2007-05-24T12:37:00.000-05:00
blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RlXOxUbevyI/AAAAAAAAAEg/8EAugD1KfMM/s1600-h/ArcadeFire.jpg" img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5068184302368243490" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 411px" height="324" alt="" src="http://bp2.
blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RlXOxUbevyI/AAAAAAAAAEg/8EAugD1KfMM/s400/ArcadeFire.jpg" width="208" border="0" / /a span style="font-size:16;" I'm about a full week late on this review, but oh well.
It's taken me about that long to recover from the lack of sleep involved with getting to the show. br / div br / Took a roadtrip to my former home to see the a href="http://www.arcadefire.
com" Arcade Fire /a at the a href="http://www.chicagotheatre.com" Chicago Theatre /a .
I've been excited about this show since it was announced they were coming. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to see them when they were playing far smaller venues like the Empty Bottle. (let's take a moment and envision how they fit all those folks on that stage.
Much like it boggles my mind how the a href="http://www.polyphonicspree.com" Polyphonic Spree /a crammed themselves in there as well, but I digress).
But I have heard about their performances at smaller venue from a a href="http://www.sparkletone.com" friend /a who did catch them that way.
Needless to say, I was pretty jealous of him. /div br / div /div br / div br / That said, I didn't care if it was the Chicago Theatre or Empty Bottle, I was getting to see the Arcade Fire. I should have been a little more specific in my request.
Seeing the band from our location was a disappointment. Strike that. the band itself was not that bad.
In fact, Win and crew gave it every thing they had on that stage. It was the douchebags around us that really altered my perception of the show. /div br / div br / With bigger venues comes awareness by the general public.
This is not going to be a tirade about bands selling out. It's just a fact of life. With the bigger the band, the more you get the casual listener attending the shows.
And casual listeners are those who don't know the words, who don't dance to the songs, they don't even nod their heads to the beat. They stand their listlessly sucking the energy out of me. /div br / div br / For me, half of the enjoyment of a show is the band's performance.
The other half is how the crowd responds to it. It was very reminiscent of the last a href="http://www.whitestripes.
com" White Stripes /a show I attended. I had seen them a couple times before including an incredible late show at the Metro. But then I saw them at the Aragon and the crowd was dead.
The energy worse. The band feeds off that and some times their performance suffers because of it. Thankfully, the people up front at the Arcade Fire show more than made up for the crew near me.
But it's still disappointing to see. br / The following is the set list from the Friday night performance. Thankfully I got to sit through the two encores as my friend declared if they did three he was leaving.
And he was my ride home! br / br / strong Set List: /strong /div br / div Black Mirror /div div Keep The Car Running /div div Antichrist Television /div div Blues No Cars Go /div div Haiti Neighborhood #2 (Laika) /div div Intervention /div div Neon Bible /div div My Body Is A Cage /div div Windowsill /div div The Well And The Lighthouse /div div Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) /div div Rebellion (Lies) /div div br / strong Encore: /strong /div br / div Ocean Of NoiseN /div div eighborhood #1 (Tunnels) /div br / div br / strong Encore Two: /strong /div br / div In The Backseat br / br / "My Body is a Cage" did not pack the punch I had hoped it would after hearing it on the record. I expected it to be even.
..bigger.
..somehow.
"Keep the Car Running" and "No Cars Go" were fabulous. "Intervention" even more so. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that they didn't do "Wake Up".
However, I gained a new connection to "Ocean of Noise" that night so I suppose it all evens out somehow. /span /div
com,1999:blog-30500365.post-849792546177629888
897-05:00
com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RkXD0MKofUI/AAAAAAAAAEY/qvjAfvut5Z0/s1600-h/polyphonic.jpg" img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.
com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RkXD0MKofUI/AAAAAAAAAEY/qvjAfvut5Z0/s400/polyphonic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5063668657434426690" border="0" / /a br / br / br / br / I've not really addressed my fear of the a href="http://www.thepolyphonicspree.
com/" Polyphonic Spree /a here. br / They creep me the fuck out. No shit.
br / br / The heathen in me is probably initially resistant of their quasi-religious vibe. The robes (colorful like above or mostly white like I've also seen) don't help matters. And every gd one of them is overly smiley.
smiley smiley smiley. Always. br / br / Most of the band doesn't freak me out like Tim DeLaughter.
