Wednesday Night Music Byte

Tonight’s video clip is from the Beatles. In 1995 the band released both a video and audio anthology of unreleased material. Additionally however, the three living members, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr worked in the recording studio for the first time since the band a broke up in 1970 and produced a new Beatles song. Even more impressively, they actually utilized an unreleased demo tape of John Lennon’s and mixed it with their own contributions so as to create a truly new Beatles song with all four members playing thereon.

That was not all, however. The Beatles even released a new music video for the song which is truly amazing to behold. It looks just like the videos they released in 1967 for Strawberry Fields ForeverPenny Lane. It is mesmerizing to watch the melding of video footage of the band members meandering through a fantasy world reflecting their lives and song catalog. See how many clues to their earlier songs you can find in this video and have some fun.

Letterman Goes “Rogue” On Palin – Again!

Just a quick post this morning for those of you that might have missed David Letterman last night. Once again, the target of his lampooning was the ex-quitting governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. His “Top Ten” list was the tips Sarah Palin could give about writing a book. It is hilarious. Do you think Palin now realizes that it may have been a mistake to publicly attack Letterman a few months ago? Was she not aware of the fact that he has a nightly television audience in the millions and he now has every reason to skewer her every chance he gets? Poor Sarah, will she never learn? Enjoy the clip.

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

Oh My My song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1C6rFWfYMg

OH MY MY

(sung to the Ringo Starr song “Oh My My”)

She called up John Ziegler to see what’s the matter
He said, “come on over”
“And wear your tin hat, dear”
Her knees started shakin’, her head started achin’
When John Ziegler said to she:

Oh my my, oh my my, Dave Letterman, poked your eye
Oh my my, oh my my, We can fire him, if we lie
Oh my my, oh my my, it’s guaranteed to keep you alive

Let’s give Dave a screwin’, then we’ll get Jay Leno
Then let’s can O’Brien, if we are able
Then Sarah was squealin’ “you betta believe I’ll…”
“Stay away from Tina Fey”

Oh my my, oh my my, Dave Letterman, poked my eye
Oh my my, oh my my, I can fire him, if I lie
Oh my my, if I try, it’s guaranteed to keep me alive

(musical interlude)

Now if Dave should back down and take back his joke now
Remember your daughter, make it even hotter
It’s you he was dissin’, so don’t even listen
Don’t accept his apology

Oh my my, oh my my, Dave Letterman, poked your eye
Oh my my, oh my my, We can fire him, if we lie
Oh my my, oh my my, it’s guaranteed to keep you alive

(repeat to end)

Tuesday Night Music Byte

Allmusic tells us Elvis Costello’s first record was released in 1977, his bristling cynicism and anger linked him with the punk and new wave explosion. A cursory listen to My Aim Is True proves that the main connection that Costello had with the punks was his unbridled passion; he tore through rock’s back pages taking whatever he wanted, as well as borrowing from country, Tin Pan Alley pop, reggae, and many other musical genres. Over his career, that musical eclecticism distinguished Costello’s records as much as his fiercely literate lyrics. Because he supported his lyrics with his richly diverse music, Costello emerged as one of the most innovative, influential, and best songwriters since Bob Dylan.

This Year’s Model, Costello’s first album recorded with the Attractions, was released in the spring of 1978. A rawer, harder-rocking record than My Aim Is True, This Year’s Model was also a bigger hit, reaching number four in Britain and number 30 in America. Pump It Up was one of the hits thereon and is featured in the video clip below.

Mt. Vernon City Council Says, “Get The Beck Outta Here !!!”

Glenn Beck on his Fox News show last week.

Last week was not a particularly good one for Glenn Beck. His first faux pas occurred when he tried to make a point on his Fox News program by throwing some frogs (he claims they were rubber) into a pot of boiling water. The only new fans he gained by that stunt were Michael Vick and his posse. The rest of civilized America was understandably disgusted by his actions.

Next, he was skewered by fellow conservative Joe Scarborough on Morning Joe which airs daily on MSNBC. Watch the clip below which also includes denunciations of Beck by Robert Frum, Mark Levin, David Brooks, Peter Wehner, the dim-witted Elisabeth Hasselbeck from The View and Republican congressman, Bob Inglis of South Carolina.

