BS: Why I'm better than you are

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: annamill
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 01:04 PM

Well said Art! Love, Annamill

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 03:45 PM

I'm better than all of you because when I read this thread I decided not to post to it-Oh Bollocks!-fell for that one.............

humbly yours, not worth the slime or spit from your harmonica. Eric

the Viking, not even fit to lick the grease from a Bodhran (happy?).

I don't mind admitting that I am inferior amongst such an auspicious bunch of people.

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 04:07 PM

Hey, Thomas the Rhymer. No hard feelings.

I have a question, and since this is a throwaway thread anyway, a little thread creep (like me) won't hurt anything.

I was at Border's last night, and wanted to get a CD I could listen to that would be real, "traditional" folk stuff. I was completely unable to determine, based on the backs of the CD's, what I should buy and so I ended up not getting anything. Waaah.

Has there already been a thread about good, "traditional" folk CD's -- kind of a "your collection isn't really complete without" or even "this is really the good, old stuff"? I certainly didn't see "The Complete Child Ballads according to Traditional Tunes, Volume I" or anything remotely resembling that.

So if you were at Border's with me last night and I said I had a 20 spot burning a hole in my pocket, and asked you which CD to get for some good old "traditional" folk, whither would you have steered me?

(PS my social skills are so-so, but I can type real good, have something of a sense of humor, and have this bizarre gift of thinking up funny song lyrics in short order, for which thanks be to the God(esse)s of your choice.)

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 06:24 PM

If you seek to play like Mississippi John Hurt, or 'Reverend Gary', 'Mr. Johnson', and the like, I would suggest you follow your metronoming thumb to the blues section, and pull out 'Catfish Keith'. It seems you might like Willy McTell...

Otherwise,

Anything by William Pint and Felicia Dale. If you must go to Borders,... try 'Altan', 'Magical Strings', John McCutcheon, or early 'Dougie MacLean'. If you like drinking songs,... The Clancy Btothers w/Tommy Makem. Otherwise, go to your local 'Folk' outlet, such as 'Lark in the Morning', 'Dusty Strings', etc., where the Traditional music florishes even today.

I wonder what you're... Oh, never mind!

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 06:32 PM

We have a Lark in the Morning in Seattle, praises be! It's hard to go in there without spending money in large quantities, however. Sigh. If only time and finances weren't an issue, I'd play every instrument and never do anything else. I think there's a Dusty Strings up in Freemont, but I've never been by when it was open.

Were you wondering what I was doing in a Borders? It happened to be there, and open, when I drived by.

I have "The Dougie McLean Collection" cd. Wonderful stuff, but not exactly "traditional" near as I can tell.

Thanks for the names, though! I shall inscribe them on my "stuff to look for" list and try to keep it at hand more often!

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Mbo
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 06:35 PM

HELLOOOOO! Dougie MacLean is a songer-songwriter, not a folk singer!

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 06:39 PM

That explains a lot.

There are people who are both, though, right? I mean, Paxton is definitely a singer-songwriter, but I've also seen a CD of his that is nothing but "traditional" folk standards (Betsy from Pike, Foggy Foggy Dew, etc.).

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Mbo
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 06:48 PM

Yeah, but just about all of his music is self-penned. But he did do a traditional album called "Tribute." Besides, Dougie loves electric guitars, sythesizers, and electronic drum programming. Personally, I love his stuff and is one of my biggest influences & idols, but he's not exactly a ultra-strict traddy's (to avoid that OTHER phrase) idea of folk music.

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 06:52 PM

That's okay. I'm a big Al Stewart fan, and I don't think he EVER recorded a traditional standard. Dougie seems to be in much the same category, near as I can tell from the Dougie CD I have.

I also like the traditional stuff, but my taste doesn't END there. Hope that's okay to the -um- ultra-strict. Actually I don't give a rat's patoot if it's okay to the ultra-strict. I also like jazz, classical, rock, etc. etc. etc. So sue me.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Branwen23
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 06:56 PM

mousethief-


If you can get your hands on anything by Clandestine, it will be well worth it...

They are a band from Houston, Texas... great scottish music... they do traditional pipe tunes with an attitude, as well as some great original instrumentals and vocal tunes.
I don't know if their music is available in stores, but I know at least a couple of their albums are available through MP3.com.

