Reeling in the Years
I turn 33 today, which is more than a lot of my rock star heroes ever did. Inevitably, as with any event in my life, my mind sets to work on what I’d put on the soundtrack. How Cameron Crowe of me.
On the way to work, I rocked out the way a 33-year old should: with some Paul Simon. I had put the CD in for "Still Crazy After All These Years." And Paul may be mellow and sentimental, but others on my list will be guilty of worse, and Paul is rock-and-roll, man. He never took himself as seriously as James Taylor (or Art Garfunkel, for that matter). I remember him on The Muppet Show, straight-faced singing "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme" surrounded by puppets. Or on SNL singing "Still Crazy..." in the most ridiculous turkey costume ever, because yes-there-are-degrees-of-foolishness-in-turkey-suits.
And then I was flipping tracks, and came across "Kodachrome," replete with untacky nostalgia, and how can you not relate to poetry like "When I look back to all the crap I learned in high school, it’s a wonder I can think at all." And it’s a fucking fantastic idea to bring all the girls I knew when I was single together for one night, and maybe I wouldn’t have as many as Paul would, but mine’d take up as much space. AND the nostalgia contained in this here song is amplified by the coming of digital cameras. If you ask me, everything looks worse in pixelation.
And since I’m looking back, I’ll revisit my youth for a song about revisitng youth, and pull out "Come Dancing" by The Kinks, which may be their most punk song ever since they said "Fuck it!" and went mariachi. OK, it doesn’t compete with Ray Davies taking a razor to his amps way back when, but it was still a move as brassy as the song’s trumpets, and it’s a mistakably forgotten song.
Ooh, and another twofer on Radio K-BRI. Here’s The Kinks again with "Where Have All the Good Times Gone?" The title says it all. But it’s not as heavy as it sounds. There is some hope.
Sometimes.
But not until after I realize that I don’t have as much time left for good times. And good times aren’t as easy to come by as they used to be. Just like Kodachrome cameras. My peers, at least in numerical age, all have "careers" and "wives" and/or "girlfriends." At any rate, most of ‘em never drink before noon anymore. So "No One to Run With" by the Allman Brothers, huh? This little Diddley-type ditty sprang from the album Where It All Begins which weren’t no Eat A Peach, but it wasn’t the pits, either.
Running with "running," well, I’m older now but still running against the wind. Brother Bob Seger testifies. When he says, "Wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then..." Right, Bob?
More wisdom: "If I only knew what I knew now, when I was younger... Say ‘Oo la la.’" Oo la la, indeed, Mister Stewart.
And with the knowledge I now have, I won’t get fooled again. I didn’t need The Who to teach me that the new boss and the old boss are the same, or that 32 and 33 will be SSDD, but I’ll audit that class, anyhow.
Because I’ve been fooled before, at least been foolish before, it’s the "Story of My Life" by Social D, the best D that’s not Tenacious. "Time goes by so fast and you only wanna do whatcha think is right..."
Ain’t that the truth? I mean, I still get overwhelmed trying to deal with "adulthood." All that responsibility and shit. When does it end? When will I really be a man? The answer’s "Blowin’ in the Wind." If you don’t know the artist, well, I’m sorry for ya.
"That was before my time," the kids’ll say. Yep, it was before mine, too. But the kids these days... I used to think "Hey Nineteen" by Steely Dan was about an older guy who wasn’t hip, but now I realize it’s the young ‘un that ain’t hip. She doesn’t know Aretha? That’s just disrespectful.
While I give mad props to the Queen of Soul, The Stones best summed up how I feel about trying so damn hard to be "Respectable." I sneer and pout and chicken-walk at the people who even strive for it.
Why am I even trying so hard with this list? Fuck it. "I Don’t Wanna Grow Up" – Tom Waits.
"It’s My Life" – The Animals.
"Life’s Been Good" – Joe Walsh. Yep, there are ups and downs... You get an Italian sportscar, and then lose your license; the party’s great but you’re so drunk you can’t find your way out.
But I can get drunk if I want to, because "now I’m a man, way past 21, and believe me, woman, I have lots of fun. That’s me, Mannish Boy," like my man (I say M) Muddy Waters laid down.
I’m glad I turned out so mannish, I say as I hawk a louie and adjust my crotch. Because I wondered as a lad how will things be when I grow up to be a man? (Beach Boys).
And, because it’s my birthday, "Birthday" by the Beatles.
And "It’s My Birthday" by Luke Skyywalker.
BUT the song that I feel best sums up all the complexities of being as a young-thinking and reckless but world-burdened grown-up IS... "No Nay Never" by the Irish Rovers. It says, OK, I’m settling down, earning, investing; I’m being responsible. But first, another round!
