The Magical Music Store - a fantasy...

[Danny Harris]

So, anyway, I turned the corner of this lane which I had never noticed before, and there was this quaint little music shop.

Old, rambling but very homely and welcoming, I just had to push my way through the curtained entrance, and I was inside.

What a range of music albums!

I rummaged through the collection, whilst casting a cursory glance at the person behind the counter...whose hair, curiously, took on a glowing lustre from time to time...this. for some reason, appeared to me to be neither startling, nor alarming - noteworthy but not unusual...

And there it was...

"As I Run After Something To Believe In...Bob Lind and Friends, Live at The Barack Obama Presidential Inauguration Concert."

What a track listing!

"Hard Road/This Land Is Your Land" medley - Lind, Arlo Guthrie, Billy Bragge, and Peter, Paul and Mary;

"I Can't Walk Roads Of Anger/Revolution" medley - Lind, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Julian and Sean Lennon, and Dhani Harrison;

"War of Man/We've Never Spoken" medley - Lind, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell and Linda Ronstadt;

"Along Comes Mary/Reno (Funtown, USA/Subterranean Homesick Blues" medley - Lind, The Association, Bob Dylan;

"China/Carolina On My Mind/Colorado Line" medley - Lind, Melanie Safka, James Taylor;

"Bottle of Wine" - Lind, Tom Paxton, The Fireballs;

"Wearing You" - Lind;

"Gravity of the World" - Lind;

"Theme from the Music-Box/Spilling Over" medley - Lind, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt;

"I Love To Sing/Cocaine" medley - Lind, J.J. Cale, Eric Clapton;

"Cheryl's Going Home/My Way Of Giving" medley - Lind, Chris Farlowe, & former Small Faces Kenny Jones, Ian McLagan, Ron Wood;

"Mr. Zero" - Lind, Eric Clapton & UB 40;

"Wigwam/Waterfall Waltz" medley - Lind, Dylan - with Bill Clinton on sax;

"Finale - "I Shall Be Released/Elusive Butterfly" medley - entire cast, joined on stage by President Obama and his wife Michelle.

When I went to pay, the attendant just smiled and advised me that the shop was about to close, and that this album was free of charge.

I left and walked home. When home, I opened my bag, and there was no sign of the album.

Over the next few weeks, I attempted to retrace my steps.

I was unable to find that lane, much the shop, again.

[Danny Harris]

So...now for the Inauguration Concert, as mentioned...

[bob_32_116]

the only thing wrong with that scenario, is that I believe Our Bob has gone on record a saying he is not a political animal. Bruce Springsteen might be a more likely contender - maybe Peter Garrett would volunteer to lend him a hand!

[sueormrod]

Some of the best things in life, on reflection, were Never Even There!

[Danny Harris]

Hey now look - I KNOW Lind says what he says about "I don't write many political songs", etc. - but as Dylan once said - "you don't have to be political to care about people" (or some words similar).

My point is - I doubt that Lind, despite his protestations, including in his novel, to not being political, or politically correct, is a red-neck bigoted boor...

So, dreamers such as I keep our fingers crossed, and MAYBE, just MAYBE, an issue/issues might slam Lind right between the eyes and find him dashing off just the right song and sound as comment or opinion.

(I certainly don't see Lind as a 100 per cent, dyed-in-the-wool, "I only write social comment/protest songs" person - he is not, and shows a thoughtful approach to song topics.)

[Susanne Gilmore]

Sometimes it takes the personal becoming the political before someone takes a stand. Take the economy, for example. I can remember a song that Bob used to sing back in LA in the early 1980's. I think it was called "Hear my Heart Beat", and it was written from the perspective of someone who had very little money and was constantly being "f'd" around by agents and officious individuals in general. This is a song that would fit right in nowadays. Anyone who has to deal with perspective employers, bill collectors, banks and the like could relate to the lyrics. Ah, the angry young Bob.

(Bob, I bet you forgot about this one, didn't you!)

[Lind]

Susanne, You are absolutely amazing. You got the title exactly right and indeed, that's the exact subject matter.
Yes, I had forgotten that song.
You are a gem.

[Danny Harris]

Sometimes it takes the personal becoming the political before someone takes a stand. Take the economy, for example. I can remember a song that Bob used to sing back in LA in the early 1980's. I think it was called "Hear my Heart Beat", and it was written from the perspective of someone who had very little money and was constantly being "f'd" around by agents and officious individuals in general. This is a song that would fit right in nowadays. Anyone who has to deal with perspective employers, bill collectors, banks and the like could relate to the lyrics. Ah, the angry young Bob

Exactly, Susanne !

...and - catch the wistful frustration of "China", regarding "...strangers killing children with their guns and bombs and planes..."