Posted on 03/05/2010 10:19:34 AM PST by a fool in paradise
Two mature women paid the best tributes to Pete Townshend’s songs in “The Music of the Who”: 21 acts performing a selection each on Tuesday night at Carnegie Hall.
One was Patti Smith, seizing “My Generation” like a born rocker. “Oh, Carnegie Hall,” she announced on arrival, “forgive me for what I am about to do.” She strapped on a guitar and took on a cocky swagger as the band charged into the song. She snarled and howled the lyrics. She spit, twice. She added her own generational message, urging people to “Rise up!”...
The other was the soul singer Bettye LaVette, singing “Love Reign O’er Me” backed only by piano. She took the song to church, with her voice opening up from a tight little rasp to bluesy curves to sweeping gospel flourishes. Ms. LaVette made the song — which is due to appear on her coming album — a desperate prayer. She captured the other essence of the Who: the wounds behind the bravado, the longing that runs through so many Who songs about characters who are misunderstood or forsaken.
The Who tribute was the annual benefit concert for music education...
...The Smithereens came closest to the Who’s tension and release in the instrumental “Sparks,” from “Tommy.” Other emulators (the Postelles, the Gaslight Anthem, the Fab Faux) made a listener miss what the Who did better: Roger Daltrey’s melody and enunciation, Keith Moon’s crash-and-burn drumming, Mr. Townshend’s combination of architectural precision and bluesy aggression.
...One song predated the Who: Mose Allison’s “Young Man Blues,” a complaint about disrespect that the Who often performed live. Mr. Allison, 82, was there to sing it, and he had a second half, “Old Man Blues”: still misunderstood, still forsaken.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I’m waiting for mandatory retirement (or at least a proficiency test) for politicians.
Ted Kennedy and other recent Democrats were virtually brain dead as they attempted to legislate our collective futures.
So true.
My 9-year-old daughter LOVES The Who. Recently she asked me to get their greatest hits for her MP3 player. I had to smile.
I used to take me kids to Who concerts, 3 of them.
We would all belt the songs out together, cause they knew all of the words.
Fondest of memories.
In fact my son, Ryan, wrote me an email last fathers day, here is a couple of excerpts:
I look forward to a day when my little Ryans will be tugging at my shirt begging me to let them hang out with Grampa, maybe you can take them to a tribute Who band, or take them on a trip to the Grand Canyon, or simply just go fishing with them.
Thank you for introducing us to The Who, the best band ever to exist. To this day I argue that they are the most under rated band in the world.
What the heck, her is the whole thing:
Dad,
Happy Fathers day. I referred to you as Dad because I remember once you said that you would like to be called Dad, but yet I never did. So Dad, on this fathers day I want to give you a list of all the things that I am thankful for, in your being a father over me. So in no particular order here we go.
First off, I don’t particularly remember this but Brandie explained to me that you once made us a swing out of a milk carton, and swung us on it, and Brandie really enjoyed that. You let us build a box village in the duplex, which was a lot of fun. You also let us have a sleep wherever you want night. I will never forget sleeping in the bathtub with all my blankets and pillows. You use to have us take a large mirror and walk around the house so it seemed like we were walking on the ceiling. I remember a long time ago you use to have a model rocket that you built and you successfully blew it off.
You gave me an appreciation for history by just observing your curious thoughts and investigations, and always being open to talk about whatever new thing you had learned about in reading an article online or watching a television show. You gave me a similar appetite to learn more about the history of this earth. Also your consistent interest in political matters gave me an interest in politics as well, I still to this day read the drudgereport every single day, and now almost all of my friends read the drudge report, after I have showed it to them. Its thanks to you for instilling this interest in me.
I want to thank you for making it a priority in our family to always go on vacations. I remember once talking to one of my friends in the 4th grade who had said that he had never left the state of Virginia, and at that time I had been to at least half of all the states of America. Thank you for introducing me to Mt.Katahdin. I am planning a trip with some of my college buddies to go climb it this summer, and it is thanks to you for showing it to me. Thank you for taking me an Oliver for a trip out west. We lodged in the biggest log cabin in the world, and we had the best room in the house, with a window facing “Old Faithful”. We saw grand canyon, and you showed us Las Vegas, which was quite at site at my age.
Thank you for instilling a sense of culture into my life. By always taking us kicking and screaming into artistic movies, and putting up with our stubborn taste buds while introducing us to new foods. Thank you for giving a desire for good food, and not settling for food that is was just edible. Thank you for cooking me food at 2 in the morning on many occasions when I was up late studying for school. Thank you for introducing us to Marcel Marceau, and giving us the change to see a historical figure in entertainment just a couple years for he died. Thank you for bringing us to the twin towers before they fell to the ground.