There's a little a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Koresh" David Koresh /a thing going on that gives me the creevils.
Before you ask, yes, I've given them a listen. And thanks to a former roommate, I've even got some a href="http://www.blogger.
com/www.trippingdaisy.com/" Tripping Daisy /a which was Tim's former band.
I just don't dig it. Except "Light and Day". Which I'm ashamed to admit I just can't resist.
While I may have to turn my head and not watch the Scrubs episode they are on, I continue to sing that song for hours later. br / br / It's that freakish power over me that makes me compare them to a cult. It appears as if the description is not a new one.
br / br / span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" "The cult talk was humorous at the beginning, and then it was annoying." /span br / p style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" —Tim DeLaughter br / span style="" (MAGNET #64) /span /p I don't really care if my thoughts are new or not. They creep me out.
I've had nightmares inspired by them that left me describing it only as "It looked like the Polyphonic Spree threw up over everything." br / br / It doesn't help they've done a duet with Yoko Ono who is also on my avoid list. br / span style="font-weight: bold;" Check it out: /span a href="http://www.
box.net/index.php?
rm=box_v2_download_shared_file blog file_id=f_61460602" Yoko Ono with Polyphonic Spree doing You and I /a . br / br / Well, it appears as if the Spree is set to invade Indianapolis. br / Needless to say, I will not be at this one.
br / br / span style="font-weight: bold;" Polyphonic Spree /span br / span class="postbody" Sunday July 8 br / The Vogue br / $18 advance, $20 day of br / Doors @ 7, Show @ 8 /span br / br / br / And to keep on a theme, other things that give me the same type of creevils: br / object height="350" width="425" param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5GYlGir8Dso" param name="wmode" value="transparent" embed src="http://www.
youtube.com/v/5GYlGir8Dso" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425" /embed /object
com,1999:blog-30500365.post-1841777653125887513
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deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/Rj5c-cKofSI/AAAAAAAAAEI/mIkO-JBviuU/s1600-h/319VT20H7QL.
_SS500_.jpg" img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 163px; height: 163px;" src="http://bp1.blogger.
com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/Rj5c-cKofSI/AAAAAAAAAEI/mIkO-JBviuU/s400/319VT20H7QL._SS500_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061585258993450274" border="0" / /a that sucks it right from my brain.
br / br / I have been keeping these little sticky notes in my wallet, but I just cleaned it out the other day. So alas, when I went into the record store yesterday, I did what I always do. I just wander aimlessly hoping something rings a bell.
br / br / I ended up taking home Sam Cooke's span style="font-style: italic;" Keep Movin' On /span which was good because I was in dire need of an actual Sam Cooke album. It contains perhaps one of my favorite oldies "Another Saturday Night" which at 3:30 in the morning seemed apt to the conversation at hand. br / br / Just some notes br / br / ul li There's a a href="http://www.
mtv.com/news/articles/1558587/20070502/smashing_pumpkins.jhtml" Smashing Pumpkins tribute album /a due out.
While the album is full of craptastic bands, I am somewhat interested in hearing the Ben Kweller cover of "Today". /li /ul ul li Speaking of general crap covers, there's a a href="http://www.pitchforkmedia.
com/article/news/42661-postal-service-flaming-lips-spektor-cover-lennon" cover album of John Lennon's solo stuff /a set for June 12. As a friend said, can't we just get disc two? Which was pretty much what I think most of us were thinking.
That same friend didn't realize the extensiveness of Lennon's solo work and I did what any true Beatles fan did. I stood with my mouth agape and then proper skooled him on such wonderful songs like "Just Like Starting Over" and "Jealous Guy" amongst others. br / /li /ul br / oh and for the record, Wesley Willis is never sexy music.
Not that I really had to convince anyone of that, but it became painfully obvious this weekend.
com,1999:blog-30500365.post-7992776180896161423
709-05:00
deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/Rigc9yjTLGI/AAAAAAAAADo/_F79ZnKRRdE/s1600-h/apple_ipod_black_1.
jpg" img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 286px;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/Rigc9yjTLGI/AAAAAAAAADo/_F79ZnKRRdE/s320/apple_ipod_black_1.
jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055322429590809698" border="0" / /a generation 10G officially died. They called it a "junk out" but it's now in iPod heaven. And truthfully I'm a little sad.
