enough of the englishman in new york, ashtanga practicing, burning man partygoer, king of pain pretty boy, $300 million from universal music for his whole catalogue in 2022, as if he did it alone, ‘77-’84, i was there, on guitar, his vocals only went so far, a friend saw him in chile w/james taylor, 1994, dodgy performance, truly, taylor blew him away, not even close, ok, sure, roxanne, just a drinking game really, i will concede message in a bottle, strong song, but every breath you take was mine, not just his, he says i got paid in 2016, but the serious money came in later, ok, i probably don’t deserve a penny, but gimme.
Tag: Singing
Working at the 30th Street Senior Center, 1996
the elderly are grumpy, cloistered together in plastic chairs, waiting for their number to be called, i’m the guy with the microphone calling the numbers, the elevator can only take 8 people down to the cafeteria at a time, i’m so lonesome all the time, since i left my baby behind, on blue bayou, i’m crooning to the mostly spanish speaking geriatric crowd, entertainment for the hungry, they smile, call me young clin-ton, or danielito, charlie is my elevator operator, he gives me a shout when he’s ready for more people, send them my way danny boy, they shuffle their feet, eager to eat a free meal, i say hello to conchita, manuel, margarita, & maria vela, they are all so kind -i only worked at the senior center for 6 months, but they gave me a few hundred dollars & a nice card when i left, periodically i looked through obituaries over the years, one by one they disappeared.
Doo Wop
sing me on street corners under glowing lampposts, harmonizing vocals, black, white, race is no matter, sweet sound knows no color. sing me in philly, in brooklyn, in baltimore, i am your love, your longing, your heartbreak and your joy. a cappella, alive on 45’s and chevy stereos, cruising, because there’s a moon out tonight and life could be a dream. never-ending youth, ephemeral song. doo wop has died, but the music lives on.
My Definitive Songs
Sh’Boom (1954), The Chords
Church Bells May Ring (1956), The Willows
Everyday (1958), Buddy Holly
Words of Love (1958), Buddy Holly
What’d I Say (1959), Ray Charles
Blue Moon (1961), The Marcels
Sherry (1962), The Four Seasons
Do You Want To Know A Secret (1963), The Beatles
A Quick One While He’s Away (1966), The Who
Different Drum (1967), Linda Ronstadt w/The Stone Poneys
Pata Pata (1967), Miriam Makeba
Heroin (1967), The Velvet Underground
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (1969), Crosby, Stills, and Nash
Carry On (1970), Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
Ventura Highway (1972), America
I Saw the Light (1972), Todd Rundgren
Satellite of Love (1972), Lou Reed
I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (1976), The Ramones
Year of the Cat (1976), Al Stewart
Sentimental Lady (1977), Bob Welch
The Passenger (1977), Iggy Pop
Message To You Rudy (1979), The Specials
Cruel To Be Kind (1979), Nick Lowe
Once In A Lifetime (1980), Talking Heads
Ashes to Ashes (1980), David Bowie
Seven Year Ache (1981), Rosanne Cash
Come On Eileen (1982), Dexys Midnight Runners
This Must Be The Place (1983), Talking Heads
Harborcoat (1983), R.E.M.
Back to the Old House (1984), The Smiths
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1984), The Smiths
What She Said (1985), The Smiths
The Headmaster Ritual (1985), The Smiths
Here Comes Your Man (1987), The Pixies
Birthday (1987), The Sugarcubes
Waiting Room (1989), Fugazi
Vanity Fair (1989), The Ocean Blue
Halah (1990), Mazzy Star
Silent All These Years (1991), Tori Amos
Don’t Panic (1999), Coldplay
Californication (1999), Red Hot Chili Peppers
Country Grammar (2000), Nelly
Island in the Sun (2001), Weezer
Girl Inform Me, (2001), The Shins
Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect (2002), The Decemberists
Saint Simon (2003), The Shins
Believe Me Natalie (2004), The Killers
Good People (2005), Jack Johnson
When You Were Young (2006), The Killers
The Funeral (2006), Band of Horses
Upside Down (2006), Jack Johnson
Riptide (2013), Vance Joy
A Sky Full of Stars (2014), Coldplay
No Tears Left To Cry (2018), Ariana Grande
everything i wanted (2019), Billie Eilish
MILLE (2021), Fedez, Achille Lauro, Orietta Berti
LA DOLCE VITA (2021), Fedez, Tananai, Mara Sattei
1st Ever United States Promposal: 1991
The first print reference to a “promposal” was in the Dallas Morning News in 2001. Our mariachi-inspired band publicly serenaded our dates ten years earlier.
Country Music
Charley Pride on bathroom
laptop, while I shave, his voice
forlorn longing, whiskers
collect on razor’s edge, this
morning mirror apart from wife
and son. I feel for Merle Haggard,
travails, time on the road, love
found and lost, like Loretta Lynn
in Topeka, daydreaming of that
different life, away from crumpled
hamper laundry and the last
cereal bowl bits clinging to old
milk. Somewhere in Nashville
they are still singing with Jesus,
waiting for my return.
Pleading For The Muse
i give up
nothing to say
words won’t play
for me tonight
want the muse
to sing that
siren song, crash
me into rocks
but no, her
throat is raspy
and i’m just
a mere mortal
not a god
or someone worthy
of such love
but that voice
please, just that
strong slight voice
where are you?
Young At Heart
No one sees the
gray-haired lady in
a wheelchair, hands shaking
Parkinson’s pulsating through her
whole body. But when
Sinatra sings, eyes aglow
grandma is someone again.
She belts out the
best part, you have
a head start, if
you are among the
very young at heart.
Life Could Be A Dream
Used to sing this
song with my 4th
graders in a classroom
of barred windows and
boys who fought over
pencils. But when they
joined sh-boom, we forgot
about all the rest,
everyone sang like paradise
up above, and life
was a dream, sweetheart.
Blue Bayou
I suppose it was
Roy Orbison first, for
me it was always
Linda Ronstadt, straight long
hair and bright album
cover smile, couldn’t imagine
her with a worried
mind, or lonesome all
the time, then again
I was only nine
Daniel W. Polk 