The Music Court

              Today my brother graduated from High School and is eagerly awaiting attending Cornell in the fall. My brother thanks you for the internet round of applause. The ceremony was early but enjoyable and afterwards my family went out to brunch and I overate. What? My day’s events are not exciting. True, this is a music blog. I apologize let us get to the music. In honor of all those high school seniors who have/will be graduating high school in these past/future days, I have searched my scattered mind and bloated stomach for a song to not only encompass your accomplishments, but also to give you some great lyrics to guide you through the summer and onto freshman year. So, I have avoided being incredibly cliche with “The Graduation Song” by Vitamin C, and I have chosen to be just plain old cliche with “Good Riddance,” by Green Day.

“So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind   
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it’s worth it was worth all the while

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.
I hope you had the time of your life.”

           – “Good Riddance,” by Green Day released as a single in 1997.

        These lyrics do an amazing job in extending the broad message that one must take the memories and hold them close because life is rather unpredictable but in the end stability is reached. While this song, according to its writer and singer Billie Joe Armstrong was written as a goodbye to a girlfriend who was moving to Ecuador, forcing their break-up, the message extends to everyone. So, whether one is saying goodbye to Ecuadorian chick or saying their bon voyage to one stage of their life, the song wonderfully explains that in all of these events, “I hope you had the time of your life”

Probably one of the most memorable grunge/metal bands of our time Alice In Chains made music history with their 1992 album “Dirt”.  This album was made famous by songs such as “Would?” and “Them Bones” but none so memorable as their 4th single released off of it which was “Rooster”.  Seems kind of stupid that a band would name an epic song off of a very small almost mechanical bird.  But to better understand it one has to look at the lyrics.

Aint found a way to kill me yet, Eyes burn with stinging sweat, Seems every path leads me to nowhere, Wife and kids household pet, Army green was no safe bet
The bullets scream to me from somewhere
Here they come to snuff the rooster
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he aint gonna die
No, no, no, ya know he aint gonna die
Walkin tall machine gun man
They spit on me in my home land
Gloria sent me pictures of my boy
Got my pills gainst mosquito death
My buddys breathin his dyin breath
Oh God please wont you help me make it through
Here they come to snuff the rooster
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he aint gonna die
No, no, no ya know he aint gonna die

The song was actually written by guitarist Jerry Cantrell for his father who had served in Vietnam.  The term Rooster was his father’s nickname which originated from the natives of Vietnam looking at the Eagles on the soldiers uniforms and since they did not know what an Eagle was they were calling them Chickens.  This whole song is about his fathers experience throughout the war.

To honor a June that has been filled with more rainy days in New York than letters in this sentence (okay not really but it has rained close to every day) I thought I would provide you with some slurred words from the misheard and misunderstood vocalist John Fogerty and his Creedence Clearwater Revival:

“I hear hurricanes ablowing.
I know the end is coming soon.
I fear rivers over flowing.
I hear the voice of rage and ruin.”

– “Bad Moon Rising,” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

These lyrics cannot be more true especially since today it felt like heaven and hell were fighting the epic apocalyptic battle outside of my uncle’s lighting store’s storefront in Yonkers, NY (where I was working). Shout out to Lights On. Rivers were not only over flowing but they were forming out of the gutters and traveling fast down the street. It was not a hurricane but there were some tornado warnings. Tremendous stuff. Interesting fact about this well-known Creedence hit. The chorus lyric “Don’t go around tonight, it’s bound to take your life, there’s a bad moon on the rise,” sounds quite similar to “there’s a bathroom on the right,” because of Fogerty’s accented vocal. This, of course, has prompted listeners to take notice of the impending storm or conviniently placed restroom down the hallway.

The bathroom on the right which apparently is also home to a cat

Thought I would give you some lyrics for thought on this late Thursday night. Lyrics that can reflect on the past few day’s events. From the wonderful “American Pie,” by Don McClean:

“And the three men I admire most:
The father, son, and the holy ghost,
They caught the last train for the coast”

This, of course, emphasizing that the grim reaper apparently strikes in threes. Whether it was the day the music died where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, “The Big Bopper” Richardson were struck down in their primes from a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, or the last few days where Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson have passed on, death really does seem to strike in threes. Rest in peace to those who have passed on.

The band is the fantastic early punk The Clash with their well-known song “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” Why spanish? Not to sure but it does indeed work and sounds fantastic with the song. With the question posed in the song I feel like saying please stay because I can only wish the band stayed around a little longer.