The poem's themes are quite dark, but they are depressingly apropos considering it's 2017.
What I'm listening to right now.
Oscar Brown, Jr., "Bid 'Em In."
Lyrics.
Bid 'em in! Get 'em in! That sun is hot and plenty bright. Let's get down to business and get home tonight. Bid 'em in! Auctioning slaves is a real high art. Bring that young gal, Roy. She's good for a start. Bid 'em in! Get 'em in! Now here's a real good buy only about 15. Her great grandmammy was a Dahomey queen. Just look at her face, she sure ain't homely. Like Sheba in the Bible, she's black but comely. Bid 'em in! Gonna start her at three. Can I hear three? Step up gents. Take a good look see. Cause I know you'll want her once you've seen her. She's young and ripe. Make a darn good breeder. Bid 'em in! She's good in the fields. She can sew and cook. Strip her down Roy, let the gentlemen look. She's full up front and ample behind. Examine her teeth if you've got a mind. Bid 'em in! Get 'em in! Here's a bid of three from a man who's thrifty. Three twenty five! Can I hear three fifty? Your money ain't earning you much in the banks. Turn her around Roy, let 'em look at her flanks. Bid 'em in! Three fifty's bid. I'm looking for four. At four hundred dollars she's a bargain sure. Four is the bid. Four fifty. Five! Five hundred dollars. Now look alive! Bid 'em in! Get 'em in! Don't mind them tears, that's one of her tricks. Five fifty's bid and who'll say six? She's healthy and strong and well equipped. Make a fine lady's maid when she's properly whipped. Bid 'em in! Six! Six fifty! Don't be slow. Seven is the bid. Gonna let her go. At seven she's going! Going! Gone! Pull her down Roy, bring the next one on. Bid 'em in! Get 'em in! Bid 'em in!
Luis Fonsi (feat. Daddy Yankee), "Despacito." Acerca del video, pido disculpas. Casi aproxima lo llamado "NSFW", pero me defiendo con que es culturalmente apropriado. De hecho, incluso la letra es mas o menos igual de NSFW. Cierto que no intentaría enseñar esta canción a mis alumnos en unas de mis clases "CC." Bueno, ni se presenta como posibilidad, dado el idioma.
Observación lingüística: cuando se anuncia "DY" (Daddy Yankee), el nombre se deletrea en inglés (o sea, "dihuay", y no, digamos, "deígriega"). Esto me interesa.
Letra.
Ay Fonsi DY Oh, oh no, oh no Oh, yeah Diridiri, dirididi Daddy Go
Sí, sabes que ya llevo un rato mirándote Tengo que bailar contigo hoy (DY) Vi que tu mirada ya estaba llamándome Muéstrame el camino que yo voy (oh)
Tú, tú eres el imán y yo soy el metal Me voy acercando y voy armando el plan Solo con pensarlo se acelera el pulso (oh, yeah)
Ya, ya me está gustando más de lo normal Todos mis sentidos van pidiendo más Esto hay que tomarlo sin ningún apuro
Despacito Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito Deja que te diga cosas al oído Para que te acuerdes si no estás conmigo
Despacito Quiero desnudarte a besos despacito Firmar las paredes de tu laberinto Y hacer de tu cuerpo todo un manuscrito
Sube, sube, sube Sube, sube
Quiero ver bailar tu pelo Quiero ser tu ritmo Que le enseñes a mi boca Tus lugares favoritos (favoritos, favoritos, baby)
Déjame sobrepasar tus zonas de peligro Hasta provocar tus gritos Y que olvides tu apellido
Si te pido un beso, ven dámelo Yo sé que estás pensándolo Llevo tiempo intentándolo Mami, esto es dando y dándolo Sabes que tu corazón conmigo te hace bom-bom Sabes que esa beba está buscando de mi bom-bom Ven prueba de mi boca para ver como te sabe Quiero, quiero, quiero ver cuanto amor a ti te cabe Yo no tengo prisa yo me quiero dar el viaje Empezamos lento, después salvaje
Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito Cuando tú me besas con esa destreza Veo que eres malicia con delicadeza
Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito Y es que esa belleza es un rompecabezas Pero pa montarlo aquí tengo la pieza
Despacito Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito Deja que te diga cosas al oído Para que te acuerdes si no estás conmigo
Despacito Quiero desnudarte a besos despacito Firmar las paredes de tu laberinto Y hacer de tu cuerpo todo un manuscrito
Sube, sube, sube Sube, sube
Quiero ver bailar tu pelo Quiero ser tu ritmo Que le enseñes a mi boca Tus lugares favoritos (favoritos, favoritos, baby)
Déjame sobrepasar tus zonas de peligro Hasta provocar tus gritos Y que olvides tu apellido
Despacito Vamos a hacerlo en una playa en Puerto Rico Hasta que las olas griten: ¡Ay, bendito! Para que mi sello se quede contigo
Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito Que le enseñes a mi boca Tus lugares favoritos (favorito, favorito, baby)
Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito Hasta provocar tus gritos (Fonsi) Y que olvides tu apellido (DY) Despacito
The below was written by Roger Fisher, in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, in 1981.
My favourite activity is inventing. An early arms control proposal dealt with the problem of distancing that the President would have in the circumstances of facing a decision about nuclear war. There is a young man, probably a Navy officer, who accompanies the President. This young man has a black attache case which contains the codes that are needed to fire nuclear weapons. I could see the President at a staff meeting considering nuclear war as an abstract question. He might conclude: "On SIOP Plan One, the decision is affirmative. Communicate the Alpha line XYZ.." Such jargon holds what is involved at a distance.
My suggestion was quite simple: Put that needed code number in a little capsule, and then implant that capsule right next to the heart of a volunteer. The volunteer would carry with him a big, heavy butcher knife as he accompanied the President. If ever the President wanted to fire nuclear weapons, the only way he could do so would be for him first, with his own hands, to kill one human being. The President says, "George, I’m sorry but tens of millions must die." He has to look at someone and realize what death is – what an innocent death is. Blood on the White House carpet. It’s reality brought home.
"When I suggested this to friends in the Pentagon they said, "My God, that’s terrible. Having to kill someone would distort the President’s judgement. He might never push the button."
Unrelatedly (except for maybe the vague atmospherics of 1980s-era nuclear angst), what I'm listening to right now.
New Order, "True Faith."
In 1991, I was a US Army soldier, stationed at Camp Edwards, Paju, Korea – a few kilometers from the DMZ and a few kilometers (5 subway stations) from where I live now. I had a Laotian-American barracksmate, with the euphonious surname Inthalangsy, who was a gangbanger from Houston who'd been offered one of those "join the Army or go to jail" options that judges seem to used to have had the option of offering. Inthalangsy was a die-hard New Order fan, and so this song was on very heavy rotation in our barracks room. The Korean soldiers (KATUSAs) didn't like it, and I think Inthalangsy played it partly because he knew it annoyed them. It grew on me.
Lyrics.
I feel so extraordinary Something's got a hold on me I get this feeling I'm in motion A sudden sense of liberty I don't care 'cause I'm not there And I don't care if I'm here tomorrow Again and again I've taken too much Of the things that cost you too much
I used to think that the day would never come I'd see delight in the shade of the morning sun My morning sun is the drug that brings me near To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear I used to think that the day would never come That my life would depend on the morning sun…
When I was a very small boy, Very small boys talked to me Now that we've grown up together They're afraid of what they see That's the price that we all pay Our valued destiny comes to nothing I can't tell you where we're going I guess there was just no way of knowing
I used to think that the day would never come I'd see delight in the shade of the morning sun My morning sun is the drug that brings me near To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear I used to think that the day would never come That my life would depend on the morning sun…
I feel so extraordinary Something's got a hold on me I get this feeling I'm in motion A sudden sense of liberty The chances are we've gone too far You took my time and you took my money Now I fear you've left me standing In a world that's so demanding
I used to think that the day would never come I'd see delight in the shade of the morning sun My morning sun is the drug that brings me near To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear I used to think that the day would never come That my life would depend on the morning sun…
Today in my "CC" listening class, we were listening to the American pop song "Blank Space," by Taylor Swift. The students' job is to listen to the song (line by line and over and over, if necessary), and fill in a cloze version of the lyrics (i.e. words missing). So we were filling in the blank spaces in the song "Blank Space.
