Billy Bragg + Wilco = 8 : Most Excellent.

I really needed to hear this song right now. Thanks, RP:)

How exactly did this song spur a discussion about Reaganomics. People need to chill.

I'm not a real Jeff Tweedy lover (Jay Farrar got custody of my good feelings after the break-up) but I think he did a good job with this one. Such a simple lyric, why muck it up with too much song. Very nice. A bit long maybe, but still very nice.

Rickvee wrote:

I love this song too - but not Regan...

an excerpt from Greg Morrow's blog (click here) sums things up

"Under Reagan, we sent the deficit skyrocketing, growing faster in real dollars than under any other president, including the current one. We cut social spending to the bone, creating the homeless problem by turning hundreds of thousands of mentally ill people out on the streets. We appointed Antonin Scalia to the Supreme Court. We cut school funding, trying to classify ketchup as a vegetable. We banned the Beach Boys as attracting the wrong sort of crowd. We traded arms, money, drugs, and hostages between Iran and the Nicaraguan rebels. More appointed officials were indicted and convicted of crimes than under any other president. We gave chemical weapons to Saddam Hussein. We claimed that trees cause most pollution.

He catastrophically lowered taxes in 1981, creating debt so bad he raised taxes each of the next six years and still didn't make up for it. And while he streamlined the complex and exemption-riddled income tax, his changes created the largest-ever shift of tax burden from the wealthy to the middle-class and working poor. "

Here is a great interview by Jeff about the new album and playing live for your reading enjoyment.

(click here)

I particularly love the drum sound on this - very live

I want to live in California!

this is rock and roll.

Good stuff!

horstman wrote:

Yeah we would have been better with 4 more years of Democrat Jimmy Carter, don't you think? Carter did such a wonderful job - inflation over 20%, 4 hour gas lines, the Iranian hostage situation (yes, the Middle Easterners were pissed at us during a Democratic regime), national morale at an all-time low, the nation's military competence at an all-time low.

I love this song.

lmic wrote:

the house itself is gone...it's a library or some other building like that now so I don't know what the pic is...just a building in that neighbourhood, I guess.

TJ

Is the cover art a picture of Woody Guthrie's Mermaid Avenue house on Coney Island?

This song (on a friend's wedding compilation CD) led to my introduction to Wilco, which in turn led to Uncle Tupelo, which led to my discovering Son Volt.

So, Thank You Laura and Craig for opening up a whole new world.

What a great song. One of many on Mermaid Ave.

Probably the second most beautiful song on Mermaid Ave., Vols. 1 and 2, right behind Rememeber the Mountain Bed.

Time to add the Billy Bragg stuff to my Wilco Collection.

Saw Billy Bragg in the late 80s on his "Let's vote the Republicans out of office" tour. Pretty good show, but quite honestly, I don't need some Brit telling me to vote Ronald Reagan out of office. Dumb republican idiot appealed to an even dumber American republic.

Sound familar?!!

You know what's dumber than Americans?

Their leaders, of course!

IMO it's a great intro to Woody Guthrie.

OldFrenchie wrote:

What a fantastic song ... just makes you want to bob your head along to the melody.

I absolutely love this song. A great intro to Wilco and Bragg.

Bopping my head along

Awesome slide....

YAHOO !!! this song is GREAT !! it floated around in my head after i heard it playing in starbucks (god i HATE it that that's where i first heard it) but bought the album and like most - but this cut is the best !! phooey on the naysayers - what a great mental image -
laying down on a bed of california stars - (um, maybe that was a long time ago) (or somewhere near paradise california?) thanks BILL !!

California is popular tonight ^^

Geecheeboy wrote:

Damned with weak praise.

wilco played this song at their concert at alderney landing this summer. awesome.

First the Eagles, then this song. California is calling me...LOUD!!!

I love the old school stereo seperation. Wide and wonderful!

Geecheeboy wrote: love it

Best cut on the entire album.

Whoo Hoo!! That's what I wanted to hear!

Fenderbelly_Bodine wrote:
Agree. This is a beautiful album...I have been enjoying it for many years now.