one gives me a lift when I feel old and out of touch!!!

Subterranean Homesick Blues
Johnny's in the basement
Mixing up the medicine
I'm on the pavement
Thinking about the government
The man in the trench coat
Badge out, laid off
Says he's got a bad cough
Wants to get it paid off
Look out kid
It's somethin' you did
God knows when
But you're doin' it again
You better duck down the alley way
Lookin' for a new friend
The man in the coon-skin cap
In the big pen
Wants eleven dollar bills
You only got ten

Maggie comes fleet foot
Face full of black soot
Talkin' that the heat put
Plants in the bed but
The phone's tapped anyway
Maggie says that many say
They must bust in early May
Orders from the D. A.
Look out kid
Don't matter what you did
Walk on your tip toes
Don't try "No Doz"
Better stay away from those
That carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You don't need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows

Get sick, get well
Hang around a ink well
Ring bell, hard to tell
If anything is goin' to sell
Try hard, get barred
Get back, write braille
Get jailed, jump bail
Join the army, if you fail
Look out kid
You're gonna get hit
But users, cheaters
Six-time losers
Hang around the theaters
Girl by the whirlpool
Lookin' for a new fool
Don't follow leaders
Watch the parkin' meters

Ah get born, keep warm
Short pants, romance, learn to dance
Get dressed, get blessed
Try to be a success
Please her, please him, buy gifts
Don't steal, don't lift
Twenty years of schoolin'
And they put you on the day shift
Look out kid
They keep it all hid
Better jump down a manhole
Light yourself a candle
Don't wear sandals
Try to avoid the scandals
Don't wanna be a bum
You better chew gum
The pump don't work
'Cause the vandals took the handles



I love those last two lines - and the number of times I find them appropriate......you wouldn't believe!!!

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight, I'm
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no, I've said too much
I haven't said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try