One student, Kevin, when confronted with the line "I can read you like a magazine," decided, confidently, that it was "I can read you like a banana." For whatever reason, I started trying to explain how this might work. I held up an imaginary banana, and pretended to "read" it. I looked at Kevin, and tried to "read" him in the same way. The students understood the absurdity of the interpretation. Anyway, I found it entertaining, as often happens with absurdity.
What I'm listening to right now.
Taylor Swift, "Blank Space."
Lyrics.
Nice to meet you, where you been? I could show you incredible things Magic, madness, heaven, sin Saw you there and I thought Oh my God, look at that face You look like my next mistake Love's a game, wanna play?
New money, suit and tie I can read you like a magazine Ain't it funny, rumors fly And I know you heard about me So hey, let's be friends I'm dying to see how this one ends Grab your passport and my hand I can make the bad guys good for a weekend
So it's gonna be forever Or it's gonna go down in flames You can tell me when it's over If the high was worth the pain Got a long list of ex-lovers They'll tell you I'm insane 'Cause you know I love the players And you love the game
'Cause we're young and we're reckless We'll take this way too far It'll leave you breathless Or with a nasty scar Got a long list of ex-lovers They'll tell you I'm insane But I've got a blank space, baby And I'll write your name
Cherry lips, crystal skies I could show you incredible things Stolen kisses, pretty lies You're the King, baby, I'm your Queen Find out what you want Be that girl for a month Wait, the worst is yet to come, oh no
Screaming, crying, perfect storms I can make all the tables turn Rose garden filled with thorns Keep you second guessing like "Oh my God, who is she?" I get drunk on jealousy But you'll come back each time you leave 'Cause, darling, I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream
So it's gonna be forever Or it's gonna go down in flames You can tell me when it's over If the high was worth the pain Got a long list of ex-lovers They'll tell you I'm insane 'Cause you know I love the players And you love the game
'Cause we're young and we're reckless We'll take this way too far It'll leave you breathless Or with a nasty scar Got a long list of ex-lovers They'll tell you I'm insane But I've got a blank space, baby And I'll write your name
Boys only want love if it's torture Don't say I didn't say, I didn't warn ya Boys only want love if it's torture Don't say I didn't say, I didn't warn ya
So it's gonna be forever Or it's gonna go down in flames You can tell me when it's over If the high was worth the pain Got a long list of ex-lovers They'll tell you I'm insane 'Cause you know I love the players And you love the game
'Cause we're young and we're reckless We'll take this way too far It'll leave you breathless Or with a nasty scar Got a long list of ex-lovers They'll tell you I'm insane But I've got a blank space, baby And I'll write your name
I've been a bit under the weather, I guess. Actually, it's possibly just the outcome of some work-related stress, on issues I'm not really comfortable trying to summarize right now. I'll get around to it at some point. Meanwhile, I feel kind of lousy and plan to do as little as possible this weekend… or even less.
What I'm listening to right now.
Haujobb, "Dead Market."
Lyrics.
Contact and rupture Unlike a pulse Law of repetition We will always follow
Identity is safe The content is nothing Deconstruction of form We will always follow
Manipulate the pulse, the pattern, the rhythm Dominate the beat Manipulate the pulse, the pattern, the beat Dominate the world
Desire remains Discharge of pleasure Absence of contact We will always follow
Manipulate the pulse, the pattern, the rhythm Dominate the beat Manipulate the pulse, the pattern, the beat Dominate the world
I learned this aphorism from my book of aphorisms.
구렁이 담 넘어가듯 한다
gu.reong.i dam neom.eo.ga.deut han.da
snake wall go-over-AS-IF do-PRES
[He/she/it] acts like a snake going over a wall.
I think this must be more or less the same as English’s “Like a snake in the grass”: sneaky behavior, creeping up on on a situation unnoticed.
This makes me think of Bob Dylan’s old song, “Man Gave Names To All The Animals,” which is my favorite song from Dylan’s “Christian period.”
I would like to include a youtube embed of Dylan’s song, but Dylan is one of those performing artists who is VERY aggressive in his takedowns of his work online. I personally consider this reprehensible, and combined with his assholery around his recent Nobel prize, that’s why he’s gone down substantially in my estimation as a human being, if remaining high in my estimation of him as an artist.
What I’m listening to right now.
Townes Van Zandt, covering “Man Gave Names To All The Animals,” by Bob Dylan. It’s perhaps a better rendition than the original, anyway. But regardless, Dylan is an amazing lyricist: the ending of the song is poetically brilliant.
Lyrics.
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, long time ago.
He saw an animal that liked to growl
Big furry paws and he liked to howl
Great big furry back and furry hair
“Ah, think I’ll call it a bear”.
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, long time ago.
He saw an animal up on a hill
Chewing up so much grass until she was filled
He saw milk coming out but he didn’t know how
“Ah, think I’ll call it a cow”.
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, long time ago.
He saw an animal that liked to snort
Horns on his head and they weren’t too short
It looked like there wasn’t nothing that he couldn’t pull
“Ah, I’ll think I’ll call it a bull”.
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, long time ago.
He saw an animal leaving a muddy trail
Real dirty face and a curly tail
He wasn’t too small and he wasn’t too big
“Ah, think I’ll call it a pig”.
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, long time ago.
Next animal that he did meet
Had wool on his back and hooves on his feet
Eating grass on a mountainside so steep
“Ah, think I’ll call it a sheep”.
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, in the beginning
Man gave names to all the animals
In the beginning, long time ago.
He saw an animal as smooth as glass
Slithering his way through the grass
Saw him disappear by a tree near a lake ….
박겨애, "곡예사의 첫 사랑." Is this song really about a love affair with a clown? It seems to be. What is it with Korean culture and clowns? I haven't quite figured that out. I wonder if this song proves beyond question that the 1970s were weird in Korea, too? The performance is from 1987, but this artist's release of the song was popular in 1978. 박겨애 is not the original composer – I found a reference to 정민섭, and that he wrote this particular song in 1966, and that maybe (depending on my ability to figure out the Korean) it is in fact a reference to a Korean folk tale – which makes more sense than it being about a western-style clown. I think maybe the terms for traditional bard/jester type characters in Korean culture (i.e. 곡예사 or 어릿광대) have been somewhat conflated with the western "clown."
가사.
줄을 타며 행복했지 춤을 추면 신이 났지 손풍금을 울리면서 사랑노래 불렀었지 공굴리며 좋아했지 노래하면 즐거웠지 흰분칠에 빨간코로 사랑 얘기 들려줬지 영원히 사랑하자 맹세했었지 죽어도 변치말자 언약했었지 울어봐도 소용없고 후회해도 소용없는 어릿광대의 서글픈 사랑 줄을 타며 행복했지 춤을 추면 신이 났지 손풍금을 울리면서 사랑노래 불렀었지
영원히 사랑하자 맹세했었지 죽어도 변치말자 언약했었지 울어봐도 소용없고 후회해도 소용없는 어릿광대의 서글픈 사랑 공굴리며 좋아했지 노래하면 즐거웠지 흰분칠에 빨간코로 사랑 얘기 들려줬지
The song by Joe Hill (union organizer in the first decades of the 1900s) entitled "The Preacher and the Slave" is the origin of the phrase "pie in the sky."
Joe Hill was executed in 1915, probably framed for a murder by state authorities trying to get tamp down his troublesome politics.
