awatt

To the rich man's bright lodges

I ride in this wind

On my good horse, I call you

My shiny black Bess

To the playhouse of fortune

To take the bright silver

And gold you have taken

From somebody else

And as we go riding

In the damp foggy midnight

You snort, my good pony

And you give me your best

For you know and I know

Good horse 'mongst the rich ones

How oftimes we go there

An unwelcome guest

I never took food

From the widows and orphans

And never a hardworking man I oppressed

So take your pace easy

For home soon like lightning

We soon will be riding

My shiny black Bess

No fat rich man's pony

Can ever overtake you

And there's not a rider

From the east to the west

Could hold you a light

In this dark mist and midnight

When the potbellied thieves

Chase the unwelcome guest

I don't know, good horse

As we trot in this dark here

That robbing the rich

Is for worse or for best

They take it by stealing

And lying and gambling

And I take it my way

My shiny black Bess

I treat horses good

And I'm friendly to strangers

I ride and your running

Makes my guns talk the best

And the rangers and deputies

Are hired by the rich man

To catch me and hang me

My shining Black Bess

Yes, they'll catch me napping one day

And they'll kill me

And then I'll be gone

But that won't be my end

For my guns and my saddle

Will always be filled

By unwelcome travelers

And other brave men

And they'll take the money

And spread it out equal

Just like the Bible

And the prophets suggest

But men that go riding

To help these poor workers

The rich will cut down

Like an unwelcome guest

Forget about dinner, I've got Entemann's chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

i've listened to this song several times now, and I am really getting into it. I can't wait to hear how/if they play with it in the studio! My favorite new song is still Walken, though.

I'm with blindgonzo on this one--Walken still rules of new material but that said, I'm really loving all the new stuff and am ga-ga with anticipation waiting for the new one.

Did I just write "ga-ga"?

I've reflected long and hard on the political wisdom of this veto and it confirms everything I've come to believe. It's really elementary: Bush is a dickwad.

Ok, a really dumb comment, but isn't alt country.....cock (I've always assumed that to mean a combo of Country and Rock, assuming that's what Jeff is alluding to in the IATTBYH movie? I also thought it was used in a rather limited fashion by Tweedy fans until I heard Pierce Bronson say it to Greg Kinnear in the film The Matador--but I digress). I have a feeling once again I'm way off the mark...

Completely missed the boat on Phish, though the one cd I bought a while ago, I think called Hoist, was a fun listen. More Dead musical meanderings then Springsteen rock enthusiasm, I've heard.

Will you buy me some stuff?

Sure, just tell me what you're looking for.

Forgive me for being so slow, but HST refers to....?

Since I've gone AWATT, I have not even purchased any Bruce (let alone anyone else), though really seeing these youtube clips from the early years may inspire me to get that Born To Run DVD. Everyone's been trying to get me to listen to the Pete Seeger cd too, but just have not been interested since I'm musically satiated with AWATT.

But, still vivid memories of sitting around listening to the Roxy show on the radio with friends (boy, if they had message boards back then....), then seeing that first Forum show and the Darkness selections live was really transcendent--don't quite know how else to put it. Rushing the stage during the encores, pumping your fist in the air to Jungleland, the opening notes to Thunder Road....gives me chills.

Have I missed any other musical acts that can reach these levels live in concert? The Dead? Dave Matthews (don't barf)? I suppose this kind of rock show is a thing of the past...

I agree, the writing is on the wall and it says: digital. Give it one generation, when we're all senior citizens with grandkids, and their musical world will be nothing like the good ol days of local record stores. But by that time, we may get music directly downloaded into our brains. Until then, I'll continue to frequent Ella Guru, Decatur CD and other local Atlanta music stores (and maybe buy from itunes once in a while).

I really do start every day with A.M.--is there a better way to start than with "I Must Be High"? From there it just gets better with every track, except you know which one that all of us usually skip.

I do hear Jeff breaking free from Jay on this one too, doing songs like Casino Queen and Passenger Side that ole Jay would never allow of his young prodigy. Then there's the more explicit break-up songs (how else to put it?), like the closer, Too Far Apart, which seems a direct stab.

Beyond that dynamic, it's just got a great range of music, from rockers to more countrified tunes to the more experimental but lovely and spacey Dash 7. Next to Another Man's Done Gone on Mermaid, Blue-Eyed Soul may be my favorite Jeff vocal, all stoney and bluesy. The middle selection of songs, from my all-time favorite Box Full of Letters to That's Not The Issue are superb, heartfelt, and by turns mournful and uplifting in a strange way. I should also mention that my wife's favorite of all time is Should of Been in Love, which many women seem to particularly single out as the best on the cd.

I love listening to it super loud when I'm long gone late at night (and home alone) or quietly on headphones as background when I'm concentrating on writing or reading.

I give it 11 thumbs up out of a possible 10!

I love alt country, whatever the fuck it is....