On the way to work, I rocked out the way a 33-year old should: with some Paul Simon. I had put the CD in for "Still Crazy After All These Years." And Paul may be mellow and sentimental, but others on my list will be guilty of worse, and Paul is rock-and-roll, man. He never took himself as seriously as James Taylor (or Art Garfunkel, for that matter). I remember him on The Muppet Show, straight-faced singing "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme" surrounded by puppets. Or on SNL singing "Still Crazy..." in the most ridiculous turkey costume ever, because yes-there-are-degrees-of-foolishness-in-turkey-suits.
And then I was flipping tracks, and came across "Kodachrome," replete with untacky nostalgia, and how can you not relate to poetry like "When I look back to all the crap I learned in high school, it’s a wonder I can think at all." And it’s a fucking fantastic idea to bring all the girls I knew when I was single together for one night, and maybe I wouldn’t have as many as Paul would, but mine’d take up as much space. AND the nostalgia contained in this here song is amplified by the coming of digital cameras. If you ask me, everything looks worse in pixelation.
And since I’m looking back, I’ll revisit my youth for a song about revisitng youth, and pull out "Come Dancing" by The Kinks, which may be their most punk song ever since they said "Fuck it!" and went mariachi. OK, it doesn’t compete with Ray Davies taking a razor to his amps way back when, but it was still a move as brassy as the song’s trumpets, and it’s a mistakably forgotten song.
Ooh, and another twofer on Radio K-BRI. Here’s The Kinks again with "Where Have All the Good Times Gone?" The title says it all. But it’s not as heavy as it sounds. There is some hope.
Sometimes.
But not until after I realize that I don’t have as much time left for good times. And good times aren’t as easy to come by as they used to be. Just like Kodachrome cameras. My peers, at least in numerical age, all have "careers" and "wives" and/or "girlfriends." At any rate, most of ‘em never drink before noon anymore. So "No One to Run With" by the Allman Brothers, huh? This little Diddley-type ditty sprang from the album Where It All Begins which weren’t no Eat A Peach, but it wasn’t the pits, either.
Running with "running," well, I’m older now but still running against the wind. Brother Bob Seger testifies. When he says, "Wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then..." Right, Bob?
More wisdom: "If I only knew what I knew now, when I was younger... Say ‘Oo la la.’" Oo la la, indeed, Mister Stewart.
And with the knowledge I now have, I won’t get fooled again. I didn’t need The Who to teach me that the new boss and the old boss are the same, or that 32 and 33 will be SSDD, but I’ll audit that class, anyhow.
Because I’ve been fooled before, at least been foolish before, it’s the "Story of My Life" by Social D, the best D that’s not Tenacious. "Time goes by so fast and you only wanna do whatcha think is right..."
Ain’t that the truth? I mean, I still get overwhelmed trying to deal with "adulthood." All that responsibility and shit. When does it end? When will I really be a man? The answer’s "Blowin’ in the Wind." If you don’t know the artist, well, I’m sorry for ya.
"That was before my time," the kids’ll say. Yep, it was before mine, too. But the kids these days... I used to think "Hey Nineteen" by Steely Dan was about an older guy who wasn’t hip, but now I realize it’s the young ‘un that ain’t hip. She doesn’t know Aretha? That’s just disrespectful.
While I give mad props to the Queen of Soul, The Stones best summed up how I feel about trying so damn hard to be "Respectable." I sneer and pout and chicken-walk at the people who even strive for it.
Why am I even trying so hard with this list? Fuck it. "I Don’t Wanna Grow Up" – Tom Waits.
"It’s My Life" – The Animals.
"Life’s Been Good" – Joe Walsh. Yep, there are ups and downs... You get an Italian sportscar, and then lose your license; the party’s great but you’re so drunk you can’t find your way out.
But I can get drunk if I want to, because "now I’m a man, way past 21, and believe me, woman, I have lots of fun. That’s me, Mannish Boy," like my man (I say M) Muddy Waters laid down.
I’m glad I turned out so mannish, I say as I hawk a louie and adjust my crotch. Because I wondered as a lad how will things be when I grow up to be a man? (Beach Boys).
And, because it’s my birthday, "Birthday" by the Beatles.
And "It’s My Birthday" by Luke Skyywalker.
BUT the song that I feel best sums up all the complexities of being as a young-thinking and reckless but world-burdened grown-up IS... "No Nay Never" by the Irish Rovers. It says, OK, I’m settling down, earning, investing; I’m being responsible. But first, another round!
posted by Brian Byline at 6:56 PM
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