If you like, i can get you some mp3's.... Their music is a great example of the versatility and spirit of traditional folk and Celtic music.


-Branwen-

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 06:57 PM

I'd like that.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 07:03 PM

Why I am better than everybody else.
by Henry Gibson, a/k/a Black Bart dba Bartholomew

I am always reasonable and consider both sides of the question before weighing in with my carefully thought out, politically correct commentary
I am never boring or pedantic
I always get the joke
I never question the motives of honest folk
I always recognize honest folk instantly
I never stray from the question at hand
I always answer the direct questions with a direct answer
I always suggest new and imaginative directions in which to take the open questions
I am very polite
I proofread
I don't get upset when other people don't follow my example
I always walk at least a mile in the other guys shoes and then pay for the wear and tear to his/her shoe leather
I never use vulgarity because it sounds so focking bad
Doggone it
Never mind

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Mbo
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 07:04 PM

You and your cable modem! :-(

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 07:11 PM

Mbo, Dougie's 'Craggy Dhu', you know, the one with Caledonia on it... is half traditional songs. Yep, he's a great songsmith all right, and I would say it is because he studied and played Traditional songs first. That's what I'd say alright... If I was half as cool as you! :^)

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: RWilhelm
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 07:51 PM

Caledonia, what makes your big head so hard?

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Hawk
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 08:09 PM

Today's singer-songwriter is tomorrow's folksinger! Or today's, if you ask me.

I know folk when I hear it, and it didn't have to be written 100 years ago by some presently anonymous geek in order to qualify as folk music.

Al Stewart? Yeah!!! Al Stewart is an incredible songwriter, and one of my all-time favourites. Sometimes he is folky, sometimes not. I consider him to be a folksinger on the whole. Saw him in Toronto a couple of times over the years. "Roads To Moscow" is one of the greatest songs of all time...an absolute epic and a masterpiece.

My guinea pig is better than you are, because she has a massive overbite, but doesn't let it get to her, unlike you who are always fretting because you think your nose is too large and your hair is too thin/too thick/too curly/too straight/too dark/not dark enough/whatever...and she doesn't wear a friggin' baseball cap either!

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Mbo
Date: 21 Sep 00 - 08:46 PM

Thanks! Good to know there are some folks who feel the same way out there!

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Rich(bodhránai gan ciall)
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 12:30 AM

I'm better than you because Spaw told me I hold the record for the longest single sentence post in Mudcat history.

Rich

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Lena
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 12:44 AM

Because my English is the worst here

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 02:33 AM

Then you haven't been reading mine, Lena... :)

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Hawk
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 11:51 AM

I'm better than you because my elitist views are even more elitist than yours, such that I am now so elite that I won't even talk to my reflection in the mirror anymore, which has cut down on the chitchat around here considerably, which is why I'm spending so much time on Mudcat, when I probably ought to be spending more "quality time" (YUCK! What a sick expresssion...) with myself, and then I wouldn't be wearing out my fingers composing run-on sentences that don't say anything worth a tinker's damn anyway...right?

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Hawk
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 06:20 PM

Get out, Little Hawk! You think you're hot stuff, don't you? Well, mister, your instrument ought to be the dulcimer, because that's how you play...at a dull simmer. As for your ceaseless adulation of Bob Dylan, it is getting utterly tedious. You should get a life.

- Little Hawk's reflection (in the mirror).

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Rich(bodhránai gan ciall)
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 10:47 PM

I think I like Little Hawk's reflection better than Little Hawk. :-) LOL
Just kidding. It's good to see someone else picking up the run-on sentence bit.
Dull simmer! I'm gonna have to remember that one.

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 12:53 PM

That stupid reflection of mine has never had an original thought in its life.

Little Hawk

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 12:56 PM

Yeah? Well, I could say the same about you...

Little Hawk's reflection (in the mirror)

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: GUEST,Minstrel
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 01:24 PM

WHY? Because you can't break me cos I'm a rubber duck

Slan Anois

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: hesperis
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 02:12 PM

Both of Little Hawk's reflections can be very tedious at times...

