November 27, 2015

I read those lyrics

When I was researching this song, I read lyrics from a bunch of his songs
Good stuff, all of it
Timeless

November 27, 2015

“Free & Equal Blues” by Josh White-Relevant in 1941 and Relevant Now

“I went down to that St. James Infirmary
I saw some plasma there
I up'd and asked that doctor man
Now was the donor dark or fair

The doctor laughed a great big laugh
And he puffed it right in my face
He says, "A molecule is a molecule son,
And the damn thing has no race.
…”

The more things change, the more things remain the same. Although this song was written by Josh White, in 1941, appearing on the album “Southern Exposure”, it continues to be relevant, poignant, and powerful to this day. Or, as the famous American philosopher, Muddy Waters said, “It’s talkin’ ‘bout the same thing”.

I heard this song on Sirius’ Bluesville, on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, the day after the video was released of the murder of Laquan McDonald, by a Chicago police officer, and within days of Black Lives Matter protestors targeted and shot by white supremacists in Minneapolis.

This is just another episode in the rapidly growing, very real socio/political juggernaut of racist based hatred, white supremacist violence, and fundamentalist, religious extremist terrorism against ethnic non-Caucasians, women and non-Christian extremists in America today. As each day goes by, this movement and its values are fed by politicians, (Donald Trump, et. al), a media machine (Fox and conservative talk radio) and fundamentalist religious extremist “pastors”. After eight years of an intensive campaign promoting race based hatred against Obama and an entire demographic population, this religious, white supremacist hatred has been legitimized and mainstreamed. Combined with “Open Carry of Weapons” laws, a perverted sense of genetic and religious entitlement, and Dyylan Roof’s racist call to action terrorist mass murder of nine Afro American people in a Charleston church, white supremacists are now engaged in open assaults, physical and psychological, on their perceived enemies, on a daily basis in America. And, they are added and abetted by similar minded politicians who have enacted voter suppression and race and demographic targeted repressive laws.

Thus, in this context and environment, this song becomes that much more relevant, meaningful, current, and powerful

I probably have not listened to this song for 45 years. Knowing that it was fairly old, and moved by how powerful, timely and well-crafted it was, I Googled it as soon as I stopped driving, in the parking lot of Ralph’s Market, in Malibu. Some juxtaposition there, huh. As great as the song is, the story of Josh White is equally impressive, and moving.

One of the things about the blues is how well crafted, in the hands of a great blues writer, with a sparseness of words, a complex story and imagery can be told and conveyed. Such is the effect of this song.

The blues was borne out of the poverty and extreme harsh socio and economic conditions faced by Black people in the South. Hence it is naturally conducive to have developed an underlying sense of social consciousness as part of its very foundation. The music of the blues was the media of their culture, and as such, the music was an expression of their lives and existence. The blues is no stranger to writing/singing about the misery wrought by the aftermath of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and racism. Probably, for good reason, the most notable song is Billie Holiday’s morally haunting “Strange Fruit”. As it turns out, Josh White wrote and sang about these issues quite eloquently, yet in an almost simplistic manner. Some, in the past have called this “Protest Music”, but in the ‘60’s, music, no matter of what genre, which addressed socio/economic/political issues, was appropriately categorized as “socially conscious” in its being and nature, its “Gestalt” so as to speak.

In my Google search, I found an incredible article by Elijah Wald, entitled “Josh White and the Protest Blues”, (published in Living Blues magazine), detailing the life and career of Josh White. http://www.elijahwald.com/joshprotest.html

I highly recommend that you read this. I sat there, in the parking lot of the Malibu “Ralph’s Market”, the day before Thanksgiving, mesmerized reading this, all the while the rich and famous were coming and going at the market. Seriously. Ain’t your common folk ‘hood, there.

In “An introduction to Josh White”, Elijah Wald writes :

November 5, 2015

GOP Debate was “Who Is the Biggest Wuss”

Well, it seems that each of the GOP (Grifters on Parade) Debate has a specific theme.

The first debate, on Fecal News, was basically the Fecal News whoremongers “Whore Showcase”. All the Presidential candidates lined up like a hooker line up at the Mustang Ranch, where all the potential buyers were able to inspect the goods to see which whore could provide them with the “special” services they desired. There was a full range spread out there on stage, from the high priced crème de la crème, Pretty Boy Marco Rubio, the most desired, willing to please any and all requests, down to the bargain basement fluffers in the opening low budget debate. And they made it real clear, you give us the money, and we will be your own personal servant. And let me tell you, the Fecal News Whoremongers were oh so proud of their stable.

Debate number two was essentially “The Who Has the Biggest Dick” contest. Each of the contestants did their best to prove that they could kill the most people, wage the most wars, exploit graphically the misery of miscarriages, and tell the biggest lies. I was waiting for one of them to whip out a jar of blood and drink it onstage, kind of an Ozzie Osborne moment.

Debate number three, well, for this one, they brought out the Republican “Scare America” donkey show. These intellectual geniuses got so wrapped up into demonizing the moderators that they actually bought into their own bullshit and managed to intimidate themselves. They seemingly had an ongoing contest on stage to prove who was the biggest wuss. The only way to tell, was to inspect their underwear to see who wet themselves the most. The maintenance crew should have put up those yellow “Caution Wet Floor” warning stands in front of each “contestant”.

