It’s Friday. Not just any Friday, either: it’s July 4, celebrated in the United States of America as Independence Day, the nominal Birthday of our Nation. And later, we’ll mark the occasion by joining our friends Barry and Malka for that quintessential American holiday observance, the Cookout.
For me, this day conjures up childhood memories of the huge July 4 clambakes we used to go to at my Dad’s partner’s home in Old Westbury, New York. He had a two-acre spread - the most immense chunk of real estate I had ever seen - complete with swimming pool. I’m not sure I ever saw a clam there, but there was an entire bank of grills, upon which enough hot dogs and hamburgers would be roasted to feed the Mongol Hordes. As the day wore on, we would look forward with mounting eagerness to the (strictly illegal) fireworks we would set off after sundown.
The activities today will be less drawn out, but no less enjoyable thanks to the presence of good friends...and, no doubt, good food.
But meanwhile, here I am blithering about my Snot-Nose Days while you’re waiting for the Main Event: the weekly Scattershot Selection from the iPod d’Elisson. What’s playing today?
- You And Whose Army? - Radiohead
- Bookends Theme - Simon & Garfunkel
- A Salty Dog - Procol Harum
“All hands on deck! We’ve run afloat!”
I heard the captain cry
“Explore the ship! Replace the cook!
Let no one leave alive!”
Across the straits, around the horn
How far can sailors fly?
A twisted path, our tortured course
And no one left alive
We sailed for parts unknown to man
Where ships come home to die
No lofty peak, nor fortress bold
Could match our captain’s eye
Upon the seventh sea-sick day
We made our port of call
A sand so white, and sea so blue
No mortal place at all
We fired the guns and burned the mast
And rowed from ship to shore
The captain cried, we sailors wept
Our tears were tears of joy
Now many moons and many Junes
Have passed since we made land
A salty dog, the seaman’s log
Your witness, my own hand - Act III: I Have No Offspring - John Adams, Nixon in China
- Theme from “Lumpy Gravy” - Frank Zappa
A live version from the Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life album. Lumpy Gravy was the first Zappa album I ever bought, back in 1968. I haven’t been the same since... - L’enfant - Vangelis
This was the haunting theme from the movie The Year Of Living Dangerously. - Light My Fire - Dread Zeppelin
- Cabasa - Max Tundra
- Baby It’s You - The Beatles
- Ballet Mécanique - George Antheil
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