While talking with my friend Ron as he drove through Nebraska, I quoted him a James McMurtry song: “Out here in the middle where the buffalo roam/we're putting up towers for your cell phones.” If you don’t know how that sounds and can't place it within his critique of politics in "flyover country," stop what … Continue reading Out Here in the Middle
country music
12 (plus 1) Songs for Christmas: “When You Go Down” and “Starting Over”
"When you go down, all the children will sing. When you go down, the bells of freedom will ring. One two three four five six seven. John Lewis is gonna shout from heaven....When you go down." I've featured this before, but this is definitely the song we need for today. Thanks, grassroots Georgia organizers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCKoNBDpPRk … Continue reading 12 (plus 1) Songs for Christmas: “When You Go Down” and “Starting Over”
12 Songs for Christmas: I Got So High That I Saw Jesus
Little by little, I have come to a realization that (as a commentator on a youtube thread articulated it) “Holy shit, I think I’m a Miley Cyrus fan.” It’s been a long time coming, and by no means implies interest in everything she’s ever done. If you think this sounds absurd, click on this link, … Continue reading 12 Songs for Christmas: I Got So High That I Saw Jesus
12 Songs for Christmas: Christmas in Washington
“It’s Christmas time in Washington, and the Democrats rehearse. Getting into gear for [an upcoming] year of things not getting worse. Republicans drink whiskey neat and thank their lucky stars. [Thanks to Senate minority rule, with Wyoming voters weighing 68 times more than Californians] There’ll be no more FDRs.” So said Steve Earle, more or less, … Continue reading 12 Songs for Christmas: Christmas in Washington
Hegemonic Half-Truths: Why 9/11 Did Not Necessarily Strengthen the Religious Right in the Long Run
(This post is cross-published here on Narrative Paths Journal) Last week I fielded a query from the University of Tennessee campus newspaper about legacies of 9/11/2001. Its reporter asked: “How did 9/11 strengthen or weaken the religious faith of Americans? How did it change the way people think about mortality, evil, and hope? In what … Continue reading Hegemonic Half-Truths: Why 9/11 Did Not Necessarily Strengthen the Religious Right in the Long Run
This Music Needs to Go Viral Right Now
Just heard this new music on Sirius Radio's Outlaw Country station. This is what music needs to be now. Thank you, Buddy and Julie! P.S. They also made this timely message which goes with my earlier post about drinking bleach. MBE standard notice: The time I spend on this blog is not in addition to a … Continue reading This Music Needs to Go Viral Right Now
Rest in Peace, John Prine
This is probably my favorite of all the John Prine songs. It is the best one I can think of to capture how sad I feel about losing him—one of the greatest songwriters of my lifetime. MBE standard notice: The time I spend on this blog is not in addition to a Twitter and … Continue reading Rest in Peace, John Prine
MBE: Mark's blogging experiment 