Monthly Archives: March 2007

13. I Like Olives

Music, ,

There are a few songs called Jerusalem. The first song I’d heard with that title was the one they sing in England – the hymn – which Wikipedia tells me was originally a William Blake poem. I probably initially heard it on Masterpiece Theatre, but was amused to discover, on my first visit there, that they actually do sing it in England.

The second song I heard called Jerusalem was by Dan Bern. It is not a hymn. Probably the opposite. If Dan has a signature song, Jerusalem is it. It is also another song of his that gave me belly laughs the first few times I heard it – and it is always received well at his shows. People used to bring him jars of olives when he toured after releasing this song on his first two albums.

Sometimes Steve Earle is compared to Dan Bern (or visa versa) and I think I knew before today that Earle had a Jerusalem too, but didn’t realize how much his voice was like Dan’s until just now. Here it is on YouTube too. Hmm, I like this.

It would be interesting to be able to hear all the different songs called Jerusalem by the various artists, but I’m getting a little Internet search weary this afternoon.

12. Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Music,

I don’t remember when I first read Jonathan Livingston Seagull, I think my mom gave it to me for Christmas one year – or maybe my friend Cindy introduced me to it. Perhaps both.

I must have liked the message in the story – although I’m not sure now what it was. These days I try not to get caught up in the philosophy du jour, but back then I was young and impressionable, I suppose.

Of course I saw the movie when it came out and had to own the soundtrack. I don’t remember if I was a Neil Diamond fan before this movie or not. I was a Neil Diamond fan for a while though – although thinking back, the only album of his I owned was JLS.

Listening to the music now, I can see why I liked it. It’s easy to listen to. I can also see why I didn’t bother digitizing it. The chanting is a little annoying.

It got me interested in seagulls – a bird rare on the US prairie back in the early 1970’s. And that might have been one catalyst that brought me to being a birder.

I mistakenly identified the dove of peace necklace given to me by Mr. Topolewski as a thank you for playing along with his birthday present scheme. I thought it was a seagull, and called it Jonathan when I wore it.

Gulls now don’t very often make me think of Jonathan. Unless they look like they are really enjoying their aerodynamic feats.

11. Smells like a car full of boys

Music, , ,

I’d heard of the band Nirvana and knew who Kurt Cobain was, even before Dan Bern sang about Cobain and before I heard Dan sing Pennyroyal Tea. But I didn’t care. I still don’t necessarily like Nirvana’s music, but one song brings back a not-so-distant memory.

A few summers ago my kids and I visited friends in Lake Tahoe. It was my first time there and driving from Oakland to Tahoe was more experience than I’d expected. I was content to hang out at our friend’s home and drive around the lake a bit.

One day the hosts decided we’d all visit Virginia City and my car was necessary to carry passengers there. I was nervous, but figured it would be good for me – to drive though the mountains once again before I had to drive back to San Francisco later that week. The kids were allowed to choose the cars they wanted to ride in. The two girls (my daughter and her friend) chose to ride in the van with the experienced mountain driver leaving me to ferry the boys to Virginia City. (What did they think? If I got too scared to drive the boys would push the car?)

They were all excited – after all, the airport had upgraded me to a bright blue PT Cruiser and it was a novelty car at the time. “The boys” included David and his friend – both 16, Artie – 15 and my son – 11. We started out and as long as I didn’t look off the side of the road I was okay. The one thing I soon became aware of was the odor in the car. Three teenage and one preteen boy in a closed-up car in Nevada summertime made for a nose scrinching aroma.

To take my mind off the smell and mountain roads, I turned on the radio, but David handed me a CD. Artie, who was in the front seat, slid it into the CD player and as we sailed over the Nevada mountain roads the perfect song came over the speakers: Smells like Teen Spirit. Not only did I forget where I was, I let the boys roll down the windows and we played the song loudly several times. No fear and no smell…

Yeah, so the song is not about stinky boys, but I always think of that car ride when I hear it.