Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Money for Nothing and Your Chicks are Free

So I punched up the "New Post" button. I guess I am now obligated to deliver. Perform. Shit or get off the pot.

Problem is I came here with nothing. A blank stare and a smile is all I got tonight. Running through the ole mental rolodex and all the pages come up empty. Guess I'll fall back on my old ways. When nothing is all there is, I just write nothing until something stops by for more than a quick cup of coffee.

Some tunes might help. Just a second.

There ya go,.........Tasty!

One of my mixes I burned from music legally bought and paid for was my one or two hit mix. No rhyme or reason, no thematic flow from one tune to another. The only rule, no more than two tunes from any one artist.

Naturally "Money for Nothing" was in this mix. If only because this tune had popped up in a discussion online today. Call it providence. Or predictable. Or just consider it a coinicidence. But there it was reminding me of that earlier insult, of being dissed by some internet forum flounder who thought I did not know who came up with this song. I was insulted and wrote him a sharp rebuking. The balls on this guy. I kept it civil. But my nose was out of joint fer sher.

And now it is Bonnie Rait wailing my favorite Bonnie Rait tune, "Give it Up". Jeez, this no rhyme, no reason, no theme mixing is turning out just fine. So far the CD really rocks. Rock, Soul, Jazz, a smidgeon of head bangin Metal just to keep an edge on it. Blues, electrified and acoustic, liberally sprinkled throughout to smooth those ruffled edges.

And just when I am feeling full of myself about the cool mix I just created, Ani "I hate men most of the time" DiFranco comes on and brings me back to Earth. Reminding me that I am indeed a Man. And we are not that cool afterall. Matter of fact most of us are assholes. Thanks Ani. At least your harsh and raw truth sounds great turned up to wow.

Afterthought, footnote, postscript>>>>>>>>>>>

When "Money for Nothing" came out, I had been out of the RocknRoll business a scant 4 or 5 years. Memories of that business come rushing back whenever I hear this tune. Let's just say that "Money for Nothing and Your Chicks are Free" just about sums up my experience. Getting a paycheck was not needed. I would have worked for free. So maybe now it makes more sense I was miffed when called out on my knowledge of this specific tune.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Crummy, what's this "most men are assholes" crap you shillin' for some it's all attitude talent rocker?
And then in the next heavy breath moan aloud how all the "chicks" were nothing but free whores.
To me it's been "many" for both sexes, but certainly not anywheres near "most".
But maybe that's 'cause I've never experienced the behavior of those in the rocker circus where your "most" I'll accept if you say so.

MRMacrum said...

Point taken.

The difference a word makes or could have made in this case. That paragraph was re-worked a couple of times. It's first incarnation was - "Most men can be assholes". But in deference to my impression of what Ani might like to read should she by the remotest chance stop by, I figured the final statement would make her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

The RocknRoll world I existed in had a much higher percentage of Assholes. It was a world where to survive you had to be willing to be a jerk at the drop of a hat. The show must go on and all that. And the chicks, God bless em, did indeed throw themselves at your feet. Maybe that's why I only lasted a couple of years. I just couldn't be as hard nosed and callous as I needed to be to do the job anymore.

Carlita said...

Ah, the inimitable Ani! But she has mellowed over the years. She might accept the "can be assholes" statement now. Personally, I liked her better when she was angrier, but I suppose we all soften up at some point.

What do you suppose her six-word memoir would be? Thirty two flavors and then some?

MRMacrum said...

Carlita - Yes her newer albums do indicate a softer side. But I still would not want to piss her off.

I became a fan of hers grudgingly. My wife and daughter flew to her like flies to ...well anyway, they loved her right out of the gate. It's a chick thing for sure.

But me, I had issues with her lyrics. Being confronted with uncomfortable truths can be hard. It is easier to blow them off than accept them as they are. Her lyrics hit close to home often. And I think that is a good thing to admit. It indicates my mindless male madness is showing some cracks and maturing.

Anonymous said...

as luck would have it, when "Money for Nothing" came out, I was working in a place that sold/rented TVs, stereos and appliances..
"We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour tvs, lord..."

That ain't workin'!

man, I hated that job.

MRMacrum said...

Dude- When it came out I was new to Domestic Bliss, owning a home, and and buying Micro Wave Ovens, Moving Refrigerators and hooking up new TVs. When we could afford them.

Anonymous said...

I've had Ani's greatest hits (she would cringe if she heard those words) 2 disk set playing in my car for the last week. I think its called Cannon. It's interesting listening to the progression of her music from 1992 to the present in just two 1 hr CDs. I was mentioning to Esther today in the car how I thought Ani had matured and that her newer stuff comes across with a lot less anger. She's written some powerful songs in the past 3 or 4 charged by the USA and World political climate. Great CD - Brian