11-05b: Swell Maps : A Trip to Marineville | Jane from Occupied Europe - Les McCann & Eddie Harris : Compared To What 1969 - Donizetti Anna Bolena : Sills | Verrett | Plishka 1974

1996 – Eddie Harris (American jazz tenor saxophonist, keyboardist & composer)
1997 – Epic Soundtracks (English alt-rock multi-instrumentalist, Swell Maps, Crime and the City Solution, These Immortal Souls)
2000 – Jimmie Davis (American country singer & politician)
2002 – Billy Guy, American R&B singer, The Coasters)
2003 – Bobby Hatfield (American R&B & soul singer, the Righteous Brothers)
2005 – Virginia MacWatters (American lyric soprano)
2005 – Link Wray (American rockabilly guitarist, songwriter & singer)
2010 – Shirley Verrett (American operatic mezzo-soprano)
2011 – Bhupen Hazarik (Indian singer, composer, lyricist, music director & filmmaker)

I love the lie and lie the love
A-Hangin’ on, with push and shove
Possession is the motivation
that is hangin’ up the God-damn nation
Looks like we always end up in a rut (everybody now!)
Tryin’ to make it real — compared to what? C’mon baby!

Slaughterhouse is killin’ hogs
Twisted children killin’ frogs
Poor dumb rednecks rollin’ logs
Tired old lady kissin’ dogs
I hate the human love of that stinking mutt (I can’t use it!)
Try to make it real — compared to what? C’mon baby now!

The President, he’s got his war
Folks don’t know just what it’s for
Nobody gives us rhyme or reason
Have one doubt, they call it treason
We’re chicken-feathers, all without one nut. God damn it!
Tryin’ to make it real — compared to what? (Sock it to me)

Church on Sunday, sleep and nod
Tryin’ to duck the wrath of God
Preacher’s fillin’ us with fright
They all tryin’ to teach us what they think is right
They really got to be some kind of nut (I can’t use it!)
Tryin’ to make it real — compared to what?

Where’s that bee and where’s that honey?
Where’s my God and where’s my money?
Unreal values, crass distortion
Unwed mothers need abortion
Kind of brings to mind ol’ young King Tut (He did it now)
Tryin’ to make it real — compared to what?

[written by Gene McDaniels]

10-10b: Solomon Burke House of Blues 1994 - Jagjit Singh : Saanwara Krishna Bhajans - Donizetti Lucrezia Borgia : Sutherland / Horne / Bonynge 1977 - Eddie Cantor ! - Boswell Sisters !!

2009 – Stephen Gately (Irish pop singer, songwriter, actor, dancer & author, Boyzone)
2010 – Solomon Burke (American R&B, soul & gospel singer & songwriter & archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People)
2010 – Dame Joan Sutherland (Australian dramatic coloratura soprano)
2011 – Jagjit Singh [ਜਗਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ, جگجیت سنگھ] (Indian Ghazal, Bhajan, Gurbani & playback singer, composer, tambura player & keyboardist)
2011 – Sean Morrison (American punk rock multi-instrumentalist, singer & songwriter)

R.I.P.

~ Sean Morrison (1972-2011) ~

Our hearts go out to your many loved ones.

The Austin music scene lost a very talented musician this October 10th. Sean Morrison was one of those guys who could play in your rock band if you needed a really good guitar player. Or a really good bass player. Or a really good singer, or drummer. Or keyboardist, or even fiddler. But he was known mostly for being able to shred on the electric guitar. If you want to know how well, you can go to the MySpace page for Crapulence (a real word, meaning "sickness from overindulgence" - the band seem to have picked it up from Montgomery Burns' use of it in a Simpsons episode) and hear for yourself. That's also Sean you'll hear on lead vocals. And on bass, and drums, in certain songs. It seems that all three members of Crapulence play The Electric Bass on one song or another.

At the time of his passing, Sean was also playing guitar with Obnosticon. During the 90s, he was the bass player for Myra Manes. Other bands he played in since the 80s include the Mello Cats, Tabitha, the Rear Admirals, and Assnipple, in which one of his bandmates was Crapulence (most-times) bass player and electronics operant Jason Christian, himself an alumnus of the legendary Squat Thrust. (See the film Rock Opera for a closer look at them, Fuckemos, Butthole Surfers, Pocket FishRmen, Ed Hall, and several of the other infamous bands that occupied Austin's underground rock scene in the 80s and 90s.)

Sean Morrison was a family man and loved children. His day job consisted of teaching English as a second language to third graders at a local public elementary school. He led a very active lifestyle and loved the outdoors. He inspired those with whom he worked musically. He will be missed.

So... how about a whole lot of utterly amazing singing to help lift the spirits? With the soulful tones of Solomon Burke, Connee Boswell, Jagjit Singh, and Dame Joan Sutherland in your supplemental reading, you can't go wrong. And if you're more in the mood for comedy, the man who converted Sammy Davis, Jr. into a Jew, Mr. Eddie Cantor, is waiting for you there as well...