Once again, I thought I’d have two songs, because, “G? Nothing starts with G.” And, I left off Daft Punk’s Get Lucky, Get Back by the Beatles, Georgia on My Mind by Ray Charles, and Get Up by the Godfather of Soul, The Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness, James Brown.

As I started writing, The Gambler popped into my head and I was like, duh, gotta have that one. Then Gimme Some Lovin’ jumped to the fore, followed quickly by Get Up, Stand Up as I was about to wrap this bad boy up.

Also, how epic is Kenny Roger’s hair/beard in the 1970s? It’s like a never-ending circle of epic manliness. I can only dream of growing a beard so luxurious. 

Again (and I’ll write this at least once more), if you want to be exposed to good music and writing, pick up a copy of The Oxford American music issue. Here’s the link to notes on last year’s, which focused on the blues. http://www.oxfordamerican.org/music

Goodnight Moon

Yet another find from the Oxford American music issue that cost me money – ten bucks for the issue and then I think another hundred or so on CDs from artists I liked on that one. I think I ended up with four Will Kimbraugh albums. Great sing-songwriter.

This is a simple, sweet song. Makes me feel a little melancholy and nostalgic.

Galveston

I like Glenn Campbell, one of the smoothest voices on the radio in the 70s and 80s. Spent a lot of time in Galveston as a kid. I still have the rubber turtle – somewhere – that my Dad bought me on a trip to Seaworld. On a trip years later with Meme, Mama, and Kirk; mom got chased around the pen by a tortoise attracted to – and, by all indications, VERY excited by – the red dress or shirt she had on.

Mom’s friend Ms Pat’s family had a beachhouse outside of Galveston. I guess we went each year for 4 or 5 years. Ms Pat, my mom, me, Kirk, Tricia, Casey, and, crap, blanking on her son’s name – Chris? Shit. Anyway. – all in a tiny ass hatchback. Loved going there. Ended up always getting too much sun after 8 hours on the beach and then smearing ourselves with aloe vera and wearing the loosest shirt we could find.

Tricia wasn’t allowed to take her shoes off. On one of the trips, everyone in the car was like, “what is that smell. Something must be dead on the road.” after a few minutes and the smell didn’t go away, noticed Tricia’s shoes were off. Shoes back on, smell went away. Man, that was dreadful. Almost as bad as the time my Dad farted and the flames in the fireplace lept up when that slow moving fog got there. Awful.

Er, yeah. Moving on.

Glenn Campbell has Alzheimers. I watched a special about his struggle and the last concert tour he gave – while he was sometimes lucid, but often not. It was amazing to watch his habits kick in once the music started – he had played the songs so many times, they were just that deeply ingrained that he could still play and sing.

Also sang possibly the saddest song I’ve ever heard on that. A song he wrote after he found out he had Alzheimers; I’m Not Gonna Miss You. I’m going to put that in too even though it’s not a “G” song – Jesus, makes you want to cry.

Gimme Some Lovin’

Gimme some loving early in the morning
I just woke up with this appetite
come on, give me love in the morning light

At some point in his life, every guy has been/will be again the guy in this song. More on G. Love when we get to H on Monday.

The Gambler

Kenny Rogers at his best. It has to be one of those songs that most folks have heard at least once in their lives. Also, there have been bad videos after this one, but it was like they totally punted on this one — just sit him down at a 1870’s-looking table and dress him up like a stereotypical gambler — you can feel the director say.

Get Up, Stand Up

As limited government conservatives seek to impose their will on the rest of the country and the con’s reign of error (unless you happen to be rich and/or deluded about what makes America great)  continues to ramp up, this is as relevant and timely today as when written.