0:00:01-0:03:07) Wimoweh (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) by Ladysmith Black Mambazo off of Brown Girl in the Ring – A World Music Collection
0:03:08-0:04:53 (Rev. interruption 1. Background music: Miles Davis Funeral by Morphine off of Cure For Pain)
Happy half way done with the calendar. It’s the first Sunday in June, can you guess excuse we’re using to celebrate the magical effects of music? Well, Wimoweh (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) rendered by Ladysmith Black Mambazo was a clue. Give up? The first Sunday in June is National Animal Rights Day – NARD. (Monster Squad clip)
Since before our history began animals have been sacred to us. So important they were the first things we ever scratched on walls of our caves. They came along with us on the hunt. Gave us warmth and companionship. We used the nutrients from their milk and eggs. We bred them to help in the fields. And of course hunted, trapped, killed, and skinned them, because they are our best and cheapest source of Fur, Leather, Wool, Meat.
0:04:54-0:07:55) Fur, Leather, Wool, Meat by Impotent Sea Snakes off of God Save The Queens
0:07:56-0:12:15) The Trapper And The Furrier by Regina Spektor off of Remember Us To Life
0:12:11-0:15:19) The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill by The Beatles off of “The White Album“
0:15:20-0:19:12) The Ballad of Buffalo Jones by The Ford Theatre Reunion off of Famous Monsters
0:19:13-0:20:22) (Rev. interruption 2. Background music: Lipan Conjuring by Tool off of 10,000 Days)
Hello, my name’s Rev. – and I’m a naked ape – so are you. And so were all those beasties we were just listening to. First came the Impotent Sea Snakes yowling about Fur, Leather, Wool, Meat. Which was followed by Ms. Regina Spektor baying, quite powerfully at The Trapper And The Furrier. Then came the sweet warble of The Beatles with The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill. And lastly we finished off that pack of songs with one of my favorite bands, The Ford Theatre Reunion roaring The Ballad of Buffalo Jones, a track off their magnificent Famous Monsters album.
I’ve no doubt that you know that we, homo-sapiens, are just animals, but it’s just nice to have the reminder every now and again. To help us remember our wilder ancestors and our current cousins. That we don’t just have some of their qualities, or relate to them sometimes, but we in fact, are them too.
0:20:23-0:23:25) Kitty Kitty by Ashley Jo Farmer off of Rescue Me!: A Cause for Paws
0:23:26-0:26:35) Three Legged Dog by FireWater off of The Golden Hour
0:26:36-0:30:40) Barn Cat by Mary Ann Kennedy off of Rescue Me!: A Cause for Paws
0:30:41-0:35:19) Atomic Dog by George Clinton off of Greatest Hits: Straight Up
0:35:20-0:37:40) (Rev. interruption 3. Background music: I Am Locust by The Mag Seven off of End Sounds Ten Year Anniversary Sampler)
Even if you’ve never heard the original version of that song, I have zero doubts you know one that’s sampled it. But friends, what you just heard was the original. Atomic Dog. By the legendary George Clinton with… some variation of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective. Before the great and powerful funk we heard a sweet little song about what it’s like to be a Barn Cat by Mary Ann Kennedy. Prior to that we heard Mr. Todd A. from Firewater telling us some of the way in which he’s like a Three Legged Dog from his second-to-none record, The Golden Hour. And we started that collection of melodies off with Ashley Jo Farmer and a tune called Kitty Kitty. Both that and Barn Cat are off a fun compilation called Rescue Me!: A Cause for Paws. 12 songs, 6 about dogs, 6 about cats, laced together to benefit animal rescue and awareness. But be you a cat or dog person the only thing that matters is you love your animals.