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 02:33 PM

Because I know how to realise my shortcommings, and apologize (and mean it), and turn the other cheek, and point out the awesome aspects I can see in each and every person I meet,...in forgiveness there is growth.

And... I find that the truth isn't everyone's cup-o-tea...

So what are you doing to make the world better? Beating up nice people? Behind their backs? Is it effective? No it is not. Little egos think they need to try to look bigger...

They don't... It doesn't have any lasting effect anyway!

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: mousethief
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 07:14 PM

Little Hawk, you have great taste. Roads to Moscow is my favorite Al Stewart song, bar none. I just got the pre-release of his new CD (due out Oct 17) and it's really cool. All the songs are about wine (Al has something like the 3rd largest private collection of European wines in America). It's called "Down in the Cellar." (One Bert Jansch song shows up on it!)

Thomas, you rock. It's harder than hell to apologize when you've done something you wish you hadn't, and I salute you.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: GUEST,Joerg
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 09:53 PM

Charming thread, BUT (= 'but, hey', am I right?) I wanted to know why you are BETTER, not why you are worse. I can not see a reason for being better by being worse.

Little Hawk - THANK YOU (,hey) that was a great thought. LOL! Q: What's positive thinking? A: Looking into the mirror and saying "Well ... ok ... but I'm not as ugly as you!"

:-D

Joerg

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Mbo
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 09:58 PM

LH, I was thinking about you today! On the radio I heard "Like A Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan and "Space Oddity" by David Bowie. Awesome music!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 10:46 PM

Right on, Mbo! Check out your PM's.

Hesperis has got me totally confused with that "both reflections" comment. That was probably her intention. She's devious, and too clever by half. Of course, she has other qualities which make up for it. Still, I have to wonder, just what the heck she was thinking of...I am going to stand on my head in the corner and recite the Necronomicon backwards until I get it figured out...or until I get hungry...whichever comes first.

Where'd that mango go?

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: hesperis
Date: 23 Sep 00 - 11:44 PM

Well, Little Hawk's reflection said that his adulation of Dylan gets tedious, and I rather agree. In fact, I much prefer Little Hawk to Bob Dylan. In a musical sense and a personal one.

However, both Hawk and his reflection were getting rather childish, so I stepped in. (Just trying to be part of the joke. Guess it didn't work.)

I could go on, actually:
Both of Little Hawk's reflections can be tedious, charming, childish, mature....... and various other extremes.

But I have never heard Little Hawk's reflection play, so I'll reserve judgement on that.

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 12:22 PM

Mousethief, you are definately right about roads to Moscow, the whole albulm "Past present and future" has to be Al's best as far as I'm concerned, but I really like "bedsitter images".

Cheers. Eric

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Amos
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 01:35 PM

Guys, we can't go on sticking out our chests on a nonmusical thread. So here ya go!

Better Than You

(Tune: A Few of My Favorite Things)

I can sing folk songs in roughly right rhythm
I can take insults, and know how to give 'em
I can choose Riesling, from 19-ought-two,
All of this makes me much better than you!

I can pick Dylan tunes even while napping
Remember old folk-songs with no verses flapping
Write lines in pentameter, green grass or blue,
All of which makes me much better than you!
 

When the threads cross,
When the trolls flame,
When the Mudcat's screwed...
I simply remember I'm better than you,
And then I don't feel so blue!
 

I can remember the words to Loch Lomond
I can recite all of "Down in the Gloaming"
Cowboy and roustabout, madrigal, blues
I do them all, so much better than you!

I can come up with quatrains round and pretty
Answer attacks with deflection so witty
Speak out so openly, humble and true;
Surely this must make me better than you!

I have a banjo, a mandolin, zither
My wife has left me, but still I don't mith her
I have a Martin, a D-22!
This surely proves I am better than you!
 

Still I wonder,
From high places,
How it feels to fall,
I notice that 'tho I am better than most,
I don't get much mail
At all!

Dadadeedadadadeedeedadeeda.....

Ching Kaching kachung.....

