Monday Night Music Byte

I guess we will stick to Boston bands from the mid 1970’s once again. There is a lot to choose from after all. Tonight we will focus on a song by The Cars. This band was actually the co-creation of two of its members, Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr. They were somewhat of an ever-present club band in Boston in the early 70’s although the duo used different names such as Milkwood and Richard and the Rabbits. The latter name having been suggested by Jonathan Richman of The Modern Lovers (they were the subject last night’s music focus by the way).

The material in The Cars first album (also named The Cars) was written and performed by the band predominantly throughout 1976 although the album was not released until early 1978. their sound was later described as New Wave, and they were one of the forefathers of the New Wave movement of the late 70’s and early 80’s. Please enjoy or get reacquainted with their first hit single, Just What I Needed.

Sarah Palin Takes A Slow Boat To China

Town Hall Protestor at Sarah Palin speech in Hong Kong

We have all been wondering lately as to the whereabouts of Sarah Palin, the Quitter of Alaska. She has not been seen in public in quite some time and that is very unusual for the spotlight-craving diva. Some speculated that she was hiding her visage while recuperating from plastic surgery. Her father claimed in a recent interview that she was in an undisclosed location while writing her soon to be released memoir. The Globe Magazine even postulated that Caribou Barbie was confined to the “nervous hospital” after having suffered a marriage related nervous breakdown. So, where has she really been?

We may now have the answer. Those in the know believe that she has been hunkered down with earphones on her head while the Rosetta Stone language teaching tapes infuse her with the Chinese language. Such is the case, because the group known as CLSA Investors’ Forum ( Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia), has announced that the erstwhile “pitbull with lipstick” will be a keynote speaker at its conference scheduled for September 23, 2009 in Hong Kong.

Now, we have no idea if Sarah Palin can see Hong Kong from her house, but we are pretty sure that her exposure to Asian culture and politics is limited to the luncheon menu at the Golden Palace restaurant in Wasilla, Alaska. Just imagine the comic possibilities of this trip. Will Palin insult the local population by accusing them of “palling around with terrorists”? Will she accuse them of being “un-American”? Will she instruct them on the “Christian thing to do”? Will she accuse them of being Muslims? The possibilities of ways in which she will embarrass herself are endless.

Of course, the biggest question of all is, will she even show up for the event? As we all know, she has been a no show at four consecutive speaking engagements in which she has accepted an invitation. Consequently, we all look forward to the days just before September 23rd.

In honor of the troops, please click on the song link below to familiarize yourselves with the tune and to have more fun singing along with the parody.

China Girl song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uZETFSmOxE

FORTY-NINER GIRL

(sung to the David Bowie song “China Girl”)

Oh, oh, oh, ohoo state forty-niner girl
Oh, oh, oh, ohoo state forty niner girl

Sarah Palin is feeling, like a China girl
She’s a shipwreck of a, little China Girl
She’ll be at that meeting, and she’ll blunder
Her stardom’s crashing

She’s a mess that Palin, state forty-niner girl
We’ve had warnings that she lies, little China girl
She’ll be at that meeting, and she’ll blunder
We’ll watch her come crashing down

She’s lost her magic like, she’s no longer Rambo
The C-L-S-A’s China girl
They can’t pretend that Sarah really knows too much
The C-L-S-A’s China girl

She’ll stumble into town just like a sacred cow
Visions of swastikas in her head
Plans for all Hong Kong
It’s in the white of her eyes

State forty-niner girl
You shouldn’t mess with she
She’ll ruin everything you are
You know, she’ll be on television
She’ll wink her eyes at you
She is the wench who wants to rule the world

One day she’ll get indicted
State forty-niner girl looks,
So shady, lipstick on her mouth
She says…sh
She says…sh
She says…
She says…

Oh, oh, oh, ohoo state forty-niner girl

Sunday Night Music Bites

Like last night, I am going to present you with a song from a Boston bred band from that wonderful summer of 1976. The Modern Lovers actually recorded their album in 1973 but it was not released until 1976. Jonathan Richman was the lead singer/ songwriter/frontman of this pre-punk-prototype-punk band. The first song is entitled Roadrunner but it is more straight rock and roll than proto-punk. I enjoy it because of its numerous Boston lyrical references such as Route 128 and the Stop & Shop supermarket chain. In that regard, it is much like last night’s entry Rock And Roll Band by Boston.

