In light of Trump’s proposed vandalism of the environment in Utah opening up National Parks to drilling and mining I thought this was relevant. The madman really doesn’t care about nature – just money. What with pulling out of the Paris agreement, shutting down environment monitoring, relaxing environmental legislation and opening up parks for plunder he is really going out of his way to trash the planet for short-term gain.
Well I care about animals and nature and I think the man is an abomination. The sooner he is got rid of the better! Impeach the piece of shit.
The dollar went down and the President said
“Who’s in charge, now?” I don’t know, take your pick.
A new disease every day and the old ones are coming back
Things are looking kind of gray, like they’re going to black
Don’t turn on the TV, don’t show me the paper
(I) don’t want to know he got kidnapped or why they all raped her
I want to go on vacation till the pressure lets up
But they keep hijacking airplanes and blowing them up
It’s been a hard day on the planet
How much is it all worth?
It’s getting harder to understand it
Things are tough all over on earth.
It’s hot in December and cold in July
When it rains it pours out of a poisonous sky
In California the body counts keep getting higher
It’s evil out there, man that state is always on fire.
Everyone has a system, but they can’t seem to win
Even Bob Geldorf looks alarmingly thin
I got to get on that shuttle get me out of this place
But there’s gonna be warfare up there in outer space
I’ve got clothes on my back and shoes on my feet
A roof over my head and something to eat
My kids are all healthy and my folks are alive
You know, it’s amazing but sometimes I think I’ll survive
I’ve got all of my fingers and all of my toes
I’m pretty well off I guess, I suppose
So how come I feel bad so much of the time?
A man aint an island John Dunn wasn’t lyin’
Its business as usual; some things never change
Its unfair, it’s tough, unkind and it’s strange
We don’t seem to learn; we can’t seem to stop
Maybe some explosions would close up the shop
You know, maybe that would be fine: we would be off the hook
We resolved all our problems, never mind what it took
And it all would be over, finito, the end
Until the survivers started up all over again
(Refrain)
I thought it was appropriate to post this on the day that Donald Trump stupidly pulled out of the Paris Agreement and Theresa May refused to condemn him like the other world leaders have.
It is a song that sums up the terrible State the world is in and the mess we are making of it.
A Hard Day For The Planet – Loudon Wainwright
The dollar went down and the President said
“Who’s in charge, now?” I don’t know, take your pick.
A new disease every day and the old ones are coming back
Things are looking kind of gray, like they’re going to black
Don’t turn on the TV, don’t show me the paper
(I) don’t want to know he got kidnapped or why they all raped her
I want to go on vacation till the pressure lets up
But they keep hijacking airplanes and blowing them up
[Chorus]
It’s been a hard day on the planet
How much is it all worth?
It’s getting harder to understand it
Things are tough all over on earth.
It’s hot in December and cold in July
When it rains it pours out of a poisonous sky
In California the body counts keep getting higher
It’s evil out there, man that state is always on fire.
Everyone has a system, but they can’t seem to win
Even Bob Geldof looks alarmingly thin
I got to get on that shuttle get me out of this place
But there’s gonna be warfare up there in outer space
[Chorus]
I’ve got clothes on my back and shoes on my feet
A roof over my head and something to eat
My kids are all healthy and my folks are alive
You know, it’s amazing but sometimes I think I’ll survive
I’ve got all of my fingers and all of my toes
I’m pretty well off I guess, I suppose
So how come I feel bad so much of the time?
A man ain’t an island John Dunn wasn’t lying
[Chorus]
It’s business as usual; some things never change
It’s unfair, it’s tough, unkind and it’s strange
We don’t seem to learn; we can’t seem to stop
Maybe some explosions would close up the shop
You know, maybe that would be fine: we would be off the hook
We resolved all our problems, never mind what it took
And it all would be over, finito, the end
Until the survivors started up all over again
Loudon has a long history of working with Chaim that goes right back to the early 1970s and Kate McGarrigle. Chaim played on Loudon’s Grammy winning album – The Charlie Poole Project – which I love. They only played one track from that album – which is a shame – I would have liked to have heard more.
The duo worked well together – not just musically – there was a lot of humour and appreciation between them. The repartee and theatrics was very good. I’d like to see a lot more of them.
Well I haven’t seen Loudoun play for years – maybe decades. He was good. I enjoyed it. This was a different Loudon to the one I’d seen before. He was less informal and more scripted. He also did a lot more of his family than I had heard before – giving his father prominence but mentioning his mother, Rufus and Martha and ex-wives with a degree of affection I hadn’t heard before. Perhaps knives have been sheathed?
There were quite a range of songs – School Days even had an outing. That is special to me because it was the first song I ever heard of his. It was the first track on the first album that was played in the guru maharaji shop when I first heard him back in 1971. It had made me stop thumbing through the albums in the shop and listen. I can’t remember him having played it before.
He even did a song on the piano! I haven’t seen him do that before.
I was disappointed that he did not play ‘Trump’ though.
The songs were separated by three spoken sections where Loudon recited three pieces of writing his father had written for Life magazine. There was affection and respect in the way that was done – a tribute to his father – as if he was finally making peace with his old man and recognising his talent. That was nice.
He was joined on stage by Chaim Tannenbaum on banjo and the two of them obviously enjoyed performing together.