But I did get a little replacement today that is trying to fill his loss. br / br / My initial thoughts were WHERE ARE MY BUTTONS?!
I LOVE MY BUTTONS.! But I'm getting past that.
I'm also confused that it's all USB connection instead of firewire. Man is it infinitely slower loading. I can't easily get to the back of my computer right now to see if I have a USB 2.
0 port. Do you know if I can use my old firewire connector and it not be a problem? br / br / I'm also confused that it no longer comes with an adapter to connect it to the wall to recharge versus only having it so you can recharge via a computer.
I lost my old one so I was looking forward to having a replacement one. Only I didn't get one, dammit. br / br / It's also considerably heavier.
But I suppose that happens when you triple the amount of storage available. br / br / All of that aside, I'm relieved to finally have an iPod back. With missing a car radio, my iPod and mini speakers have become my savior.
It was awfully quiet on those long road trips. Of course, a new car stereo was my first purchase from my tax refund and I bought a darling shuffle in the interim, so we'll see if this iPod really gets the use of the old one. But for free, I don't really care if does or not.
post-185556308610404626
Being ill will do that to you. br / br / ul li a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.
blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RiJxPDLQU3I/AAAAAAAAADY/LeAFc_OLBgM/s1600-h/vonnegut.jpg" img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5053726235227607922" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 73px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="http://bp0.
blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RiJxPDLQU3I/AAAAAAAAADY/LeAFc_OLBgM/s200/vonnegut.jpg" border="0" / /a There was the a href="http://www.
nytimes.com/2007/04/11/books/11cnd-vonnegut.html?
_r=1 oref=slogin" death of Kurt Vonnegut /a . I was surprised that so many of my friends were affected by his death. A friend and I had planned to hear him speak in the next few weeks until we found out that the free tickets for it were long gone.
Now I'm kinda glad we didn't have tickets cuz it would just be creepy. /li /ul ul li There was the a href="http://www.avclub.
com/content/newswire/lollapalooza_2007_lineup_one" day-early leak /a of the Lollapalooza lineup and subsequent announcement of bands scheduled to appear. Aside from Daft Punk, I wasn't too enthusiastic about it. If I had gotten in on the $60 tickets, sure I'd be excited.
But for the Joe Schmoe price? Nah. I'll pass.
I'm more excited to see a href="http://www.ofmontreal.net/" Of Montreal /a at a href="http://www.
pitchforkmusicfestival.com/" Pitchfork /a anyway. Did you see them on a href="http://www.
youaintnopicasso.com/2007/04/13/video-of-montreal-on-conan/" Conan /a ? I don't think I need to say anymore about why I'm looking forward to that.
Also, did you hear that a href="http://musicslut.blogspot.com/2007/04/of-montreal-nudie-pics-headed-to.
html#comments" Kevin's pics /a have gotten Playgirl talking? Damn you indie rock for making me buy nudie magazines! /li /ul ul li a href="http://www.
midwestmusicsummit.com" MMS /a is being postponed this year. I'm not too heart broken by that one either.
/li /ul br / br / a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.
com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RiJxczLQU4I/AAAAAAAAADg/yMI7VCuds7E/s1600-h/robsheff_mixtape.jpg" img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5053726471450809218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.
com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RiJxczLQU4I/AAAAAAAAADg/yMI7VCuds7E/s320/robsheff_mixtape.jpg" border="0" / /a But lately, I've been devouring Rob Sheffield's book span style="FONT-STYLE: italic" Love is a Mixtape. /span I've never really been a fan of this guy.
I've always seen him as sort of a fey, douche of guy who writes for outdated magazines and shows up on lame VH1 specials that I can't seem to stop watching. br / br / But this book is sweet and v. personal.
It's just as it claims to be, love and loss one song at a time. The guy falls in love with a girl who loves Big Star's "Thirteen" and it's all over. He takes you through the different stages of his relationship through the mixtapes they made, whether it was for washing dishes or sewing clothes or making out.
br / br / And it got my juices flying for creating new mixes. In my friendships/relationships, I always start off strong but seem to peter out somewhere along the way. I think with the advent of mp3s and particularly the iPod, we no longer listen to albums as a whole.