Finally, you might remember the announcement about one month ago that Mount Vernon, Washington’s (Beck’s former hometown) Republican mayor, Bob Norris had unilaterally decided to honor Glenn Beck by presenting him with the keys to the city. The mayor’s action however, triggered a firestorm which prompted 16, 000 of the city’s 26, 000 residents to present a petition to the city demanding that the honor be withdrawn because of Beck’s hate filled rhetoric. Although the mayor declined to withdraw the honor, Mount Vernon’s city council unanimously approved a resolution stating that the “City Council is in no way sponsoring the Mayor’s event…and is not connected to the Glenn Beck event in any manner.”

The event took place on Saturday, September 26th, but hundreds of protesters appeared. They wore t-shirts and placards which stated, “Hate is not a Mount Vernon value” and “Hate kills.” Additionally, a plane circled above the event pulling a sign which read, “Change the locks!” it must be tough when you are despised in your own home town.

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

That Smell song clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6q9nBusrq8

BECK’S SMELL

(sung to the Lynyrd Skynyrd song “That Smell”)

Whiskey bottles and drug filled jars
Those were Glenn Beck’s best days
Way too much coke and too much smoke
How does Fox News take pride in you?

Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
Don’t Glenn smell like hell?
Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
The smell of Beck surrounds you

Yeah,

Angel of darkness is in our view
He’s a weasel doing harm (you fool, you)
The bloviating bloke, has a show that just blows
Have a drink, fool, you clown, you (hell, yeah)

Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
Don’t Glenn smell like hell?
Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
The smell of Beck surrounds you

Righties call Beck prince charming
They take his word as the gospel truth
Yet Glenn Beck’s logic is hollow, and
Fox News just might learn he has no clue (no, clue)

Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
Don’t Glenn smell like hell?
Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
The smell of Beck surrounds you

(musical interlude)

Oh, Glenn Beck’s views
Do nothing else but spread alarm
Beck’s a fear-mongering bore

(musical interlude)

Beck has his own little Waterloo

It’s a monkey on his back
Sponsors have split from his racist schticks
One hell of a price and Beck’s show might get nixed (hell, yeah)

Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
Don’t Glenn smell like hell?
Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
The smell of Beck surrounds you

Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
Don’t Glenn smell like hell?
Ooh, ooh Beck’s smell
The smell of Beck surrounds you

Oh, Glenn Beck’s views
Do nothing else but spread alarm
Beck’s just a fool, just a fool, just a fool.

Sarah Palin Believes That “Rogue” Is In Vogue

The publisher astutely rejected this early version of Palin's memoir.

We all know of Sarah Palin’s lucrative book deal with HarperCollins (owned, not surprisingly by Rupert Murdoch) in which she will counter all those nasty rumors circulated by the “Gotcha Media.” We have also, too, just learned that the release date for the tome has been moved up from Spring 2010 to November 17, 2009. She needs the money sooner because her handler, Meg Stapleton screwed up the negotiations for last week’s Hong Kong speaking debut by inadvertently agreeing that Palin would be compensated in Chinese Renminbis rather than U.S. Dollars.

Nonetheless, Sarah “Word Salad” Palin will finally get the opportunity to put that journalism degree to work. When you consider her memorable interviews with Couric and Gibson, however, we can understand why she required the assistance of a (hopefully, literate) ghostwriter. Lynnrockets’ Blast-Off predicts that her book will have the shelf life of O.J. Simpson’s “If I Did It.”

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 song parody.

Paperback Writer song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwap79uy1G8

PAPERBACK WRITER

(sung to the Beatles song “Paperback Writer”)

Paperback writer (paperback writer)

Dear Rush and Coulter, will you read my tome?
It took a year to write in my Wasilla home
It’s based on the life of a political hack
And I take a few shots at old Johnny Mac as a paperback writer,
Paperback writer

A book of topics that I want a say on,
Which I wrote with finger-paints and a crayon.
It was edited by Todd the school drop-out,
He can’t read too well but he wants to be a paperback writer
Paperback writer

Paperback writer (paperback writer)

It’s got twenty pages give or take a few,
And it has some pictures that Piper drew.
I threw in an old joke that Bristol once told
It’s a real page turner and I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer

My new book will appeal to those on the right
And everyone that is straight, racist and white.
Bill O’Reilly will love it, please have no fear,
I sure needed a boost and now I can be a paperback writer.
Paperback writer

Paperback writer (paperback writer)

Paperback writer – paperback writer
Paperback writer – paperback writer
(fading)

Ann Coulter Is A Wild And Crazy Guy

Coulter appearing on Fox News' Geraldo Rivera program.

