Tuesday in Review

Albert the Propane Guy finally showed up in the afternoon, but the timing was such that today’s major re-supply and replenishment mission was slipped 24 hours or so. Gotta be flexible, ya know. I went down to the local 7-11 analogue and The Cheap Ciggie Store and bought Mission Essential items; the rest can wait until tomorrow. Gives me something to look forward to, no?

“I Heart Technology” Department: I renewed my RV and motorcycle registrations on-line today while waiting for Godot Albert. Renewed my driver’s license, too. I hope these on-line renewal options wind up putting thousands and thousands of sour and surly bureaucrats out of work. I don’t normally hold a grudge against an entire class of people, but in this case I’ll make an exception. All DMVs suck. If you think I’m wrong, tell me so! I’m open.

I’m good-to-go in the license department until 2012. I may expire before my license does.

Shattered Beliefs Department: Damn. THIS is traumatic; it’s worse than the Liberal Horror I felt when I came to the realization I was a Conservative in the way-back. The only thing I can think of that might be worse would be finding myself attracted to Albert. Ready?

I heard THREE hip-hop songs today that I liked.

No kidding. The first was Excess by a guy named Tricky. An excellent tune, kinda techno, with great playing, great arrangement, great back-up vocals, and Hella energy. The second was Dare by Gorillaz. I NEVER thought I’d say something like that, but it’s true. Once again, a great pop song. If the rest of Gorillaz’ catalog is as good as this song, I’ll buy an album. Seriously. Which brings us to…

Song of the Day:

Song: Gin and Juice

Artist: The Gourds

Album: Shinebox

Year: 2001

Source: Radio Paradise. (Where Else?)

Makes Me Think of & etc.: (gangsta voice) New to me, so I don’t think of nuthin’, ya unnerstan? Nuthin’! (/gangsta voice) This, believe it or don’t is a pseudo-country cover of a Snoop Dogg song. I say pseudo because the country idiom is exaggerated; it’s so over the top it works. The instrumentation is primarily finger-picked guitar and mandolin, the lead vocal is reminiscent of those nasally, high tenor, Grand Ol Opry-style male vocals you hear on archive film. The chorus is about as redneck as you can get. Think: drunk good ol’ boys on the 4^th of July. You visualize six wildly drunk good ol’ boys barrelin’ down a dirt road somewhere in a 1986 F-100, throwing empties out the window and the bed every mile or so, headed to town to kick-ass, get drunk(er) and pick up some wimmen. What a FUN song! Alternatively, it's The Apocalypse.

(The lyrics are Snoop Dogg’s and are R-rated; reader discretion is advised.)

Lyrics:

With so much drama in L-B-C
It's kinda hard bein Snoop D-O-double-G
But I, somehow, some way
Keep comin up with funky ass shit nearly every single day
Can I, kick a little something for the G's
and, make a few friends is a breeze, through
Two in the mornin and the party's still jumpin
cause my momma ain't ho-ome
I got bitches in the living room gettin it on
and, they ain't leavin til six in the mornin
So what you wanna do hoo
I got a pocket full of rubbers and my homeboys do too
So turn off the lights and close the doors
But (but what) we don't love them whores
So we gonna smoke a ounce to this
G's up, hoes down, while you motherf**kers bounce to this

Chorus: repeat 2X

Rollin down the street, smokin indo, sippin on gin and juice
Laid back with my mind on my money and my money on my mind

Verse Two:

Now that I got me some Seagram's gin
Every body got their cups, but they ain't chipped in
Ya know this type of shit, happens all the time
Gotta get yours before I get mine
Everything is fine when you listenin to the D-O-G
He gots the cultivating music that be captivating he
who hears the words that I speak
As I take me a drink to the middle of the street
and get mackin to this bitch named Sadie
She used to be the homeboy's lady
Eighty degrees, when I tell that bitch please
Raise up off these N-U-T's, cause you gets none of these
as I mob with the Dogg Pound, feel the breeze

Chorus

Verse Three:

(slows down)
Later on that day
My homey Dr. Dre
He came by with a gang of Tanqueray
And a fat ass J,
(speeds up)
of some bubonic chronic you know it made me choke
It ain't no joke, I had to back up off of it,
Set my cup of gin down

(stops) Yeah, Tanqueray and chronic, well I'm f**ked up now (speeds back up)
But it ain't no stoppin, I'm still poppin
Dr Dre got some bitches from the city of Compton
To serve me, not with a cherry on top
Cause when I bust my nut, ya know I'm raisin up off the cot
Don't get upset girl, that's just how it goes
I don't love you hoes, that's why I'm out the do'
And I'll be

Chorus
Rollin down the street, smokin indo, sippin on gin and juice {beeotch!!}
Laid back with my mind on my money and my money on my mind

Picking today’s song was damned difficult. I got into serious listening mode around noon, and didn’t pay attention to much else, other than the music. (I’m male. I don’t multi-task. I do one thing at a time and I do it well.) There were SO many good tunes, both old and new, it’s hard to list them all. Here’s just a few:

Nick Lowe - Cracking Up: A deliciously sinister, almost psychotic pop song with great hooks. If you’ve heard it, you know what I mean.

Stone Temple Pilots - Sour Girl: Took me back to Rochester immediately; this is both good and bad.

Ry Cooder - The Very Thing That Makes You Rich: Brilliant slide-guitar, the epitome of the blues idiom. Some think the lyrics are misogynist, I think they’re true.

Cowboy Junkies - Anniversary Song: The best song I’ve ever heard about happiness and contentment in a relationship.

Boy, it was HARD to decide.