Great concepts in the history of man:
- Sliced bread (it must be great, because that is what every invention is compared to, but what was the comparison before sliced bread?)
- Australian Rules Football (Greatest sport know to man, bar none. I wish it were still carried in the U.S. Dang you ESPN)
- Calf fries (but I do wonder about the first guy that looked at them and said, “mmmmm, that looks tasty”)
- Bottle Blondes (gotta love ‘em)
- Internet (thank you Al Gore)
- Bikini (see bottle blondes)
- Yodeling (Yo-de-lay-ee-whooo)
- Andy Griffith Show (Cage does a spot on imitation of Opie in the opening credits)
- Satellite TV (It’s great)
- Toy tractors (My brother and I had our own farm set up in the house when we were kids)
- Short Shorts (see Bottle blondes; see also, bikini)
- Hooter’s wings (both for the food and for those bringing the food. See short shorts; see also, bikini, and bottle blondes)
- Phases and Stages by Willie Nelson
There are many “concept” albums, but Willie’s Phases and Stages is the best. A concept album tells a story and each song builds on the previous song. Phases and Stages tells the story of a break up from two sides, one from the woman’s point of view, the other from the man’s point of view. Tying the whole album together is the theme that is played at various points in the album.
Phases and stages
Circles and cycles
And
scenes that we've all seen before
Let me tell you some more
First up is the woman’s side and Washing the Dishes. She loves and cares for her man, but this feeling is not reciprocated. She’s thinking about walking away, but is not quite ready to do it yet. Many of us have been in this type of situation, if not in love, then in a job situation. Best advice I got from someone when I was in a similar situation and all I’d do was complain is “poop, or get off the pot.” It wasn’t exactly worded like that, but sound advice indeed. Next up is the actual leaving.
After carefully considerin' the whole situation
I stand
with my back to the wall
Walkin' is better than runnin' away
And crawlin' ain't no good at all
I’ve heard it said that Pretend I Never Happened is the coldest leaving song ever in country music. I might have to agree. I mean to suggest that it’s best that our love never happened, no bad times but then again, no good times, that’s harsh. My favorite song is Sister’s Coming Home, which is through the eyes of her younger sibling. This is the start of her come back. She mopes for a day, but is soon seen back at the beer joint, but her jeans are a little tighter than they were before. Dang shrinking jeans.
Now it’s to the man’s side. Bloody Mary Morning might be the most popular song off of this album. The next two songs are about how he still can’t believe she and the love are gone. Like the old saying goes, you don’t know what you got till it’s gone. The next lesson is that she was just supposed to know he loved her. The main problem is he just thought she should know, but she wanted to hear it. Finally the man makes it back in Pick Up the Tempo, as he lets it lose in a bar. Presumably not in the same bar that the women is making her comeback in. But if they were, I’m sure that Fox would be there to make a reality show about it. Reality TV, not one of man’s better concepts.
So, what have we learned today:
- Mankind has come up with some great ideas
- Willie is the master of the concept album
- And sometimes after a divorce, the jeans are a little tighter
I’ll give this album 5 out of 5 Hooter’s wing.