Now, let’s take a look at this fabulous stable of whores.
At the top of the charts, we have Donald “I’m Yuge” Trump. He’s got so much money, you can’t quite buy him, or maybe you can. Cream, in their song “Politician”, has him covered :
“Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
I just want to show you what my politics are.
I'm a political man and I practice what I preach.
I'm a political man and I practice what I preach.
So don't deny me baby, not while you're in my reach.”

Comin’ on strong, is the one and only, The Evil Yoda, Ben Carson, the snake oil salesman, spiritual guru of the borg, pathological liar, grifter/con artist par excellence, vacuous all knowing of nothing sage, Afro Republican, holocaust and slavery exploiter for profit piece of shit. This is a man of true consistency, as anything and everything of which he speaks is a lie. Just give him your money, gaze into the vacuous, vapid, black hole bottomless pits of his eyes and he will provide you with a fraudulent sense of moral superiority and convince you that your ignorance is your salvation.

Leading the “Establishment” traditional whores, we offer you Marco “Pretty Boy” Rubio. Received a 100% Score on the Political Whore scale. He will do and say anything your imagination desires for a price. Nothing is out of the question for some money. Anyway you want it. Anytime you want it. Plus he is pretty too, not some used up, high mileage, worn out political skank. Fresh, if you know what I mean. No conscience to complicate things. You know, this is a real Friends With Benefits candidate here folks. You gonna get a real good time with this one. Gonna get your money’s worth here. Guaranteed.

Next up, is the pathetic “Vulture Neck” Jeb? Bush, lucky sperm, that can’t swim upstream. This sperm will never find the egg. Got his brother’s Metamucil touch, everything he touches turns to shit. Thought that he was guaranteed this one, as he started the voter registration genocide program in 2000. And demolished any semblance of voting based democracy in America. Karma is a bitch asshole.

Kasich (whatever the fuck your first name is): Get off the fucking stage and stay off until you clean up Ohio’s criminal voter repression acts and internet voting tabulation manipulation. Put election corruption criminals in jail instead of killing young black males.

Gnarly Carly Fecalrina – Another pathological liar. A prime example of failure upwards. You know that anything she says, she pulled out of her ass. She is the poster person of corporate ascendancy. Advance at the expense of others, no matter how much you lie about them, frame them, use them, fuck people over, just do it. Aside here- years ago, hubby Frank was in a band called the “Aristocrats”. Now, he and his loving wife, Gnarly Carly, are in the middle of the long running comedy bit, known as “The Aristocrats”. Eat your heart out, Gilbert Gottfried. As twisted and perverted your version of this bit is, it doesn’t come close to the GOP version.

Chris Crispee: You care about the working class? Really? REALLY? Go back to the basement in your Jersey house, close the door, and jerk off to Bruce Springsteen.

Arkansas Governor Mullah Mike Dingleberry: So, asshole, you want to shove Cristo Sharia law down America’s throat, under the guise of Religious Liberty and Freedom, and anybody that resists your fundamentalist extremist religious coercion and intimidation are equal to radical Islamic Terrorists and therefore are not entitled to any and all Constitutional rights and protections. Basically you equate fundamentalist extremist tyranny and totalitarianism with Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech. Fuck off you piece of shit.

Texas Senator Chucky Cruz: You were a clerk to a Supreme Court Justice. And you do not know the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution of the United States? Another Cristo Jihadist whose intent it is to establish Christo Sharia Law, Christo Tyranny and Totalitarianism in America. Has anybody ever seen Chucky and Senator Cruz in the same place, at the same time? No, because they are the same evil entity. Chucky Cruz, the Evil Seed of Cristo Jihadists.

Rand Paul: Too bad that about 40% of what you say makes sense. The rest is well, you know yourself…just f’n bullshit.

Gone, but not forgotten-
Scott “Zombie” Wanker: One sleazy, slimy, beady-eyed, bloodless, soulless Zombie. Should be a background prop for Ivanna Cadaver on “Macabre Theater”. Ask ‘em nice, give ‘em a blow job and the Koch Brothers will buy the show for you.

And finally, we get to the bottom feeders, the bargain basement, how much money is in your pocket, The GOP Fluffers of 2016.

Lindsey Graham (Cracker): War. War. And More War. Kill ‘em all and let God sort ‘em out.

Bobby Jizzdoll : Another Christo Jihadist punk.

Santorum: Wrote laws to financially benefit developers. When he left office, was put on their payroll for a million a year. And this piece of shit has the nerve to claim moral superiority.

So, these are the beauty contestants in this process known as the Corporate and Religious Whores for sale exchange program, otherwise known as the GOP Presidential Debates. Take your pick, all bids taken, they have no shame, no conscience, no morals, they just want your money and will do anything you desire. They truly are the assets that just keep giving. Remember, the more money you give 'em, the more "Bang" for the buck you gonna get. Do not be afraid, join this contest to see who will be chosen as the 2016 Republikkklan Whore of the Year.

GRRRRR!!!!!