I Wanted the Night to Go On and On

The Shuffle gods continue to shine on me this week. What popped up on your player?







"Night Comes On," Leonard Cohen
Like Dylan's and Joni's (to name only two), Leonard Cohen's lyrics have been mined for meaning until there is almost nothing left to excavate. I'll take the easy way out and say this is a song about resisting the lure of Death's warm embrace. I'm a Leonard Cohen fan because if it hadn't been for my wife, I would have continued to resist his embrace.

"Radio Cure," Wilco
Wilco make their second appearance in as many weeks with a song from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the album generally acknowledged to be their masterpiece. Here's a clip from "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart."

"Old Dan Tucker," Bruce Springsteen
A song with a rich and illustrious history, "Old Dan Tucker" has been performed by Civil War re-enactors and grampaws on the old Porter Wagoner television show. Bruce and the boys burn the barn on this version from We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions.

"Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair," Nina Simone
Nina Simone follows with her famous rendition of this classic Scottish folk song. This was recorded at The Town Hall in New York City in 1959.

"Mecanica de Amor," Mi Son
I'm not entirely in love with this song but it just seems to work coming out of "Black Is the Color." Sometimes a different context helps me better appreciate a song.