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Jim James

The Day After

It’s mourning in America.

Here Andrew Bird teams up with Jim James to sing “Sic of Elephants”.

America, what have you done?

“Sic Of Elephants”

You were right
There was never reason to worry
Money made your eyesight all blurry
Making lists of pacifists
Recalcitrant poses
Can’t you see how dangerous
The one you chose is
Which brings us back to
Might makes right
So we learn from Wars of the Roses
Pain was only fear kneading your toeses

Making haste to spite your face to cut off your noses
Convince yourself and others that these
Fish smell like roses

Can’t you see how dangerous
When you’re too content to make a fuss
Can’t you see how dangerous

Squint your eyes and see
Elephants, sycophants, elephants

Squint your ears and hear red-faced rants
Pleated pants
Sycophants
That’s what you are

Can’t you see how dangerous
When you’re too content to make a fuss

Sweetheart 2014

As I prepare for my annual sojourn to Southeast Asia I depart with a wonderful compilation entitled Sweetheart 2014.

The album consists of handpicked love songs covered by the likes of Beck, Jim James, Fiona Apple, Phosphorescent, Ben Harper, The Head and the Heart, Valerie June, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and a daring choice by Vampire Weekend.

The band chose “Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)” made famous by the great Italian opera tenor Andrea Bocelli.

We’ll hear each version here.

Vampire Weekend

Andrea Bocelli duet with Sarah Brightman

The Roots

In my first Podcast “Dear God 2.0” by Monsters of Folk was included as one of the best of 2010 thus far. (Monsters of Folk is a modern-day supergroup consisting of Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes and M. Ward.) The Roots, one of the great American hip hop bands (and currently the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) brilliantly use the song as a basis for their own commentary on the current crisis of contemporary life. From The Roots new album How I Got Over, “Dear God 2.0” is the Song of the Day.

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“Dear God 2.0 (featuring Monsters of Folk)” by The Roots

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