What I'm listening to right now.
Utah Phillips, "The Preacher and the Slave."
Lyrics.
Long haired preachers come out ev'ry night, Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right; But when asked, how 'bout something to eat, (Let us eat) They will answer with voices so sweet; (Oh so sweet) You will eat, (You will eat) Bye and bye, (Bye and bye) in that glorious land above the sky; (way up high) work and pray, (work and pray) live on hay, (Live on hay) you'll get pie in the sky when you die. (That's a lie)
And the starvation army they play, And they sing and they clap and they pray. Till they get all your coin on the drum, Then they'll tell you when you're on the bum:
CHORUS
Holy Rollers and Jumpers come out, And they holler, they jump and they shout "Give your money to Jesus," they say, "He will cure all diseases today."
CHORUS
If you fight hard for children and wife- Try to get something good in this life- You're a sinner and bad man, they tell, When you die you will sure go to hell.
CHORUS
Workingmen of all countries unite, Side by side we for freedom will fight! When the world and its wealth we have gained, To the grafters we'll sing this refrain:
CHORUS
You will eat, bye and bye, When you've learned how to cook and to fry. Chop some wood, 'twill do you good, And you'll eat in the sweet bye and bye.
A few days ago, I mentioned the popularity of “dance covers” in Korea. Then yesterday I ran across a very interesting case of cultural diffusion: apparently dance covers of Korean pop music videos are a popular thing in Latin America, especially Mexico. The idea of South Korea exercising cultural “soft power” in Mexico intrigues me, in part due to my longstanding interest in both countries, but also because it’s just so strange, from a broader historical perspective.
Here is a group of Mexican women from the city of Monterrey, doing an almost professional-level dance cover of the Korean group Blackpink’s song “Playing With Fire.” Note that they are even lipsyncing the half Korean half English lyrics. This seems remarkable to me.
Blackpink, “Playing With Fire,” dance cover by Joking Crew.
The original…. What I’m listening to right now.
블랙핑크, “불장난.”
가사.
우리 엄만 매일 내게 말했어
언제나 남자 조심하라고
사랑은 마치 불장난 같아서 다치니까 Eh
엄마 말이 꼭 맞을지도 몰라
널 보면 내 맘이 뜨겁게 달아올라
두려움보단 널 향한 끌림이 더 크니까 Eh
멈출 수 없는 이 떨림은
On and on and on
내 전부를 너란 세상에
다 던지고 싶어
Look at me look at me now
이렇게 넌 날 애태우고 있잖아
끌 수 없어
우리 사랑은 불장난
My love is on fire
Now burn baby burn
불장난
My love is on fire
So don’t play with me boy
불장난
Oh no 난 이미 멀리 와버렸는걸
어느새 이 모든 게 장난이 아닌 걸
사랑이란 빨간 불씨
불어라 바람 더 커져가는 불길
이게 약인지 독인지 우리 엄마도 몰라
내 맘 도둑인데 왜 경찰도 몰라
불 붙은 내 심장에 더 부어라 너란 기름
kiss him will I diss him I
don’t know but I miss him
중독을 넘어선 이 사랑은 crack
내 심장의 색깔은 black
멈출 수 없는 이 떨림은
On and on and on
내 전부를 너란 불길 속으로
던지고 싶어
Look at me look at me now
이렇게 넌 날 애태우고 있잖아
끌 수 없어
우리 사랑은 불장난
My love is on fire
Now burn baby burn
불장난
My love is on fire
So don’t play with me boy
불장난
걷잡을 수가 없는 걸
너무나 빨리 퍼져 가는 이 불길
이런 날 멈추지 마
이 사랑이 오늘 밤을 태워버리게
whooo
My middle school HS1T cohort happens to be populated by only girls. Sometimes these coincidences arise – there is another middle school cohort, that I don't teach, that is all boys.
Last night they were all giggly and distracted, talking about Idols, I guess – "Idols" means kpop music stars of various types. I got grumpy and serious. I yelled loudly and made them quiet down and we worked very productively and with great focus on some TOEFL-style speaking questions. I was pleased enough that during the last 15 minutes of class, I asked them what they wanted to do. Normally they ask to play a game – card games are currently popular.
This time, however, they wanted to watch music videos. I am somewhat hesitant to turn over control of the internet to my students – it ends up being hard to find anything pedagogically redeeming. So I said if we watched videos they had to be in English. One girl said she knew just the one. I guess there is an "American Idol" style competition show where these boys are competing to become a typical kpop "boy band." They danced and lip-synced to several songs in English.
The girls didn't really listen to the music – I'm not sure they're even interested in the music. They were focused on swooning over their various favorites of the boys in the video, discussing fine points of their appearance and personalities. One girl said about her particular favorite, "I don't actually like him, but he's too handsome."
The boys are just lip-syncing – the show seems to be more a dance and beauty competition than a singing competition. That's in line with what these typical over-produced kpop groups do. They very rarely are involved in making the actual music involved – they're just a performance medium. So in the cases the girls were looking at, these are American pop songs.
In general, "dance covers" are a HUGE thing in Korean youth culture. They're all over the internet, and I have more than once come across kids literally dancing in the halls (both boys and girls), very clearly practicing moves related to one or another of these types of covers.
What I'm listening to right now.
프로듀스 101 시즌2, "Shape Of You." I think this song is originally by Ed Sheehan.
Lyrics (abbreviated as performed on Produce 101).
The club isn't the best place to find a lover So the bar is where i go Me and my friends at the table doing shots Drinking fast and then we talk slow And you come over and start up a conversation With Just me and trust me I'll give it a chance Now take my hand stop Put van the man on the jukebox And then we start to dance And now I'm singing like Girl you know I want your love Your love was handmade for somebody like me Come on now follow my lead I may be crazy Don't mind me Say boy let's not talk too much Grab on my waist and put that body on me Come on now follow my lead Come on come on now follow my lead I'm in love with your body (Shape of you) Every day discovering something brand new I'm in love with the shape of you (Shape of you) Every day discovering something brand new I'm in love with the shape of you Come on be my baby come on
프로듀스 101 시즌2, "Get Ugly." This song is originally by Jason Derulo
Lyrics (full lyrics, I think they're performing only a part of these on Produce 101)
Girl, ladies, let your hurr down Let your hurr down We's about to get down
Oh my, oh my, oh my god This girl straight and this girl not Tipsy off that peach Ciroc Like la la la Ching-a-lang-lang, ching-a-ling-a-lang-lang Jeans so tight I could see loose change Do your thang, thang, girl Do that thang like la la la
Tell them pretty faced girls tryna grabs each other And them undercover freaks who ain't nun' but trouble Baby, I'mma tell you some' only 'cause I love ya People all around the world sexy motherfuckers
Get ugly Yeah, get ugly, baby Get ugly You're too sexy to me Sexy to me You're too sexy to me Sexy to me So sexy Damn, that's ugly
Bruh, I can't, I can't even lie I'm about to be that guy Someone else gon' have to try me La la la Bang-a-rang-rang, bang-a-ring-a-rang-rang Bass in the trunk, vibrate that thang Do your thang, thang, girl Do that thang like la la la
Tell them pretty faced girls tryna grabs each other And them undercover freaks who ain't nun' but trouble Baby, I'mma tell you some' only 'cause I love ya People all around the world sexy motherfuckers
Get ugly Get ugly, baby, woo hoo And everybody say la la la Get ugly You're too sexy to me Sexy to me You're too sexy to me Sexy to me So sexy Damn, that's ugly
Ay, Ricky This beat give me that ugly face, man Everybody lose control Let's get ugly, dysfunctional Everybody lose control Let's get ugly, dysfunctional
Tell them pretty faced girls tryna grabs each other And them undercover freaks who ain't nun' but trouble Baby, I'mma tell you some' only 'cause I love ya People all around the world sexy motherfuckers
Light them up then pass that, pass that La la la Everybody lose control Let's get ugly, dysfunctional Get ugly You know what I'm talking about You're too sexy to me Sexy to me You're too sexy to me Sexy to me So sexy Damn, that's ugly
Today is our big day, the annual Karma English Academy talent show. As is typical, I feel utterly unprepared. But thus it goes – that's life in the Karmic Korean Kingdom of Chaotic Quasi-Confucian Contingency.