Now for the most part, that's good freakin news cuz there are some real craptastic fillers on some albums. But it also takes away the joy of the mixtape. You get it.
Upload it to your computer. Plug in your iPod and you never hear the mix in its original form as it was intended. br / br / But I spent the weekend pulling out the multitude of mixed cds I've gotten from folks over the years.
And old records I hadn't listened to in ages (hi Nirvana's span style="FONT-STYLE: italic" Unplugged /span . I'm talking to you.) And I've been working on some mixes.
Some nostalgic ones. Some great ones. Some people are going to hate me for.
But they are filled with songs that need to be heard again. In a new form. Next to another forgotten classic.
br / br / On that note, I pulled out two songs I completely forgot I had memories attached to. One was Sam Cooke's span style="FONT-STYLE: italic" Last Date /span which my mother used to play fairly regularly on the piano until her arthritis made it too difficult for her to play. The other was the Clash's span style="FONT-STYLE: italic" Clampdown /span which had me rolling at the thought of a friend serenading me with it over the phone whilst I was sitting in an Arby's.
I miss those little shared moments far too much sometimes.
com,1999:blog-30500365.post-2789706946568163968
.
blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RfQFNPNl7UI/AAAAAAAAACM/fsLszMDbzxM/s1600-h/57383853.jpg" img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.
blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RfQFNPNl7UI/AAAAAAAAACM/fsLszMDbzxM/s400/57383853.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040659607914409282" border="0" / /a br / br / a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.
brendanbenson.com/" Brendan Benson /a and I have a sordid history. br / br / When I first moved down here I hated it.
I hated that I knew I HAD to move for my own good when all I wanted was to be back in Chicago. All my friends were back there. Everything I had grown to love was in the city.
My friend, who was in a similar situation said to me, remember what Brendan said "It's only temporary...
" br / br / It was at that point I threw "Me Just Purely" on constant repeat, identifying with lyrics such as br / span style="font-style: italic;" And I promise I'll get back on track /span br / span style="font-style: italic;" I'll get better so I can come home /span br / span style="font-style: italic;" My looks and my skin and in my head /span br / span style="font-style: italic;" In this town, this place I call my home /span br / span style="font-style: italic;" Well it's me just purely br / br / /span Well, when I found out that span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" bb /span was playing span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" Birdys /span back in September of 2005, of course I went. Alone, as I had no friends down here, really. And it was that fateful show that I met my first real rad a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://resistinginertia.
wordpress.com/" friend /a down here, who turned out to be far more like myself that I could have ever imagined. br / br / Well, span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" bb /span has been awful quiet lately.
Sure, he's been doing the whole a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.theraconteurs.com/" Raconteurs /a stuff, but as for his solo stuff he's been missing for awhile.
When I read the White Stripes were putting together a new album (am I the only one who vaguely remembers them saying span style="font-style: italic;" Elephant /span was going to be their last album?), I thought, huh, maybe I'll get some new span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" bb /span stuff too. br / br / Apparently a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://somuchsilence.
com/?p=599" So Much Silence /a was thinking the same thing. Turns out Brendan has put up some new tracks on his a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.
myspace.com/brendanbenson" span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" myspace /span /a page. It's a little darker than what I've come to love.
But br / I still dig it. And it makes me span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" squee /span like a little girl at the prospect of a new album and subsequent tour. br / br / I can only imagine what sort of memories I'll make with that.
br / span style="font-style: italic;" /span
post-5347261143545893856
deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RfOdpfNl7TI/AAAAAAAAACE/jlr0EH5Tk_0/s1600-h/tv-on-the-radio.
jpg" img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RfOdpfNl7TI/AAAAAAAAACE/jlr0EH5Tk_0/s320/tv-on-the-radio.
jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040545744036425010" / /a br / br / Went and saw a href="http://www.tvontheradio.com" TV on the Radio /a this week.
br / The night had the makings of the now all-too-familiar br / awkward moment of the week award br / but proved to be far better than anticipated. br / br / I believe the crowd I saw them with were split down the middle br / br / Half of them liked them better as a live act br / Half thought their performances didn't do the album justice. br / I was in the digging the live act crowd.