Thank you for taking me to Niagara falls. I still remember it was so cold that we had to go into the bathroom to warm our selves on the hand dryers. Thank you for bringing me to Alaska. I still tell the story to this day about the people that lived up their, and how they only had a 1 month summer, and how they had to plan to be trapped inside of their house for 3 months out of the year. Thank you for the cruises that you brought me on. I remember trying to get over the fact that I could just grab any piece of food for free, and how much that blew my mind. I remember 24 hour pizza, and once getting up at 3 am one night and going down stairs for a piece of pizza.
Thank you for introducing us to The Who, the best band ever to exist. To this day I argue that they are the most under rated band in the world. And you brought us to two concerts of theirs, which I truly enjoyed.
I was talking to Brandie about the music box that you made for her with the theme song for fievel goes west customized into it. She explained to me that she cherishes it, and that she look forward to one day giving it to one of her daughters.
Thank you for listening to me play the piano. You use to come down stairs and just sit for extended periods of time. And when you were sitting there I played for you, and only for you, and I don’t think I have ever played better then when you were at my side listening and quietly cheering me on. I don’t think I ever explained to you how much that meant to me.
Finally, I want to thank you for all the hard work that you put into for providing for us as a family. Your excelling at your Job played a part in moving us out of Ohio and into one of the most successful cities in the world. You gave us three children a head start in life, by getting us out of Ohio, and setting us in Virginia, where opportunities seem to be ever prevalent. If the economy were to destroy this country Fairfax Virginia would probably be one of the last cities to go.
I love you Dad, and I am confident there is much more to this list of things that I am thankful for in you as a father, and I want you to know that I do love you for all the things that you have blessed me with. I know that you love me too, so on this fathers day I want to assure you ( and I am sure you wont be offended by this ) that I am daily walking with an even better father, he is guiding me and showing me the way of Righteousness and Mercy. He is my Lord and God, and I am falling more in love with him every day. And its strange how the more I fall in love with him the more I realize my love for you Dad. Thank you for laying down your life me when I was child and playing a part in my development. I look forward to a day when my little Ryans will be tugging at my shirt begging me to let them hang out with Grampa Roehl, maybe you can take them to a tribute Who band, or take them on a trip to the Grand Canyon, or simply just go fishing with them. Boy I love the thought of that. Love you Dad!
Ps
Remember when you told me you would give me 100 bucks for reading “Escape from Reason” by Francis A. Schaeffer? Well I have almost finished it, and it is now one of my most favorite books and I tell a lot of people about it. So I will let you know when you owe me 100 Bucks.
Rock N Roll Nigger
Baby was a black sheep. Baby was a whore.
Baby got big and baby get bigger.
Baby get something. Baby get more.
Baby, baby, baby was a rock-and-roll nigger.
Oh, look around you, all around you,
riding on a copper wave.
Do you like the world around you?
Are you ready to behave?
Outside of society, they’re waitin’ for me.
Outside of society, that’s where I want to be.
(Lenny!)
Baby was a black sheep. Baby was a whore.
You know she got big. Well, she’s gonna get bigger.
Baby got a hand; got a finger on the trigger.
Baby, baby, baby is a rock-and-roll nigger.
Outside of society, that’s where I want to be.
Outside of society, they’re waitin’ for me.
(those who have suffered, understand suffering,
and thereby extend their hand
the storm that brings harm
also makes fertile
blessed is the grass
and herb and the true thorn and light)
I was lost in a valley of pleasure.
I was lost in the infinite sea.
I was lost, and measure for measure,
love spewed from the heart of me.
I was lost, and the cost,
and the cost didn’t matter to me.
I was lost, and the cost
was to be outside society.
Jimi Hendrix was a nigger.
Jesus Christ and Grandma, too.
Jackson Pollock was a nigger.
Nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger,
nigger, nigger, nigger.
Outside of society, they’re waitin’ for me.
Outside of society, if you’re looking,
that’s where you’ll find me.
Outside of society, they’re waitin’ for me.
Outside of society. (Repeat)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLIkM4wvcC8
Thank you for posting that e-mail; I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It was very touching, and I know you must treasure it.
Obviously, you are an outstanding father! I hope that the Lord blesses me with a long enough life and enough insight on the world to receive such a letter from my daughter one day.
Oh, no worries on that!
I just read it again, and I am crying, again.
Back to work!
I enjoy them all from time to time.
LOL!
Stop laughing at me!
She did not ruin the song. Bettye Lavette gave an unforgettable perfomance that people are still talking about. As for those rainbow suspenders, those are the Kennedy Honor medals that they’re wearing.
Screaming the lyrics to a song is not talent.
Who said this was a talent contest?
LOL. I didn't. I said she had no talent based on that rendition of a song. She butchered it. She ruined it. She's awful.
Screaming into a microphone is not talent nor is it entertaining.
Yes, that's MY opinion.
Not only that, but how there were no injuries from 'shrapnel' during one of his many guitar smashings ... to him or anyone else nearby. If there were any, they are not documented
There must have been some injuries - through all those years of smashings!
Didn't she do an album with Drive By Truckers?
INMH, the Who is the best rock band ever.
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