Good morning from a nation that celebrates the Lunar New Year. I haven’t had much to say lately, but have decided that maybe a few random thoughts are in order.
Since I finished up my Pulitzer run, my reading has been a bit scattered. Like the good old days, I’m picking up books, reading a few pages, then putting them down for days if not forever. Right now, I’m muddling through Donald Miller’s Masters of the Air, which gave its name to the new Apple TV miniseries, but I’m thinking not much else (other than the feel). The book is an entirely historical work, sprinkled with stories, but also giving me a great in-depth look at everything from strategy to mental health. I’m sure some of it will be captured in the story that the miniseries is telling, but certainly not in the same way. The series is trying to be a Band of Brothers, but I’m hearing it’s not quite getting there (like The Pacific). Won’t stop me from watching it though. I love history and the planes that flew it.
And speaking of picking a book up and reading a few pages, I had the good fortune to find Churchill’s history of World War II at the base thrift store for a quarter a volume. Only problem is, they only had volumes 1 to 5 out of six, but I figured by the time I got through 5 volumes, I’d have figured out a way to read volume 6. In any case, the first pages of volume 1 (The Gathering Storm) read beautifully, and after I finish Masters of the Air, I might just pick it up again
I guess the Grammys were a thing recently. I know next to nothing about who won what, nor do I care. But I did see Tracy Chapman’s performance of Fast Car with Luke Combs, and it was nice. Combs brought it back through a country cover he did this past year, and that reinvigorated interest in the song in its original form (which came out in 1988).
There’s really a lot going on around this too. Some complained that Combs ripped her off by getting so much attention for the song when she, as a black lesbian, suffered in obscurity with it…except of course, she didn’t. Chapman was nominated for three Grammys for it and won for “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.” Chapman herself was happy with the Combs cover and the attention it was bringing to her music — so much so that she did the duet it with him.
And I like the song. I did when it came out…but perhaps differently (we had MTV back then, and the video for it was nominated for “Best Female Video” in 1989). I’m glad that people are hearing it again. Even Taylor Swift. Yeah. During the Grammy performance, they cut to her singing along (Swift was born the year after the song came out). And the whole thing about that glimpse of her got me thinking about talent. Tracy Chapman had it and wrote some beautiful music with it (Baby Can I Hold You is even better and more beautiful). Taylor Swift has it too, but it’s different. Swift is the product of a massive PR blitz that captured the right audience at the right time. Chapman faded away after some years to all but her most hardcore fans (she’s admittedly quite shy and uncomfortable in the spotlight). Swift has a legion of people making sure her presentation to the world is constant and consistently perfect. It’s all image. She has a private jet that’ll take her just about anywhere in the world. She’s performed live in front of millions. She’s the anti-Chapman. But she still sings along with her, and that’s cool.
My musical tastes continue in the same vein. I’m enjoying my Supertramp and Pink Floyd and Shane & Shane. I still think the Encanto soundtrack is a wonderful pick-me-up, even if it does tend to earworm me a bit (but I don’t even mind, really). I did find something new at the recommendation of someone I find interesting — although the group isn’t new. De la Soul is a hip-hop group that’s been around for quite some time (speaking of 1988). I’ve not heard much, but they sound smooth and interesting.
And here’s a beautiful bonus for you.