br / br / Then again, I'm one of those people who grabs an album early br / listens to it a couple times br / forgets about it until I see the band is coming through town br / goes and sees them live br / falls in LOVE with them br / pulls out the album br / and obsesses over it br / some six months AFTER everyone else. br / br / The only real downside of the night br / was my lack of sleep this week br / (see above hellish week comment) br / caused me to yawn through 90% of the show br / and ultimately to bail right after the encore br / br / which is a MAJOR disappointment br / cuz a href="http://voyageintostupidity.blogspot.
com/" my friend /a br / ended up meeting up with the drummer br / and drinking with the band br / until the wee hours of the morning br / at the Alley Cat. br / br / Curse me and my overwhelming desire for sleep! br / br / as a totally comical note br / I pulled out my copy of TVOTR's latest br / and realized that my tracks br / are painfully mislabeled.
br / Case in point? br / Wolf like Me is actually labeled "Playhouses"
com,1999:blog-30500365.post-5025313047961223974
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dll/frontpage" Colts won the Superbowl /a or something. I watched for awhile and then like the true non-football fan that I am, I ended up watching bad sitcoms on TBS. However, I still ended up finding some pleasure in the win because we got let out at 3:30 due to the victory parade that was going to pass right by our building.
The parade that was supposed to start 4 and now has apparently been pushed back to 6. Meh, I don't care, I still got out early. br / br / br / --------- br / br / br / a onblur="try {parent.
deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/Rce1VhbvGeI/AAAAAAAAABI/lmryN2IEITk/s1600-h/11ac3df5813219cei3.
jpg" img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 138px;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/Rce1VhbvGeI/AAAAAAAAABI/lmryN2IEITk/s320/11ac3df5813219cei3.
jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028186890339031522" border="0" / /a In perhaps more interesting news, a href="http://www.halsparks.com/" Hal Sparks /a is going to be making an appearance at the Hilbert Circle Theatre.
br / Date: Feb 24 br / Time: 9 pm br / Price: $20-$75 ($75 includes a post-performance reception with Hal.) br / br / now if someone could promise there would be some real-life kissing like there was on Queer as Folk, I'd gladly shell out the $75. But otherwise we'll see.
br / br / br / --------- br / br / br / I actually used the phrase "it's really unfortunate that you don't have the flesh eating virus" today. um, yeah.
..
br / br / Jonathan Richman, of a href="http://www2.blogger.com/en.
wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Modern_Lovers" The Modern Lovers /a fame, is going on tour. Unfortunately, none of those dates are that close to here.
br / br / 02-01 New York, NY - Knitting Factory br / 02-02 New York, NY - Knitting Factory a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.
com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RcJ72xbvGdI/AAAAAAAAAA4/e52JH1qyhRs/s1600-h/B00005Y1ZJ.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.
jpg" img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Q9MF-5U-Eis/RcJ72xbvGdI/AAAAAAAAAA4/e52JH1qyhRs/s320/B00005Y1ZJ.
01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026716315011717586" border="0" / /a br / 02-03 New York, NY - Knitting Factory br / 02-04 New York, NY - Knitting Factory br / 02-07 Asbury Park, NJ - Wonder Bar br / 02-08 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's br / 02-09 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club br / 02-10 Charlottesville, VA - Starr Hill Music Hall br / 02-11 Williamsburg, VA - College of William and Mary br / 02-13 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle br / 02-14 Charlotte, NC - The Evening Muse br / 02-15 Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle Tavern Music Hall br / 02-16 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club br / 02-17 Atlanta, GA - The Earl br / 02-18 Atlanta, GA - The Earl br / 02-20 East Nashville, TN - Radio Cafe br / 02-21 East Nashville, TN - Radio Cafe br / 02-22 Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone Cafe br / 02-23 Little Rock, AR - Sticky Fingerz br / 02-24 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room br / 02-26 Austin, TX - Continental Club br / 02-27 Austin, TX - Cactus Cafe br / br / I knew this fella who was big on the Modern Lovers and Jonathan Richman.
He'd put them on mix cds for me. I was kind of lukewarm at first about them. But then I bought "The best of Jonathan Richman" and I suddenly got it.
For awhile there, I had "The girl stands up to me now" on repeat. And every now once in awhile I find myself getting "They're not trying on the dance floor" stuck in my head. Both have these very specific memories attached to them like the first time I had a lad make dinner for me.
It's amazing the power of a song to put you back in a specific time and place.
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