The Bruce Springsteen Test

The true test of a "Bruce Springsteen fan" is their knowledge about the song "Born in the U.S.A." Casual fans have heard the song and think it is a feel good anthem about being proud to be from the United States. Former President Ronald Reagan would fall into this group by using the song in his re-election campaign and not even realizing that the song is about the morally evil, sad side of America and the abandonment of Vietnam veterans.

Long story short, having "Born in the U.S.A." dedicated to you in concert would not be a good thing...although I've never heard them say they are Springsteen fans, you've got to think that Bob Costas and Brian Williams are smart enough to figure out "Born in the U.S.A." is not a positive, feel good song. This didn't stop Costas and Williams tripping over themselves to tell Michael Phelps of this "honor" that Springsteen gave him last Friday after winning his 7th gold medal. The problem is it never happened...Bruce never dedicated the song.

Now if I had "Blinded by the Light" dedicated to me, I would be proud.

Bruce Springsteen -- Born in the U.S.A.
From the Greatest Hits album.

Bruce Springsteen -- Born in the U.S.A. [Demo Version]
From the Tracks collection.

George Carlin Megapost

"Life is a zero sum game."

These are the words of George Carlin about 2 1/2 minutes into the "Free Floating Hostility" skit on his best album Back in Town. And after hearing the news that George died yesterday, it's been pretty much a Carlin Fest all day today as I have been remembering back to obsessing over his late 90's albums again and again hoping to be as quick witted and opinionated one day. He could say the things I wish I could so succinctly and intelligently it was almost disheartening. He was the king of political humor mainly because he hated the politics of either party. Although he told a lot of Bill Clinton jokes, Ronald Reagan and the Republican Revolution 90's were his main targets of his last few albums, some of which I have highlighted below.

In doing their obituary stories on Carlin, the major media centers focus on one particular routine of his career to highlight: The 7 Dirty Words You Can Never Say on Television. They focus on this, because to be honest, nearly every skit he did after that one makes it look pretty tame in comparison. In that skit, you only have to bleep seven words. Take for example, his skit on Abortion & The Sanctity of Life...in my opinion the best work he ever did. I imagine that it would be pretty hard for Brian Williams to queue up a clip that begins "Why is it that most of the people who are against abortion are people you wouldn't want to fuck in the first place?"

George Carlin -- Abortion

George Carlin -- The Sanctity of Life

George Carlin -- Free Floating Hostility
These three tracks are from the Back in Town album.

George Carlin -- Carlin on Campus
This is the whole album on one track.

George Carlin -- I Used To Be Irish Catholic
From the Class Clown album.

George Carlin -- 7 Words You Can Never Say On Television
From the Class Clown album.

George Carlin -- Asshole Jackoff Scumbag
From the Place For My Stuff album.

George Carlin -- Kids and Parents
From the You Are All Diseased album.

George Carlin -- Don't Pull the Plug On Me
From the Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics album.

George Carlin -- Reagan's Gang, Church People, and American Values

George Carlin -- More Stuff About Cars and Driving
These last two are from the album with possibly the best title ever What Am I Doing in New Jersey?

Chuck & Janis

Chuck Todd used to have one of the coolest jobs, Editor & Chief of The Hotline. Now he's the Political Director of NBC News, forced to give trite oversimplifications to complex political issues with Brian Williams [who is hosting Saturday Night Live next week], Tim Russert, and Chris Matthews.

This week, Todd mixes music and politics in claiming that Al Gore, John Edwards, Sam Nunn, and Fred Thompson didn't act as they truly wanted to in office and now that they are out they can live up to the Janis Joplin lyric: "Freedom just another word for nothing left to loose."

Of course Chuck Todd's never been elected to anything [except maybe to the party planning committee for the Political Communications Department at Johns Hopkins.]

And it makes me wonder...name one Senator that optimizes Janis' lyric? I would say Russ Feingold from Wisconsin fits the bill pretty well. If I were to ask Mr. Todd, what Senator Feingold's biggest political liability is and the key reason why he didn't run for President?...The answer has got to be that his votes and positions are not conducive to building a broad political coalition.

This political freedom seems to buy freedom of conscience and not much else.

Big Brother & The Holding Company -- Down on Me [Live]

Buy all of Janis' solo work here.