Changes

November 5, 2020 13 Comments

As the USA’s pretense to being a democracy fades with the seasons, and nothing changes but for the worse, here is beauty to sustain us.

13 thoughts on “Changes”

  1. Dave McGowan (RIP) presented his view of Phil Ochs’ career in “Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon” in which he laid out the strange emergence of the John Train identity that overtook Phil’s persona.

    Here’s a link to a pdf download of the book:
    https://www.readbookpage.com/pdf/weird-scenes-inside-the-canyon/

    Here’s a link to a video of Dave on similar stuff:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp3v1rsgddY

    and another:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2GjY8DN-7I

  2. American democracy is like that children’s card game we used to play called “Cheat” or in later years “Bullshit”. The rules of the game were that the winner is the most accomplished cheat.

    They say that 48% of Americans think there has been cheating and the elections were “stolen”, but I am sure that probably 96% of Americans (and the rest of the world) are convinced of this, but only 48% are upset by it. It would be the OTHER 48% if Trump wins.

    On a more optimistic note, we must not see this as the end of democracy, but hopefully as the end of a false pretence.

  3. I don’t have a working computer now. So please Google “van Morrison as I walked out.” Update your protest songs.

  4. Ed, The terrible part of that photo is that to me it looks like someone photo-shopped It to make it look like Donald Trump performing. Ochs never looked like that to me (although I never saw him in person — I had to dig up my copy of the album to be sure it was as you presented it. (One of these days I’ll listen to it, and perhaps borrow another of his albums.) I’m not gloating over Trump’s defeat. To me he is a walking, talking, tweeting human tragedy, a man who in a sane country wouldn’t have been nominated the first time. There but for fortune may go you or I.

    https://www.allmusic.com/artist/phil-ochs-mn0000333634/biography

  5. Thank you, Ed. This brought my weary heart back to a time when I was idealistic about my fellow humans. Sadly, those feelings are long gone. I spent the day listening to Phil and remembering and weeping and searching for optimism. I so worry for the children.
    I am most grateful to you for all you share. Again, thanks!

    1. Thanks, Kay. Optimism is hard to find these days. We suffer this dark night of the soul together. Maybe therein lies our hope. Pax, Ed

  8. “Changes for the worst, I says, changes for the worst . . .” I believe the Gaffer came up with this during the scouring of the Shire.

  10. Familiar with John Train? The hard-right alter ego that eventually overtook Ochs?

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