Friday 4 January 2008

Song Of The Week IV

I've mentioned my love of Loudon Wainwright III before.
The first time I ever heard him was on the radio with Andy Kershaw and he sang his song IWIWAL (I Wish I Was A Lesbian). I was hooked from that moment and became a huge fan. I still don't quite have all of his albums, but I'm almost there. I've seen him live a few times and he never fails to make me laugh and give wonderful performances.
So, here's the wonderful IWIWAL:

The person that put together the anime for this is super!

This is a second song of his that I adore, because I couldn't choose, it's called The Acid Song and it still absolutely kills me. I love this live version, and it's a damn shame that there's just an album cover and not a real video!

There are some truly brilliant lyrics in this.
My favourite probably being:
"Driving on acid is easy, driving on acid's a breeze,
Just keep the car on the highway,
Don't laugh and don't fart and don't sneeze."
Oh the chortling.

I feel obliged to share the first time I ever met Loudon, which I'm still embarrassed by.
I was at the Cambridge Folk Festival and he was performing. Kim and I were browsing the CD stall when she prodded me and said 'Isn't that Loudon?' Obviously I was near apoplectic and I can honestly say it's the only time I've ever been star struck. I plucked up the courage, ambled over and asked him to sign my programme. It went a little like this:

Me: Hi, er, would you, er, sign my programme?
LWIII: Why haven't you bought the CD?
Me: Well I bought it as soon as it came out, so I have it already.
LWIII: Why aren't you buying a spare copy?
Me: Err....
LWIII: You know, if you buy three copies, you can ride my love bus.
Me: (fish-like gaping of mouth)
LWIII: (staring)
Me: (giggle)
Me: (more giggling)
Me: (still more giggling)

At some point Kim interjected and complimented him on the set he'd played. I continued to stand and giggle and occasionally utter the words "Great Set". This was not going down as my finest hour. Kim continued to chat with him and at one point she touched his arm. I remember my head going "Oh my GOD she's touching him. She touched him!"
I am suitably shamed.

He rocks though. He should be a household name and he should also hold private gigs just for me. Well maybe a select few as plainly I am useless around him and wouldn't be good company.

3 comments:

Domster1974 said...

Loudon gets too much love from you. I know he is amazing, wonderful, delightful, intelligent, thoughtful, insightful, weird, clearly nuts, a genius, and so much more, but share the love . . . ;op

Flibbertigibbet said...

You forgot absolutely fricking hilarious!

I swear I laugh every single time I see him, even when I watch the videos of him I chortle.

He's great in the movies too.

I need to work on the obsession right?

Domster1974 said...

I worked with a slightly crazy film director from Hong Kong who makes everything like a really bad soap opera, and your words remind me of a clissic he used alot.

"Its the sickness of Obsession"

Delightfully strange and yet amusing