Shawn Mullins — The Ballad of Kathryn Johnston
Album: HoneydewAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 199
Length: 3:22
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...losing my religion...
I love Shawn Mullins' music. "September in Seattle" is one of my favorite driving songs. In fact, "Soul's Core" is my favorite CD. If I could find it in the mess that is my disorganized music library, it'd be enjoying a good long rotation in my vehicle's 10-CD changer. (Note to self: LOOK for it!!!!!) 
This song, this set, it all rocks.
... under the milkyway tonight...
superfido wrote:
Then turn it off.
I say bring it on - all of it - no genre should be left out. If I don't like it - I'll turn it down. I always appreciate the exposure to new music that I may have missed. Power to RP!
No to country pop. No to country rock. Damn, simply no to country. Sorry. Biggoted perhaps. Biased no doubt. But what can I do when the music just makes me cringe and want to turn it off. All I know is what I feel.
Then turn it off.
I say bring it on - all of it - no genre should be left out. If I don't like it - I'll turn it down. I always appreciate the exposure to new music that I may have missed. Power to RP!
The case of Kathryn Johnson was mentioned on our NPR affiliate this morning, in a discussion of the perils of using confidential informants in law enforcement. Wow, really sad story.
FrankMc wrote:
Good catch! Jammin tune I hadn't heard and thought I had most of it. Guess not.
wish they didn't fade that so precipitously at the end. sounds like that might wander on enjoyably for a while.
Good catch! Jammin tune I hadn't heard and thought I had most of it. Guess not.
wish they didn't fade that so precipitously at the end. sounds like that might wander on enjoyably for a while.
Pieter wrote:
Sure. But if you are drawing parallels to - say - food, this kind of music is like bland, processed stuff with too much trans fats, sodium and of little nutritional value. There's just so much better to choose from, isn't there?
Sometimes the spice is in the story
Sure. But if you are drawing parallels to - say - food, this kind of music is like bland, processed stuff with too much trans fats, sodium and of little nutritional value. There's just so much better to choose from, isn't there?
Sometimes the spice is in the story
stkman wrote:
ashame to put such limits on ones self with anything, music, art, food, people etc, variety is the spice of life perhaps if we didn't have that type of intolerence then there would be no room for bigotry
Sure. But if you are drawing parallels to - say - food, this kind of music is like bland, processed stuff with too much trans fats, sodium and of little nutritional value. There's just so much better to choose from, isn't there?
ashame to put such limits on ones self with anything, music, art, food, people etc, variety is the spice of life perhaps if we didn't have that type of intolerence then there would be no room for bigotry
Sure. But if you are drawing parallels to - say - food, this kind of music is like bland, processed stuff with too much trans fats, sodium and of little nutritional value. There's just so much better to choose from, isn't there?
Heart's in the right place.
hell yeah!!!
This is sweeeeeet!
superfido wrote:
ashame to put such limits on ones self with anything, music, art, food, people etc, variety is the spice of life perhaps if we didn't have that type of intolerence then there would be no room for bigotry
No to country pop. No to country rock. Damn, simply no to country. Sorry. Biggoted perhaps. Biased no doubt. But what can I do when the music just makes me cringe and want to turn it off. All I know is what I feel. The rest of my knowledge is but belief.
ashame to put such limits on ones self with anything, music, art, food, people etc, variety is the spice of life perhaps if we didn't have that type of intolerence then there would be no room for bigotry
I've heard better by Shawn. But this one is ok, if you listen to the story of it all.
nate917 wrote:
Rolling Stone had a great article a few months ago highlighting the ineffectiveness of each of the drug czars and their respective drug policies. Many were borne of futility: no amount of money (or helicopters) stems the importation of cocaine from Columbia, so let's crack down on harmless pot-smokers instead and thereby appear as if our "war on drugs" is accomplishing something useful.
We can but be hopeful that the new administration will lend some sanity to this ridiculous state of affairs.
(Message submitted at 4:20 EST — a happy coincidence.)
Rolling Stone had a great article a few months ago highlighting the ineffectiveness of each of the drug czars and their respective drug policies. Many were borne of futility: no amount of money (or helicopters) stems the importation of cocaine from Columbia, so let's crack down on harmless pot-smokers instead and thereby appear as if our "war on drugs" is accomplishing something useful.
