The Sublime and the Ridiculous

The week's almost over and I'm having fun doing the compare and contrast between the song lyrics of my youth compared to the song lyrics of today's youth. Such degeneration into the absurd, the perverse, and the vulgar.

As long as there has been music, songs have been written about love. For example, Thomas Morley in the 16th Century wrote this love song called "Sing Ye and Chant it." You can guess what the "fa la la's" mean, but again, the artist will be subtle, e.g.

Sing we and chant it while love doth grant it,
fa la la, etc.
Not long youth lasteth, and old age hasteth;
now is best leisure to take our pleasure,
fa la la, etc.
All things invite us now to delight us,
fa la la, etc.
Hence, care, be packing! no mirth be lacking!
Let spare no treasure to live in pleasure,
fa la la, etc.

In these delightful lyrics one can see that the singer is madly in love and feels like singing and telling the world about it. Now, let's move up a few centuries to the 20th Century and let's take a look at some lyrics from this period. For example, in the early 20th century, Cole Porter expressed himself as follows:

I've got you under my skin

I've got you deep in the heart of me

So deep in my heart, that you're really a part of me

Ive got you under my skin

I''ve tried so not to give in

I've said to myself this affair never will go so well

But why should I try to resist, when baby will I know than well

That I've got you under my skin

Now the above tune is a little more direct, but it still stays subtle and get's the point across that this guy has the major hots from some girl that he simply cannot resist. A classic song. Now let's move up to the 1960's with a song from Paul McCartney with a simple ditty from the White Album:

Who knows how long I've loved you
You know I love you still
Will I wait a lonely lifetime
If you want me to--I will.

For if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name
But it never really mattered
I will always feel the same.

Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart.

And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
You know I will
I will.

Paul's lyrics in the short song "I Will" once again in simple lyrics, gets the point across without resorting to vulgarity and brashness. It frankly is more effective in getting the point across about the singer's feelings for some special someone. Paul demonstrated more direct feelings a few years later in his song "Maybe I'm Amazed", but still he keeps things clean while still getting across his message:

Baby Im amazed at the way you love me all the time

Maybe Im afraid of the way I love you

Baby Im amazed at the the way you pulled me out of time

Hung me on a line

Maybe Im amazed at the way I really need you

Baby I'm a man and maybe I'm a lonely man

Who's in the middle of something

That he dosent really understand

Baby I'm a man and maybe you're the only woman who could ever help me

Baby won't you help to me understand

A beautiful song and one of my favorites growing up. So, now as a contrast, let's look at the drech that is popular today by looking at these lyrics from Christina Aguilera from her most recent album:

You've been a bad bad boy
I'm gonna take my time, so enjoy
There's no need to feel no shame
Relax and sip upon my champagne
'Cause I wanna give you a little taste
Of the sugar below my waist, you nasty boy

I'll give you some oh-la-la
Voulez vous coucher avec moi?
I got you breaking into a sweat
Got you hot, bothered, and wet
You nasty boy

Nasty naughty boy

Oh baby for all it's worth
I swear I'll be the first to blow your mind
Now if you're ready, come and get me
I'll give you that hot, sweet, sexy loving (loving)

Hush now, don't say a word
I'm gonna give you what you deserve
Now you better give me a little taste
Put your icing on my cake
You nasty boy

So folks, you make the call. Has songwriting improved in the last 500 years? I think not. I'll take the Morley madrigal over this "ca-ca" they now call "popular music"

Have a great day.

Wouldn't it Be Nice - Now vs. Then

Well infidels, to continue on a theme I started yesterday, vis a vis, musical lyrics of the 1960's and 1970's vs. the crap that is marketed and played on today's radio. I was listenining to the Beach Boy's Pet Sounds album, one of the best albums recorded in popular music in over half a century. The opening cut of the album, "Wouldn't it Be Nice" is an all time classic, which lyrics expressing youthful optimism and love. Before I post the lyrics to "Wouldn't it be Nice", let's take a look at a song which is currently climbing the Billboard charts and is currently at number 4. This song is called "Fergalicious" by the artist of the same name. Let's see these well thought out lyrics folks:

Fergalicious
But I ain't promiscuous
And if you was suspicious
All that shit is fictitious
I blow kisses
That puts them boys on rock, rock
And they be lining down the block just to watch what I got
So delicious (It's hot, hot)
So delicious (I put them boys on rock, rock)
So delicious (they wanna slice of what I got)
Fergalicious (t-t-t-t-t-tasty, tasty)