That guy, Ann Coulter is up to his old tricks again. Of all the guys out there, Coulter is one of the most acerbic, racist, homophobic right-wing pundits. This weekend while appearing on Geraldo Rivera’s program, Coulter once again entered the world of absurdity. When asked by Rivera if he thought that some of the more hateful extremists appearing at the conservative Tea-Bagger rallies were inciting hatred and violence by, among other things, displaying posters which depict President Barack Obama as Hitler, he responded in the negative. In fact, Coulter went on to assert that the people carrying the Hitler signs were not Tea-Baggers at all, but were in fact “liberal agitators” that go to the protests to make the Tea-Baggers look bad. This Coulter guy is simply out of his mind.

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 song parody.

Lola song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRopmfinsWk

COULTER

(sung to the Kinks song “Lola”)

I saw her once last week on the Fox network
Where the hosts are lame and the guests are worse like Ann Coulter
She is a revolter
A big Adam’s Apple and masculine hands
She has the curves of a flagpole and a set of big huge molars
M-o-l-a molars mo-mo-mo-mo molars

Well I’m not the world’s most perceptive bloke
But she is a lady that I wouldn’t dare poke
That Ann Coulter co-co-co-co Coulter
Well I’m not dumb but I can’t understand
Why she walks like a woman but looks like a man
That Ann Coulter co-co-co-co Coulter co-co-co-co Coulter

Well she sat right next to Hannity
And then was on Bill O’Reilly
They saw mascara on her eyes so blue
But I swear those guys didn’t have a damn clue
Well I don’t know if they are into men
But the next night on Fox she was on there again that Ann Coulter
Co-co-co-co Coulter co-co-co-co Coulter
Coulter co-co-co-co Coulter co-co-co-co Coulter

I changed the station
M-S-N-B-C
Re-luct-ant-ly
I then turned back to Fox
Then I was convinced she was a he

Well I don’t know what ol Rush Limbaugh thinks
But I like women when they don’t have dinks like Ann Coulter’s
Co-co-co-co Coulter’s
She says that her wisdom sells her books
It’s gotta be somethin’ cuz it ain’t her good looks that Ann Coulter
Co-co-co-co Coulter

I took a closer look at Hannity
Now I’m not really so sure that he’s not a she
But this might be the Republican way
A sex change is good cuz then you’re not gay

Well I’m not the world’s most masculine man
But I’m never gonna take it right up the can
From no Mann Coulter
Co-co-co-co Coulter co-co-co-co Coulter
Coulter co-co-co-co Coulter co-co-co-co Coulter

Sunday Night Music Byte

The hook-laden sounds of 1960s rock bands like the Beatles and the Byrds and the working-class imagery of Bruce Springsteen are combined with the musical traditions of Ireland and the intensity of punk rock by The Saw Doctors. The Saw Doctors were a little-known local bar band in Tuam (pronounced “Chewam”) in County Galway when they were invited by Mike Scott to be the opening act on the Waterboys’ 1988 tour of Ireland and the United Kingdom. In the decade since, however, the Saw Doctors have emerged as the most successful Irish rock band since U2. The Washington Post referred to the Saw Doctors as “one of the world’s most appealing roots rock outfits.”

The Saw Doctors had their initial success with their second single, “I Useta Love Her,” a turbocharged tune about lusting for an old girl during Mass. Despite opposition by the Catholic Church, the song became the biggest-selling single in Irish history and spent nine weeks at the top of the Irish charts. Following its success, the Saw Doctors’ first single, “N17,” about an immigrant’s homesickness, was reissued, and it too became a number one hit. The Saw Doctors’ debut album, If This Is Rock and Roll, I Want My Old Job Back, released in 1991, also reached the top slot on the Irish charts.

The following is a clip of The Saw Doctors performing N17 in Galway, Ireland. By the way, the N17 is a highway in Ireland which begins in County Sligo and ends in County Galway. Take note of how involved the audience is in singing along with the band. This group seems to play in Boston three or four times a year and we always try to catch a show. After all, this is affectionately known as County Boston. If you have the chance to see them in person, don’t miss the opportunity.

Sunday Morning Coffee (or Tea) – 11

BREAKING NEWS:  Meg Whitman, the former CEO of Ebay and current Republican candidate for governor of California has seldom voted in any elections since 1979. Now there is an involved Republican for you. She appears to be just what California needs.

THIS JUST IN:  Sen. John McCain is co-hosting a fundraiser for his former 2008 Republican primary rival Mitt Romney next Wednesday in Phoenix. Hmm, wonder if he will be doing the same for Sarah Palin some day?