We can but be hopeful that the new administration will lend some sanity to this ridiculous state of affairs.
(Message submitted at 4:20 EST — a happy coincidence.)
Unfortunately the war on drugs receives much support from 'liberal' educated suburbanites.
I travelled through Bolivia twice in the late 1970s. The jail in La Paz was full of young Americans and Europeans who had been busted for small quantities of cocaine.
Meanwhile, the jail was one of the best places in La Paz to procure cocaine, and marijuana. Bolivian military leaders were also corrupted by the pasta and cocaine trade.
I stayed away from cocaine in Bolivia. Coca leaves were available on the street for the equivalent of US$1.00 for a large bag. Great stuff for writing the travel journal in Spanish.
WOW! What a GREAT tune.
No to country pop. No to country rock. Damn, simply no to country. Sorry. Biggoted perhaps. Biased no doubt. But what can I do when the music just makes me cringe and want to turn it off. All I know is what I feel. The rest of my knowledge is but belief.
Old Ms. Johnston lived all alone
on the sorry side of town
Broke down cars and burglar bars
on the windows and doors
In case danger comes around
sitting in her yellow kitchen
listening to bad news on her A.M. radio
Used to be Louis Armstrong
then Martin Luther King
Where did everybody go?
Out the window where her garden was
It's not safe to go outside
Old Ms. Johnston in the eye of the storm
It was the safest place to hide
Yeah life's a gamble for the broken and the weak
dealing with the bangers and drugs
the winos weave and amble
and shuffle on down the street
steering clear of all the thugs
Now my city hangs her head in shame
Can't tell the truth from all the lies
everything changed forever
and everything stayed the same
On the night Ms. Johnston died
on the sorry side of town
Broke down cars and burglar bars
on the windows and doors
In case danger comes around
sitting in her yellow kitchen
listening to bad news on her A.M. radio
Used to be Louis Armstrong
then Martin Luther King
Where did everybody go?
Out the window where her garden was
It's not safe to go outside
Old Ms. Johnston in the eye of the storm
It was the safest place to hide
Yeah life's a gamble for the broken and the weak
dealing with the bangers and drugs
the winos weave and amble
and shuffle on down the street
steering clear of all the thugs
Now my city hangs her head in shame
Can't tell the truth from all the lies
everything changed forever
and everything stayed the same
On the night Ms. Johnston died
in album "Honeydew" (2008)
** 7 / 8 **
westslope wrote:
Another tragic victim of the War on Drugs. Sigh.
Rolling Stone had a great article a few months ago highlighting the ineffectiveness of each of the drug czars and their respective drug policies. Many were borne of futility: no amount of money (or helicopters) stems the importation of cocaine from Columbia, so let's crack down on harmless pot-smokers instead and thereby appear as if our "war on drugs" is accomplishing something useful.
We can but be hopeful that the new administration will lend some sanity to this ridiculous state of affairs.
(Message submitted at 4:20 EST — a happy coincidence.)
Another tragic victim of the War on Drugs. Sigh.
Rolling Stone had a great article a few months ago highlighting the ineffectiveness of each of the drug czars and their respective drug policies. Many were borne of futility: no amount of money (or helicopters) stems the importation of cocaine from Columbia, so let's crack down on harmless pot-smokers instead and thereby appear as if our "war on drugs" is accomplishing something useful.
We can but be hopeful that the new administration will lend some sanity to this ridiculous state of affairs.
(Message submitted at 4:20 EST — a happy coincidence.)
I bumped the rating up for this song based on the true story it tells. Very sad.
An innocent elderly woman gunned down by police in her own home.
Two of the three officers pled guilty to manslaughter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Johnston
nextno comment - 7.
Carissa wrote:
Another tragic victim of the War on Drugs. Sigh.
More on Kathryn Johnston here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Johnston
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Johnston
Another tragic victim of the War on Drugs. Sigh.
This kicks!
Seems like people get really hung up trying to label an artist as being in a specific genre. It's all music. You like it, great! You don't, that's OK too. I like this one.
