January 18, 2019

Three songs that predicted something that happened later

Have you ever heard a song, and thought, “That resonates with something that’s happening right now, but it was recorded years ago?” It’s happened to me three times. I thought some of you might find it interesting.

1. The death of John Lennon

When John died, I listened to nothing but his music for days. Then I thought, “I need to stop punishing myself. I need a straight rock album to clear my mind. I’m going to just grab the first album I see...okay, Queen, A Day At The Races. Perfect.” It was very cathartic...until I got to the last song. Then I cried my eyes out.

The song is about a man, telling his love what will happen when he’s gone. The chorus is sung twice in English, and twice in Japanese. It really sounds like a private message between John and Yoko. I still can’t hear it without crying.

For the Hot Space album, each member of Queen wrote a song about John Lennon, but they had actually recorded the ultimate tribute to Lennon...in 1976.

Here it is. I hope you like it.

2. 9/11

Paul Simon wrote this song shortly after Nixon was elected, but it took on a special significance after 9/11. Simon sings about a sense of helplessness and sorrow, and then he segues into singing about dying...and flying...and the Statue of Liberty. Seriously, in late 2001, this song was just eerie.



3. The Trump era

Shortly after joining DU, there was a post about the songs we associated most with Trump. I posted this with the comment “change ABC to Fox, and it works perfectly.” The song talks about someone who thinks he’s the king of America, mentions corrupt media and sexual affairs, and suggests that everyone involved is a “brilliant mistake.” I obviously voted against Trump, but I sometimes feel like a brilliant mistake just because my country elected this idiot.



What do you think? Please post any songs that resonated with you in the same way. Thanks.

January 18, 2019

Women for Cohen

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/17/michael-cohen-paid-firm-tweet-sexy

January 17, 2019

Inside the GM plant where nooses and 'whites-only' signs hung

Toledo, Ohio (CNN)It took 14 months for the noose to show up.

Fourteen months where Marcus Boyd says he endured racist comments, slights, even threats in a hostile workplace run by General Motors.

A workplace where people declared bathrooms were for "whites only," where black supervisors were denounced as "boy" and ignored by their subordinates, where black employees were called "monkey," or told to "go back to Africa."

A workplace where black employees were warned a white colleague's "daddy" was in the Ku Klux Klan. Where white workers wore shirts with Nazi symbols underneath their coveralls.

In Ohio.

In 2018.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/us/gm-toledo-racism-lawsuit/index.html

January 4, 2019

Total number of women in the House of Representatives by party, 30 years ago and today

1989
16 Democrats
13 Republicans

2019
89 Democrats
13 Republicans

What does that tell you?

January 3, 2019

Justice Department investigating whether Zinke lied to inspector general

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/justice-dept-investigating-whether-zinke-lied-to-inspector-general/2019/01/03/6c9dea06-0eac-11e9-84fc-d58c33d6c8c7_story.html

January 1, 2019

NYT Opinion - 1-844-WYT-FEAR

Call the phone number, it’s pretty funny.