Woody Guthrie Was A Hack

Not really, but...

If you're bored and around my house, listen to Wilco's/ Woody's "Hesitating Beauty." When you're finished, listen to the Carter Family's "Lulu Walls"- both of which can be found on my shelf somewhere. Bob Dylan, in talking about the criticism of Robert Johnson (he may have borrowed liberally from some other less heralded bluesmen of the time) made note of a similar criticism folk snobs made about Woody from time to time. The same could be made about early Bob and Woody and none of it really matters, but it's interesting to see the influence.

Johnny Cash talks about a song Kristofferson had sung to him one time (see my Johnny Cash/ Willie Nelson storyteller's cd) called "Let's All Get Togther and Steal Each Other's Songs" or something of the sort. I don't really give a doggone about people borrowing too much from influences as long as both songs (or books, or movies, or anything for that matter) have the ability to hold up over time, but some people do... and those people are dorks.

It's interesting what makes something last. I've been thinking about it a lot since seeing the mildly criticly panned "Life Aquatic." Many of Wes Anderson's films seem to be universally panned ("Tennenbaums" being the exception) by people who in large part know what they're talking about. His work; however seems to be holding up and influencing people a great deal. Time is the great benchmark, though, and it will be interesting how they hold up in the long run. I believe they will. In the here and now a movie like "Hotel Rwanda" may be recieved better, but will "Aquatic" have the longest lasting impact? Possibly, but then again, I don't think we'll know for a few years. Nirvana has held up, as has Sonic Youth, "Pulp Fiction", and "Owen Meany." Can the same be said for "Forest Gump," Pearl Jam, "American Beauty," and "Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius"? I don't think so, but that's just one man's opinion. One man who has written a song that will most likely last longer than I (S.F.), but one man, with one opinion in a world of several bazillion opinions. It is because of this reality that I am drawn to older things.

I don't think much of the art of our time will be fully realized until our children are old enough to buy things for themselves. Thus; being somewhat on a fixed income of sorts, I would like to save my money for the universally heralded, while waiting for the hidden gem to become substantiated.

If there is one universal thing to be learned, it is this: no matter how great a song Nico is given to sing, she always seems to find a way to mess it up.

.....interesting posting note... I wrote the words "but then again" a couple paragraphs up, at the exact moment Jeff Tweedy sang the words "but then again" in "In A Future Age." It really tripped me out.

song of the moment: itunes on random: Christmas Time is Here; A Charlie Brown Christmas.

i am sad christmas is over. drew, thanks for the house.

i need to watch my mouth from time to time.