Please pray for his soul; he was my brother.
Incidentially, I'm disturbed by the fact that almost no popular music is really appropriate for mourning (and by "popular music" I mean the things I've been able to find on the radio and surfing music sites on the Internet). When you consider how many people die every day, it suggests there's something wrong with our music.
All I can do now is remember the Apocalypse.
Although perhaps there have been good rock bands from after then. Case in point:
It's kind of a reflection on sin, if you think about it.
Here's some stuff related to the '60s and/or Vietnam...
Sixties pope: John XXIII, of sacred memory,
Sixties book: the classic Green Eggs and Ham,
Sixties music: Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son."
I'm going to be writing some college application essays this week...once I finish those, I'll be putting out an essay on A Bright Shining Lie, which is a huge nonfiction book without a hero, and return to my chattering.
Meanwhile, here's some stuff I've dredged up...
There once was a lady called Ayn Rand, who wrote huge novels championing "Objectivism" (a sort of atheistic libertarianism); I found this old review of her book Atlas Shrugged interesting. (I still can't believe any sane person would name a fictional character Midas Mulligan.)
The B-Movie Catechism discovers that my web-name of "Histor" isn't quite that original, and takes a look at the lottery system in the meantime. Furthermore, his post on costumes for Hallowe'en (or All Saints' Day, if you prefer the latter celebration as my family does) inspired me to come up with animal/creature costumes:
A FROG from Frogs, (sorry, folks, no pic)
A GIANT GILA MONSTER,
AN ALIEN FROM WAR OF THE WORLDS (dare you to try it!),
THE DEADLY MANTIS from the movie of the same name,
and of course GODZILLA.
As for me, I'm going to dress up as one of the Blues Brothers...
I attended Saturday evening mass at a nearby parish, where for whatever reason the responsorial psalm resembled the song, "Go Tell Aunt Rhodie, The Old Grey Goose is Dead." Couple that with a communion hymn ("I Am The Bread of Life," to be exact) which completely lacks even the suggestion of poetry, and a Kyrie Eleison remniscent of a marching cadence, and you have a delightful instance of music getting in the way of mass.
After the mass, my dad asked, "Is there a patron saint of bad liturgical music?"
I don't think there is.
Today I listened to Johnny Cash's song "I Hung My Head." Incredible, tragic song. Not to mention that the accompanying bass is perfectly suited to the lyrics.
I Hung My Head
- sung by Johnny Cash
Early one morning,
With time to kill
I borrowed Jebb's rifle
And sat on a hill
I saw a lone rider
Crossing the plain
I drew a bead on him
To practice my aim
My brother's rifle
Went off in my hand,
A shot rang out
Across the land
The horse, he kept running
The rider was dead
I hung my head
I hung my head
I set off running
To wake from the dream
My brother's rifle
Went into the Sheen
I kept on running
Into the south lands
That's where they found me
My head in my hands
The sheriff he asked me
Why had I run
And then it came to me
Just what I had done
And all for no reason
Just one piece of lead
I hung my head
I hung my head
Here in the court house
The whole town was there
I see the judge
High up in the chair
Explain to the court room
What went through you mind
And we'll ask the jury
What verdict they find
I felt the power
Of death over life
I orphaned his children
I widowed his wife
I begged their forgiveness
I wish I was dead
I hung my head
I hung my head
I hung my head
I hung my head
Early one morning
With time to kill
I see the gallows
Up on a hill
And out in the distance
A trick of the brain
I see a lone rider
Crossing the plain
And he'd come to fetch me
To see what they'd done
And we'd ride together
To kingdom come
I prayed for God's mercy
For soon I'd be dead
I hung my head
I hung my head
I hung my head
I hung my head
Dark and disturbing, but a great song.
I finished 11th grade today!
Now all I have to do is start 12th grade and I'll be done with high school! Once done, I'll do college, and then maybe graduate school, and....oh well. The main thing is that I have finished 11th grade!
This goes out to Seton Home Study School:
"Pyscotic Reaction," by the band Count Five.
It's odd. These guys are wearing clothes I usually reserve for national holidays, weddings, and funerals - to sing rock music.
For the curious, "Pyschotic Reaction" seems to have been the only hit this band had. It's bad luck to have a band member named Mouse, I suppose.
Or SUBTLY SATIRICAL COMMENT UPON AMERICAN CULINARY VALUES?
You decide.
For those interested, this was sung at the summer program I went to.
The Sucrose Inquisition is inquiring into the identity of the singer, the squash, and the cheeseburger. This video somehow awakened their latent suspicion.
I suspect that listening to "The Ride of the Valkyries" while doing tests actually helps me do better on them. There is no evidence, but...I do it to see.
Speaking of music, I have discovered there is a rendition of Schubert’s Ave Maria by – of all things – the Red Army Chorus. Having people with Communist antecedents sing to Our Lady is.......odd.
2. Why should a ‘folk’ group have a sound system roughly the size of a Rolling Stones tour ca. 1976?
3. The GIRM provides for periods of silence in Mass. Have you read this?
4. Why are folk groups nearly always ‘led’ by a woman - not very inclusive is it? (and if you are so keen on actuosa particpatio why is everything pitched for castrati?)
5. Why do folk groups dress for a midweek trip to the pub rather than an encounter with the Lord God Almighty?
6. Why does every intro start “Dum-dum-dum-dum-chinga-dum-chinga-dum-chinga….”?
7. Is there no folk setting for Faith of our Fathers or Sweet Sacrament Divine? (It’s always Eagle’s Wings and the like)
8. Given that proper folk artists like Kate Rusby produce music which is by turns melodic, plaintive or joyous, how come most folk groups sound like The Wurzels?
9. Do you really have to start loud conversations immediately after Mass in/in front of the Sanctuary as you dismantle your equipment and as other people are making their thanksgiving after Mass?
10. How do I get rid of you?
Me:
When I was a boy
World was better spot
What was so was so
What was not was not
Now I am a man
World have changed a lot
Some things nearly so!
Others nearly not!
There are times I almost think
I am not sure of what I absolutely know
Very often find confusion
In conclusion I concluded long ago
In my head are many facts
That, as a student, I have studied to procure,
In my head are many facts.
Of which I wish I was more certain
I
Was
Sure!
Is a puzzlement!
Shall I join with other nations in alliance?
If allies are weak, am I not best alone?
If allies are strong with power to protect me,
Might they not protect me out of all I own?
Is a danger to be trusting one another
One will seldom want to do what other wishes
But unless someday somebody trust somebody -
There'll be nothing left on earth -
Excepting fishes!
There are times I almost think
Nobody sure of what he absolutely know!
Everybody find confusion
In conclusion he concluded long ago!
And it puzzle me to learn
That tho' a man may be in doubt of what he know,
Very quickly he will fight -
He'll fight -
to prove that what he
Does
Not
Know
Is
So!
Oh-h-h-h-h-h!
Sometimes I think that people going mad!
Ah-h-h-h-h-h!
Sometimes I think that people not so bad!
But not matter what I think
I must go on living life.
As leader of my kingdom I must go forth,
Be father to my children
and husband to each wife
Etcetera, etcetera, and so forth...
If my Lord in Heaven, Buddha, show the way
Every day I try to live another day!
If my Lord in Heaven, Buddha, show the way
Every day I do my best for one more day!
BUT!
IS!
A PUZZLEMENT!
(As rendered by Yul Brynner in the film version of "The King and I.")
