Oh, no! John Wilkes Booth!

[vovat]

Yesterday evening, Beth and I went to Philadelphia to see Sloan at the TLA. It was a good show, and not very expensive ($14 per ticket at the door). The crowd was very small, which was good in a way, but I have to wonder why they keep booking Sloan for the TLA when they don't come anywhere close to filling it. Seems like they should play at a smaller venue in the city. For instance, I think the Trocadero is a little smaller, and it has the added advantage of being close to the bus terminal. Anyway, they had some tables and chairs at the TLA, so we got to sit down through the concert, which was good. I hate having to stand up for long periods of time. I don't know how some people manage to do that at one concert after another. Maybe there's some kind of physical training they go through. The opening act was a band called the Kicks, who were pretty good, but didn't really wow me. Sloan put on a good show, and the sound system seemed to work better than it did last time I saw them. They played a lot of newer stuff, which I really didn't know, since I've only heard Action Pact once and Pretty Together never, but they did do a few songs I knew pretty well, including "I Am The Cancer," "Money City Maniacs," and "The Lines You Amend." (There were others I knew, too, but they aren't coming to mind right now. By the way, is "The Lines You Amend" about suicide?) So, overall, an enjoyable show.

Beth's dog Dewey has his birthday today. He's now two years old. It's also John Wilkes Booth's birthday.

And now, the long-awaited (well, probably not) answers to the lyrics quiz:

1. Why don't you leave a message with my girl? I'll have lunch with your machine.

This was from "The Check's In The Mail," from "Weird Al" Yankovic's first album. revme got this one, and his check's in the mail. Would I lie to you?

2. Keep your fingers busy, mentally or physically.

Nobody got this one. The song is "Work," from one of Andy Partridge's Fuzzy Warbles discs (Volume 3, I believe). A good song that, unfortunately, never made it to an XTC album.

3. A lobster is he, as anyone with half an eye can see.

Okay, this one was kind of unfair, and I didn't really expect anyone to get it. This was actually a line from the Scarecrow's song in the original 1903 play version of The Wizard of Oz. If anyone is interested, you can read the lyrics and download a version of the song (sung by the late James P. Doyle) here.

4. I wanted to be close to God, but not at the expense of sin.

This was from "Two Lives," by the Young Fresh Fellows.

5. He looks around, thinking, incorrectly, that he will someday discover my secret identity.

From "Dedicated," by Mono Puff. This was answered correctly by my dedicated friend jazzsammich, who's not only, but especially for the ladies.

6. God bless California, make way for the Wal-Mart.

From a Neko Case song called "Thrice All American," even though those words never actually appear in the song. bethje got this one.

7. When my friend got amnesia, she can't remember the shows she saw.

I doubt anyone thought I could get through this without including a They Might Be Giants lyric, but I guess the people who read this haven't heard this song yet. It's called "Damn Good Times," and it can be downloaded here. It's also going to be on the band's next album, The Spine.

8. Won't stop the armadillos from plundering my grave.

From "Vulture," by the Minus Five. Nobody got this one, either.

9. We both found heaven right then; you just chose not to come back.

From "La Petite Mort" (I hope I spelled that correctly), by Erin McKeown. The title literally translates as "The Little Death," but can also mean an orgasm. It seems to have both meanings in the song itself. Jesus says we die a little death for bethje every day.

10. But how do you feel when you're behind the wheel, and a swerve can control your fate?

The song is "From The Back Of The Film," by Thrush Hermit. This was correctly answered by 3x1minus1, who looks so good with a gun, but her hat doesn't suit her.

11. Blow on your horn until Jericho yields.

Nobody answered this one. It's from "Knuckle Down," which appears on XTC's English Settlement album.

12. I was out in the field collecting strength for my shield.

From "Misplaced," by Moxy Früvous. bethje got it, and distance was the accomplice that saw jazzsammich lose.

13. Troubles, they seem to follow me, as far as I can see, it must be my destiny.

From "Ruby," by the Apples in Stereo. Nobody answered it, and their silence hurts me so. Are you listening?

14. Zwanzig Kilometer bis Rasthof.

From "Blast Off," the first song on Frank Black and the Catholics' excellent album, Dog in the Sand.

15. I want McNormal and chips, or I'll blow you to bits.

"Dan Abnormal," by Blur. bethje and 3x1minus1 both got it, but Beth got it first.

16. Home was anywhere with diesel gas; love was a trucker's hand.

"Papa Was A Rodeo," originally by the Magnetic Fields, but also covered by Kelly Hogan. bethje got this one.

17. When you eat steak, it's a wake for a cow. Sizzlin' bacon's one for a sow.

"The Philosopher," by Hypnotic Clambake. bethje got the right answer. She makes Socrates look brain-dead.

18. Mountains have been moved and theories have been proved all within the duration.

"Under Easy," by the Posies. Nobody got it.

19. See the leches crawl with the call girls under the table.

"Tower Of Babel," by Elton John. bethje got the right answer.

20. "The Lord's our shepherd," says the Psalm, but just in case, we'd better get a bomb.

"Who's Next?", by Tom Lehrer. jazzsammich correctly identified the artist, and revme the song.

Comments

[slfcllednowhere.livejournal.com]

I wanna see Sloan *sniff*

By the way, is "The Lines You Amend" about suicide?

Yes.