Okay, so for all the sold out, aging, hemorrhoid-pained, hypocritical ex-hippies out there looking to recreate the acid hazed joy of days of future passed, here's your chance: Sign an online petition in support of getting Country Joe McDonald and Canned Heat into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And if you're young and cool, or just want to do something to humor your parents, you should sign the petition too. (Someday you'll be sending around a petition trying to get Death Cab For Cutie into the Hall and you'll feel much better about doing that if you support Country Joe and Canned Heat today.).In the 1960s Country Joe and the Fish released the most memorable anti-war song of the era, "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag." He's still folk-rockin'; his recent "Cakewalk to Baghdad" is one of the best songs of this decade IMHO.
As for Canned Heat, their "Going up the Country" remains as THE song of 1969, a Woodstock-era anthem that to this day makes you want to roll-up for the mystery tour every time it comes on. The late Bob "The Bear" Hite could belt out a blues tune with the best of them, as evidenced by the hit "Let's Work Together." Alan Wilson was one of the most unique rock/blues vocalists of all time, sounding like Billie Holiday on hallucinogens on tunes like "Going up the Country" and "On the Road Again." He committed suicide in 1970, but his death is never mentioned in the same vein as Hendrix, Joplin, or Morrison. Yet if there is a rock and roll heaven, my guess is that Elvis is probably jamming with Wilson--two white guys who put a refreshing pale twist on the blues. (Assuming that Elvis is really dead, of course (:-)).
So do something for America. Do something for your parents. Do something for your children. Sign the Country Joe/Canned Heat petition today.
5 comments:
I like Death Cab too, esp. Title and Registration
Also - people who are not yet in love with Augustana should begin now.
Also also -
Mad World (Gary Jules)is a great song. You can find the video, also great, on mtv overdrive.
I ended up playing Country Joe and Canned Heat music in my upper level classical rhetoric class today--the students had to identity figures of speech in the lyrics. Some people had heard of Canned Heat, I don't think anyone knew Country Joe, but everyone seemed intrigued.
Jody, I hope you'll consider signing the petition. --Tony
Speaking of what students know or don't know, the other day in my 100 level class I through out the name Thurgood Marshall. The enrollment in the class is 37 students, and 35 were in attendance. NOT ONE knew who Thurgood Marshall was.
I said, "c'mon, that name must have shown up on a multiple choice test somewhere." (You can take the boy out of Brooklyn, but you can't take the Brooklyn out of the boy).
Nobody knows that. Just you.
and his Mama.
He was born in early July and had a sick fascination for the constitution. Gosh what could be the appeal for you there...
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