2 posts tagged “missed the boat”

It turns out that I love old technology. For instance, right now I am enjoying the ten year old technology of mp3s players. Not to gloat, but my wife gave me an engraved I-pod Shuffle for Christmas. Okay, I'm gloating now. It holds a gigabyte of data, which in terms of music equals about 240 songs (assuming an average of 4 minutes per song). That is enough room to hold all of the Jayhawks. It is pretty darn sweet.

The music player is so small that I feel like I'm on Star Trek. I used to lug around a tape player and then a CD player. The Shuffle is smaller than their belt clips. Did I mention how sweet this is?

So why have I shunned this great technology for such a long time? Frugalness? Maybe, but I've had an income for a few years now. Perhaps I am truly afraid of technology. Or maybe I'm just not very trendy. Thank goodness my wife is.

Huzaa to my wife and Huzaa to the I-pod!

Have you ever discovered something that others had long forgot or finally "check out" something that others

had explored long ago?  For those of you like me who live in the wake of the speedboat of the hip and now, everything can be meaningful.  Take The Jayhawks for instance.

Years ago my now wife made me a few mixed CDs.  These obvious copyright violations were made to indoctrinate me into the world of roots-rock/americana/country-punk/rockabilly.  One of the songs on these mega-disks was "I'd Run Away" by The Jayhawks.  I totally (as in 100%) missed this great song buried among other great songs.  Last month (July 2006), I hear the song on Live365.  I was working late at night at the office (a real sacrifice considering it isn't "face-time") when this awesome song comes on.  It is different from the rest; it enters my soul.  I return home and innocently ask my wifey if she has heard of "The Jayhawks".  I had totally (100% again) forgot she had the song on a mixed CD.  She then gleefully pointed out her mini collection of Jayhawks albums. 

Man O' man, it turns out that "I'd Run Away" is a 1994 song from The Jayhawks's 1995 album, "Tomorrow the Green Grass".  Then I discover that after this album one of the twin titans of The Jayhawks had left the band, forever.  The sound of the band changed dramatically.  The band has since had a rotating membership and is currently on hiatus.  The Jayhawks are dead and I only just discovered them.

The Jayhawks boat may have sailed but in its wake are some great albums such as, of course, "Tomorrow the Green Grass".  The harmonics are enlivening and the songs are a poppy kind of fun and a country kind of meaningful.  All throughout are treats of violin solos and guitar riffs.  There isn't any pre-album buzz.  None of your friends care unless they are long time Jayhawks fans.  But, this is a fantastic, perhaps must have album, or to you who would destroy albumdom, a few must have song downloads. 

"so blue, why don't you stay behind" - "Blue" by The Jayhawks