It was a bit more subdued than I am used to with Loudon but that was probably the venue. I’m used to seeing him in more intimate clubs. But it was very good.
1. Ebola in the Garden of Eden – a tale of overpopulation, government intrigue and a disaster that almost wipes out mankind, warmed by the humanity of children.
2. Green – A story set in the future where pollution is destroying the planet and factions of the Green Party have different solutions – a girl is born with no nervous system.
If you want to be popular don’t mention politics or religion – if you want to change the world SPEAK OUT!!
I want to change the world and I like singers, songwriters, writers, artists and poets who say something about life, unfairness, injustice, tolerance, freedom and the destruction of the world. We’ve got enough love songs and trivia.
Loudon is one of those. He comments on things.
I first got in to Loudon in the 1970 after his first album came out. It was being played in a Guru Maharaji shop. You remember the good old guru? He was an incarnation of god. He asked all his followers to sell everything they owned, join the ashram and follow his teaching. He lived in a penthouse with a fleet of Rolls Royce’s. I used to see people go by carrying stereos and heaps of albums. I used to buy their albums.
The guy who ran the shop – selling all the worldly goods being brought in – had sold his house and given the proceeds to the guru!
Anyway – I was in there one day and they played Loudon’s album. It had just been released. It must have been a recent convert. I was smitten. I bought it.
I saw him play a number of times – best being in Los Angeles – and always liked him. His albums have been a bit patchy but there is always something to latch on to. He has this dark humour and pertinent lyrics.
I bet there’s a lot of us who feel that the lyrics of this song speak for them. I think anyone who reads my blog knows exactly what I stand for and against. I say what I think. Can’t see any point in being anything other – can you?
One Man Guy – Loudon Wainwright 111
People will know when they see this show
The kind of a guy I am
They’ll recognize just what I stand for and what I just can’t stand
They’ll perceive what I believe in
And what I know is true
And they’ll recognize I’m a one man guy
Always was through and through
People meditate
Hey that’s just great
Trying to find the inner you
People depend on family and friends
And other folks to pull them through
I don’t know why I’m a one man guy
Or why I’m a one man show
But these three cubic feet of bone and blood and meat are all I love and know
Cause I’m a one man guy in the morning
Same in the afternoon
One man guy when the sun goes down
I whistle me a one man tune
One man guy a one man guy
Only kind of guy to be
I’m a one man guy
I’m a one man guy
I’m a one man guy is me
I’m gonna bathe and shave
And dress myself and eat solo every night
Unplug the phone, sleep alone
Stay way out of sight
Sure it’s kind of lonely
Yeah it’s sort of sick
Being your own one and only
Is a dirty selfish trick
Cause I’m a one man guy in the morning
Same in the afternoon
One man guy when the sun goes down
I whistle me a one man tune
One man guy a one man guy
Only kind of guy to be
I’m a one man guy
I’m a one man guy
I’m a one man guy is me
My books are available on Amazon in paperback and digital formats. They are world-wide!
In the UK you might like to browse through on my link below: For overseas visitors please refer to your local Amazon. You’ll find me there.
1. Ebola in the Garden of Eden – a tale of overpopulation, government intrigue and a disaster that almost wipes out mankind, warmed by the humanity of children.
2. Green – A story set in the future where pollution is destroying the planet and factions of the Green Party have different solutions – a girl is born with no nervous system.
1. Ebola in the Garden of Eden – a tale of overpopulation, government intrigue and a disaster that almost wipes out mankind, warmed by the humanity of children.
2. Green – A story set in the future where pollution is destroying the planet and factions of the Green Party have different solutions – a girl is born with no nervous system.
Few people can get a chuckle out of abject despair.
A Hard Day On The Planet
The dollar went down and the President said
Who’s in charge, now? I don’t know, take your pick.
A new disease every day and the old ones are coming back
Things are looking kind of gray, like they’re going to black
Don’t turn on the TV, don’t show me the paper
I don’t want to know he got kidnapped or why they all raped her
I want to go on vacation till the pressure lets up
But they keep hijacking airplanes and blowing them up
(Refrain)
It’s been a hard day on the planet
How much is it all worth?
It’s getting harder to understand it
Things are tough all over on earth.
It’s hot in December and cold in July
When it rains it pours out of a poisonous sky
In California the body counts keep getting higher
It’s evil out there, man that state is always on fire.
Everyone has a system, but they can’t seem to win
Even Bob Geldof looks alarmingly thin
I got to get on that shuttle get me out of this place
But there’s gonna be warfare up there in outer space
(Refrain)
I’ve got clothes on my back and shoes on my feet
A roof over my head and something to eat
My kids are all healthy and my folks are alive
You know, it’s amazing but sometimes I think I’ll survive
I’ve got all of my fingers and all of my toes
I’m pretty well off I guess, I suppose
So how come I feel bad so much of the time?
A man ain’t an island John Donne wasn’t lying
(Refrain)
It’s business as usual; some things never change
It’s unfair, it’s tough, unkind and it’s strange
We don’t seem to learn; we can’t seem to stop
Maybe some explosions would close up the shop
You know, maybe that would be fine: we would be off the hook
We resolved all our problems, never mind what it took
And it all would be over, finito, the end
Until the survivors started up all over again