Meanwhile, what I'm listening to right now.
Elton John, "Rocket Man." The video is brand new, but has been declared "official." I found the video, by Iranian refugee Majid Adin, quite stunningly beautiful and sad, and it manages to take a melancholic, classic song almost half a century old, now, like John's "Rocket Man," and imbue it with intense new meaning vis-a-vis the contemporary, never-ending global refugee crisis.
Lyrics.
She packed my bags last night pre-flight Zero hour nine AM And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then I miss the earth so much I miss my wife It's lonely out in space On such a timeless flight
And I think it's gonna be a long long time 'Till touch down brings me round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh no no no I'm a rocket man Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
And I think it's gonna be a long long time 'Till touch down brings me round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh no no no I'm a rocket man Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids In fact it's cold as hell And there's no one there to raise them if you did And all this science I don't understand It's just my job five days a week A rocket man, a rocket man
And I think it's gonna be a long long time 'Till touch down brings me round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh no no no I'm a rocket man Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
And I think it's gonna be a long long time 'Till touch down brings me round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh no no no I'm a rocket man Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
And I think it's gonna be a long long time And I think it's gonna be a long long time And I think it's gonna be a long long time And I think it's gonna be a long long time And I think it's gonna be a long long time And I think it's gonna be a long long time And I think it's gonna be a long long time And I think it's gonna be a long long time
Sometimes I think about economics and philosophy, but I don't make much progress.
I have some thoughts about what you might term a "marxian analysis" of the modern post-manufacturing economy, and about what, exactly, the tech behemoths like google, facebook, etc., are doing, in the "modes of production" sense. These companies seem to traffic in the commodification not of products but rather the commodification of wants and needs for other commodities. This is a kind of "meta-commodification," where instead of exploiting consumer desires in order to generate surpluses, instead they operate entirely within the streams of surpluses, manufacturing consumer desires which they can sell to others to exploit. It's really a logical step in the succession of the economic modes of production, when viewed this way, just as credit is a logical extension of money, which is in turn a logical extension of exchange. But it seems to be something genuinely different from what came before, and certainly it is not classically marxian.
Having said all that, these thoughts seem to be merely a kind of epiphanic brainstorm, and thus I have nothing of substance to report.
So then I just have to post some song or something, instead, which likely is only related to the preceding if you're really good at apophenia.
What I'm listening to right now.
Cassadee Pope, "Wasting All These Tears."
Lyrics
I tried to find you at the bottom of a bottle Laying down on the bathroom floor My loneliness was a rattle in the windows You said you don't want me anymore
And you left me Standing on a corner crying, Feeling like a fool for trying I don't even remember Why I'm wasting all these tears on you I wish I could erase our memory Cause you didn't give a damn about me Oh, finally I'm through Wasting all these tears on you These tears on you
You ain't worth another sleepless night And I'll do everything I gotta do to get you off my mind Cause what you wanted I couldn't get What you did, boy I'll never forget
And you left me Standing on a corner crying Feeling like a fool for trying I don't even remember Why I'm wasting all these tears on you I wish I could erase our memory Cause you didn't give a damn about me Oh, finally I'm through Wasting all these tears on you These tears on you
And you left me Standing on a corner crying Feeling like a fool for trying I don't even remember Why I'm wasting all these tears on you I wish I could erase our memory Cause you didn't give a damn about me Oh finally I'm through Wasting all these tears on you Oh these tears on you
I tried to find you at the bottom of a bottle Laying down on the bathroom floor
I posted this song a few years ago, but I didn’t include the lyrics. So here it is again.
What I’m listening to right now.
The Flaming Lips, “Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell.”
Lyrics.
I was waiting on the moment
But the moment never came
All the billion other moments
Were just slipping all away
(I must have been drifting) we’re just slipping all away
(Just ego-tripping)
I was wanting you to love me
But your love it never came
All the other love around me
Was just wasting all away
(I must have been tripping) was just wasting all away
(Just ego-tripping) was just wasting all away
(Must have been tripping)
I was waiting on the moment
But the moment never came
(Must have been dreaming) but the moment never came
(Just ego-tripping) but the moment never came
(Must have been tripping) but the moment never came
(Just ego-tripping) but the moment never came
(Must have been dreaming) but the moment never came
I am enjoying my Buddhamas holiday by finding humor on the internet. It's not letting me down.
What I'm listening to right now.
Palette-Swap Ninja, "Princess Leia's Stolen Death Star Plans / With Illicit Help From Your Friends." Palette-Swap Ninja consists of Dan Amrich and Jude Kelley. This is in the finest tradition established by Weird Al Yankovich, but I believe these lyrics surpass any of his. There is zero awkwardness in the tight adaptation of the Beatles' scansion to the Star Wars plot. Brilliant.
Lyrics (my own transcription from the on screen subtitles, with one minor correction).
* Track 1 *
It was many years ago today In a galaxy so far away It's a period of civil war They don't want the Empire any more The Rebels made a daring move They've got some data in their hands Princess Leia's stolen Death Star plans…
They're Princess Leia's stolen Death Star plans She's got them and it's time to go Princess Leia's stolen Death Star plans The Empire doesn't even know Princess Leia's stolen… Princess Leia's stolen… Princess Leia's stolen Death Star plans We're running from the Empire It's us they want to kill A Star Destroyer's chasing us We've got to get away from them We've got to make it home
"This is madness!" mutters Threepio But we're caught, there's nowhere else to go If we put the plans inside Artoo Then there's nothing more that I can do He's gotta go find Obi-Wan He's carrying the contraband Princess Leia's stolen Death Star plans
* Track 2 *
Vader's here What would you think if I boarded your ship would you give those transmissions to me? How can this be a real consular ship? No ambassador that I can see Oh, you're all spies with illicit help from your friends Hey, but nice try with illicit help from your friends You're gonna die along with all of your friends
What did you do with those plans you were sent? I'm a diplomat from Alderaan You're not on a merciful mission this time But I'm hoping you'll believe I am No, 'cause you lie with illicit help from your friends You're a spy with illicit help from your friends You're gonna die along with all of your friends
Do you need something Vader? I want those plans in my glove Can you see she's a traitor? I need those plans in my glove
One pod was jettisoned during the fight I believe you'll find the plans inside We'll bring the passenges, all that we find And you know that I want them alive Oh, you're a spy with illicit help from your friends Mmm, and you lie with illicit help from your friends Oh, You're gonna die along with all of your friends
Do you need something Vader? I want those plans in my glove Can you see she's a traitor? I need those plans in my glove
Oh, you're a spy with illicit help from your friends And they lie with illicit help from your friends Mmm, gonna die along with all of your friends
Yes, they're all spies with illicit help from your friends With illicit help from your friends With illicit help from your friends
Meaningless? You mean it's all been meaningless? Every whisper and caress? Yes, yes, yes, it was totally meaningless
Meaningless Like when two fireflies fluoresce Just like everything I guess Less less yes, it was utterly meaningless
Even less a little glimpse of nothingness Sucking meaning from the rest of this mess Yes, yes, yes, it was thoroughly meaningless
And if some dim bulb should say We were in love in some way Kick all his teeth in for me and if you feel Like keeping on kicking, feel free
Meaningless Who dare say it wasn't meaningless? Shout from the rooftops and address the press Ha ha ha, it was totally meaningless
Meaningless Meaning less than a game of chess Just like your mother said and mother knows best I knew it all the time but now I confess
Yes, yes, yes, how deliciously meaningless Yes, yes, yes, effervescently meaningless Yes, yes, yes, it was beautifully meaningless Yes, yes, yes, it was profoundly meaningless
Paranmaum, "Linda Linda." This is a cover of a song originally by the Japanese band Blue Hearts. The group singing, Paranmaum, is a kind of "in character" band created specifically for a Japanese movie, Linda Linda Linda (note that the title of the song and movie are, uh, different). Nevertheless, the band members aren't lip-syncing – they're really performing and their music had some success outside of the movie context. Also worth noting, the lead singer of the band is Korean. The role was an early one played by the prodigious and talented actress 배두나 [Bae Doona]. I guess "in character," Bae here is playing a Korean exchange student at a Japanese high school, where she forms a band. Hence the band's name is Korean, too (Paranmaum [파란마음] = "Blue Heart").