Now let's contrast that with the classic song, "Wouldn't it Be Nice" to once again demonstrate that today's music is strictly for the dumper. It has no substance. It is drech and it perverts the concept of love which Brian Wilson and Pete Asher captured quite perfectly:

Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older
Then we wouldn’t have to wait so long
And wouldn’t it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong

You know its gonna make it that much better
When we can say goodnight and stay together

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could wake up
In the morning when the day is new
And after having spent the day together
Hold each other close the whole night through

Happy times together we’ve been spending
I wish that every kiss was never ending
Wouldn’t it be nice

Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true
Baby then there wouldn’t be a single thing we couldn’t do
We could be married And then wed be happy
Wouldn’t it be nice

You know it seems the more we talk about it
It only makes it worse to live without it
But lets talk about it
Wouldn’t it be nice

Two of Us

Happy Tuesday Infidels. I've been jamming a lot on the Love Soundtrack which was released last week which consists of remixes of Beatle songs for the Vegas show at the Mirage. I was supposed to see it last month, but with mom's hospitalization, that had to be cancelled. The music is unbelievable. The remixes by Sir George Martin and his son Giles are a pleasure to listen to.

So as I've been jamming on the Beatles catalogue, I can't help but notice how backwards we have come musically and lyrically in the last 38 years. For example, check out the excerpts of these lyrics from one of today's most popular songs:

"And I'm on tonight; You know my hips don't lie; And I'm starting to feel it's right; All the attraction, the tension; Don't you see baby, this is perfection."

Really deep and poetic no? Sounds like pure unadultered drech as far as I am concerned. Essentially, this Shakira song says, "I'm dancing like a slut in a nightclub, and I want you to f**k me baby since it does not get better than this." This is what is marketed to the public today folks. So as a contrast, I will post the lyrics from one of my favorite Beatle songs from the Let it Be album, which fits quite well with today's image, and which paints a different picture:

"Two of Us", by Lennon & McCartney

Two of us riding nowhere
spending someone's hard earned pay
You and me Sunday driving
Not arriving on our way back home
We're on our way back home
We're on our way home
We're going home

Two of us sending postcards
writing letters on my wall
You and me burning matches
lifting latches on our way back home
We're on our way back home
We're on our way home
We're going home

You and I have memories
longer that that road
that stretches out ahead

Two of us wearing raincoats
standing solo in the sun
You and me chasing paper
getting nowhere on our way back home
We're on our way back home
We're on our way home
We're going home

You and I have memories
longer that that road
that stretches out ahead

Two of us wearing raincoats
standing solo in the sun
You and me chasing paper
getting nowhere on our way back home
We're on our way back home
We're on our way home
We're going home
We're going home

Because

Hope you infidels had a great holiday season. Now's it's the start of the crunch time until the end of the year. I need to start cleaning the dust off my sensors and return to the field.

I offer you a wild iris from the Everglades and what are John Lennon's best and perhaps most poignant lyrics from the Album "Abbey Road."

Because

Because the world is round it turns me on
Because the wind is high it blows my mind

Love is all, love is new
Love is all, love is you

Because the sky is blue, it makes me cry.

Catch Me If You Can ...

Xmas time is approaching. Of course yesterday was the annual lighting ceremony on Main Street in Miami Lakes. Tried to get 2 1/2 year old Michelle to take her picture with Santa. It was not her bag. She would rather run around like a banshee so you can chase her. Her Thing 2 shirt is most appropriate.

See y'all real soon.

Have a Happy Holiday Infidels

Please allow these words from the great Bob Marley to give you something to ponder and think about during these times of Thanks:

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
ooh!Some say its just a part of it:
Weve got to fulfil de book.

Wont you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs;
These songs of freedom.
Redemption songs.

Straight, No Chaser

All that you touch, All that you see, All that you taste, All you feel.

All that you love, All that you hate, All you distrust, All you save.

All that you give, All that you deal, All that you buy, beg, borrow or steal.

All you create, All you destroy, All that you do All that you say.

All that you eat, And everyone you meet, All that you slight, And everyone you fight.

All that is now. All that is gone. All that's to come and everything under the sun is in tune but the sun is eclipsed by the moon.

--- Eclipse, by Roger Waters, from the Pink Floyd album "Dark Side of the Moon"

Image of Anna Maria Island, © 2005 by Michael A. Pancier

The Early Bird Catches the Shot

Good morning infidels. It's a chilly day in South Florida. 58 degrees. Brrrr. Anyways, to start the week, I offer y'all a photo I took several years ago in St. Augustine, Florida. St. Augustine is one of the most photogenic cities in the State of Florida. Of course to get these kind of shots, you need to get to your destination early, while it is still dark, and you must get eaten alive by noiseums all for that one photo of our sun rising over the horizon. You snooze, you miss out on one of nature's best art shows. No two sunrises are alike, and they are free to watch and enjoy. You don't even need to pay royalties to photograph the sunrise. And...the taxman can't tax it either. So wake up and come out to play infidels.

