Category: music

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Two Tune Tuesday: Morphine

One of the biggest regrets of my musical life was that I didn’t know about Morphine before the death of Mark Sandman in ’99. Hugely regrettable – I wish I’d seen them live.


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There is something so sexy – in the dirtiest way possible – about this music. And aside from having the coolest name ever, Sandman had a voice like bitter honey – just listen to the way he says “devil made of honey” or “she says it’s sweet and good” in “Honey White”. It’s rare I recommend Morphine to anyone because it’s just so rare I meet someone who is cool enough and – oh, let’s just say it’s a high bar, and damned rare.

i propose a toast to my self control – you see it crawling helpless on the floor

Today, though, I’m feeling generous, so I’m sharing with the lot of you. You can be grateful later.

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Happy 59th Anniversary, Mom & Dad

Imagine 59 years together! I can’t. I’m not sure they can, either, but my parents have been married that long. Here’s a couple of tracks that remind me of them; “The A Train” because that’s my fad’s favorite music. Danny Kaye for multiple reasons: he & my dad went to the same high school, and my mom loves them both.


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They were both raised in Brooklyn, so when I moved back, it was like home-coming. Now, like good retired NYers, they live in Florida.

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Oh Cancer, Up Yours: RIP Poly Styrene

Poly Styrene, most known as the lead for X Ray Spex, died at the age of 53 of breast/spinal cancer. She was an inspiration to me, more riot grrrl than the riot grrrls, and famous too for shaving her head long before Sinead O’Connor did. She was a trained opera singer. She was an early critic of plastic consumer culture — thus her name. Their song Oh Bondage, Up Yours has always been one of my favorites, a rallying cry; the voice-over at the start of the song intones:

Some say little girls should be seen and not heard.
I say: OH BONDAGE UP YOURS

FUCK CANCER.

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Two Tune Tuesday: Theme Songs

In the light of some upcoming news, I thought I’d post two songs today that are ones I really do hum to myself when I need them, when my spine isn’t feeling as tall as I’d like.


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I first heard “Stand!” as performed by World Party with Sinead O’Connor as guest vocalist at the old New Ritz (which was once Studio 54): a better introduction to a song you couldn’t have asked for.

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Thailand’s Got Talent

This performance has upset a lot of Western trans people, who find the attitude of the judges, and the singer hirself, as somehow demeaning or belittling of this person’s trans identity.

I would argue, however, that unless you’re Thai, it may be very difficult to understand the place of trans people in their own cultural context. That doesn’t mean it’s entirely 100% great to be what’s called a ladyboy (or, more properly, Kathoey) in Thailand, but the singer’s experience of being trans might be entirely different than a US trans woman’s.

Anyhoo, I think she rocks.

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Two Tune Tuesday: The Pretenders

First: no listening until you go VOTE.

I have always been only a little bit Chrissie Hynde fan, but recently she’s hit me exactly the right way: every song, every lyric, every everything is just right. Maybe I had to get old enough to get her delicate mix of melancholy & anger, but either way: these two songs are very much the two moods I feel like I’ve been switching between for a year or so.

i shot my mouth off & he showed me what that hole was for she sings, which has to be one of the ruder lyrics ever sung by a woman: changing tires is slang for oral sex.

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Two Tune Tuesday: Joe Hill

Madison’s protests meet Women’s History Month, but how could I resist Paul Robeson’s version of “Joe Hill”, too? Damn: that one gives me shivers.

Still, folk singers of two generations: : Joan Baez’s “Joe Hill” was a huge deal at Woodstock, and Michelle Shocked performed at the Madison protests a couple of weekends ago. Here’s her “Quality of Mercy” (and you can read the lyrics here).

Honestly, I almost choked when I saw the images of Joe Hill at the first rally I went to; seeing his image was like going backwards & forwards in time at the same time.

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Two Tune Tuesday: Marianne Faithfull

It IS Women’s History Month, so we’ll be hearing only from the ladies this month. That said, I’m not sure Ms. Faithfull would want to be called a lady, either.

Still, “Working Class Hero” is a classic (and hereby dedicated to the ongoing protests in Madison). It’s been covered by Green Day, too.

And then there’s “Why’d Ya Do It?” which is probably the angriest song ever: “why’d you betray my little oyster for such a low bid” is one of the nastiest, most poetic accusations ever put to music.

Yikes. Barbed Wire Pussy, indeed.