If you asked me to rank my favorite musicians/performers off the top of my head, it would be a long time before I got down to Michael Jackson.  I’ve always placed him in the “kinda like” category.  Nevertheless, based on all I’ve read and heard about the movie, This Is It, I was looking forward to seeing it.  Everything fell into place and we got to see it yesterday with Marcus and Ashley.

I highly recommend seeing this movie on the big screen in a theater with great sound.  I think this is the best concert movie that I have ever seen (even though there really never was a concert L).  And I have seen, in the theater, Woodstock, Gimme Shelter, The Song Remains the Same, Yessongs and many others.  This was amazing, even in comparison to those great films.

As I watched MJ work so earnestly and so hard, I kept thinking about Judy Garland.  She was a performer that was just mind-boggling to watch in action.  No matter the quality of the song, when Judy performed it, she SOLD it.  She took every bit of emotion available in a song and wrung it out like a sponge.  Jackson performed a song in much the same way. It was impressive to witness what a complex working knowledge he had of music in general and each song in particular, how clearly he envisioned what he wanted, and how graciously he insisted on achieving his vision.

Of course, I also thought of Judy Garland because she was a consummate performer with a wreck of a personal life who sought refuge and relief in medication until it killed her.  Sad and sad.  Is that kind of personal unhappiness required for great art?  Sometimes it seems so.  Perhaps, in spite of my extensive charm, incredible good-looks and remarkable talent, I’m just too doggone happy to ever be great.  Alas, a burden I shall have to keep.

The thing that struck me most as I watched this excellent film was a remarkably self-centered sorrow.  I am almost angry that I am not going to be given the opportunity to witness this spectacular concert.  I am also sorry for the other musicians and dancers that were so excited to be involved in the show.  Some had dreamed of this opportunity since they were children.  In spite of the (sometimes overwhelming) sorrow, the movie is still a beautiful and thrilling experience.  The Way You Make Me Feel, Human Nature, Thriller, Beat It, Billie Jean, Black & White, Man In The Mirror – each song was going to be a visual and audio performance masterpiece.  I haven’t seen anyone like Madonna or Brittney Spears, but I’ve read about the incredible number of costume changes, etc. in their shows.  For this show, the stage, costumes, props, and effects were going to be remarkably complex and different as well as uniquely suited to each song he was going to perform.  What a show that wooda been!  So. You should go see this movie, since we can’t go to the concert.

Love all y’all!

At some point today or tomorrow SHE <== is going to say it. Like the back of my hand, I know this.  She is extremely capable and kinda amazing really.  Nothing that we do here is difficult per se, but there are so many steps to take and she knows them all!  I’m not talking about 4 or 5 steps either.  She’s probably responsible for 50 different processes and each process has 50 different steps and she remembers them all!  I couldn’t be happier for her presence on our team here.  But.  At some point, while she’s explaining some complex series of steps, she’s going to say, “We usually blah blah blah but in all reality we need to blah blah blah.” And then I’m going to choke back an unmanly scream.  It’s just a pet peeve of mine (are there ever just peeves or are there only pet ones?).  Whenever she says, “…in all reality…” I want to mention to her that reality either is or is not.  There can’t be some or few reality so how can there be all?  Yeesh!

I know exactly what you’re thinking, btw.  You’re thinking, “Hey there Oak Cliff, you need to simmer down!” And, of course, you’re right.  I also need to simmer down when we consider him <==.  Truthfully…in all reality *grits teeth*…he is a fine upstanding person.  Loyal, conscientious, reliable, among many other qualities.  Thank goodness I don’t have a sister to test this on, but if I had a sister and she wanted to date him, I would say, “Well.  You could do worse.”  High praise indeed, from me, about a man.  I just have one slight little tiny pet peeve with him too – EVERY SINGLE WORD HE SAYS (!).

So.  The problem is likely not with either of these two noble citizens.  Alas.  I must look at the man in the mirror – Thou art the man, Oak Cliff! The problem is that, in spite of my head turning good looks, discreet charm, and erudite compassion, I am an introvert at heart and I want everyone to just shut the heck up.  My kingdom for a moment’s silence!! *wails*

Whenever I start getting all on edge like this, the best thing is to put on my head phones and seek solace in music’s golden tongue.  Today, I double-clicked on “How He Loves” and scarce three notes, ere Music’s golden tongue flatter’d to tears this aged man and poor.  Truly with this song, I have to be careful when I listen to it because I am Always Going To Cry.  Every time.  Kim Walker (that’s her singing) has a basement to her voice like Karen Carpenter.  She’s this slight, tiny thing with a voice like a waltzing valkyrie.  And yet, there’s something about the timbre of her voice in this song that touches me like nothing else.  Possibly because it is a live performance…maybe she’s tired by this time in her concert…or maybe the song is just too low for her to begin with. I dunno.  But there’s something about the fragility in her voice that goes so well with the words she’s singing.  At the same time since she’s singing from the basement, there is a Real Power in her that also fits with the words.