The second song, Pablo Picasso is more indicative of the band’s musical style. As you listen, please notice how strange the sound is in comparison to the other music being played in 1973. I hope you fellow Rocketeers enjoy at least one of these songs.

Sunday Morning Coffee (or Tea) – 7

Hello, fellow Rocketeers. Here is this weeks edition of Breaking News and This Just In.

BREAKING NEWS: The G.O.P. is out there spreading false rumors about health care reform once again. Here is the latest bit of absurdity. Voter registration forms, they claim, will be used to identify members of the Republican Party and to then severely ration or outright deny medical services to them. Come on folks, the ranks of the G.O.P. are dwindling quickly enough as the result of natural causes. No further means are required at this time.

THIS JUST IN: The reich wing’s politics of hate continue to flow like (Holy?) water. Pastor Steven Anderson of the Faithful Word Babtist Church in Tempe, Arizona, said the following of President Barack Obama in a recent sermon, “Nope. I’m not gonna pray for his good. I’m going to pray that he dies and goes to hell. When I go to bed tonight, that’s what I’m going to pray. And you say, ‘Are you just saying that?’ No. When I go to bed tonight, Steven L. Anderson is going to pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell.” And they say that it is the liberals who practice politics of hate.

BREAKING NEWS: Nice gesture of the day. While traveling on the Southeast Expressway in Boston Friday evening I noticed that all of the overhead electronic signs said the following, “Thanks, Ted – From the People of Massachusetts.”

THIS JUST IN: The number of advertisers that have elected to pull all advertising from the Glenn Beck program on Fox News as the result of the host saying that President Barack Obama “is a racist” and, “has a deep seated hatred of white people” has grown. This week, approximately ten more sponsors have joined the exodus including, Applebee’s, Bank of America, Bell & Howell, Direct TV, General Mills, Kraft, Travelers Insurance and Vonage. In total, some forty-six sponsors have fled the show. It is nice to see some corporate responsibility for a change.

BREAKING NEWS: Republican congresswoman, Lynn (no relation, thank you) Jenkins of Kansas, this week told a gathering in her district that the G.O.P. was still searching for “a great white hope” to stop President Barack Obama’s political agenda. You heard correctly, “great white hope.” More racism from the right.

THIS JUST IN: Nice gesture of the day, Part 2. While at the Red Sox game tonight, it was nice to see the sleeve patch worn by all Toronto Blue Jays players which said, “TED”.

BREAKING NEWS: This is not really news, but I am thinking of attending Sarah Palin’s first public appearance after emerging from the nervous hospital, if for no other reason than to throw a shoe at her. Anyone with me?

In honor of the troops, please click on the song link below to not only familiarize yourselves with the tune, but to have more fun singing along to the song parody. This particular parody points out most, if not all, of the shortcomings of the Republican Party. Please enjoy.

We Didn’t Start The Fire song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKu2QaytmrM

WE DIDN’T START THE LYING

(sung to the Billy Joel song “We Didn’t Start The Fire””)

Ronald Reagan, Larry Craig, Mark Sanford, Tom Delay
Michelle Malkin, Michele Bachmann, “Goin’ with the flow”

Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Howard Baker, lack of vision
Spreading Fear, Acting queer, and ole Sixpack Joe

No icebergs, H-Bomb, “Pay for play”, “Hockey Mom”
Landrieu, Hamid Karzai, and that Michael Savage guy

Ivy tower, Van Flein, Tea-bagger party scene
Party of “No”, Tim Pawlenty, Let’s watch Glenn Beck cry

These are G.O.P. liars
Shy away from learning
Keep our stomachs turning
Burning their cross of fire
We watched them light it
And they can’t deny it

Vitter’s fallin’, Ginny Foxx, Boehner and Inhofe
Mitch McConnell, small umbrella, Talking the talk

Spin Zone, Rent to own, Straight martini, Bank loan
Russian view and Pastor Haggard’s flock

Sex crimes, Grassley, John McCain is “Mavericky”
Lining pockets, health care plan, Giuliani, Limbaugh Land

