The shorter drive to The Canal results in shorter lists and in this case a combination of two trips for the tunes. In addition, during baseball season, sometimes the Cubs pre-empt the cuts on the radio. For today’s list we have symbolism, metaphor, a mythical(?) monster, a “Holy” song, and a fishing lyric. Read on for the ramble.
5. Synchronicity II – The Police (1983)
Growing up, I was a fan of mysterious creatures, collectively referred to as “cryptids.” So, how cool was it to hear a hitmaker of the day incorporate the Loch Ness Monster into a tune. Grown up, I relate to the rest of the lyrics during those times when adulting has you teetering on the line “he knows that something somewhere has to break.” So far, so good, though.
4. Trampled Under Foot – Led Zeppelin (1975)
I’ve always had trouble getting these lyrics down in my head, so the internet is a wonderful thing. No matter that I continue to mumble most of my way through it, this pedal to the metal jam is still a treat. I’m not a car guy, never been much of a mechanic but I definitely buy the metaphors that these guys are selling. On a side note, it is fun as I listen to each of these songs several times as I compose these thoughts. And duh, we are talking Stevie Wonder here, I’d never registered that during the countless times that I’ve heard this tune.
3. Everything I Own – Bread (1972)
In the days before you could find most everything you wanted to know about artists and songs with a click, you were left to your own interpretations. And sure, that can still be the case as songs mean different things to different listeners. But somewhere in the last ten years or so I saw a conversation with David Gates that blew my perspective of this tune clean out of the water. He’d actually written the song about his late father.
2. Holy Diver – Dio (1983)
Big news last week with the selection of a new pope, and by strange coincidence I end up with a “Holy” song on the list. Anyway, the metal legend, Ronnie James Dio, rocks out as usual as this cut chugs along. And with the advent of music video, we also get to see him save the day in some sort of Conan the Barbarian fashion. Take it for what it’s worth as some of those guys would not be mistaken for polished actors or catalog models. Which is exactly the way it should be.
1. Don’t Ask Me No Questions – Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974)
What I do for a living is a far cry from this whole fishing escape and these southern rockers hit the nail on the head. Knowing that any second could feature a call, text, or email from some four hundred users with any of a thousand issues from those magical little boxes that comprise a modern network can get you a bit stressed. This song ranked #2 on my “Fishing Lines” series from August of 2021 and sums up my decompression time quite well.
“So don’t ask me no questions
And I won’t tell you no lies
So don’t ask me about my business
And I won’t tell you good-bye
I said, ‘Don’t ask no stupid questions
And I won’t send you away’
If you want to talk fishin’
I guess that would be okay.”
And that is most of what I do here on the blog. With the occasional tangent into music, of course. I have been back on the water since these early May outings so stay tuned for another fishing report (and the applicable tunes). Talk to you later. Troy