So when I’m exhausting myself maintaining my pet peeves and otherwise thinking disagreeable thoughts, there’s nothing like How He Loves to turn me around.  My favorite line goes:

So Heaven meets Earth like a sloppy wet kiss
 And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don’t
Have
Time to maintain these regrets
When I think about
The way
He loves us

Have you ever heard anything like that?  Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss?  Uncomfortable imagery to some maybe, but not to me - I love it.  It fits perfectly in a waltz and in a song about how He loves us.  Kim Walker seems to love it too.  She means every word she says in this song it seems (I also get choked up when she says "...brace yourself!" for some reason...I don't know why).  So I'll keep my headphones on until the bad voices stop and I'll try not to cry too much and get some work done all at the same time.  Are there any songs that affect you like this?

Here it is on youtube and also on xanga audio if you prefer:

AU~brace yourself!

I had a good friend from Uruguay and, in time-honored male-bonding fashion; we would spend our time belittling each other’s origins – I would poke fun at his country and he would call me a redneck.  Reality had little to do with our attacks on one another; but it was all good-spirited fun.

One fine result of this beautiful bonding experience is the way I say particular phrase.  My Uruguayan friend, Fernando, spoke as you would expect, with a thick Spanish accent.  Not Mexican, but Spanish. Very European sounding. Kinda elegant.  Anyway, the word “goes” sounded a little chopped or something, but it was very distinct.  The nearest thing I can come up with is that he said it the same way you might say “ghost”, but without the “t” on the end.  So, when (as was quite often the case) my witty belittling of his country or indeed, his whole continent of origin was particularly scathing or biting, and he had already exhausted his repertoire (consisting entirely of calling me a redneck) his only response was the thinly veiled and mysterious threat, “What gho saround cahm saround, my friend.”

So that’s what’s running through my head these days, “What goes around, comes around” but in Fernando’s delightful accent.  I’m not really sure how this phrase came into being, but it basically means, you reap what you sow, I guess.

The DMN paper had two opposing editorials yesterday.  Star Jones thinks that Al Sharpton’s successful opposition to Rush Limbaugh being apart of the group that would own the St. Louis Rams is an outrage and anti-American and anti-Conservative and a vicious, petty, cheap blow from the Left against The Right – a mean-spirited attack on Free Speech.  Eugene Robinson thinks that Al Sharpton’s actions are a great example of the Free Market at work.

Rush Limbaugh is quoted thus, “This is not about the NFL, it's not about the St. Louis Rams, it's not about me, this is about the ongoing effort by the left in this country, wherever you find them, in the media, the Democrat Party, or wherever, to destroy conservatism, to prevent the mainstreaming of anyone who is prominent as a conservative.  Therefore, this is about the future of the United States of America and what kind of country we're going to have."

I see it a little different from others I’ve read.  First, let me explain that there was a time in my life when I listened to Rush every day pretty faithfully.  I was a traveling salesman from 1992 through 1998 and I often found myself driving on the highways of the Great State and even Oklahoma in the afternoons.  Almost without fail I could pick up Rush’s daily broadcast no matter where I was traveling so I was happy to have some continuity.

Rush is a very effective and persuasive communicator so I was not unaffected by 12 or more hours of this conservative indoctrination every week. It certainly reaffirmed my decisions in the 90’s and 00’s to vote conservative.  For years I was persuaded by him, but eventually I began to hear him as mean-spirited and as filled with rhetoric as the Media he daily lambasted.  You can read his overblown since of self in the quote above. 

It does amaze me in that quote that Rush cannot acknowledge his own culpability in Sharpton’s (et al) actions.  I haven’t listened to Rush in 10 or more years, but I never ever heard a single kind word he had to say about Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson.  Every time either one of those preachers took up a cause, Rush would cry louder than anyone else about the egregious and terrible sin of Reverse Racism or simply claim that these two were motivated only by a desire to remain in the public eye.