Just finished watching Streets of Fire from 1978 from Youtube after responding to best tv performance thread. I think there are a few Bruce fans here and just curious to hear your reminiscences of Bruce from early years. You know I don't really listen much anymore but boy, there was nothing better musically than a Springsteen concert in late 70s and through the 80s. Candy's Room? Darkness on the Edge of Town? My life changed when I attended the Forum show in 1978, then subsequent shows in 80 and 81. All time favorite story: my car, a 69 Malibu catching fire on the way to the Vietnam Veteran's show in 1981, pulling off to the side of the road, and then being escorted by police (you know what I was doing in the car on the way there) to the fabulous Forum just in time to see the show. Oh the memories....

Oh, this is sweet. If we are not including Wilco in this competition, then the Springsteen performance of Kitty's Back wins, hands down. Yes, Costello on SNL is brilliant, and Neil Young anytime on TV is fucking fantastic, but this, this is superb. I think I'll start a completely different thread on the Boss....

Love and Death? Stardust Memories? Sleeper? Even if he did veer into perversion territory, these are classics and well worth a watch if you haven't seen the "early, funny ones" before.

This new one looks kind of intriguing, though to be honest I haven't liked recent Woody Allen films myself much at all...

This has grown on me in just two listens. So uplifting and inspiring, which is good since I'm partial to the plaintive and sorrowful. It's a winner, and almost anthem-like.

Cocksucker!

Mostly beer drinkers around these parts?

Starting with Yellow Tail, then on to the single-malt scotch.

L'Chaim!

Nothing really to add, just wanted to see if I can be on all the "last posts" in ELT. Is that wrong of me?

How can it be that you people keep posting songs I love (Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits?? A blast from the past, and one of my favorites). One day I'll grow out of this AWATT stage and get back to some of this fine, fine music, like ....

Take me to the station

And put me on a train

I've got no expectations

To pass through here again

Once I was a rich man

Now I am so poor

But never in my sweet short life

Have I felt like this before

You heart is like a diamond

You throw your pearls at swine

And as I watch you leaving me

You pack my piece of mind

Our love was like the water

That splashes on a stone

our love is like our music

its here, and then its gone

So take me to the airport

And put me on a plane

I got no expectations

To pass through here again

People who talk in public restrooms, standing at urinal or in the stall, while on the cell phone...just seems so wrong.

People who have a "W" bumpersticker on their car (though I do love the "F.W.")

People who don't use their freakin turn signals while driving.

People who don't like Wilco.

I decided to put aside my torrenting (this is worse than alcohol, nicotine or [insert drug here], and it appears I may lose my wife over it if I don't learn to start using in moderation--but come on, dozens and dozens of good quality wilco/tweedy/sideproject concerts in audio and/or dvd??!!?? FOR FREE??!!!!!???? and all you have to do is keep the torrent up for awhile after downloading to keep a nice share ratio??!?!?! ok, took a xanax, I've calmed down now) for a few hours and erased it all from my head as best I could and gave A Ghost Is Born a fresh listen without distraction.

 

And I conclude that it is a fantastic record. Subdued at times, thoughtfully sporadic and fierce at others, interesting recording, engineering and production, contemplative and imagry-filled lyrics. Subtle arrangements and choice of instruments and tone.

 

I kept assuming, because of how much I've fallen in love with subsequent live versions of these songs--versions that are now permanently residing on all kinds of playlists, "all-timers" etc.--that the album just wouldn't have any luster anymore for me. hmpf.

 

I still think, for me at least, that it's better listened to by itself, rather than randomly plucked in shuffle rotations, etc. along with all the live stuff--but I think that's more a function of my tremendously happy memories of the live tunes (and the images and feelings the live tunes bring back to life) than anything having to do with the record itself.

I agree with everything you say here about AGIB. But what's weird is one of my oldest friends just described his enthusiasm for torrenting in the same way--as a crazy addiction that is nearly ruining his marriage and is a complete obsession!!! What am I missing??? He uses Dime a Dozen. Is that what you'd recommend (I know, a thread covered this at some point recently, but I'm a slow learner).

Glad to see signs of hope--not that I see anything wrong with digital music revolution, but when I walk in to local Atlanta record stores, it's mostly empty and mostly older crowd. But I do love the vibe inside and usually like the music being played. At one store, they have a signed (!!) Wilco poster from Being There tour, which is always a thrill to see.

Maybe I'll take a short drive in the car and head to one right now....

Thank you all for the reports, and clips. Unfriggingbelievable! I agree, next time I'll move heaven and earth to get to the last show of the tour. Great set-list, vibe, and setting. You lucky ducks!!

Not sure if anyone saw this in today's NYTimes, but made me feel quite old, especially as a former employee at Music Plus, selling records, in mid-80s. Now when I go into local record stores, mainly just see gray-hairs like myself....

You youngins will feel this way too, eventually.

July 16, 2006

The Graying of the Record Store

By ALEX WILLIAMS

SO this is an evening rush?

On a recent Monday, six people