Edshugeo The GodMoor

Finished this one just in the nick of time. I'd been doing some other stuff, including trying (unsuccessfully) to resolve some issues involving January's (late) cover of the month. That will be posted tomorrow, by the way.

So I was gonna write a song yesterday, but last night's Dateline NBC show was another of those Perverted Justice things where they do a sting operation on pedophiles, and even though I was recording it, I couldn't help but watch it.

So I work late-ish on Saturdays, and though I started something this morning, I was songless till I jotted down a cliche (at work) that I heard on a recent episode of Boondocks and started to build something around it. I continued when I got home and finished just before midnight.

Before "Paranoid" occurred to me, I thought I might do some sort of stream of consciousness experiment to get me through. It's worked for me once before (in my opinion) on a song called Yellow Stories (From The Grave) and nonsense lyrics have worked for countless British bands. I may try this next week, even if I'm not late.

Click here or on the title above to hear it. Again, I warn, it's a rough demo. Guitar and voice, this time into a single microphone.

Lyrics:

Swimming in a river of turmoil
fighting battles
long since lost and won

Defending Your honor on sea and soil
to keep your foes
on the run

who are these voices
from whence do they come
what do they say
whose will shall be done

what are these visions
and do they reveal
truth behind the lies
the fake and the real

Just Because
you are paranoid
doesn't mean
we're not out
to get you

Just Because
you are paranoid
doesn't mean
that we don't
hate you

worry worry worry
that's all that you do
concerned about what people are thinking

hurry hurry hurry
as if there's no time
it seems as though your boat is sinking

look at those faces
do you know them at all
can they help you
will they hasten your fall

and all of these names
do they seem familiar
can you trust them
or will they deceive ya

Just Because
you are paranoid
doesn't mean
we're not out
to get you

Just Because
you are paranoid
doesn't mean
that we don't
hate you

Labels: downloads, lyrics, my music, PsychoVoyager, song of the week

I went to see this film the other night at the Angelika Theatre in NYC. What better way to enjoy the mild weather than to spend a couple of hours in a dark room watching a documentary? Anyway, Why We Fight is a film by Eugene Jarecki that looks at the Military Industrial Complex, and why we should be concerned about it. No conspiracy theories about Freemasons or other such nonsense here. It's not that kind of movie. While it's not likely to make the Bush cheer-leaders happy, I found it to be reasonable and thought provoking. I think there's good reason why folks on both the right and left should be concerned about the likes of Haliburton.

If the title sounds familiar, that's because it's also the name of a series of propaganda films directed by Frank Capra. Those movies can be viewed or downloaded in a number of formats at the internet archive.

Labels: downloads, movies, politics, right to bear arms, terrorism

Couple of nights ago I dreamt Prince was trying to kill me. I don't remember why. I only remember the end of the dream. Prince had a gun, and he was gonna bust a cap upside my head. I manage to get a door in between me and him, but it didn't seem like it was gonna be enough. It seemed hopeless, but I was optimistic that there was some way out. Luckily, the cavalry came to the rescue in the form of "Morris day: NYPD".
End of dream.

I figured it was time I dusted off the Purple Rain DVD I bought in 2004 and give it a look see. I'd watched Graffiti Bridge and Under The Cherry Moon not long after I bought them, and made it a point to watch them first because they would likely pale in comparison to the movie that made Prince a star. Though I took a look at some of the special features on disc two, I hadn't before yesterday, watched this DVD. It's also been years since I watched the film in any form, despite being a huge Prince fan. The VHS copy I bought when it first came out (one of the first films released at a "sell through" price of $19.95) was loaned to someone I barely knew and was never returned. A DVD was released by Warners, but was full screen. While I'd been willing to put up with that shit with video tape, it wasn't happ'nin' for me on DVD, so I avoided that copy.
In 2004 Warners decided to put out some decent editions of Princes movies (except Sign O' The Times - available through amazon.ca) and I bought them all (except Sign*).

Purple Rain stars Prince as the son of an ex-cop turned failed musician (Clarence Williams III reprises his role as Linc Hayes from the Mod Squad, now known by his stage name, Francis L.). Linc spent a short career doling out beatdowns during the sixties and apparently suffered a breakdown of sorts. He retired from the force, settled down with some chick he must've met on a case and moved to Minnesota. He tried to leave the violence behind him, but he finds, not only do old habits die hard, but also that his son may inherit his curse, despite his efforts to raise him as a girly-man.

Visually the film is quite the spectacle (thanks to director Albert Magnoli), with Prince doing what he does best; sing, play guitar, dance and being a complete ass to the people around him. His acting would be easier to criticise if not for Appolonia Kotero and Jill Jones. In their defence, they do look hot (who was the chick next to Jill Jones during Computer Blue?) and I don't remember complaining about them when I saw this movie three times in 1984. Morris Day was potentially a star in the making, but didn't live up to that potential. Ditto Jerome Benton. If Morris had played Christopher Tracey in Under the Cherry Moon, that would'a been the shit.

Yes, this is Prince's film, but to me, this is a standout role for Clarence Williams III, who shows a willingness to commit 300% of his energy to Francis (Linc) Hayes despite an obviously shitty script. Good actors make bad movies all the time. Rare is the thespian who treats every role as though it were gold, and Clarence Williams III is that thespian.

Anyway, I recommend Purple Rain. Get the two disc special edition. The other one is crap.

*January 21st, 2008 - I now have the Canadian disc of Sign O' The Times and it is magnificent. Much better than I remember it being.

Labels: dreams, DVD, movies, music, music video, nostalgia, Prince

It's the year of the dog.

Woof!

Labels: China, holidays