Just Call Me Angel

1967 was rock music’s greatest, most significant year and the Beatles were the era’s greatest band In rock music, every year has its masterpieces and timeless classics, but no year showcased as much brilliance as 1967. It was music that changed the world.  The Monterey Pop Festival was the first of the great outdoor rock festivalsMonterey attracted 200,000 people to northern California: they came to watch more than 30 popular bands and soloists, from the wild Janis Joplin and the Doors to the gentle Simon and Garfunkel. At one point, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones took the stage to introduce the next act: "I’d like to introduce a very good friend, a fellow countryman of yours. He’s the most exciting performer I’ve ever heard - the Jimi Hendrix Experience." As it happens to be, I married Nerea ,a psycodelic girl born on  the first day of August  in 1967.The same day The Beatles released Hey Jude. And  to this day she shines with the light of a thousand stars  and whoever comes close to her falls under her spell. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsZVO--Niog

If not for you,
Babe, I couldn’t find the door,
Couldn’t even see the floor,
I’d be sad and blue,
If not for you.

If not for you,
Babe, I’d lay awake all night,
Wait for the mornin’ light
To shine in through,
But it would not be new,
If not for you.

If not for you
My sky would fall,
Rain would gather too.
Without your love I’d be nowhere at all,
I’d be lost if not for you,
And you know it’s true.

If not for you
My sky would fall,
Rain would gather too.
Without your love I’d be nowhere at all,
Oh! What would I do
If not for you.

If not for you,
Winter would have no spring,
Couldn’t hear the robin sing,
I just wouldn’t have a clue,
Anyway it wouldn’t ring true,
If not for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdvjoIfGViU

Gia -

I push her around all over the bars
I beat her up on top of peoples cars
Drag her around by her neck near and far
If I could I would kick her ass on mars

Oh dont feel bad for her, she likes it rough
I know she can take it, my babys tough
Shes hot, sexy, beautiful and, stuff
Shes with me always like were handcuffed

Im going to finger her until I see stars
Im pickin out a fight with my guitar

Ariel Katana

Marching to the city

Well I'm sitting in church
In an old wooden chair
I knew nobody
Would look for me there
Sorrow and pity
Rule the earth and the skies
Looking for nothing in
Anyone's eyes

Once I had pretty girls
Did me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city
And the road ain't long

Snowflakes are falling
Around my head
Lord have mercy
It feel heavy like lead
I been hit too hard
Seen too much
Nothing can heal me now
But your touch

Once I had a pretty girl
She done me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city
And the road ain't long

Loneliness
Got a mind of its own
The more people around
The more you feel alone
I'm chained to the earth
Like a silent slave
Trying to break free
Out of death's dark cave

Once I had a pretty girl
Done me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city
And the road ain't long

Boys in the street
Beginning to play
Girls like birds
Flying away
I'm carrying the roses
That were given to me
And I'm thinking about paradise
Wondering what it might be

Once I had a pretty girl
She done me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city
And the road ain't long

Go over to London
Maybe gay Paree
Follow the river
You get to the sea
I was hoping we could drink from
Life's clear streams
I was hoping we could dream
Life's pleasant dreams

Once I had a pretty girl
But she done me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city
And the road ain't long


Well the weak get weaker
And the strong stay strong
The train keeps rolling
All night long
She looked at me
With an irresistable glance
With a smile
That could make all the planets dance

Once I had a pretty girl
She did me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city
And the road ain't long

My house is on fire
Burning to the skies
I thought the rain clouds
But the clouds passed by
When I'm gone
You'll remember my name
I'm gonna win my way
To wealth and fame

Once I had a pretty girl
But she did me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city
And the road ain't long

http://mp3.zing.vn/bai-hat/Marchin-To-The-City-Unreleased-version-2-Time-Out-of-Mind-Bob-Dylan/ZWZB9I0I.html

http://mp3.zing.vn/album/The-Bootleg-Series-Vol-8-Tell-Tale-Signs-Rare-and-Unreleased-1989-2006-CD3-Bob-Dylan/ZWZ98WAW.html?st=2

 Mary and the Soldier (Unreleased, World Gone Wrong) - Bob Dylan 

Come all you lads of high renown that will hear of a fair young maiden
And she roved out on a summer’s day for to view the soldier’s parading

They march so bold and they look so gay
The colours fine and the bands did play
And it caused young Mary for to say
"I’ll wed you me gallant soldier"

She viewed the soldiers on parade and as they stood at their leisure
And Mary to herself did say: "At last I find my treasure

But oh how cruel my parents must be
To banish my true love away from me
Well I’ll leave them all and I’ll go with thee
Me bold and undaunted soldier"

"Oh Mary dear, your parents’ love I pray don’t be unruly
For when you’re in a foreign land, believe you rue it surely

Perhaps in battle I might fall
From a shot from an angry cannonball
And you’re so far from your daddy’s hall
Be advised by a gallant soldier."