Regards,

Amos

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Rich(bodhránai gan ciall)
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 01:43 PM

Nice, Amos

Rich

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: hesperis
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 02:01 PM

Ok, Amos, you are much better than all of the rest of us for having written that!!!!! I LOVE it!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Noreen
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 04:23 PM

LOL- Clever stuff, Amos! Singing along :0)

Noreen

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 04:37 PM

Amos that was very very funny!
Will you come sing it on Hearme tonight?

Bonnie

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Mbo
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 05:47 PM

Wish he could, Bonnie, but Amos has a Mac, and HearMe doesn't have Mac-compatible Hearme software. :-(

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Hawk
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 06:05 PM

Spectacular, Amos! You ARE better. We're not worthy, we're not worthy! My reflection is green with envy, but at least it has shut him up for the time being...

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: bflat
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 06:30 PM

Amos, Amos, You'll be Famous!!

Thank you for the lift *BG*

bflat

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Amos
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 07:02 PM

Awwwww....shucks. Thanks, guys. It shows to go ya that the 'Cat transcends all!

A

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From:
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 07:21 PM

Amos, my hat is in my hand.
I am waving up at you but my face is lost in the croud.
You don't see me because 22,000 beautiful women are chnting your name very loudly! And their 22,000 partners are starting to feel the envy that tingles the spine, very much like , Like , LIKE JEALOUSY!!!!

Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos! Amos!

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Amos
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 07:24 PM

I'm gettin' spinny with yer blarney! Thanks for the kind remarks. I like the beautiful women part best.

A.

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Mbo
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 07:25 PM

I done said it once, and I'll say it again! Amos, you are DA MAN! Love ya!

--Matt

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: mousethief
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 09:05 PM

Nicely done, Amos!

Eric da Viking: Do you mean Bedsitter Images the album, or the song? Because the song is awesome, one of my very favorite of Al's, but the album B.I. has a few real clunkers on it.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Hawk
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 10:02 PM

Yeah. Bedsitter Images (the album) was his first attempt, and it's not as good as the others. Al Stewart is one hell of a songwriter, however, quite in a class by himself.

His early albums had a lot more personal songs, songs about relationships, and so on. Then he got more into the historical, societal and mystical vein...as happened also with Jackson Browne. Interesting.

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: GUEST,Joerg
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 10:08 PM

Great lyrics, Amos. Reminds me of that verse from the 'Barnyards of Delgaty'

I can drink and not be drunk
I can fight and not be slain
I can lie wi' another man's lass
And aye be welcome to me ain
(or something like this)

*GRIN*

But still - kind of seriously:

LH's hint ("Because I can tell my reflection in the mirror that I'm better") gives a wonderful joke about the so-called 'positive thinking', i.e. telling as much lies to yourself as ever possible. But I've suffered too much from people thinking that way, so I wouldn't use this in some humourous sense - only with bitter sarcasm.

And those lyrics - they are telling me something like "Let's all be happy of having at least one eye among the blind - BTW where are they?" - VERY good, very beautiful thought, but still ... but still ...

Don't know if you can see what I mean: It would be e.g. possible to change LH's approach to "Because I don't tell my reflection in the mirror that I'm more beautiful" but this would only work with those 'positive thinkers' and it would be meant offensive (maybe they won't understand the meaning). Isn't there any answer you can tell to everybody without hurting them (which is also understood that way)?

Difficult, huh? But interesting: Do we automatically offend people by telling them that we are better? Are we all automatically offended by someone who tells us that he/she is better? And so on ...

?

Joerg

Subject: RE: BS: Why I'm better than you are
From: Little Hawk
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 10:23 PM

I thought it was you that said that about the reflection being uglier, not me...??? It's too late for figuring this one out now, so I'm not even gonna try.

I did think it would be funny to have an argument with my own reflection, and then accuse it of never having had an orginal thought! (obviously)

Like when I write songs, this just came to me spontaneously and I went with it.

I agree that certain types of "positive thinkers" can become very annoying to be around, but it all depends on how they are doing it...there's a phony way and a real way to be a positive thinker.

The one thing that we are all absolutely the BEST at<\b> is simply being ourselves. And that is exactly what we are here to do! (Rather than being someone else's idea of whom we should be...which happens far too much, specially to children and young people.) You can't please everyone, so please yourself...they may not like it, but they'll respect you for it in the end.

As the Wiccans say: "Do as ye will and harm no one."