It’s kinda funny how the world makes some more sense when you’re sorta drunk, and not entirely shy when a doob comes your way. I have been listening to some tunes this afternoon, as well as having a wobbly pop or two. The bong was a factor too. What can I say? It’s saturday in Canada.

I really got off this afternoon by setting an MP3 player on my neighbour’s head and letting him listen to some new toons. My neighbour Bill, who shall remain namelesss, perked up when he heard Paul Simon’s latest opus “Suprise” on the headphones. He smiled and perked up at his barstool. He said “this stuff takes me back to my youth.” It was all I could do to tell him that Paul Simon is still releasing excellent records even now and that he was listening to a relatively new recording. Bill is not a young guy, and it was a treat to see him smiling as he listened to new music. I should be so lucky when I hit my seventies.

Old dogs new tricks you say. 

The fact of the matter is we have a unique situation happening. Music and culture of the post war generation is not only accepted, but celebrated by the following two generations. Look at Bill. He has passed 70 years of age, and here he is listening to a newly released record. The headphones are hanging around his chin, and we all enjoyed the joke that a backwards baseball cap would properly accent his bobbing head. He was listening to an icon of the sixties and thinking fondly of those times. Paul Simon’s music is still making an impact in the present day.

Old dog indeed. We could learn something from these so called “old dogs”.

After I parted company with Bill, I put on a record that had a theme. This is what we used to call the “concept album” back in the sixties and seventies. The only thing was, this album dates from more recent times. It’s a topical thing full of social commentary, and politics that didn’t stand a chance on the charts. Cultural statements shouldn’t mean anything. They should be innocuous and bland for fear of political incorrectness I suppose. We should sing about nice things like love or stamp collecting. Heaven forbid we get a backbone and develop an opinion. Of course I’m oozing sarcasm. I felt empowered for a few moments.  Listening to artists who have opinions and something to say seems to do that.

 We can all stand to reevaluate our perceptions, and I’m glad I got to see an old geezer like Bill playing the fool and wearing the headphones. We should all be so blessed. We should also pay a bit more attention when someone has an opinion .