BREAKING NEWS:  Former Hewlett-Packard CEO, Carly Fiorina (R) plans to announce her candidacy for senator of California. CNN reports however, that her website leaves a lot to be desired. “It’s the most singularly awful political website I have ever seen, and I am including all the old, basic HTML websites that were the rage 10 years ago,” conservative blogger John Hawkins of the site RightWingNews.com said in an e-mail to CNN. “Why not toss in G.I. Joe vs. Cobra, Ninjas vs. Pirates, and Kennedy versus Kruschev if it’s going to be a goofy joke? There’s very little information on it to appeal to voters.”

THIS JUST IN:  Lou Dobbs has reported that he is upset that a latin television station will include a storyline in one of its soap operas  that is designed to lessen people’s fear of U.S. census takers. Dobbs said, “Well, fans–if you like that, you’re going to love this. Fans of telenovellas on Spanish-language television could soon be seeing more than they tuned in for as well. The Telemundo network, owned by NBC, will incorporate a story line in a popular soap opera to promote the U.S. Census. That’s right. They’re going to put that into a storyline. It is part of an Obama administration plan to make sure the Latino population is fully counted next year. Ines Ferre with our report.” Is it just me, or does it make perfect sense that the census should be made as accurate as possible. Lou Dobbs is a moron if he believes that we should strive for an inaccurate census.

BREAKING NEWS:  Tom Delay’s effeminate dancing on Dancing With The Stars should ensure that he has a lot of nice new friends when he goes to prison.

THIS JUST IN: The Tea-Bagger laden Red State of Georgia is angry with the federal government once again. This time they are not complaining about excessive taxation or excessive federal bailout funds. No, this time they are complaining that they are not receiving enough federal funds as the result of last week’s flooding. That’s right, the Tea-Bagging State of Georgia now wants a federal handout. Don’t you just love the irony?

BREAKING NEWS:  A new New York Times/CBS News poll conducted September 19-23, 2009 reveals that not only do a majority of Americans favor the government offering a federally funded health care plan like Medicare for everyone, but they favor it overwhelmingly. the poll reveals that such a plan is favored by 65% of the respondents, while it is opposed by a mere 26%. So much for the Republicans and their Tea-Bagger minions that believe that they represent the interests of most Americans.

THIS JUST IN: Florida’s Republican governor, Charlie Crist said on Saturday that He believes that president Barack Obama will be ousted from office in 2012 just as Jimmy Carter was in 1980. It would appear however, that Governor Crist has failed to look at the most recent polls which have Obama’s popularity rating once again in the high 50’s. In fact, they are higher than Crist’s favorables in Florida. Perhaps it is Crist that will next be ousted.

BREAKING NEWS:  Last week, the FBI arrested three men in connection with a terrorist bomb plot in the United States. The men had been under surveillance by both the federal agency and the New York City police. Good police work seems to have cracked the case. Nobody was tortured. By all accounts, the joint investigation and arrests were a success. Will Republicans give the Obama administration credit for foiling the plot and capturing those responsible or will thay still insist that he is weak on terrorism? It is interesting to note that to this date since Obama’s election, there have been no terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and several plots have been subdued by arrest. By this date in George W. Bush’s tenure, the largest terrorist attack in the history of the United States had taken place and claimed over 3000 lives. Hmmm.

THIS JUST IN: Today’s burning question is, just who is it that we can hear chanting, “We’re number 4 !, We’re number 4 !”? Who else, it is former quitting ex-governor of Alaska Sarah Palin’s very own BFF and all around handler, Meg Stapleton. Yes folks, she is trying to find some positive spin on the recently released conservative Christian voters’ Value Summit straw poll in which she finished in fourth place behind Mike Huckabee (Hound), Mitt(wit) Romney and Tim (Good’n) Pawlenty.

In response to a recent request here is a Sarah Palin parody of Doris Day’s wonderful, Que Sera Sera…

Here is a link to click upon in order to familiarize yourself with the tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZbKHDPPrrc

HEY SARAH, SARAH

(sung to the Doris Day song “Que Sera Sera”)

When she was just a little girl
She asked Ted Stevens, “What will I be?”
“Will I be Guv’nor?” “Will I be Prez?”
Here’s what he said to she.

Hey, Sarah, Sarah
Don’t be so silly, silly
Stop annoying me, dear me
Hey Sarah, Sarah
What will be, will be

When she was Gov she met McCain
She asked the Maverick, what lies ahead?
“How is your cancer?” “How old are you?”
I’ll be Prez when you’re dead.