You Are the New Day

It's the start of another week infidels. It's been hectic but like this Meadowlark singing, the new day brings hope. Mom is back home from the 2nd stay in the hospital and she had her birthday yesterday at home rather than in a hospital room. The recovery will be continuing, but we'll get her back on the piano soon.

I end this post with the lyrics to one of my favorite songs which is sung by a British vocal group called the King's Singers. I had the privilege of seeing them live many years ago. It was an amazing show. These lyrics I feel go well with this image and my optimism on the upcoming months. See y'all on the highway tommorrow morning.
-------------------------------------------
You are the New Day

I will love you more than me
and more than yesterday
If you can but prove to me
you are the new day

Send the sun in time for dawn
Let the birds all hail the morning
Love of life will urge me say
you are the new day

When I lay me down at night
knowing we must pay
Thoughts occur that this night might
stay yesterday

Thoughts that we as humans small
could slow worlds and end it all
lie around me where they fall
before the new day

One more day when time is running out
for everyone
Like a breath I knew would come I reach for
the new day

Hope is my philosophy
Just needs days in which to be
Love of life means hope for me
borne on a new day
You are the new day

It's Friday and 5:00p.m. Somewhere

Infidels, another week is passing. As usual, it's been a hectic week. I have been short with words, but do offer you some lyrics from the great American Poet, Jim Morrison. As I've stated before, before the music died, artists could and were encouraged to create art. The music was reborn in every decade. In the 60's, it was the Beatles. In the 70's, it was Pink Floyd and the Sex Pistols. In the 80's, it was the Post/Punk New Wave Movement. In the 90's, it was Nirvana. When Nirvana died, the music died with it. Nothing new or innovative. Nothing with depth or creativity. Everything now is more or less bunk. So here's a toast to the Age of Aquarius, the Soft Parade, by Jim Morrison of the Doors...........

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Soft Parade, By Jim Morrison

When I was back there in seminary school
There was a person there
Who put forth the proposition
That you can petition the Lord with prayer
Petition the lord with prayer
Petition the lord with prayer
You cannot petition the lord with prayer!

Can you give me sanctuary
I must find a place to hide
A place for me to hide

Can you find me soft asylum
I can't make it anymore
The Man is at the door

Peppermint miniskirts, chocolate candy
Champion sax and a girl named Sandy
There's only four ways to get unraveled
One is to sleep and the other is travel
One is a bandit up in the hills
One is to love your neighbor till
His wife gets home

Catacombs
Nursery bones
Winter women Growing stones
(Carrying babies to the river)

Streets and shoes, Avenues
Leather riders selling news
(The monk bought lunch)

Successful hills are here to stay
Everything must be this way
Gentle streets where people play
Welcome to the Soft Parade

All our lives we sweat and save
Building for a shallow grave
Must be something else we say
Somehow to defend this place
(Everything must be this way
Everything must be this way)

The Soft Parade has now begun
Listen to the engines hum
People out to have some fun
A cobra on my left
Leopard on my right, yeah

Deer woman in a silk dress
Girls with beads about their necks
Kiss the hunter of the green vest
Who has wrestled before
With lions in the night

Out of sight!
The lights are getting brighter
The radio is moaning
Calling to the dogs
There are still a few animals
Left out in the yard
But it's getting harder
To describe sailors
To the underfed

Tropic corridor
Tropic treasure
What got us this far
To this mild equator

We need someone or something new
Something else to get us through

Calling on the dogs
Calling on the dogs
Calling on the dogs
Calling on the dogs
Calling in the dogs
Calling all the dogs
Calling on the gods
Meet me at the crossroads
Meet me at the edge of town
Outskirts of the city
Just you and I
And the evening sky
You'd better come alone
You'd better bring your gun
We're gonna have some fun

When all else fails
We can whip the horses' eyes
And make them sleep
And cry....

How About a Birdgasm Baby?

(c) 2005 by Michael A. Pancier

Great Blue Herons at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida. Special Thanks to Manola for coming up with the term "birdgasm". No need to explain what's going on here, I would hope.

Within you and Without You

A shot of the docks at Amelia Island, Florida. One of the great locations near the Florida/Georgia border.