I, at least have been long affected by his analysis of Al Sharpton.  Every time I see Sharpton, the only thing I see is Media Whore.  I automatically discount or turn a deaf ear to just about anything Sharpton says.  This prejudice was fixed in my mind by Rush Limbaugh, and like all prejudice, once fixed it is hard to shake.  So it is funny to me that when Sharpton successfully blocks Limbaugh's plans, Rush blames it on The Left. 

I got news for you, Rush –  This ain't a vast triple-secret Left Wing conspiracy. The Left is not personified by Al Sharpton. Justified or not, you've made a career of belittling Sharpton and so when he saw his chance he blocked you from buying the Rams.  It may be petty and personal but it is also a clear case of, as my friend Fernando would tell you, What gho saround cahm saround, my friend.

AU~out

Been stuck in 1972 for a long time.  If youda asked me for a great year I know '72 wouldn't of popped out first but, well, it was a great year for things I like.  Film?  How bout The Godfather, Deliverance, What's Up Doc?, Jeremiah Johnson,  uh, Blacula...  Good stuff. Music?  ELPs Trilogy, Led Zepplin IV (November '71 technically but come on) and from Yes we have Fragile AND Close To The Edge (CttE closes the case, btw).  My 12th birthday was unremarkable by comparison. 

Wonder what's happening this year that someone'll marvel at in 37 years?  Hard to say.  Somehow I don't think it'll be Couples Retreat or Year One.  Maybe it'll be Rosanne Cash's The List?  I'll have to purchase the CD and listen to it before I know.  I haven't really heard it yet...sounds like it'll be good.

What brings up all this remarkable remberance is that guy in the cube behind me.  I. Just. Can't. Stand. His. Voice.  And he's training people today!  In his cube! Somebody shoot me... So instead of listening to him or doing something funner than that like plunging hot needles in my eyes, I've upped the ante and I'm listening to Ramblin Man over and over.  That's making it a great day.  Did you know that Ramblin Man was the Allman Brother's first and ONLY Top Ten hit?  Amazing.  Anyway, it's had so much radio play since '72 I woulda thunk I'd be tired of it by now. Maybe youda thunk so too, but that's why you come to AliasUndercover®, so he can splain why some things are really great.

So here's why Ramblin Man is so great:

1)It's really just a list of absurd claims as bold as they are unverifiable - the mark of all great Southern works of art.  Herewith shall I enumerate them:
        i)  I was born a ramblin man
        ii) my father was a gambler down in Georgia
        iii)he wound up on the wrong end of a gun
        iv) I was born in the back seat of a greyhound bus rollin down highway 41
        v)  they're always having a good time down on the bayou
        vi) them delta women think the world of me  

2)Written and sung by Dickey Betts.  Nuff said.

3)It was based on a Hank Williams song.  Totally different from the Hank Williams song, but based on it.  That's cool.

4)The song is a prayer.  Some people pray for healing or just to give thanks.  Some want a pony.  Dickey just wants to let the Lord know that he was born a ramblin man.  We don't judge another's prayer!

5)It is a 2:39 song stuffed into 4:48.  Love it when that happens.

When you listen to this song again (courtesy of Zanger Audio!!!111!!!), notice how the song is really over at 2:39 and then it does a kind of "Outro" and repeats 4 measures over and over.  And then, at 3:00 it repeats those 4 measures over and over and over and over but that's when Dickey's awesome, awesome, triple awesome solo starts and really just takes us to a different place.  It doesn't change keys, or even chord progression, it just ain't a simple country song no more.  It soareth!  Good, good, good.

That's all this week.  Love all y'all!

AU~out

Reading this morning in the DMN paper about Obama's plethora of Czars that will soon strip us of our lives, liberties, and pursuits. Scary. The paper pointed out that Obama has no less than 32 czars and the Scared Angry Right is a-frayed of they Awful Czar Powers.  The paper also pointed out that Bush43 had no less than 36 czars which the SARs didn't talk about so much because they weren't so afraid of Bush43's 36 czars.  I don't know.  Cain't tell a good czar from a scary one, personally.  I will keep my eyes on them czars now, though.  *aside* the plural of the word czar makes me nervous...what's the point of having a title like Czar if czars are a dime a dozen? */aside*

I did think of a great headline about Obama's Czatchel Full of Czars:

Czo many Czars to Czeize my Czix-Czhooters

but then I was wondering if it ought to be

Tso many Tsars to Tseize my Tsix-Tshooters

I don't know what the standard is... but I DO know that if I ever get one of these=>, those Czix-Czhooter Czeizing Czars will have to pry it from my cold dead fingers, I can tell you that!

Whoooeee.  My czpell checkers havin fun today!

AU~out