"Oh I have fifty guineas in right gold, likewise a hearth that’s burning
And I’d leave them all and I’d go with you me bold undaunted soldier

So don’t say no but let me go
And I will face the daring foe
And we’ll march together to and fro
And I’ll wed you, my gallant soldier"

And when he saw her loyalty and Mary so true-hearted
He said: "Me darling, married we’ll be and nothing but death will part us

And when we’re in a foreign land
I’ll guard you, darling, with my right hand
And hopes that God might stand a friend
With Mary and her gallant soldier"

You say here kitty, ain’t she so pretty, and just itty bitty, one pussy meow now, sneaky kitty poppin out, sniffing for a trout, wiggle booty and mount, in your lap about, lip lickin and bitten, smitten with this kitten, you found me drifting, now here be sitting, lick my white mittens, give you some spitting, rub on your leg, pet loves to beg, wanting on some drink, milk lapping trembling thing, give me some swimmy, showing off, see me,can’t be set free, sitting in a tree, humming on top thee

Ariel Katana
 

 

Ragas are soliloquies and meditations, passionate melodies that draw circles and triangles in a mental space, a geometry of sounds that can turn a room into a fountain, a spring, a pool."

By Octavio Paz

Dhrupad is the most ancient style of Hindustani classical music that has survived until today in its original form. The Dhrupad tradition is a major heritage of Indian culture.

The nature of Dhrupad music is spiritual. Seeking not to entertain, but to induce feelings of peace and contemplation in the listener. The word Dhrupad is derived from DHRUVA the steadfast evening star that moves through our galaxy and PADA meaning poetry. It is a form of devotional music that traces its origin to the ancient text of Sam Veda. The SAM VEDA was chanted with the help of melody and rhythm called Samgana. Gradually this developed into other vocal style called ’Chhanda’ and ’Prabandha’ with introduction of verse and meter. The fusion of these two elements led to the emergence of Dhrupad.

By the eleventh Century Dhrupad music had crystallised into a perfect form which has retained its original structure and purity through to the present day. One significant characteristic of Dhrupad is the emphasis on maintaining purity of the Ragas and the Swaras. According to some accounts, Dhrupad was sung in the temples, the singer facing the divinity. From this early chanting, Dhrupad evolved into a sophisticated classical form of music.

The language of Dhrupad changed from Sanskrit Brij Bhasha some time between the 12th and the 16th century. About six centuries ago, Dhrupad came to be patronised by the royal courts and its complex rendering became intended for highly sophisticated royal audiences. The compositions became more secular. Some were written in praise of the emperors; others elaborated on music itself. However the pristine nature of Dhrupad survived and even today we hear this majestic form of music performed like it was more that 500 years ago in the royal courts of the emperors and kings of India.

Government guns, shooting to slay, innocent sons, by the highway, where they were drug, their bodies lay, no grave was dug,

children should play, so anyway, pray that they may, not become prey, not see the day, shots spray their way,

A kill team scheme, for a psycho, war is a dream, didn’t you know, all doped up, made false threats up, and blew men up, is it true? Yep

Not Taliban, those soldiers hunt, but peaceful men, put on a front, then foreign guns, placed at the scene,

All in good fun, how could it be? That a hero, is an enemy

Ariel Katana

Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei Arena

April 3, 2011

1. Gotta Serve Somebody (Bob on keyboard)
2. It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob on guitar)
3. Things Have Changed (Bob on guitar)
4. Sugar Baby (Bob center stage on harp)
5. Cold Irons Bound (Bob center stage on harp)
6. Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob on guitar)
7. Honest With Me (Bob on keyboard)
8. Desolation Row (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on electric mandolin)
9. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum (Bob on keyboard, then center stage on harp)
10. Forgetful Heart (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on violin)
11. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)
12. Tryin' To Get To Heaven (Bob on keyboard)
13. Jolene (Bob on keyboard)
14. Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage on harp)

(encore)
15. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)
16. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on keyboard, then center stage on harp)

Voice in (relatively) great shape. Far less croaky than a year ago in Japan with some attempts at higher and sustained notes. Really very nice. Friends who aren't major fans all said they were pleasantly surprised and had been expecting worse.

- No up-singing or staccato delivery except for Desolation Row which had some at the beginning but smoothed out later.

- I managed to get to the front rail and it appeared that Bob was without his bling (the diamond rings) but as usual was regularly adjusting his pants and touching his hair on both sides. The hat came off a couple of times, between songs.