Barrasso, Fake protest, Tom “The Hammer”, Chambliss
Senate race, Lack of grace, and Melvin Martinez

These are G.O.P. liars
Shy away from learning
Keep our stomachs turning
Burning their cross of fire
We watched them light it
And they can’t deny it

Loaded Glock, SarahPAC, Sam Alito, Johnny Mack
Jindal, Right to die, Tripp’s father is Levi

Pentagon, Border wall, We must deport them all
Bed-wetters, genocide, No assisted suicide

Bush’s folly, Torture, Dick Cheney, Blackwater
Hate groups, Castro, John Ensign and his ‘ho

First Dude, Hannity, Mann Coulter and O’Reilly
Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, Sarah Palin’s “Sixpack Joes”

These are G.O.P. liars
Shy away from learning
Keep our stomachs turning
Burning their cross of fire
We watched them light it
And they can’t deny it

Kay Bailey, Muslims, K Street is full of bums
Villains, Pearlman, Iraqi Invasion

Health reform hysteria, Sarah Palin mania
Shameless G-Men, War in Afghanistan

Ron Paul, Airport sex, They don’t want no litmus test
Kneel and pray, Always “nay”, Can’t get married if you’re gay

These are G.O.P. liars
Shy away from learning
Keep our stomachs turning
Burning their cross of fire
We watched them light it
And they can’t deny it

Birth control, Lives of sin, They like folks that have white skin
Buckshot, Dow stock, Loud mouthed chicken-hawks
Takin’ Bacon, Palestine, Palin is no friend of mine
Now they have nukes in Iran, Couldn’t stop the Taliban

Makin’ fortunes, Soldiers die, Did we mention Glenn Beck cried?
Foreign debts, Homeless vets, Exposed by three jets
We voted them out the door, Now they’re just a mouse that roars
Spider holes and unjust wars, I can’t take them anymore.

These are G.O.P. liars
Shy away from learning
Keep our stomachs turning
Burning their cross of fire
We watched them light it
And they can’t deny it
(repeat chorus to fade)

Late Night Music Bite

It is quite late (at least in Boston, anyway) and therefore this post will not indulge you fellow Rockateers with either politics or parody. We will however, get back to that in the morning. Instead, I thought I might entertain you a bit with a little music from my formative years in the mid 1970’s. The summer of 1976 was sort of the time that I began to grow-up. My friends and I had discovered all kinds of new things at the time. I must refrain from detailing most of them just in case I have to go through one of those White House vetting processes. I’m sure you can understand.

But I digress. It was during that free wheeling summer that my musical tastes matured from the Monkees and the Partridge Family to a sound that was a bit more rough and tumble. the Boston music scene was ripe with local home grown talent ranging from rock/blues bands like the J. Geils Band and Aerosmith to the pre-punk-like Modern Lovers to disco acts like Tavares and Donna Summer. Suddenly, a new band started getting some attention because of their completely different sound which was laden with electronics and synths. Their sound was unique but their name was not. The band was called simply Boston and their debut album was entitled simply Boston. They had some huge hits like More Than A Feeling and Foreplay/Long Time which seemed to be on the radio constantly.

The song that I liked best however, was entitled Rock And Roll Band. This particular tune lacked a lot of the band’s signature synthesizer sound but it told the story of how the band hit the big time after having struggled for so long. It was fun to listen to it as a Bostonian because of the local landmarks and such that are referenced therein. The whole album became sort of an audio soundtrack for my summer of 1976. Please enjoy Rock And Roll Band:

Glenn Beck Is A Shipwreck

Glenn Beck's only remainig sponsor.

The shipwreck that is the S.S. Glenn Beck Show is like one of those automobile accidents that you see on the highway and cannot help but stare at. It is ugly and horrifying and yet somehow mesmerizing also, too (gratuitous Sarah Palin reference intended). The Glenn Beck advertiser boycott continues to build in momentum as sponsors flee his nightly program which airs on the Fox News Network. It has been all down hill for Beck since he said on air that President Barack Obama “is a racist” and has “a deep seeded hatred of white people.” The negative public outcry was tremendous and a number of organizations, most notably, Colorofchange.org, have initiated a consumer boycott of those companies that advertise on his program. To date, more than three dozen major corporations have pulled their advertising from his show with more to follow.

