Dr. Frank's What's-it

OT, Frank, but it'll make you laugh:

I got home from work last night to find my 7 year old son and 3 year old daughter standing in front of the speakers in the living room, with pretend microphones in their hands, singing "I know words like sobriquet, malaise, and plutocrat."

I don't know what I'm going to do when they ask me who Wittgenstein was.

I still remember the sad day when Dr. Frank crashed his little plane and died off the coast of Monterey. Sad times, sad times ...

The person who had the good Dr. confused with John Denver might be forgiven if they were only familiar with the Operation Cliff Clavin cover of said song: "I'm leavin' on a jet TRAIN" as they liked to sing it...

I hate to have this bad punk knowledge and admit to it, but also Me First And The Gimme Gimmes do a version of that, which used to be all over Napster listed as an MTX song... as well as a Screeching Weasel song. But Operation Cliff Clavin was a good band. and I paid for all my mtx and operation: cliff clavin and screeching weasel... so no whining.

I paid for a Screeching Weasel CD once.

That was a mistake.

Leavin' on a jet plane is (1) a great, sweet, catchy song in any of its many versions, (2) an ideal punk rock cover. Like all catchy pop songs, it can well handle being played up-tempo with that punk rock guitar sound. The only question remaining is whether to just sing it straight (my preference) or snarl the vocals. The latter approach can shade into an undeserved posture of snarky superiority toward the song, or any song so covered. The problem with this is most punk performers are not really worthy of the musical chestnuts they drag out and vandalize, being incapable themselves of ever originating a song 1/10th as good as Jetplane. My old band Bald Cow did that song a few times live, up-tempo but not hardcore fast. People like it when you do a song they recognize, no matter how hokey it is. You often have to swallow your pride, at least a little, to throw the crowd a few easy ones. Our guitar player finally put his foot down, though. It was just too wimpy for him and he flat out refused to play it any more. He got sick of Rhinestone Cowboy, too, in much the same fashion.

sigivald,

i paid for a cliff clavin 7" once.

that was a mistake.

then i tried to listen to it while my dad was in the room.

also bad.

doc,

i visited the mtxstarship awhile back. i seem to remember a sad story about how rebekah's car got stolen on her birthday or something...sad as all hell.

Sigivald and Travis,

I can understand how paying for a clavin 7-inch could be a bad thing. The only thing I ever liked by them was a CD called "Freedom of Choice" which had the best line-up of the band as well as the best material. I still love that CD. (I lived in Bloomington, IN at the time I bought it, so I got to see and hear the band in various incarnations.)

Also, I never really liked Screeching Weasel, but I love the last album, "Teen Punks in Heat." I have, however, always loved the Riverdales. Anyone hear the new album?

Yes, I have. The new record is AMAZING!

Not to change the subject, but i quite nearly pissed my pants with pure glee upon finding all this hullabaloo about a new MTX album. After all the ridicule i've recieved from my Wilco-fan peers for staying true to the good Doctor and his band, the least he can do for me is put out more stuff for me to blow my Taco Bell paycheck on. And for the record, a Cliff Clavin purchase is always a good one.

The song is called, "Leaving On A Jet Plane." It goes...
All my bags are packed I'm ready to go
I'm standin here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say good-bye
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye.
But the dawn is breaking, it's early morn.
The taxi's waiting, he's blowing his horn,
Already I'm so lonesome I could cry.

[Chorus]
So kiss me and smile for me,
Tell me that you'll wait for me,
Hold me like you'll never let me go.
'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again -
Oh Babe, I hate to go.

There's so many times I've let you down,
So many times I've played around,
I tell you now, they don't mean a thing.
Every place I go, I'll think of you,
Every song I sing, I'll sing for you,
When I come back, I'll wear your wedding ring.

[Chorus]

Now the time has come to leave you,
One more time let me kiss you,
Then close your eyes, I'll be on my way.
Dream about the days to come.
When I won't have to leave alone,
About the times I won't have to say ...

[Chorus]