The last couple of days I've had this George Harrison song stuck in my mind from the Sgt. Pepper Album. When I first heard Sgt. Pepper more than 20 years ago today, it blew me away, but I did not get into or understand Harrison's contribution, "Within you and Without You." As I've gotten older and wiser, I've come to really appreciate this song and have also concluded that the young Harrison really was ahead of his time as well. Intense lyrics which I will share with you today infidels:

Within You and Without You

By George Harrison

We were talking about the space between us all

And the people who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion

Never glimpse the truth - then it's far too late

When they pass away

We were talking about the love we all could share

When we find it to try our best to hold it there

With our love, with our love we could save the world

If they only knew

Try to realise it's all within yourself

No one else can make you change

And to see you're really only very small

And life flows on within you and without you

We were talking about the love that's gone so cold

And the people who gain the world and lose their soul

They don't know, they can't see

Are you one of them?

When you've seen beyond yourself

Then you may find peace of mind is waiting there

And the time will come when you see we're all one

And life flows on within you and without you

Photos from a Distant Land - Cuba

While my blog usually has images from yours truly, I will depart from the norm today to bring you some poignant images of Cuba by Jordi Miralles showing the real people rather than the images being catered to tourists. No commentary is necessary.

You can see the rest of his images here.

Monday Morning Blues - I'd Rather be On the River of Grass

(c) 2005 by Michael A. Pancier

"Well they call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad." Well it's not stormy weather wise here in South Florida, but it's the start of another hectic week. It's even more hectic for us infidels who would rather be walking along the River of Grass that is known hereabouts as the Everglades. A fellow photographer took some shots of spoonbills there the other day. I need to get my boots ready cause it's time to traverse the Glades. In the interim, on my XM radio, I heard this song from Loggins and Messina which I had not heard in a long time. It blew me away, it was so awesome. A great tune for 2 part harmony. The lyrics were intense as well and I offer them to the infidels out there ... let's get this party started ...
------------------------------------------------------------

Watching the River Run

If you've been thinking you're all that you've got,
Then don't feel alone anymore.
When we're together, then you've got alot,
'Cause I am the river and you are the shore.

And it goes on and on, oh, watching the river run,
Further and further from things that we've done,
Leaving them one by one.
And we have just begun watching the river run.
Listening and learning and yearning.
Run, river, run.

Winding and swirling and dancing along,
We pass by the old willow tree
Where lovers caress as we sing of our song,
Twisting together when we greet the sea.
And it goes on and on, watching the river run,
Further and further from things that we've done,
Leaving them one by one.
And we have just begun watching the river run.

Listening and learning and yearning.
Run, river, run.And it goes on and on, watching the river run,
Further and further from things that we've done,
Leaving them one by one.
And we have just begun watching the river run.
Listening and learning and yearning.

Run, river, run.

Time for Sushi

Osprey on Florida Bay

Copyright 2006 by Michael A. Pancier

Friday Orchids And the Wind Cries

It's Friday Infidels. Another week goes by. A hellish week it's been, but it's now a quiet Friday here in Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

There's been many changes this past week in the country. Who knows what the future will bring.

Despite all the changes that we encounter each and every day, the beauty of nature remains constant; an absolute. An orchid bloom will always be beautiful as will the sight of an eagle soaring in the wind. On this quiet Friday morning, a song by Jimi Hendrix rings in my head that I believe accompanies my image. Enjoy and have a great weekend.

After all the jacks are in their boxes;
And the clowns have all gone to bed;
You can hear happiness staggering on down the street;
Footsteps dressed in red.
And the wind whispers Mary.

A broom is drearily sweeping;
Up the broken pieces of yesterdays life;
Somewhere a queen is weeping;
Somewhere a king has no wife.
And the wind, it cries Mary

The traffic lights, they turn, blue tomorrow;
And shine their emptiness down on my bed;
The tiny island sags down stream;
cause the life that lived is dead.
And the wind screams Mary.

Will the wind ever remember?
The names it has blown in the past?
And with this crutch, its old age, and its wisdom;
It whispers no, this will be the last.
And the wind cries Mary.

Happy Birthday Cohiba Jr.

Today is Cohiba Jr.'s 8th birthday. Time flies folks. So in honor of his 8th trip around the sun, I post this image of him from Anna Maria Island, Florida.