Truth be told, Glenn Beck’s show has been a disaster right from the beginning. How many times have we had to watch as he broke down in tears and cried like a baby? Oh, what the heck, let’s watch again, shall we?

We have also witnessed his recent nightly rants against Health Care Reform on the basis that he believes that the United States has the greatest health care system in the world. You know. if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. Problem is, just two short years ago when he was on CNN, he had surgery and then claimed that our health care system was garbage. You can watch Glenn Beck And The Amazing Technicolor Flip-Flop, here.

Even Beck himself now seems resigned to the fact that his show is an absurdity that will probably be canceled by Fox News. This was made evident during his on-air rambling diatribe the other night in which he acknowledged the possibility of his dismissal and told us of his future plans. Shall we have a look see?

Bye – bye, Becky boy.

Please click on the song link below to familiarize yourselves with the tune and to have more fun singing along to the parody. Have fun, fellow Rocketeers.

Desperado song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9fHpRPSHJI

Desperado

(sung to the Eagles song “Desperado”)

Desperado, you better come to your senses
Your racist offenses, so public now
Oh, you’re a hard one
But this will be your last season
The Fox boys are teasin’ you
Your show’s all done now

After your unseemly cryin’, boy
We knew you were unstable
We have all seen you fall apart on your set

Now it seems to me, you don’t bring
One sane sentence to the table
But what could one expect from crazy Glenn Beck

Desperado, you better fetch that old plunger
You’ll soon be flushed under that porcelain throne
Your kingdom, your kingdom fell and it’s not all that shocking
You just kept on talking till you were all alone

Will your deep dark soul hibernate in slime?
Your name, Glenn Beck, constitutes a crime
As does most everything that you say
Your sponsors all fleeing your show
Ain’t it funny as we watch them go away?

Desperado, You’ve shown us all what nonsense is
The prevailing sense is, you only hate
Your tears are rainin’, cuz you know nobody loves you
The Lord in Heaven up above you
(heaven up above you)
The Lord in Heaven up above you will decide your fate

Here’s The Story Of A Gal Named Palin

Another day, another Sarah Palin blunder. The Federal Elections Commission has charged the ex-governor’s political action committee, known as SarahPAC, with violating federal election laws. The violations stem from two illegal political campaign contributions (to John McCain and Lisa Murkowski) and numerous errors in the pac’s mid-year federal filing. Sarah Palin and her team truly are reminiscent of “The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight.”

In honor of the troops, please click on the song link below to not only familiarize yourselves with the tune, but to have more fun singing along to the song parody also, too.

The Brady Bunch television theme song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou-FeOoKDq4

THE PALIN BUNCH

(sung to the theme of “The Brady Bunch”)

Here’s the story of a gal named Sarah
Who was the Governor of State number 49.
Then John McCain came lookin’ for a V.P.
And that sounded just fine.

Here’s the story of Todd the First Dude
He had a D.U.I. and drove a snow machine.
He couldn’t count to ten on his fingers
With just his G.E.D.

The election didn’t go the way they planned it
Our girl Sarah couldn’t handle interviews.
The media exposed her dearth of knowledge
Except for Fox News and that blonde chick from The View.

The Palin Bunch, the Palin Bunch
That’s the way they became the Palin Bunch.

Glenn Beck Hits The Deck

The Glenn Beck advertiser boycott continues to build in momentum as advertisers flee his nightly program which airs on the Fox News Network. It has been all down hill for Beck since he said on air that President Barack Obama “is a racist” and has “a deep seeded hatred of white people.” The negative public outcry was tremendous and a number of organizations, most notably, Colorofchange.org, have initiated a consumer boycott of those companies that advertise on his program.

Since last week, an additional thirteen companies have pulled advertising from Glenn Beck. The most notable of these recent defections have been Clorox, Sprint and UPS Stores. This brings the approximate total of defectors to thirty-three (Oops, what’s that? Three more have pulled ads since yesterday? OK, then make that a total of thirty-six defectors). The fleeing advertisers have obviously caught the attention of Fox News executives as rumor has it that the station imposed an unplanned and unexpected forced vacation upon Beck last week in an attempt to provide a “cooling down” period for sponsors. Beck returned to his show on Monday, August 24th. He did not however, offer the obligatory mea culpa , a la radio host Don Imus.

