Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Texan Love Song - Elton John

There I was, with my head all full of politics, during an hour drive to watch / play with my niece & nephew today, and this old Elton John song comes on the radio.



And, I was thinkin' how much it reminded me of the Teabag / mob Right, shouting down /shutting down discussion between the American people and those in congress who were elected to represent 'em. (And don't buy into the spin; it isn't that they disagree with the healthcare plan or whatever, but how disagreeable they're acting while doing it. I'm fine with folks expressing disagreement, and even booing "bad" statements, but shouting a speaker down, following him to his car, or not allowing her to answer the question isn't discussion/debate, it's rudeness and thuggery.)

Anyway... except for that "...kids still respected the President's name" part, (an interesting switch, that) it's a pretty accurate portrayal...

Besides, it'd been AGES since I heard the song. I used to listen to dad's copy of this album all the time, and certain songs stayed with me... I loved this one back then--I think it was the irony of it, and the potential violent confrontation--but confess to having lost touch with it over the years... Hearing it today was like being reintroduced to a person you once knew intimately (a one time lover, or your best friend from 7th grade). I had that glow of "Hey... I remember this song, I think..." before the vocal started, and it didn't take me more than a line or two to be singing along (some lines I knew, and some I only thought I knew...), and having all those other memories come flooding back (singing along in dad's music room & elsewhere, the cover art, the song before/after it on the record, and the other songs in the "redneck set" I put together on a mixed tape--a few southern rock tunes, Lonesome Cowboy Burt, and a really obscure "cowboy" song from the early 70's that made fun of homophobia/judging folks you don't know, that I can't recall the name of, anymore). After that came the political stuff, above.

So, there it is... Enjoy the song.

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