Damn Right I Got the Blues

A real crazy week infidels. A week so crazy I haven't even had the time for a drink or a cigar. Now that's crazy. Nothing like a 2 hour commute to start a morning then to be followed by drives to various locations in two large Florida counties. Seems like in the last month I've spent the majority of my time driving from here to there and from there to here and back again. Get's tiring, although the coffee sellers and Red Bull people must be happy with me. So how does this infidel keep from really losing it like most of South Florida's drivers do from time to time? It's easy. The Blues. Interestingly enough, there's nothing like the blues to cheer you up. And if you're lucky, then you can change from a shade of blue to a shade of purple. I much prefer to have the purples, but those usually require me to be away from work and away from the car. So until I attain the shade of purple, I leave you with my Self Portrait in Blue . . . and the lyrics from one of my favorite blues songs from the great Buddy Guy:

You damn right, I've got the blues,
From my head down to my shoes
You damn right, I've got the blues,
From my head down to my shoes
I can't win, cause I don't have a thing to lose

One of Those Days You Feel Like Screaming

All Is quiet Here at the Polls

Been here in Miami Gardens precinct since 7:00 a.m. Turnout is low. All is quiet. Everyone has been doing their job according to the law; no funny business seen. Looks like rain this afternoon, so it may affect further turnout. Ho hum.

Thankfully they have a net access here.

That's the latest from the polls.

Signing off.

UPDATE: Well I spent the entire day at Precinct # 218 in Miami Gardens. Turnout was real low. Mainly a lot of seniors. All the elections staff followed the rules to the letter and no issues to report. Let's see what the final results are.

Rainy Days and Mondays in South Florida

Nothing like a rainy Monday in South Florida to bring out the best in drivers. You can almost guarantee that some idiot will have an accident and cause major backups. So it was quite fun being stuck on the Turnpike for almost 90 minutes (on a drive that sans traffic takes 30 minutes). Thank God for XM radio and cell phones.

Tommorrow is the mid term elections which should be interesting. I'll be poll watching and making sure the process is done according to the book. I had a great time doing it during the 2004 election. Met nice people from all parties and (some jerks as well), but overall, based on what I saw in 2004, everything in the polls I monitored were done according to the law. Let's hope 2006 goes smoothly and without any incidents. What will we end up with on Wednesday? It's anybody's guess, but something tells me I'd better hold on tight to my wallet.

On the home front, Ma is back in the hospital due to an intestinal infection. She was dehydrated pretty bad on Saturday so I got to spend hours and hours in the ER with her. After that, I'm determined to never get sick ever again. That's too much for anyone to have to handle.

Finally, I leave you with a photo of South Beach I took recently which has some photoshop work done to it. On Wednesday, I'll give you my report from the polls.

And to end this quote, since there is a strong possibility of a change in Congress, I leave you with these wise words from Dave Barry:

“The Democrats seem to be basically nicer people, but they have demonstrated time and again that they have the management skills of celery."

Ciao Infidels.

No Need for Words

Great Blue Herons at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, Florida

Copyright 2005 by Michael A. Pancier

Good Times and Riches and Son-of-a-Bitches, I've Seen More than I can Recall

Another week has gone by infidels. Ma has been slowly acclimating herself to living at home again. I've been out of the loop with what's been going on the world, and that's probably a good thing. I got my new Jimmy Buffett album, "Take the Weather with You", which I will enjoy shortly as I sit here in my Tommy Bahama tropical shirt enjoying the fact that I live in the Sunshine State of Florida (although it's been raining this week). But hey, I can look and feel tropical and will most likely drink tropical come choir practice. Choir Practice is the term we use when it's time to enjoy the end of the week drink. Me thinks I will have a single malt to which I will say a prayer of thanks.

After my prayer is over, then I will make that famous toast slightly modified: "Whiskey for my friends, and beer for my horses."

Have a great weekend infidels.

Reflections on a Thursday Morning

The reflection of this snowy egret provides a great anchor to quote an excerpt from one of my favorite Stevie Nicks' songs...

I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
Till the landslide brought me down.
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love
Can the child within my heart rise above
Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life.

What a songwriter Stevie was in the Fleetwood Mac days! Those were the days when songwriting was a real art. Where a song could also stand on its own as a poem, a work of art. What do they call art today? "Hips Don't Lie????" Oy vay! So have we evolved in 30 plus years? Sadly, no. As Devo aptly predicted the continuing de-evolution of popular culture...

We're pinheads now
We are not whole
We're pinheads all
Jocko homo
Are we not men?

The First Day of November

Hope all you infidels had a nice Halloween. Halloween is tops on the infidel calendar. But now it is the first of November. The year is nearly over. October was a terrible month. I'm optimistic that things will only get better.

The above image is of the Maine coast in fall. As the cold arrives, the chill in the wind picks up, and the waves crash even harder along the rocky cliffs. A sight to experience.

For some particular reason, these lyrics came to my brain this morning, and I will share them with you:

Theres a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
A song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me
-- James Taylor