Glenn Beck defenders have decried the boycott on the grounds that such loss of advertising revenue may force Fox News to neuter, if not silence, the television host in violation of his 1st Amendment right to free speech. Like Sarah Palin however, these scholars fail to understand the protections granted by the 1st Amendment. The 1st Amendment prohibits the “government” from restricting free speech (with certain exceptions), but it does not prohibit a “private entity” such as a television network from restricting the speech of its employees if it determines said speech to be counter-productive to its business interests. Then again, we must realize that study after study has determined that the Fox News audience is far less educated than the audiences of most every other network. So, what can you expect from them?

Today’s song parody addresses the Glenn Beck advertiser boycott. Please click on the song link below to familiarize yourselves with the tune of the original song and to have more fun singing along.

Get Back song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn3g0rw2tnU&feature=related

GET BECK

(sung to The Beatles song “Get Back”)

Glenn Beck is a man who’s soon to be a loner
Advertisers fleeing, fast
Glenn Beck’s getting punished for his racist boner
Soon he’ll be out on his ass

Get Beck!, Get Beck!
Glenn Beck, we’d like to say, “So long”
Get Beck!, Get Beck!
Glenn Beck what you said was so wrong
Get Back, Bozo

Go home

Get Beck!, Get Beck!
Glenn Beck, we’d like to say, “So long”
Get Beck!, Get Beck!
Glenn Beck what you said was so wrong
Get Back, Bro

(awesome Billy Preston solo)

Beck will be departin’ amidst lots of booin’
Racism will get him canned
All his advertisers say he’s got it comin’
So, he’ll go back to the Klan

Get Beck!, Get Beck!
Glenn Beck, we’d like to say, “So long”
Get Beck!, Get Beck!
Glenn Beck what you said was so wrong
Glenn Back, you racist

Go home

Get Beck!, Yeah, Get Beck!
Glenn Beck, we’d like to say, “So long”
Yeah,Get Beck!, Get Beck!
Glenn Beck what you said was so wrong

Glenn Beck, you racist
Now there’s tea-bagging for ya
Spewing your racist views
You’re e real bed-wetter
Get back home Glenn Beck-er

Glenn Beck!, Glenn Beck!
Glenn Beck, we’d like to say, “So long”
Oh, Glenn Beck!, Glenn Beck
Ooh, yeah
Bozo

Unlike George W. Bush, Sarah Palin Is Not “The Decider”

Palin decides "blue" as her cell color at the Wasilla Nervous Hospital

Remember when George W. Bush said, “I’m the decider” at a presser shortly before he forced Donald Rumsfeld out as Secretary of Defense? In doing so, he coined a new phrase. Sarah Palin, the quitting ex-governor of Alaska might consider doing the same. Perhaps she could say, “I’m the non-decider.”

Seems that “Bewildered Barbie” has once again backed out of a speaking arrangement that she previously agreed to. The Alaskans For Parental Rights organization scheduled a public event for August 27, 2009 at the ChangePoint Church in Anchorage, Alaska. The printed announcement indicates that Palin will not only be present, but she will be the first person to sign the group’s petition regarding parental notification of teen abortions (see the announce ment, here). The announcement was widely distributed both electronically and in print form for weeks.

Sarah Palin’s spokesperson, Meg Stapleton said on August 26th however, that Palin will not appear at the event because she had never heard anything about it? Hmmm, does something smell a little fishy in Denmark? It should because Palin pulls these type of “I will be there” wait “No, I will not be there” stunts all of the time.

First there was the Republican Winter Meeting in D.C. when she backed out allegedly because she had official business to attend to in Alaska, but in actuality she instead attended the Alfalfa Club dinner in D.C. Next, there was the infamous CPAC Conference in which she cancelled her appearance at the last second because she claimed that she had never agreed to attend. This was followed by her “on again” “off again” keynote speaker engagement at the Republican Senate/House Fundraiser in which on two separate occasions, she agreed and then declined to be said speaker before finally being replaced by Newt Gingrich. Finally, there was her non-appearance at the Simi Valley (California) Republican Women’s Fundraiser in which she once again stated that she never agreed to attend.