가사 (Lyrics – Japanese with transcription and translation in Korean).
ドブネズミみたいに美しくなりたい 도부네즈미미타이니 우츠시쿠나리타이 생쥐처럼 멋져지고 싶어-
寫眞には寫らない美しさがあるから 샤신니와우츠라나이 우츠쿠시사가아루카라 사진에는 없는 멋이 있으니까-
リンダリンダ リンダリンダリンダ 린다린다- 린다린다린다-
リンダリンダ リンダリンダリンダ 린다린다- 린다린다린다-
もしも僕がいつか君と出會い話し合うなら 모시모보쿠가이츠카 키미토데아이하나시아우나라 만약 내가 언젠가 너와 만나서 이야기하게 되면-
そんな時はどうか愛の意味を知って下さい 손나도키와 도우카아이노이미오 싯테쿠다사이 그럴 때는 부디 사랑의 의미를 알아줬으면 해-
I have a certain student, whom I've written about many times before. She's been at Karma for a long time – I think at least 3 years now. She goes by Sophia. She is a very voluble girl, and talks with me, in English, almost continuously whenever she's around me. Also, she's the only student I've ever had who ever had any kind of interaction with any members of my family – she bonded to my niece Sarah when my sister Brenda and her kids visited a few years back (I have no idea if that bonding was mutual, but anyway, she still mentions that visit). For these reasons, I've perhaps come to think of her like she was a bit of a surrogate child in a way I don't typically feel for students.
Anyway, I have been feeling singularly depressed about Sophia, lately. She's in the sixth grade, now, and if she's always been a bit emotionally immature and academically unmotivated, recently she's become gloomily but quite declaratively unambitious, too. With alarming regularity, these days, she says things like, "I don't want to learn anything," and "I'm going to get married and only be a mom."
I don't really want to begrudge anyone their passion or heart's desire – and there's a place in the world for "just gettting married and being a mom" – it's not like that isn't a really important role for society.
The problem is that Sophia is possibly one of the smartest students I have ever taught. I would expect that if she took an IQ test, she'd be a genius. At the least, she's without a doubt some kind of savant in the realm of language: without ever having lived or studied abroad, her spoken English is better than most other students'. She's been entirely autodidact in this – she actively resists formal instruction of any kind, and always has. But she soaks up vocabulary and grammar effortlessly. I think she mostly learned English by watching TV shows and movies in English.
She will correctly use a new word that I have used in class in front of her, after hearing it just one time. She has a stunning memory. She can memorize the words (English-Korean translation lists of 20 words) for her in-class vocabulary quizzes in the 3-4 minutes right before the quiz. She can memorize songs in Korean and English flawlessly, and has a huge repertoire of song lyrics floating around her head. She even memorized a fairly passable rendition of a stanza of a song in Spanish, which she sang for me one time simply to impress me. She said she had no idea what it meant – she found it on youtube.
I would be so happy to see her show some intellectual ambition about life. I have tried to encourage various pursuits that match her expressed interests, including suggesting things like acting, linguistics and recently, songwriting or just writing. But my seeing her only 1-2 hours a week really isn't going to give me much influence over the choices she makes.
I suspect these loud declarations of anti-intellectualism are rooted in some kind of rebellion against parental pressure – I sense her mom pushes hard. There's nothing I can do about that. But I feel sad. Hopefully she'll find a different way to rebel against mom that is less self-defeating for the long term.
What I'm listening to right now.
U2, "Numb."
Lyrics.
Don't move Don't talk out of time Don't think Don't worry Everything's just fine Just fine
Don't grab Don't clutch Don't hope for too much Don't breathe Don't achieve Or grieve without leave
Don't check Just balance on the fence Don't answer Don't ask Don't try and make sense
Don't whisper Don't talk Don't run if you can walk Don't cheat, compete Don't miss the one beat
Don't travel by train Don't eat Don't spill Don't piss in the drain Don't make a will
Don't fill out any forms Don't compensate Don't cower Don't crawl Don't come around late Don't hover at the gate
Don't take it on board Don't fall on your sword Just play another chord If you feel you're getting bored
I feel numb I feel numb Too much is not enough I feel numb
Don't change your brand Don't listen to the band Don't gape Don't ape Don't change your shape Have another grape
Memories consume like opening the wounds I'm picking me apart again You all assume I'm safe here in my room Unless I try to start again I don't want to be the one the battles always choose 'cause inside I realize that I'm the one confused
I don't know what's worth fighting for Or why I have to scream I don't know why I instigate And say what I don't mean I don't know how I got this way I know it's not alright So I'm breaking the habit I'm breaking the habit tonight
Clutching my cure I tightly lock the door I try to catch my breath again I hurt much more than any time before I have no options left again I don't want to be the one the battles always choose 'cause inside I realize that I'm the one confused
I don't know what's worth fighting for Or why I have to scream I don't know why I instigate And say what I don't mean I don't know how I got this way I'll never be alright So I'm breaking the habit I'm breaking the habit tonight
I'll paint it on the walls 'cause I'm the one at fault I'll never fight again And this is how it ends
I don't know what's worth fighting for Or why I have to scream But now I have some clarity to show you what I mean I don't know how I got this way I'll never be alright So I'm breaking the habit I'm breaking the habit I'm breaking the habit tonight
Дайн ба энх, "76." Although my Mongolian-language googling skills are quite poor, I even managed to find the lyrics.
Lyrics.
