RIAAvolution
You say you want a revolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright
You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright
You say you'll change the constitution
Well you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright
This song, as much as any other, represents what happened to music in the 60's. Not only has it become an iconic anthem of rebellion and change, but its ownership is illustrative of what music was and became. As I've discussed, the song was bought by Michael Jackson in the 80's and he let Nike use it for some sneaker commercial, over Paul McCartney's strenuous objection.
David Crosby has recently commented on what happened to music in the 60's. There was a legitimate community, and from that sprang incredible art. The community was a counterculture, the message was about the sad state affairs as the youth was forced to buckle to the whims of old men and old ideas.
This was a beautiful flower, and remained pure for some time, some place. But, pickpockets go where there are pockets and leeches go where there is fresh blood. Enter RIAA. As I've said before, my feeling about the bloodsuckers of the music go way back.
But there is always revolution. I wrote a book entitled Revolutions when I was about 21. It was full of art and on each painting was a poem that went along with it. I mistakenly gave it, and its sister book, Abstractions, to my parents. They have kept them hostage all this time and I have never even been able to show my kids these amazing books, each with some 25 original paintings and poems.
The dictionary definitions of revolution are interesting, almost opposite concepts. The first definition relates to the circular, predictable movement of planets around a sun. This too applies to records... RPM.... revolutions per minute. I still have some of my most treasured LP's...33 1/3 RPMs, I've even had 45s... the singles, whose sales made up the hot 100. I even found a stack of 78s in my basement in Massapequa.
The other definition is obviously about momentous social change, and now, this too totally defines music. We have come full circle. And yes, what comes around goes around. Even with Grokster still to come down, and I do expect a victory, but regardless... we have had a revolution in music and we have won. As far as I'm concerned, with Yahoo now offering up major league music catalogs for $5./month....that's it, that's good enough for me. It's the end of the draft. The same way that deflated protest against Vietnam, this has taken the impetus out for me. I'm good.
We won, you lost, you're marginalized. You're going down. Bronfman's rejection should be message enough. Bigger and better artists are avoiding you and are going instead to GarageBand and the other websites. MySpace has 40 million members and adding 65k/day. You can check out my own stuff on Soundclick. There's still work to do and I appreciate all that's being done but this is good enough for me. Yes, it still makes my blood boil to see them suing college kids and watch these bastards in their death dance, but, we did it. We finally got these fuckers.
Thank you Hank Barry (ok, and even turncoat Shawn.. you did write the program), for taking that first big bite and drawing blood. They never recovered from it and you've really been an unsung lynchpin in all this. You know, the movie players are all sitting on their heels right now. Technologically, they're all ready to roll, but it's like a game of chicken, no one wants to be the Hank Barry of film.
So, this Memorial Day, check out my 2/2/05 post about the record memorial, download a few free tunes and listen to whatever you want. I couldn't do that four years ago, but, I sure as hell can do it now. All that fabulous revolutionary music is right there on my little iPod. Musical freedom in only five short years. That is revolution. That music will reinvigorate us, refresh us, inspire us.
We sang about revolution and when it comes to sex, war, politics, culture, society, individual rights and many more things, we've still got a long way to go. But, we got the music. We got our music back. Maybe now all we can bury are some old LPs, but, it's a good start. As the prophets all observed, and as Einstein proved, the only constant is change. My parents have some old books, and threw away two incredible grandchildren. They buried themselves in a dense layer of lies and illusion, but, this is what happens to people who can't change. So, bury your dead and move on with the revolution.
Well you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright
You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright
You say you'll change the constitution
Well you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright
This song, as much as any other, represents what happened to music in the 60's. Not only has it become an iconic anthem of rebellion and change, but its ownership is illustrative of what music was and became. As I've discussed, the song was bought by Michael Jackson in the 80's and he let Nike use it for some sneaker commercial, over Paul McCartney's strenuous objection.
David Crosby has recently commented on what happened to music in the 60's. There was a legitimate community, and from that sprang incredible art. The community was a counterculture, the message was about the sad state affairs as the youth was forced to buckle to the whims of old men and old ideas.
This was a beautiful flower, and remained pure for some time, some place. But, pickpockets go where there are pockets and leeches go where there is fresh blood. Enter RIAA. As I've said before, my feeling about the bloodsuckers of the music go way back.
But there is always revolution. I wrote a book entitled Revolutions when I was about 21. It was full of art and on each painting was a poem that went along with it. I mistakenly gave it, and its sister book, Abstractions, to my parents. They have kept them hostage all this time and I have never even been able to show my kids these amazing books, each with some 25 original paintings and poems.
The dictionary definitions of revolution are interesting, almost opposite concepts. The first definition relates to the circular, predictable movement of planets around a sun. This too applies to records... RPM.... revolutions per minute. I still have some of my most treasured LP's...33 1/3 RPMs, I've even had 45s... the singles, whose sales made up the hot 100. I even found a stack of 78s in my basement in Massapequa.
The other definition is obviously about momentous social change, and now, this too totally defines music. We have come full circle. And yes, what comes around goes around. Even with Grokster still to come down, and I do expect a victory, but regardless... we have had a revolution in music and we have won. As far as I'm concerned, with Yahoo now offering up major league music catalogs for $5./month....that's it, that's good enough for me. It's the end of the draft. The same way that deflated protest against Vietnam, this has taken the impetus out for me. I'm good.
We won, you lost, you're marginalized. You're going down. Bronfman's rejection should be message enough. Bigger and better artists are avoiding you and are going instead to GarageBand and the other websites. MySpace has 40 million members and adding 65k/day. You can check out my own stuff on Soundclick. There's still work to do and I appreciate all that's being done but this is good enough for me. Yes, it still makes my blood boil to see them suing college kids and watch these bastards in their death dance, but, we did it. We finally got these fuckers.
Thank you Hank Barry (ok, and even turncoat Shawn.. you did write the program), for taking that first big bite and drawing blood. They never recovered from it and you've really been an unsung lynchpin in all this. You know, the movie players are all sitting on their heels right now. Technologically, they're all ready to roll, but it's like a game of chicken, no one wants to be the Hank Barry of film.
So, this Memorial Day, check out my 2/2/05 post about the record memorial, download a few free tunes and listen to whatever you want. I couldn't do that four years ago, but, I sure as hell can do it now. All that fabulous revolutionary music is right there on my little iPod. Musical freedom in only five short years. That is revolution. That music will reinvigorate us, refresh us, inspire us.
We sang about revolution and when it comes to sex, war, politics, culture, society, individual rights and many more things, we've still got a long way to go. But, we got the music. We got our music back. Maybe now all we can bury are some old LPs, but, it's a good start. As the prophets all observed, and as Einstein proved, the only constant is change. My parents have some old books, and threw away two incredible grandchildren. They buried themselves in a dense layer of lies and illusion, but, this is what happens to people who can't change. So, bury your dead and move on with the revolution.
posted by Intervision at 11:18 AM
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