Hey, Sarah, Sarah
Let’s not jump the gun, the gun
You know that we’ve not yet won
Hey, Sarah, Sarah
You’re no fun, no fun

Her campaign went down to defeat
Now she’s the G.O.P.’s biggest doormat
Well behind Romney, behind Gingrich
She shills for “Arctic Cat”

Hey, Sarah , Sarah
You’re so damned creepy, creepy
Your career’s finished, you see
Hey, Sarah, Sarah
It’s your destiny

Saturday Night Music Byte

From Allmusic we learn that despite a huge hit single in the mid-’70s (“The Boys Are Back in Town”) and becoming a popular act with hard rock/heavy metal fans, Thin Lizzy are still, in the pantheon of ’70s rock bands, under-appreciated. Formed in the late ’60s by Irish singer/songwriter/bassist Phil Lynott, Lizzy, though not the first band to do so, combined romanticized working-class sentiments with their ferocious, twin-lead guitar attack. As the band’s creative force, Lynott was a more insightful and intelligent writer than many of his ilk, preferring slice-of-life working-class dramas of love and hate influenced by Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and virtually all of the Irish literary tradition. Also, as a black man, Lynott was an anomaly in the nearly all-white world of hard rock, and as such imbued much of his work with a sense of alienation; he was the outsider, the romantic guy from the other side of the tracks, a self-styled poet of the lovelorn and downtrodden. His sweeping vision and writerly impulses at times gave way to pretentious songs aspiring to clichéd notions of literary significance, but Lynott’s limitless charisma made even the most misguided moments worth hearing.

Sadly, Lynott died in 1986 at the age of 35 as the result of his longtime abuse of heroin, cocaine and alcohol, but the alcohol really was not his fault inasmuch as he was, after all, Irish. The following is a videoclip of Thin Lizzy performing an amped up version of the traditional Irish song, Whiskey In The Jar on Britain’s Top Of The Pops in 1973.

Limbaugh’s Racist Days Of Future Past

Limbaugh wants to dress properly for his bus ride.

Lynnrockets’ Blast-Off has not commented too frequently of late on the antics of the obese and drug addled Rush Limbaugh. This however, seems to be the perfect occasion to reacquaint ourselves with Limbaugh and his “Excrement In Broadcasting” program. It seems that Rush has once again boarded the 666 bus to Racist Town.

Last week during his radio show, Limbaugh was discussing a recent incident in which two black boys beat a white boy on a school bus. Immediately after the incident, local law enforcement officials speculated that the incident may have been racially related. The race-baiting right wing blog known as the Drudge Report then made the incident its headline story. Problem is, the next day law enforcement officials recanted the statement and asserted that race was not a factor in the incident. Of course the Drudge Report did not see fit to correct their own false reporting on the matter.

Thereafter, Limbaugh commented on the now discredited racial theory on his radio show. A listener called in and reminded Limbaugh that it had been established that race played no part in the incident but Rush would have no part of that so he said,

“I think the guy’s wrong. I think not only it was racism, it was justifiable racism. I mean, that’s the lesson we’re being taught here today. Kid shouldn’t have been on the bus anyway. We need segregated buses — it was invading space and stuff. This is Obama’s America.”

So, Limbaugh is now stating that he thinks we need segregated school buses in America once again to protect white children from the racist antics of black children. What kind of bizarro parallel universe does Limbaugh reside in? Does anyone sense a new round of Glenn Beckian advertiser boycotts in the near future? We certainly hope so.

What do you say we have another little song parody about Rush Limbaugh’s self-confessed drug addiction? Please remember to click on the song link below to familiarize yourselves with the tune and to have more fun singing along with the parody.

White Rabbit song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oRKvpZ7PjE&feature=related

GO ASK LIMBAUGH

(sung to the Jefferson Airplane song “White Rabbit”)

One pill makes Rush larger
But no pill makes him small
And the ones that Glenn Beck gives him
Make Rush whimper and then bawl
Go ask Limbaugh
He’s right down the hall

Rush has an addictive habit
And it’s gonna cause his fall
Like a bazooka toting ratings killer
His pills are his last call
Call Limbaugh
As he hits the wall

When Rush starts to get bored
He takes vicodin with some blow
And then he’s off to his dressing room
To prepare for his next show
Go get Limbaugh
A cup of Joe

When logic and proportion
Have escaped from his head
And this White Knight is talking backwards
Confusing Blue states with the Red
Remember when Rush takes his meds,
He’s brain dead
He’s brain dead