Зөөлөн суудлаасаа тэд *** өндийлгүй өдөржин хэлэлцэж Зөв буруу хууль дүрэм баахан юм баталцгааж Цөөхөн хэдэн ард бидэндээ зурагтаар л бараагаа харуулж Хийж бүтээх нь багадсан Хэлэх амлалт нь ихэдсэн 76-д зориуллаа Тэд өөрсдөө Монгол хүн чи хүн би хүн бид адил хүмүүс Эртнээс эхэлсэн энэ цус Монгол цус Халуун биеэр минь халх цус Эрэлхэг хүчирхэг Монгол түмний дуу хоолойг ойлгож сонс одоо цагт Төрийн суудалд үхэн хатан мөнгө цацан хаян тэмцэхийг бодоход Түүнээс илүү ашиг хонжоог хайж байна гэсэн үг биш үү Үүнээс цаашгүй түүнээс цаашгүй Хэрэлдэж уралдсан 76 Үнэндээ чанартай маньдаа хамаагүй хий дэмий амны зугаа Ууж идэж хахаж цацаж бүгдийг авлаа болоо юм биш үү Улсаа хөгжүүлэхийн төлөө та нар одоо юм хийх болсон юм биш үү Хүний төлөө энэ нийгмийн бохирдлыг устгая Улс орны сайхны төлөө санаа тавь тавь тавь Тавьсан санаа хаана л байна л гэж л хэлмээр байна л Ард л олон л тэр л амла мөр л хөтөлбөр л гэдэг үлгэр домог болдог Тэр л том том дарга руу байгаа чиглүүлэв үгээр чичрүүлэв би
Дахилт:
тэнгэрт найдахаас Монголчууд аа Тэдэнд найдаж болохгүй шүү молигодуулваа Чааваас даа миний цөөхөн халх ардаа Хаанаас даа ийм зүйл байж боломгүй юм даа Тэд бол их л хуурдаг ардад бурдаг худлаа бурдаг Нөхөд л гардаг хуралдаж хуралдаж хувьдаа ашигласан Зүйлээ хуваалцаж байж л тардаг явдаг даа Санаа нь амарч харьдаг даа 76 нь ийм юм бол Монгол улс мөхжээ Монголд төрсөн хүн л мөн болдоо Мангар тэнэг биш л байх боддоо өө Улс орноо гэдэг бодол байдаг юмуу даа Амьдрал ер нь тамуу даа сүйрэлд хүрэх замууд Энэ л олон намууд аа тэд нийлээд чадах уу даа Ээ хар малнуудаа рад түмэнлүүгээ эргэн нэг хараач Тэр олон гахайд найдаад хэрэг байхгүй за байз яая даа Хараал идэг чөтгөр аваг Энэ муу новшийн нийгмийг хар хар Хар дарсан зүүднээсээ тэр сэр сэр сэр Ертөнц хорвоод баян ядуу баян ядуу Мөнгөтэй төгрөгтэй мөнгөгүй төгрөггүй Мэдэлтэй мэдэлгүй нь хосолсоор хосолсоор Хэн нь сайтар хэн нь муутар амьдрах хүн бүрээс хамаарах болж Энэ л үед ийм үед мөрөн дээрхээ тэр толгойгоо Энэ нийгмийн толгойлогчдод буруу бий буруу бий Хямралд оруулж байгаа хүмүүс эд нар мөн эд нар мөн
Дахилт:
Чи бол Монгол би бол Монгол хүн Бидэнд бие биенээ харйлах сэтгэл зүрх байх л ёстой гэж л бодно Миний бодсон нэг л худлаа бас л худлаа болоод байх шиг байдаг Ер нь яадаг тэнэг нөхөд гэхээр улс төр л мөр л гэж явдаг байна л Ард л олон яана л шал худлаа Тэр л сайхан нам л байна Амьдрал гэдэг там л байна Тэр л 76- гаа л сандал суудал зулгаа л Энэ л төрийн нүүр л царай л гэвэл энэ ээ Нэг хоёр гурван жил 76 нам жим Ингэсээр сүүлийн дөрвөн жил гэнэт гарч ирэн намайг дэмж Энэ миний мөрийн хөтөлбөр энэ чиний сургалтын төлбөр Энэ бүгдийг чиний төлө харин чи тууштай миний төлөө Гэж хэлээд суудалд суухдаа тэр маш их мөнгө зарсан Тэр гарсан зарсан мөнгөө хэд хэд нугалж олсон Ард бид чинь та нарт итгэн суудалд суулган залсан Ахисан даварсан тэд нар харин гарсан хойноо мартсан
I found this song online. I find its simplicity and humor appealing, but my students were unimpressed when I showed it to them. Finding things that appeal to kids among the detritus of pop culture is very much a hit-or-miss proposition.
What I'm listening to right now.
LilDeuceDeuce, "Beep Beep I'm A Sheep."
Lyrics.
Beep beep, I'm a sheep. I said … Beep beep, I'm a sheep.
Yeah. Now some of you might be wondering How exactly does one beep beep like a sheep? Take it away, Gabe.
Step One. Throw your hands up, Then point them to the floor.
Step Two. Here's what to do, Now get down on the floor
Step Three. Just bounce around, It's easy, follow me.
Step Four. Go crazy now, and Beep beep like a sheep.
Beep beep, I'm a sheep. I said … Beep beep, I'm a sheep.
You've got to, you've got to… Beep beep like a sheep.
Beep beep, I'm a sheep. I said … Beep beep, I'm a sheep.
Yeah. So. You know how to Beep beep like a sheep, I see. But, is that all you can do?
Step One. Throw your hands up, Then point them to the sky.
Step Two. Drop to the floor, And move from side to side.
Step Three. Just bounce around, C'mon I'll show you how.
Step Four. Go crazy now, and Meow meow like a cow.
Meow meow, I'm a cow. I said … Meow meow, I'm a cow.
Beep beep, I'm a sheep. I said … Beep beep, I'm a sheep.
You've got to, you've got to… Beep beep like a sheep.
Beep beep, I'm a sheep. I said … Beep beep, I'm a sheep.
"Fascism is what capitalism does when it’s under threat." – Sam Kriss (Idiot Joy Showland blog).
What I'm listening to right now.
Heartless Bastards, "Only For You."
Lyrics.
Been a while since I felt this way about Someone that really really like to know you More I know you, more All your eyes sing the song to me And I really really like to move to it Oh oh ? oh
And ? me oh Open my ? And now we I only for you
All your eyes spending on my head And all, all this ? of sorrow uh yeah for ? Yeah all your eyes spending on my head And I ? spend of sorrow uh yeah for.
And now I'm ? open my heart And I only oh only for you And now I'm just gone don't know what to do My head is such a cloud if you And I'm just gone now what to do My head is such a cloud if you so ? I'm tryin uh uh uh And now I'm just gone don't know what to do My head is such a cloud if you
All your eyes spending on my head And all, all this ? of sorrow uh yeah for ? Yeah all your eyes spending on my head And I ? spend of sorrow uh yeah for.
And now I'm ? open my heart And I only oh only for you
This song is old, but that Talking Heads Remain In Light album is easily one of my personal favorites of all time. I have never tired of the Talking Heads, since I first discovered them when I was in high school.
What I'm listening to right now.
Talking Heads, "Crosseyed And Painless." I believe this song seems like a kind of prophesy – perhaps an anthem for our new "post-fact" era.
Lyrics.
Lost my shape Trying to act casual! Can't stop I might end up in the hospital I'm changing my shape I feel like an accident They're back! To explain their experience Isn't it weir Looks too obscure to me Wasting away And that was their policy I'm ready to leave I push the fact in front of me Facts lost Facts are never what they seem to be Nothing there! No information left of any kind Lifting my head Looking for danger signs There was a line There was a formula Sharp as a knife Facts cut a hole in us There was a line There was a formula Sharp as a knife Facts cut a hole in us I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… The feeling returns Whenever we close out eyes Lifting my head Looking around inside The island of doubt It's like the taste of medicine Working by hindsight Got the message from the oxygen Making a list Find the cost of opportunity Doing it right Facts are useful in emergencies The feeling returns Whenever we close out eyes Lifting my head Looking around inside. Facts are simple and facts are straight Facts are lazy and facts are late Facts all come with points of view Facts don't do what I want them to Facts just twist the truth around Facts are living turned inside out Facts are getting the best of them Facts are nothing on the face of things Facts don't stain the furniture Facts go out and slam the door Facts are written all over your face Facts continue to change their shape I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting… I'm still waiting…
I posted this song quite some time ago (more than 5 years). I’m posting again because the video link at the old posting “rotted” (the so-called “link-rot” problem that long-lived blogs have), and anyway I never posted the lyrics in that old posting. It’s one of my favorites by Dylan.
Bob Dylan (with Johnny Cash), “Girl From The North Country.”
[UPDATE 2020-03-24: link rot repair (again!)]
Lyrics.