0:37:41-0:40:10) I Hope That Something Better Comes Along by Matt Nathanson off of Muppets: The Green Album
0:40:11-0:44:25) You Say (Puppy Love) by Brother Ali off of US
0:44:26-0:46:59) Let Me Play With Your Poodle by Tampa Red off of Those Dirty Blues Volume 3
0:47:00-0:48:24) Fuck A Dog by Blink 182 off of Take Off Your Pants and Jacket
0:48:25-0:51:26) Fuckin’ an Animal by Gwar off of We Kill Everything
0:51:27-0:52:57) (Rev. interruption 4. Background music: Arco Arena by Cake off of Comfort Eagle)
Sisters, brothers, and those who shouldn’t be defined so simply, it’s clear that perhaps one can love animals a bit too much. It started off so sweetly with the Muppets: The Green Album. A compilation of a bunch of rock bands cover old Muppets songs. That’s why Matt Nathanson was singing Kermit and Rowlf the Dog’s song I Hope That Something Better Comes Along. After that we slipped into You Say (Puppy Love) by Brother Ali off his pretty great US album. That led us into an old Tampa Red tune from 1942 called Let Me Play With Your Poodle. And naturally we followed that with Blink 182 – Fuck A Dog. (I do also have a GG Allin song called Fuckin’ the Dog but chose that instead. I defiantly earned my place in Punk-Rock Hell for that decision. And then of course we banged that last nail in the coffin with the classic love-song, Fuckin’ an Animal by Gwar. So I guess some people shouldn’t love the little critters. Some should just be friend, or just have a professional relationship, and just talk with them maybe. Like in the old Dr. Dolittle books.
0:52:58-0:54:00) The Cat And Rat by Shel Silverstein off of Songs And Stories
0:54:01-0:58:23) Naked In The Rain by Red Hot Chili Peppers off of Blood Sugar Sex Magik
0:58:24-1:01:39) Talk to the Animals by Bobby Darin off of Bobby Darin Sings Doctor Dolittle
1:01:40-1:02:59) (Rev. interruption 5. Background music: Sweet Ticket by Kanon Wakeshima off of Shinshoku Dolce)
Imagine if we could actually Talk to the Animals like Bobby Darin dreams. That’s from a record where he sings the songs from the old 60s film Dr. Dolittle. And before that, to prove that the dream is still alive, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were Naked In The Rain from Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
Yes, I’m sure we could learn a lot from the other fauna we share this globe with. Different perspective are invaluable for a well-rounded brain. But I guess we’ve been trying to learn from them for thousands of years. Like Taoism observing nature and taking from it advice for how we might better exist with the world. We’ve learned ways to move and’ve named different styles of martial arts after them. We’e taken spirit animals, and got them tattooed on us to try and gain some of their qualities, or try and bring them out of ourselves. Without any words we’ve absorbed some of there sage intelligence, and learned such beautiful wisdoms – not unlike these.
1:03:00-1:05:03) Animal Crackers by Wee Hairy Beasties off of Bloodshot Records: Fun For All Ages Sampler
1:05:04-1:08:49) Father Time by Blind Melon off of For My Friends
1:08:50-1:12:19) The Story of My Life (Ft. P.O.S) by Astronautalis off of Pomegranate
1:12:20-1:15:29) Swinging On A Star by Frank Sinatra off of Sinatra Sings Days of Wine and Roses, Moon River, and Other Academy Award Winners
1:15:10-1:16:29) (Rev. interruption 6. Background music: Don’t Nobody Know by Ani DiFranco off of Reveling: Reckoning)
Well that about does it. Wraps up the first half of the year. Nothing left to do but put the bow it and tie up loose ends. Thank you for sharing our lives, 80 minutes at a time. It means the world to me. So, until next time or never, whichever comes first. I’ve been Rev. This had been Aurally Fixated. And you’ve been perfect. So, I’m going to leave you with with one of my favorite Nat King Cole songs. But before I forget. I’m sure you probably recognized Ol’ Blue eyes, Frank Sinatra just now, Swinging On A Star with us. Before that we had the most excellent team-up of P.O.S visiting Astronautalis on his practically perfect Pomegranate album. Continuing all the animal metaphors with The Story of My Life. Then came, back in time, the dearly departed, Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon telling us about Father Time. And we started it all off with Animal Crackers by a band called the Wee Hairy Beasties. (Jim Henson’s StoryTeller clip)
1:15:30-1:18:55) Straighten Up And Fly Right by Nat King Cole off of The Greatest Hits.
Next episode will be Posted on the Twenty-Fourth Day of July