I need to get this album now 
Great music to bar brawl to.
cmrump wrote:
Two "new?" ballads today. 8:47 am - Shawn Mullins - The Ballad of Kathryn Johnston
6:05 am - Marianne Faithfull - The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
i'd rather hear alice cooper - the ballad of dwight fry6:05 am - Marianne Faithfull - The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
Koan wrote:
...a bunch of stuff...
...and nailed it! I share the exact same sentiments wrt Mullins.
...a bunch of stuff...
...and nailed it! I share the exact same sentiments wrt Mullins.
Darlington wrote:
He's pretty far musically from Billy Ray, actually. I've got a couple of his CD's and I wouldnt really call him country, either.
I was comparing them less in terms of genre than their packaged personas.
It's like the delivery's not in a completely authentic voice, it's more like a photo op where the poser is trying to look natural/casual because he's an ordinary guy who understands the troubles of ordinary people, but his glossy hair is tussled just so. On the radio, the poser sings about sociopolitically significant stuff because it touches him so deeply — you can tell by the extra little note of angst in his voice that might have been suggested by the producer.
Okay, so I'm probably being too harsh on Mullins who may be less 'tussled' than the Billy Rays. His overplayed, patronizing poor-little-rich-girl hit a few years back kinda killed any goodwill I might have towards his continuing career. If something (else) new of his gets played, maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. This song's not horrible, but it's not very good either — the music is as middling as the cliche lyrics.
He's pretty far musically from Billy Ray, actually. I've got a couple of his CD's and I wouldnt really call him country, either.
I was comparing them less in terms of genre than their packaged personas.
It's like the delivery's not in a completely authentic voice, it's more like a photo op where the poser is trying to look natural/casual because he's an ordinary guy who understands the troubles of ordinary people, but his glossy hair is tussled just so. On the radio, the poser sings about sociopolitically significant stuff because it touches him so deeply — you can tell by the extra little note of angst in his voice that might have been suggested by the producer.
Okay, so I'm probably being too harsh on Mullins who may be less 'tussled' than the Billy Rays. His overplayed, patronizing poor-little-rich-girl hit a few years back kinda killed any goodwill I might have towards his continuing career. If something (else) new of his gets played, maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. This song's not horrible, but it's not very good either — the music is as middling as the cliche lyrics.
A fine example of mediocrity.
Koan wrote:
He's pretty far musically from Billy Ray, actually. I've got a couple of his CD's and I wouldnt really call him country, either.
My inner record store snob finds it very difficult to accept Shawn Mullins on this station. Now I'm afraid what will happen when Billy Ray Cyrus's new album is released.
He's pretty far musically from Billy Ray, actually. I've got a couple of his CD's and I wouldnt really call him country, either.
My inner record store snob finds it very difficult to accept Shawn Mullins on this station. Now I'm afraid what will happen when Billy Ray Cyrus's new album is released.
just read that Mullins is to find under "COUNTRY"...?
Is that true? Is he a musical redneck and this song an exception?
F*ck - hope not! Hate country-bullshitters!
Is that true? Is he a musical redneck and this song an exception?
F*ck - hope not! Hate country-bullshitters!
Jeez, what a great tune. Thanks!
WOOOOOW - what a great song I´ve missed so far!
Heard the name, but never the music of this Shawn Mullins,
incredibly good - yes Bill, that´s it!
Heard the name, but never the music of this Shawn Mullins,
incredibly good - yes Bill, that´s it!
that's me in the corner
that me in the spot...light...
oh hi lullaby!
good to see hear something I didn't know by him
Shawn Mullins' music is a little too 'clean' somehow, but I still like him. He tells good stories in his songs, there's just some 'grit' or something missing. He'll find it though.
His previous effort, '9th Ward Pickin' Parlor', was the name of the 'recording studio' where he cut it: the living room of his friend Mike West. I think it was destroyed by Katrina.
c.
Segues like this one (from Joan Osborne - St. Teresa) are very much one of the top reasons I'm an RP listener.
Segue on, Bill!
Two "new?" ballads today.
8:47 am - Shawn Mullins - The Ballad of Kathryn Johnston
6:05 am - Marianne Faithfull - The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
More on Kathryn Johnston here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Johnston
Me thinks a night of Shawn Mullins and Son Volt in concert would be like psychic jumper cables.
Followed, by another double concert with Dylan and Dave Byrne. Too hell with moderation let 'er rip! !