I decided we needed a a nice folk music break in the midst of all the election mayhem. Fred Small is my favorite songwriter, though he hasn’t had an album out in years. Apparently he became a Unitarian minster, and the ideas that used to become songs are now turning into sermons instead. Personally, I think songs are a better delivery method.
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Fred Small is known for taking a back-page news item and turning it into a song — usually one that gives you a little more hope for the world. Here, for instance, is a true story about how an older woman faced down an armed intruder:
“Not in Our Town,” the story of a community standing up to the Ku Klux Klan, was performed by the SF Gay Men’s Chorus:
“I Will Stand Fast” is a song of love and support for an abuse survivor:
And, having been to many of his concerts, I know that no Fred Small performance would be complete without “Everything Possible,” the world’s greatest lullaby. Here’s the Flirtations version:
You can be anybody you want to be,
You can love whomever you will
You can travel any country where your heart leads
And know I will love you still
You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around,
You can choose one special one
And the only measure of your words and your deeds
Will be the love you leave behind when you're gone.
Words to live by.
On to Top Comments!
From peregrine kate:
I'm submitting this one by KYrocky in the post by Michael Lux because it's an excellent compare-and-contrast of Republican and Democratic policies and values.
From our very own TC Fearless leader, brillig:
In Walter Einenkel's Trump threatens to attack the Clintons' marriage—Chelsea Clinton has the perfect response rugbymom makes an astute observation about Chelsea and Hillary Clinton vs Trump.
Highlighted comments:
Side pocket has been catching some great first-time comments. MaryAnnGruen had a thoughtful comment about what it means to be stronger together. Found in Laura Clawson’s diary Thrice-married adulterer Trump ready to attack Hillary Clinton over Bill’s past infidelities. And mark schroeder had some thoughts on why the deeper problem isn’t Trump, it’s his supporters. Found in Walter Einenkel’s diary Record TV audience for the debate resulted in record visits to Clinton’s fact-checking site.
grandmalrgc caught this hilarious suggestion from psnyder in Jen Hayden’s diary Trump is going to regret Rosie O’Donnell last night because she’s back and she’s PISSED.
In Grandma Kinne’s diary I know why women can’t stand Trump, Back Porch Philosopher recommended printing out this comment by anastasia p to share widely.
And in Walter Einenkel’s diary, Music store owner says Trump stiffed him on sale of $100,000 worth of pianos for his NJ casinos, The Janitor highlighted this comment, in which Front Toward Enemy suggested the perfect question for the next debate.
Top mojo, courtesy of mik:
Picture quilt, courtesy of jotter: