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ronharlow writesTake Two: “A Boy Named Sue” (Johnny Cash Vs. Shel Silverstein)
by Ron Harlow
I was eleven when Shel Silverstein died. My sixth grade English teacher took a break from the curriculum so our class could read poems Silverstein wrote, because my teacher wanted us to understand just how special of a person the world had lost. I loved Silverstein’s playful humor, his bizarre illustrations, and his wild imagination. I could relate to his spirit.
I was fifteen when Johnny Cash died. At the time, the most I knew about him was that his music video for his cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” was nominated for several awards at the VMAs, but didn’t win any. I started listening to his music when I was nineteen, at the insistence of a friend who burned me a copy of At Folsom Prison on CD-R. Being a boisterous and rebellious young man, I felt a connection to Cash’s rawness, his dark demeanor, and his reverence for the outlaw.
In my mind, silly Shel Silverstein and rugged Johnny Cash were far apart on the artistic spectrum. But when the two overlap on a Venn diagram, what you get in the middle is “A Boy Named Sue.” When I first heard the song on Cash’s 1969 album At San Quentin, I played it over and over because the lyrics are brilliant. It’s a perfect ballad built on an absurd premise. There’s a climax of conflict, a moral resolution, and a punch line at the end. I was surprised when I learned years later that Silverstein wrote the lyrics, but not shocked.
SKaiser writesGrowing Home Fall Open House: TOMORROW
The Chicago community is invited to visit Growing Home urban farm and job training program.
Who: Growing Home
What: Growing Home is opening its doors for an afternoon of family-friendly fun and learning at their Fall Open House! All are welcome to come tour Chicago's first and only USDA-certified organic urban farm to learn how food is grown right here in the city. Learn kitchen skills from Growing Home's job-training graduates as they host a healthy cooking demo using Growing Home's farm-fresh ingredients, and then take some home with you from the Farm Stand. Meet Alderman Raymond Lopez and hear him speak on community development. Take a yoga class with iGrow Chicago while the kiddos are entertained with face paint, sidewalk art, and veggie games!
Where: 5814 S. Wood Street (Pilsen)
When: Saturday, October 10, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Why: This is the perfect time to explore an urban farm and learn how local food can change communities and help people find jobs in Chicago's local food chain.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesThe Week That Was And What Will Be: What’s Happening at CHIRP Radio (10/5/15)
Coming Up This Week:
- CHIRP Radio welcomes Mike Krol to the Empty Bottle on Wednesday, Oct. 7
- CHIRP Radio hosts our broadcast lead-up party at East Room on Wednesday, Oct. 7
- Metro hosts an all-ages benefit show for CHIRP's upcoming broadcast launch on Saturday, Oct. 10
- CHIRP Radio welcomes Gloaming to the Old Town School of Folk Music on Saturday, Oct. 10
- CHIRP Radio welcomes Titus Andronicus to Lincoln Hall on Sunday, Oct. 11
New Media:
- Julia Weiss presents "First Time - First Trip"
- Stories of Philanthropy: Helping Syrian Refugees Find a New Home and Community
- George Lewis Jr. Interviews Twin Shadow
Top of the CHIRP Charts:
1. Ought - Sun Coming Down (Constellation)
2. The Tarts - The Tarts (self-released)
3. Low – Ones and Sixes (Sub Pop)
Click here for full listing of CHIRP charts.
SKaiser writesThe Week That Was And What Will Be: What’s Happening at CHIRP Radio (9/28/15)
Coming Up This Week:
- CHIRP Radio welcomes 3 nights of Baudelaire in a Box at Old Town School of Music (4544 N. Lincoln Avenue) on October 1st, 3rd and 4th! RSVP here | ALL AGES
- Oxford-based outfit Chad Valley returns to Chicago playing songs off the latest LP, "True". CHIRP Radio welcomes them October 3rd at 10:00 PM to Schubas (3159 N. Southport) | RSVP here | 21+
New Media:
- Stories of Philanthropy: Helping Refugees Find A New Home and Community
- Thank you for supporting the Fall Fundraising Campaign! Last week Clarence Ewing brought us Why DJs Support CHIRP Radio
- First Time with Peter Kim, a nationally touring comedian with Second City
- CHIRP's Eve Szokolai attended The Hideout's Summer Psych Fest and talked to organizers about what the festival means for Chicago
E. Malcolm Martinez writesCHIRP Radio Welcomes Patrick Watson to Lincoln Hall on September 28th!
Montreal singer/composer Patrick Watson brings his ethereal sounds to Lincoln Hall (2424 N Lincoln Ave) September 28th at 8 pm in support of his fifth album, Love Songs For Robots (2015, Secret City Records).
After releasing his lone solo album, Waterproof9, in 2001 as an audial accompaniment to a photo book, Watson formed his eponymous band and released their debut, Just Another Ordinary Day, in 2003 to great acclaim. Their second release, Close To Paradise, went on to earn Canada’s 2007 Polaris Music Prize for best full-length recording. Their third release, Wooden Arms, was a finalist for the 2009 prize.
While Watson’s fluid falsetto and cabaret-like compositions have earned him comparisons to the likes of Andrew Bird and Jeff Buckley, his multi-instrumentalist band is equally capable of creating larger and more musically muscular, upbeat soundscapes. With a range that can run from hushed intimacy to flighty soars, Watson’s songs have been used in various television programs and films. You can read more about the band at patrickwatson.net. Blood And Glass, also from Montreal, open the show.