If you’re travelin’ in the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
If you go when the snowflakes storm
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
Please see if she’s wearing a coat so warm
To keep her from the howlin’ winds
Please see for me if her hair hangs long
If it rolls and flows all down her breast
Please see for me if her hair hangs long
For that’s the way I remember her best
I’m a-wonderin’ if she remembers me at all
Many times I’ve often prayed
In the darkness of my night
In the brightness of my day
A candy-colored clown they call the sandman Tiptoes to my room every night Just to sprinkle star dust and to whisper "Go to sleep, everything is alright"
I close my eyes then I drift away Into the magic night, I softly say A silent prayer like dreamers do Then I fall asleep to dream my dreams of you
In dreams I walk with you In dreams I talk to you In dreams you're mine all the time We're together in dreams, in dreams
But just before the dawn I awake and find you gone I can't help it, I can't help it if I cry I remember that you said goodbye
Run The Jewels, "Report to Shareholders." The lyrics to this song are quite dark – but we are living in dark times, perhaps?
Lyrics [NSFW].
[Verse 1: El-P] Beware of horses I mean a horse is a horse of course, but who rides is important Sitting high with a uniform, barking orders, demanding order And I'm scared that I talk too much about what I think's going on I got a way with this, they might drag me away for this Put me in a cage for this, I might pay for this I just say what I want like I'm made for this But I'm just afraid some days I might be wrong Maybe that's why me and Mike get along Hey, not from the same part of town, but we both hear the same sound coming Woo! And it sounds like war Woo! And it breaks our hearts When I started this band, didn't have no plans, didn't see no arc Just run with the craft, have a couple laughs Make a buck and dash, yeah Get a little dap like "Yeah I'm the fucking man!", yeah Maybe give a little back like, "Here, I do what I can" It's all jokes and smoke 'till the truth start schemin' Can't contain the disdain for y'all demons You talk clean and bomb hospitals So I speak with the foulest mouth possible And I drink like a Vulcan losing all faith in the logical I will not be confused for docile I'm free, motherfuckers, I'm hostile
[Verse 2: Killer Mike] Choose the lesser of the evil people, and the devil still gon' win It could all be over tomorrow, kill our masters and start again But we know we all afraid, so we just simply cry and march again At the Dem Conven my heart broke apart when I seen them march mommas in As I rap this verse right now, got tears flowing down my chocolate chin Told the truth and I've been punished for it, must be a masochist 'cause I done it again "Ooh, Mike said 'uterus'" They acting like Mike said, "You a bitch" To every writer who wrote it, misquoted it Mike says, "You a bitch, you a bitch, you a bitch" Add a "nigga" for the black writer that started that sewer shit I maneuver through manure like a slumdog millionaire El-P told me, "Fuck them devils, Mike, we gon' be millionaires" I respond with a heavy "Yeah" Big bruh says "Fuck that, toughen up Stay ready, write raw raps, shit rugged rough" The devil don't sleep, us either El spits fire, I spit ether We the gladiators that oppose all Caesars Coming soon on a new world tour Probably play the score for the World War At the apocalypse, play the encore Turn around, see El, and I smile Hell coming, and we got about a mile Until it's over I remain hostile
Part II: "Kill Your Masters"
[Verse 1: Killer Mike] Mere mortals, the Gods coming so miss me with the whoopty-whoop You take the devil for God, look how he doin' you I'm Jack Johnson, I beat a slave catcher snaggletooth I'm Tiger Flowers with a higher power, hallelu' Life'll get so bad it feel like God mad at you But that's a feeling, baby, ever lose I refuse I disabuse these foolish fools of they foolish views I heard the revolution coming, you should spread the news Garvey mind, Tyson punch, this is bad news So feel me, follow me Devil done got on top of me Bad times got a monopoly Give up, I did the opposite Pitch perfect, I did it properly Owner killed by his property
[Verse 2: El-P] This life'll stress you like Orson Welles on the radio War after war of the world'll make all your saneness go And these invaders from Earth're twerkin' on graves you know Can't wait to load up the silos and make your babies glow It's so abusive you'll beg somebody to roofie you They'll snatch your hope up and use it like it's a hula-hoop And it's a loop, they talk to you just like their rulers do These fuckin' fools have forgotten just who been foolin' who
[Hook: Killer Mike] Kill your, kill- kill your kill your, kill- Kill your, kill- kill- kill your, kill- Kill your masters Kill your, kill- kill your kill your, kill- Kill your, kill- kill- kill your, kill- Kill your masters (kill your masters!) Kill your, kill- kill your kill your, kill- Kill your, kill- kill- kill your, kill- Kill your masters Kill your, kill- kill your kill your, kill- Kill your, kill- kill- kill your, kill- Kill your masters (kill your masters!)
[Verse 3: Zack de la Rocha] Killer children of men on the throne, roving with no atonement Got me feeling like I'm Clive Owen rowing through a future frozen The flow's a burning wind, blowing to your coast Now in cages 'cause we rode the waves of your explosions Done appealing to our killers, man, to stop the bleedin' This song's a dirty bomb for they dirty dealings Boots on the roof, I'm Charley Mingus dumping through the ceiling Master P-in' on these lost Europeans thievin' Shit be grim, and De La born a reaper Born in the beast and fixin' feast tearin' its features The world surges, the nation's nervous The crowds awaken, they can't disperse us We ain't at your service Won't stay sedated Won't state our numbers for names and Remaining faceless We dignified, they can't erase us We ain't asleep, we rope-a-dope through the flames Man, the world gonna ride on what's implied in the name Run 'em
[Hook] Kill your, kill- kill your kill your, kill- Kill your, kill- kill- kill your, kill- Kill your masters Kill your, kill- kill your kill your, kill- Kill your, kill- kill- kill your, kill- Kill your masters (kill your masters!) Kill your, kill- kill your kill your, kill- Kill your, kill- kill- kill your, kill- Kill your masters Kill your, kill- kill your kill your, kill- Kill your, kill- kill- kill your, kill- Kill your masters (kill your masters!)
Run The Jewels, "Nobody Speak." Anyway I found the video entertaining.
Lyrics (NSFW).
[El-P] Picture this I'm a bag of dicks Put me to your lips I am sick I will punch a baby bear in his shit Give me lip I'ma send you to the yard, get a stick Make a switch I can end a conversation real quick
[Killer Mike] I am crack I ain't lyin', kick a lion in his crack I'm the shit, I will fall off in your crib, take a shit Pinch your momma on the booty Kick your dog, fuck your bitch Fat boy dressed up like he's Santa And took pictures with your kids
[El-P] We the best We will cut a frowny face in your chest, little wench I'm unmentionably fresh, I'm a mensch, get correct I will walk into a court while erect, screaming "Yes! I am guilty motherfuckers, I am death"
Hey, you wanna hear a good joke?
[Refrain] Nobody speak, nobody get choked
[El-P] Get running Start pumping your bunions, I'm coming I'm the dumbest, who flamethrow your function to Funyuns Flame your crew quicker than Trump fucks his youngest Now face the flame, fuckers, your fame and fate's done with
[Killer Mike] I rob Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Linus and Lucy Put coke in the doobie, roll woolies to smoke with Snoopy I still remain that dick grabbin' slacker that spit a loogie Cause the toter of the toolie'll murder you friggin' Moolies Fuck outta here, yeah
[Refrain] Nobody speak, nobody get choked, hey Nobody speak, nobody get choked, hey, hey Nobody speak Nobody speak
[El-P] Only facts I will shoot a Baby duck if it quacks, with a Luger Top billin', come cops some villainous shots is blocked, shipped out, and bought, and y'all feeling it El-P killin' it, Killer Mike killin' shit
[Killer Mike] What more can I say? We top billin' it Valiant without villainy Viciously foul victory Burn towns and villages Burning looting and pillaging
[El-P] Murderers try to hurt us we curse them and all their children I just want the bread and bologna bundles to tuck away I don't work for free, I am barely giving a fuck away
[Killer Mike] So tell beggin' Johnny and Mommy to get the fuck away Heyyo here's a gun, son, now run, get it the gutterway Live to shoot another day
[Refrain] Nobody speak, nobody get choked, hey Nobody speak, nobody get choked, hey Nobody speak Nobody speak Nobody speak, nobody get choked
Haces muy mal en elevar mi tensión En aplastar mi ambición tú sigue así ya veras Miro el reloj es mucho mas tarde que ayer Te esperaría otra vez y no lo haré, no lo haré
¿Dónde esta nuestro error sin solución? ¿fuiste tú el culpable o lo fui yo? Ni tú ni nadie nadie puede cambiarme Mil campanas suenan en mi corazón que difícil es pedir perdón Ni tú nadie nadie puede cambiarme
Vete de aquí no me supiste entender Yo solo pienso en tu bien No es necesario mentir Que fácil es atormentarse después Pero sobreviviré, sé que podré, sobreviviré
¿Dónde esta nuestro error sin solución? ¿fuiste tú el culpable o lo fui yo? Ni tú ni nadie nadie puede cambiarme Mil campanas suenan en mi corazón que difícil es pedir perdón Ni tú nadie nadie puede cambiarme
¿Dónde esta nuestro error sin solución? ¿fuiste tú el culpable o lo fui yo? Ni tú ni nadie nadie puede cambiarme Mil campanas suenan en mi corazón que difícil es pedir perdón Ni tú nadie nadie puede cambiarme no no ya no Ni tú ni nadie nadie puede cambiarme no
Today is Lunar New Year (설날). Are you ready for chickens?
