Sounds Like to Someone

Odd day, yesterday.  We’d been warned.  The polar vortex will be sweeping through, bringing snow in May.  There were bright blue skies, but it was cold.  The Gunks had snow on the treetops below the cliff face.  “Do you see that honey?  It’s just the few degrees difference up there and they got snow.”  But the weatherman knew what he was talking about.  Later in the day when we were out doing our shopping a squall past through quickly blotting out the sun and leaving large flakes of snow. It passed just as quickly, and then, making dinner, it returned as a proper blizzard.  Half expecting it to pass right by again we were all surprised to see the accumulation grow and the car and the yard and the fully bloomed quince tree covered in snow. 

Half the ride was BTS.  The younger one and I have a routine.  The older one demurs when asked for her tunes.  I was going to crank up Little Richard on the day of the great man’s passing and I did.  Goofy, certainly, I interrupted my singing to point out key flourishes, double entendre, and his influence on Paul McCartney.  They were patient.  I asked my older one later, genuinely curious what something recorded in 1956 sounds like to someone born in 2001.  Was glad to hear that it reminded of her of early Beatles, pleasantly surprised to learn it was lodged positively. 

I continued listening to his early work as I prepared the dinner and began hearing things I hadn’t heard before.  That particular howl, listen to that.  That is something I otherwise would have associated with Iggy, from the late Stooges period, 1972-73.  And that got me thinking of the MC5 and their version of Tutti Fruti.  I played the whole of the “Back in the USA” album singing while I was chopping.  Then I started searching for that Beatles version of “Lucile.”  What did that appear on?  Ahh, on the BBC Sessions.   Paul sounds remarkable, though it isn’t George’s most memorable solo. 

Stung, I continued reaching for me favorite, ‘Little Richard as sung by others’ songs.  I have always been a sucker for the Credence version of “Good Golly Ms. Molly.”  John Fogerty’s voice could curdle fresh milk and he solos like an accomplished daemon.  I have it as loud as this MacBook Air will allow and I play it about six times in a row and start doing things like watching him talk to Conan O’Brian about going on stage at 2:00AM at Woodstock, which I hadn’t anticipated.

Sunday, 05/10/20