Either Sarah Palin does not know how to read a calendar, or there is some truth to The Globe Magazine‘s allegation that she has suffered a nervous breakdown as the result of marital problems. Is she indecisive or is she locked away in the proverbial “nervous hospital”? Enquiring minds want to know.

Today’s song parody is a take-off on The Clash‘s 1984 hit, Should I Stay Or Should I Go? It just seems so fitting.

In honor of the troops, please click on the song link below to not only familiarize yourselves with the tune, but to also have more fun singing along.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqH21LEmfbQ

WILL I STAY OR WILL I GO

(sung to The Clash song, Should I Stay Or Should I Go)

(Whoo! – – – Allah!)

Sarah you gotta let us know
Will you stay or will you go?
Can you make it there on time?
Your speech begins at ten to nine
You just have to let us know,
Will you make it to the show?

It’s always me, me, me
Yes, we agree to pay your fee
If you have a nerve attack,
Will you agree to pay us back?
You’ll be there with “Plumber Joe”
Is it “yes” or is it “no” ?

Will she stay or will she go now?
Will she stay or will she go now?
If she comes, we’ll pay her double
But she might stay inside her bubble
So come on and let us know

Her poor decisions boggle me
Palin’s become a mockery
Why won’t the asylum set her free?
Is she confined under lock and key?
Come on and let us know,
Is she brain-dead or is it show?

(split)

Will she stay or will she go now?
Will she stay or will she go now?
If she goes, she’ll stir up trouble,
Or then her nerve pills might be doubled
We just hope that if she goes…
She pleases all the “Sixpack Joes”

Will she stay or will she go now?
If she goes, she’ll stir up trouble,
And if she stays, laughs will be doubled
We just hope that if she goes
She wears some garish slutty clothes!!!

Now It Is Cheney Who Says, “Drill, Baby Drill”

Is anybody else as sick and tired of listening to former Bush administration officials and Fox News suck-ups continue to deny that they tortured prisoners and simultaneously declare that waterboarding was an overwhelming success which yielded valuable intelligence? How about those “extraordinary renditions” where they scooped people up off the streets and then flew them in secret planes to secret prisons in secret countries to undergo “enhanced interrogation” techniques? Remember when on November 7, 2005, George W. Bush declared unequivocally that, “We do not torture”? Of course that statement came well after Dick Cheney, while on Meet The Press on September 16, 2001 said,

We also have to work, though, sort of the dark side, if you will. We’ve got to spend time in the shadows in the intelligence world. A lot of what needs to be done here will have to be done quietly, without any discussion, using sources and methods that are available to our intelligence agencies, if we’re going to be successful. That’s the world these folks operate in, and so it’s going to be vital for us to use any means at our disposal, basically, to achieve our objective.

Looks like it was Cheney that was more truthful. A Central Intelligence Agency Inspector General’s report reveals that prisoners were subjected to mock executions and threatened with power drills. Prisoners were also told that their female family members, including children would be raped and killed. The “dark side” cannot get much darker than that. So, still believe we do not torture? If so, I’ve got some swampland in Florida that I would like to sell you.

Please click on the song link below to familiarize yourselves with the tune of the song parody and to have more fun singing along.

Chains song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVNrBrsEpI

CHAINS

(sung to The Beatles song, “Chains“)

Chains, Dick Cheney’s got me locked up in chains

And he ain’t the type to set me free

Oh no, these chains of Dick’s got a hold on me, yeah

Chains, well I can’t break away from these chains

I’m really bound, by Dick Cheney

Oh no, why won’t Dick Cheney just let me be, yeah

What they’re doing is not just shady

It is a crime

I’d like to tell you

But people I’ve been drilled right in the brains

Dick Cheney put a drill to my brains

I cannot describe the agony

Oh no, those planes above got a hold of me, yeah

Please believe when I tell you

They broke my feet

Dick Cheney hits them

And I can’t break away from all of these chains

Dick Cheney kidnapped me in a plane

And he flew me across the sea

Oh no, that plane above got a hold of me, yeah

Chains, that’s tough love

Chains, that’s tough love