& Much Much More
(2:56) [4/29/02]
For John “Johno” O’Connor.
MP3
Liner Notes
& the light beams slit
Through the early snores
& the eye crusts drop
& much much more.
& the lids fall up
Through the sunshine roars
& the mouth drains breath
& much much more.
& the prayers go up
(As the blinds get torn)
"& today's worthwhile
& much much more."
& the lunchbreak chrome
Is abrading yours
& the clutch hand slacks
& much much more.
& the feet go numb
Through the idling scores
Of these rainbow tombs
& much much more.
& the prayers go up
& the words implore,
"& you gave us strength
& much much more."
& the sun clinks down
Through a coin-slot shore,
Then the cars turn grey
& much much more.
& these temples park
By their pilot's doors,
Then their hues fall dim
& much much more.
& the grace comes down
In a gentle pour
As the ceilings stare
& much much more.
& the prayers go up
(As the day gets stored),
"& there's something next
& much much more." |
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Like Archibald MacLeish’s magisterial “You, Andrew Marvell”,
each line here begins with “And” (er, “&”),
an attempt to cast the listener in an open-ended, seemingly unceasing
world. Pops Staples’ optimism became the spine of these brittle
vignettes illustrating the power of a thousand tiny prayers as defense
against the sameshitness of life. Perhaps we preach too much against
urban blight, but how better to illustrate its deadening effects than
by hitting the same note over and over?
David Byrne, Stephen Tobolowsky & Beth Henley - True Stories (Spoken by Roebuck "Pops" Staples) / Talking Heads - "Papa
Legba" / U2 & Johnny Cash - "The Wanderer" / David
O Russell & John Ridley - Three Kings (Spoken by Ice Cube)
“Oh,
the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear,
Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good
cheer.
The sun beat down upon the steps of time to light the way
To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay."
- Bob Dylan, "Every Grain Of Sand" (1981)
"God please give me the strength to wake up tomorrow
I wanna sleep all day through the sunshine and pass time
But my heart is still reminded of how I'm blinded
From my creator as I walk the same halls
See the same individuals
Who talk the same irrelevant words
So open my eyes, and close my ears
I give you my heart through prayer."
- Data, "One Way Roads" (2001)
"And here face down beneath the sun
And here upon the earth's noonward height
To feel the always coming on
The always rising of the night:
To feel creep up the curving east
The earthy chill of dusk and slow
Upon those under lands the vast
And ever climbing shadow grow"
- Archibald MacLeish, "You, Andrew Marvell"
(1930)
"Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer
desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round
upon the universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished,
and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys."
- CS Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (1941)
"Then the locks shot up as the grace came down
I said, "Here's the keys ----- I'll be walking back to town . . .'"
- Steve Taylor, "Drive, He Said" (1985)
"You'll be, hmm-hmm-hmm, magnet for money
You'll be, mm-mm-mm, magnet for love
You'll feel, hmm, light in your body
Now I'm gonna say, gonna say these words: . . .
Papa Legba, come and open the gate.
Papa Legba, to the city of camps.
Now, we're your children
Come and ride your horse
In the night
In the night
Come and ride your horse."
- David Byrne, "Papa Legba" (1987)
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