Tears and Rain, by James Blunt

Nocturne, Op. 61 No.7 (from Midsummer Night's Dream), by Mendolssohn

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now, by The Clash

That's all I can think of for now, and, as it depends upon my mood which song eventually makes it into my will, when I don't even know when I'll write one, and I don't know what mood I'll be in when I do (or when I will pass, for that matter), I would like to keep it open, and have all three songs played.

Keep 'em guessing.

Not that I plan on dying any time soon, but when I read recently that The Clash's Joe Strummer had requested (and was granted his wish) that they play his Clash song "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" at his funeral, I decided I really should have a song that I love and have felt deep inside me was "my song" played at my funeral so that everyone who knew me and shows up anyway will walk away feeling that they still knew me and will still know me years later.

Joe Strummer felt that "(White Man) in Hammermith Palais" was his best song, ever.  He wrote it because he wanted to make a statement about the time he was invited to appear at an all-black, mostly Jamaican band collaboration concert in London. He felt honored to be invited because he felt that the bands would fire up an important political movement with the help of its audience.  He wanted the concert to make a difference.  Instead, he sat through the show and felt that it was nothing but a "Four Tops all night with encores from stage right" affair, no statement made, and therefore, no point.

In his song about this experience, he moves from his bitterness about it to an overall picture of black/white society, followed by the more general rich/poor society, as it was in the tougher parts of Great Britain at the time - aw hell, just society - and then closes with what can only be one of the most bittersweet and enigmatic of lines.  Here are the lyrics, for those of you still reading this and still interested:

Midnight to six man
For the first time from Jamaica
Dillinger and Leroy Smart
Delroy Wilson, your cool operator

Ken Boothe for UK pop reggae
With backing bands sound systems
And if they've got anything to say
There's many black ears here to listen

But it was Four Tops all night with encores from stage right
Charging from the bass knives to the treble
But onstage they ain't got no roots rock rebel
Onstage they ain't got no...roots rock rebel

Dress back jump back this is a bluebeat attack
'Cos it won't get you anywhere
Fooling with your guns
The British Army is waiting out there
An' it weighs fifteen hundred tons

White youth, black youth
Better find another solution
Why not phone up Robin Hood
And ask him for some wealth distribution

Punk rockers in the UK
They won't notice anyway
They're all too busy fighting
For a good place under the lighting

The new groups are not concerned
With what there is to be learned
They got Burton suits, ha you think it's funny
Turning rebellion into money

All over people changing their votes
Along with their overcoats
If Adolf Hitler flew in today
They'd send a limousine anyway

I'm the all night drug-prowling wolf
Who looks so sick in the sun
I'm the white man in the Palais
Just lookin' for fun

I'm only
Looking for fun

/end lyrics

Joe Strummer was the voice of The Clash.  Obviously, he was also the voice of his time and place.

But, I digress.

I was speaking of my funeral song choices.  If I think of any more songs, I'll add them to my list of, so far, three.

I can just imagine the faces of my funeral gatherers when all three songs are played in succession and at a healthy volume.

But, I digress.

So, I am into The Clash (with an emphasis on Paul Simonon, bass) after many years of not being into the Clash, and so I'm catching up and have recently discovered that a) Paul Simonon is an artist (oil paintings) and recently, this year, opened yet another show in London to great success and b) in 2005 he got back out of the artist studio and into the musical one, and collaborated with Damon Alburn (the Blur, Gorillaz, et. al.), Simon Tong (guitarist from The Verve), and Tony Allen, one of the primary co-founders of afrobeat, on an album entitled "The Good, The Bad & The Queen" (hereinafter known as "TGTBTQ").

No Clash sound here, except perhaps in "Three Changes", and no Verve sound here, except perhaps in the title track "TGTBTQ" when Simon Tong's guitar rips new holes in rockdom's ass with a great sense of humor and relish; no Blur sound here, except when Damon opens his mouth or smashes his fingers against the willing ivorie, and all the while Tony Allen keeps a jazz/reggae/afrobeat/you name it throb and pssshhhttt going on almost in spite of it all.

This album does not rock -- yet it rocks-- except for a few exceptions.  This album is mellow, veddy British (the darker/sometimes lighter side), and makes one, for the most part, sit back and just get mellow. Think Cold Play, but better. Stronger.  Tighter.  Yet more relaxed.  And more rockin'.  Yeah, that kind of album.  Just so you know. 

There are surprises....but they're all good. 

I enjoy watching youtube footage of "TGTBTQ" live performances because I love to watch Paul Simonon move.  Back when he was in The Clash, he kept his bass slung low, below the hips, resting on his upper thighs, and in interviews admitted that a) when he joined the band he didn't know how to play a guitar or bass yet found the bass easier to learn, b) he taped the letters of each chord to his fret and looked at them in great need in the very earliest Clash days, and c) he felt the bass was so heavy at times that his shoulder strap needed cushioning with whatever he could use as a shoulder pad.

As an aside, when he and the rest of The Clash played the song he wrote, "The Guns of Brixton", on stage, Paul would switch guitars with Joe Strummer in order to play rhythm guitar instead of bass, because he felt a little nervous concentrating on both the bass and his lyrics/singing.

That was then, this is now.  In 2005-2007 youtube.com video footage of TGTBTQ live performances he holds the bass to his belly with no strap half the time.  Yet he still bounces around, shuffles around, slides around, grooves around, jerks his shoulders around, his hips around, his knees around, and his feet around, always to the beat and always looking neat, just like he did in the Clash days. 

The man has learned his craft(s).  And he still looks fookin' sexy.

Would you look at me, I'm turning Brit.  Oi.

But, I digress.

When I listen to this album by "TGTBTQ", I feel melancholy, then elated, bounced up, bounced back, mad as hell then happy as hell, and glad that Paul Simonon learned how to play the bass.

Next week, I think I might cover the work of Leonard Cohen.  Until then, yours truly,

LisB (Working towards Unity, one song at a time)