O.K., so Hillary had Elvis Costello at her very most recent birthday, which'd be swell.
abc.com plays it here (following a promo by Emmitt Smith for the Arthur Murray Dance Studios).
I would just love that. And if there's another band/person what'd make me feel complete from the eighties, my late adolescent street, to perform at MY next birthday as a fund raiser, it's XTC.
Tho, I might wanna tip my hat to Echo and the Bunnymen and all they had to offer, as well.
It's just that the VH1Classic that I watched on the DirectTV broadcast on my jetBlue cross-country return flight from Dulles to Oakland gave me back my XTC, and I was ever so thankful.
As I jotted on my pad, seeking solace in crafting language, making marks, taking notes -- I wrote to myself, "I adore the sound of XTC, adventurous and bringing up a fine nostalgia."
My next note said that there's a sweet urologist in Maryland that's about to have a baby. And that guy took care of my dad. And that I should think about their well being, since he took such good care of my dad.
Anyway, I saw Elvis in concert a couple of times, and Echo and the Bunnymen once, too.
...there I am. In my teenage room back in Maryland. I am fourteen, fifteen, sixteen. And there is XTC. And life, she seems real innocent. And I am deep. My favorite song was "No Thugs in Our House."
(Please play this video below. It's so wonderfully true. And the tune's more than just very prescient, in terms of the kids to-come, and the killings that hard-deep-feeling Mr. Partridge never'd've even dreamt. My adolescent angst ain't got nuthin' on the now.)
On the jetBlue flight back from Maryland, the VH1Classic channel played the later XTC hit, "Dear God" from Skylarking where Andy Partridge sings,
Dear god,
Hope you got the letter,
And I pray you can make it better down here.
I dont mean a big reduction in the price of beer,
But all the people that you made in your image,
See them starving on their feet,
cause they dont get enough to eat.
Now, I'm older, and I am sure XTC is, too. It all still feels sweet and deep.
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