City to City

I'm trying to think of things to write about. So, every once in awhile, I'll pull a picture out of the files for inspiration.
No inspiration needed for this photo.
In my top ten of all time (and will always remain), this was a long shot for such greatness.

Legal issues after the break-up of Stealers Wheel meant that, for three years, Rafferty was unable to release any material. After the disputes were resolved in 1978, he recorded his second solo album, City to City, with producer Hugh Murphy, which included the song with which he remains most identified, "Baker Street". According to Murphy, interviewed by Billboard in 1993, he and Rafferty had to beg the record label, United Artists, to release "Baker Street" as a single: "They actually said it was too good for the public. It was a good call: the single reached #3 in the UK and #2 in the US. The album sold over 5.5 million copies, toppling the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in the US on 8 July 1978. Rafferty considered this his first proper taste of success, as he told Melody Maker the following year: "...all the records I've ever done before have been flops. Stealers Wheel was a flop. 'Can I Have My Money Back?' was a flop. The Humblebums were a flop... My life doesn't stand or fall by the amount of people who buy my records."

His song "Baker Street" was about how uncomfortable he felt in the star system, and what do you know, it was a giant world hit. The album City to City went to No. 1 in America, and suddenly he found that as a result of his protest, he was a bigger star than ever. And he now had more of what he didn't like. And although he had a few more hit singles in the United States, by 1980 it was basically all over, and when I say 'it', I mean basically his career, because he just was not comfortable with this.

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This is one of the records to me, that doesn't have a bad song on it. "Right Down The Line" is such an incredible love song, "Mattie's Rag" talks about the "grand old man of rock..." "The Ark" is a beautiful song along with "Home and Dry" and the title track. Talk about your shooting stars. This is my "comfort" pick when I want something like an old friend. It never gets old and it never will.

My Little Town

For those of you following along and have been around awhile, I will always try and find a song title for the title of the post. I live in a town of 17,000. I chose to do this. My Little Town fits

Morris is situated on Interstate 80 about 17 miles west of Joliet. 

Apparently, it's along a "cut off", a road that saves trucker's time from Interstate 55 to 80 or vice versa. Damn, there are a lot of trucks. As it is with most small towns, it's very guarded, but I knew that when I signed up.  

I had plans to do 40 miles on the bike on Saturday before Saturday got here. Saturday morning, brisk (just turned) fall day and a great time to get the bicycle out. The Farmer's Market was open. I had a back pack. I rode 7.8 miles round trip that morning, scored some local goods and made a contribution to the local economy.

From right to left, homemade salsa, organic maters, okra and some of the best grapes I've ever had. I must admit, the okra purchase was just because I dug the people running the booth.

Whatever.

I live on Cemetery Road. There is a reason it's called that. While I am not sure how many people are still here, it is highly populated and maintains heavy traffic on the weekends.

 This so reminds me of growing up in Ava. Except...well...it's flat. The ride home...

Growin' Up

I wrote this on my blog in May 2006...

Jeezix, how fast time is going. After returning from Cedar Falls to see my oldest daughter graduate last night, and after play practice, my youngest had a party to go to. These were good kids having the party, but when she says "bye, dad", with the words she just tosses over her shoulders, you wonder how long you have left. Will she disappear after high school or will she return until we kick her out? I think she will be gone for good, hardly if ever to return. I left home at 17, rarely to return and for good at 22 when I moved to KC. 


While trying to sleep in the middle of the night(see previous post), the phone rings. A phone call at one a.m. is never expected and rarely good news. "Hey, I wanted to let you that I'll be home at 1:40 instead of 1:30, we are leaving now". Whew, thanks kid. 



"Bye, dad".