Born to be Old?

Post by **Lightning Rod** » July 6th, 2008, 11:42 am

It's begging week on PBS
that's when they run all the popular shows, the concerts
they want contributions

they have been showing a series of performances by old timers like us
mostly they look terrible, but some of them sound as good or better than ever
the Zombies looked like zombies but they sounded great

Chad and Jeremy weren't the little Ken dolls that they once were
they looked like grandpas
but their harmonies were clean

Eric Burton did well
he made the sun rise over the whorehouse

There was Donovan and the Procol Harem guys
and Petula Clark and what's her name from to sir with love
and even Jerry from the Pacemakers
I had to call him Geriatric with a Pacemaker

this impelled me to go take a look at myself in the mirror
am I a has-been or a-never-have been?

my credulity was a little strained when
I watched this old fat guy
(the lead singer for Steppenwolf)
sing Born to be Wild
and they showed the audience
and it was a bunch of Q-tip headed old women
swaying to the beat and singing the words
it was kinda sad really
I was born to be wild
but I wasn't born yesterday
and neither were they

I think I have been lucky in this respect:
I've never had a hit tune that I had to repeat
night after night after night for years and then have to come back and
do a parody of it for the old-timers

I met a guy one time in the Winedale Pub in Dallas
he said his name was Jimmy Velvet and he had written the tune
Blue Velvet

I'm sure he was a drunken impostor
his royalties weren't too great
because he was soliciting drinks

my point is this:
it doesn't matter if this guy really wrote Blue Velvet
he was using his claim that he had written a hit tune
as his ticket for a drink

is that why we do this?
because we hope that someone
will sing our song after our bodily remains are gone
and we will achieve that degree of immortality?
Is it fear of death that causes us to get old?
or the fear of music?

Post by **stilltrucking** » July 6th, 2008, 11:49 am

Post by **Lightning Rod** » July 6th, 2008, 12:00 pm

I'm smiling so big I hadda take my chops out

perfect illumination for this piece, truck

Post by **westcoast** » July 6th, 2008, 12:32 pm

All right!!!

~westie

Post by **Lightning Rod** » July 6th, 2008, 12:40 pm

westcoast wrote:All right!!!

~westie

yeah westie, America is a wonderful country
you can get royalties and social security at the same time
soon there will be assisted care rock and roll
(excuse me I'm having trouble visualizing a mosh pit with powered wheel chairs)

Post by **mousey1** » July 6th, 2008, 12:53 pm

...You're only as old as you feel...or as young...so fuck that! Never give up, never give up, never give up, no matter what other folks say. For what other folks say is usually grandiose bullshit from would-be quitters.

I love, absolutely love, watching these old stars in motion. Shaking it, yes maybe close to breaking it, pulling a back or a muscle, suffering the aching joints. Utterly human. For me, in my mind, they're not getting older, they're getting better. They are aged fine wines and not ever in the least diminished. They are cool in their own ways and a far cry over these, most of these, new stars of today.

It's reminiscing, soaking in the sweet smelling lotion of good ol' back in the day! And when I sit there in the audience(well, you know, in front of my T.V.) I feel respect and gratitude and a lucky-to-be-a-part-of-it glow, because when they are gone it'll be a sad sad day. So sing it, baby, that's what I say, sing it till you don't feel like doing it anymore! Or till you drop dead on the stage! So be it and what a way to go.

I love it. Just look at Leonard Cohen and tell me he isn't one cool fuckin' dude up there on the stage grooving his fucking heart out!

I love it!

And we mustn't judge our books by their covers. A gray head and a myriad of wrinkles and a cane may not show any indication of the sharp vibrant teen underneath, but he's there, he's there! As long as the spirit is willing and the flesh can carry a tune enthused, then carry on, I say, carry on!

Post by **mousey1** » July 6th, 2008, 12:56 pm

Oh yeah man, we still groovin'!

Post by **Lightning Rod** » July 6th, 2008, 1:11 pm

yeah, mousiness
that's why Peter Pan is my hero

it depends on what time of day it is as to how young or old I feel....haha

rock on!

Post by **mtmynd** » July 6th, 2008, 1:28 pm

being of 'my generation' i must say this entire thread has been a positive experience and one that has given me a certain tickle of joy to read... in other words, right on!

now where's some mick jagger and the boys?

Post by **mousey1** » July 6th, 2008, 1:40 pm

It's true it's true
we're too cool for words
we be jumpin' and jivin'
and rockin' and thrivin'
and while the young are laughin'
at our aged high jinks we can think
yeah?
yeah?
yeah?
...well the fuckin' joke's on you!

*goes back to knitting a cock warmer for the ol' tool!*

Post by **Lightning Rod** » July 6th, 2008, 1:46 pm

this ol' cock could use a hand-knitted warmer
the socks I've been using are getting holes

don't get me started on the plaster casters
the only images of it I want will need to be photoshopped from here on out

Post by **mousey1** » July 6th, 2008, 1:56 pm

Yes, yes, some visuals are best left to the imagination!

Do I hear an amen?

Amen.

Post by **WIREMAN** » July 6th, 2008, 1:59 pm

i'm glad to be where i am....constantly evolving wired man.....i be sizzling in the frying pan.....fueled by rebar=$$$$ and inspired by the endless spiral of wire and words........oooooo baby baby it's a wired world.....

Post by **hester_prynne** » July 7th, 2008, 2:31 pm

Fantastic Thread.
Tremendous video,
Made me weepy with sentimentality which comes with age and dare I say, spontaneous fallout wisdom????(SFW).
H

Post by **Lightning Rod** » July 7th, 2008, 4:24 pm

addendum:

I just watched Heart perform on the Ellen show

it made me sad

I guess it fortifies the myth that women don't age as gracefully as men

but between being fat and out of pitch, it was painful to observe them try to imitate their younger selves.

people look like fools when they don't accept their ages and try to dress/behave like they did 'back in the day'

Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

Born to be Old?

Born to be Old?

Who is online