- Bob seemed almost reluctant to be at the organ

- No special effects - just the usual background lighting but none of the projections or visuals from the last tour.

- No "Why thank you friends" and band intro. COULD THIS BE A FIRST?! Maybe he was jetlagged and forgot. Early on a woman shouted out "Bob, sign my hat" and Bob turned to the mic and quietly said "Yeah...". That was it for Taiwan!

- Charlie didn't kneel down once. Has he been told? In any case, his guitar was excellent and with much less organ going on, he seemed freer somehow.

- Some discussion before "Blowin'" - perhaps it wasn't the planned closer.

- All the cheap seats high at the back taken. All the VIP seats at the front also full. But much of the mid-priced section empty. Probably no more than 2/3 of the 15K seats taken. Would have been better in a smaller venue.

- Highlights:

Gotta Serve Somebody (great opener and part of the pleasure was realizing how (relatively) tuneful his voice was)

Cold Irons Bound
Honest With Me
Forgetful Heart - Very tender

And I can't believe I'm saying this but the two songs I would usually prefer weren't there were very good - Tweedle and Jolene. Jolene in particular had people at the front jumping around almost as much as LARS.

- Lowlights:

The group of drunk Americans embarrassing themselves at the front, nearly getting thrown out (how we wished you were). The talking was probably loud enough for the band to hear and be distracted. Also, the guy who shouted "Bob, I need the toilet" just as one of the quiet songs started. Seriously, stay home or just go to US ballpark shows - in Asia audiences show more respect to the performer and audience.

But rather than end on that note, I should say that this was a really enjoyable show with the band on good form. As one guy shouted out "Bob, the whole world loves you"!

On Saturday, March 19, about 30 people - a mix of middle-aged-and-older Dylanheads, Hellenic Studies and Classics scholars, and a couple of students - gathered at the University of Missouri-St. Louis for a conference exploring connections between Bob Dylan and ancient Greece. Titled "Bob Dylan at 70: Immigrants, Wanderers, Exiles and Hard Travelers in the Poems, Songs and Culture of Ancient Greece and Modern America," the all-day event featured five guest speakers -- four scholars and one poet, Stephen Scobie -- and emphasized Dylan's as the poetry of the human search for home.

Barry Powell of the University of Wisconsin-Madison was introduced by Michael Cosmopoulos as having written the gold-standard textbook on classical mythology. Wearing a brown leather vest, Powell began by calling Dylan the "greatest lyric poet that's written in any language," then launched into his presentation, "Freewheelin' with Bob Dylan" - less a lecture than a free-flow stream-of-consciousness, during which he read Dylan's lyrics aloud with colorful interjections. Some of the interjections provided historical context, such as when he debunked the strictly black-and-white stance Dylan took in "The Hurricane" by providing details of the Rubin Carter case. Like Dylan, Powell is 70-years-old, so he threw in personal perspective: on "Subterranean Homesick Blues," he mentioned being "roughed up by cops for having long curly locks." Other times, he pondered aloud line-by-line, questions crescendoing to the same conclusion of so many late-night, substance- and music-stoked discussions: "It doesn't matter, because man, what a song!"

Next up was "Must Be the Jack of Hearts in the Great North Woods," by Richard Thomas of Harvard University. In this cohesive and engaging talk, Thomas discussed "exile" via Ovid and Odysseus, and demonstrated similar themes of "romantic and spiritual abandonment" and the "trickster" persona in Dylan's work, as well as "the genius of Dylan's plagiarism." A lovely moment occurred when Thomas played "Boots of Spanish Leather" (a 1963 composition widely believed to be written for Suze Rotolo, who passed away February 25, 2011), to illustrate Dylan's use of the traditional lovers' song format, with "verses alternating between voices of persuasion and resistance."

During his concise presentation, "In Search of Penelope: Dylan as Wanderer," John Miles Foley of the University of Missouri-Columbia fleshed out an analogy between character-types used in Dylan's lyrics and Indo-European "return epics" like the Odyssey: the traveler and the sought-after lover. Foley used songs like "Sara" and "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" to illustrate how the woman - a stand-in for the goal and home - and her fidelity ultimately determine the outcome of these stories.

The more formal talks concluded with Thomas Palaima's "Songs of the 'Hard Traveler': from Odysseus to the Never-Ending Tourist." Cosmopoulos credited the formation of the conference to his conversations with avid Dylanologist Palaima, a University of Texas-Austin professor and MacArthur fellowship winner. Palaima put forth the idea that humanity's general condition is one of loneliness, that we are born and die alone; then discussed what it meant to be away from home for Greek society, where polis pride was so integral to identity. He then tied this to Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" and its famous refrain: "How does it feel/To be on your own/With no direction home/Like a complete unknown/Like a rolling stone?"