I'm doing laundry.
새해 복많이 받으세요.
What I'm listening to right now.
Spoon, "Hot Thoughts."
Lyrics.
Hot thoughts melting my mind Could be your accent mixing with mine You got me uptight, twisting inside Hot thoughts all in my mind and all of the time, babe
Hot thoughts all in my mind and all of the time, yeah Hot thoughts all in, all in my mind and all of the time
Your teeth shining so white Light up this sad street in Shibuya tonight Hot thoughts melting my cool Is it your motion, signal and cue? Hot thoughts all in my mind and all of the time You must be trouble for sure
Hot thoughts all in my mind and all of the time, yeah I'll tell it to your soul, I want you to know Hot thoughts all in, all in my mind all of the time
Took time off from my kingdom Took a break from the war Took time off from my kingdom Raise up my creatures Diamonds from space Pure facets and features
That drag drug from your lips Making you think how good it was to let baby kiss on the lows Hot thoughts melting your cool could be the (It's all on my mind and all of the time) Motion, the signal and cue You've got
Hot thoughts all in your mind all of the time I'll hold it to my rhyme Make if you mind, yeah You know, I think I, I think all your love is a lie
The forecast says snow. So far, it's not, though. Heavily overcast, 0° C. That's definitely snowtential.
What I'm listening to right now.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, "How Long Do I Have To Wait."
Lyrics.
How long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before a girl like me can move on Ooh baby, tell me How long do I have to wait for you honey? Before I can say that you're gone
Every hour seems like a day And every day is like a year And every week is an eternity Well, I get lonely, baby, when you're not here
Ooh baby, tell me How long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before a girl like me can move on Ooh baby, tell me How long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before I can say that you're gone
Won't you let me know, yeah I'm in an awful state, baby You said you loved me so But I just don't know how long I can wait How long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before I can say that you're gone
I asked your mama, I asked your papa Your friends, your preacher and your boss No one knows where you're going to, baby Or if you're coming back to me
Or we're together or are we lost
Ooh baby, tell me How long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before a girl like me can move on Ooh baby, tell me How long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before I can say that you're gone
Won't you let me know, yeah I'm in an awful state, baby You said you loved me so But I just don't know how long I can wait
Oh, oh baby, tell me How long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before a girl like me can move on Baby, how long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before I can say that you're gone, ah
How long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before a girl like me can move on Baby, how long do I have to wait for you, honey? Before I can say that you're gone, yeah How long, baby tell me, how long
I have long felt that the most dynamic, creative, and relevant poetry being written in English in this contemporary era is in the hiphop and rap music genres. And certainly, if a lyricist like Bob Dylan can win the Nobel Literature Prize, then we should see no impediment to recognizing that this work is poetry. Although these songs are deeply profane, often violent, and sometimes disturbing, some of them are also great poetry.
What I'm listening to right now (with the additional caveat: NSFW).
Run The Jewels, "Talk To Me."
Lyrics (NSFW).
We return from the depths of the badland With a gun and a knife in our waistband Went to war with the Devil and Shaytan He wore a bad toupee and a spray tan So high now, hoping that I land On a Thai stick, moving through Thailand On the radio, heard a plane hijack Government be in debt while they cook crack I move in a world of conspiracies Obey no rules, I'm doing me Smoke kush, transport to the airport Customs found a joint in my passport Pull cash and I gave him what he asked for Goddammit, it's a motherfucking miracle Small bribe, made it back into America Hit Uber and maneuvered out the area Rhyme animal, pitbull terrier Rap terrorist, terrorize, tear it up Brought gas and the matches to flare it up Militant Michael might go psycho On any ally or rival Born Black, that's dead on arrival My job is to fight for survival In spite of these AllLivesMatter-ass white folk
This is spiritual warfare that you have been dealing with. This is not a fight that you have been dealing with flesh and blood But this is a fight against principalities and evil doers and unclean spirits (RTJ3 motherfuckers)
Brave men didn't die face down in the Vietnam muck so I could not style on you I didn't walk uphill both ways to the booth and back to not wild on you You think baby Jesus killed Hitler just so I'd whisper? When you're safe and sound and these crooks tap your phone and now have a file on you? What, me worry? Nah, buddy, I've lost before, so what? You don't get it, I'm dirt, motherfucker, I can't be crushed Fuckers, open the books up and stop bullshitting the kid My dick got a Michelin star, I'm on par with the best ever took the gig I'm a super cat, from don dada to dusk, don't bother to touch I got firm clutch on the grip and the bucks I might ghost ride a tank, take a ride to the bank I'm the son of Rick Rubin rushing full-thrust Don't flash weak shit to the Shark Tank judge Talk real good 'cause I'm smart and stuff We a good crew to fuck with, better to love
I told y'all suckers, I told y'all suckers. I told y'all on RTJ1, then I told ya again on RTJ2, and you still ain't believe me. So here we go, RTJ3
I was assigning some homework to my student, Michelle, who is starting 7th grade. With typical early teenage hyperbole and a kind of breathless enthusiasm, she snapped, “I hate you.” But then, in the same breath, she added, in Korean, “근데 잘하시네.” [keunde, jalhasine]. This means, more or less, “But you’re doing well,” or “But you’re doing a good job.” And she smiled to herself, as she wrote down the assignment.
In fact, this shows an interesting contrast in the student’s mind. On the one hand, she hates me for giving homework. On the other hand, she seems to be acknowledging that that’s my job – to give homework. I actually felt like a very successful teacher in that moment, and I took the whole paired phrase, English plus Korean, as a kind of complement to and summary of my efforts.
Michelle is one of several students who are always trying to get me to play music videos in class. They point out to me various English language pop music videos, which I keep bookmarked for “reward times” (e.g. see below).
Today is one of those frigid days when I’m reminded of Minnesota. It was only -10 C (14 F), this morning as I walked to work, which is pretty mild by Minnesota standards, but with a brisk breeze, it starts to induce that crisp, snot-freezing vigor.
What I’m listening to right now.
Katy Perry, “Roar.” I like the song and its empowering message, though it’s a bit simplistic. The video is silly garbage, however.
Lyrics.
I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sit quietly, agree politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice
I let you push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything
[Pre-Chorus:]
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now
[Chorus:]
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar
Now I’m floating like a butterfly
Stinging like a bee I earned my stripes
I went from zero, to my own hero
[Pre-Chorus:]
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now
[Chorus:]
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
(You’re gonna hear me roar)
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
(You’ll hear me roar)
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar…
Ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
(You’re gonna hear me roar)
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
(You’ll hear me roar)
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar…
