{"id":380,"date":"2014-07-04T18:48:32","date_gmt":"2014-07-05T02:48:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biz141.inmotionhosting.com\/~akweko6\/sacollins.com\/wp\/?p=380"},"modified":"2014-07-04T20:06:38","modified_gmt":"2014-07-05T04:06:38","slug":"everywhere-theres-statues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?p=380","title":{"rendered":"Everywhere There’s Statues…"},"content":{"rendered":"

31 Days of Brannan – Day 4<\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

[embedplusvideo height=”329″ width=”400″ editlink=”http:\/\/bit.ly\/Vp5oPe” standard=”http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/4m_rCnaasQM?fs=1&vq=hd720″ vars=”ytid=4m_rCnaasQM&width=400&height=329&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=1&autoplay=0&react=0&chapters=&notes=” id=”ep2126″ \/]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Today’s Playlist – Everywhere There’s Statues<\/span><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Happy Fourth<\/span> of July<\/span> to all the US peeps out there!<\/h3>\n

There are three songs I am looking forward to (well hoping, actually) that Jay performs on this tour.<\/p>\n

They are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Rob Me Blind<\/strong> (for sentimental reasons – see first day’s post)<\/li>\n
  2. Denmark<\/strong> \u00a0(for pretty much the same reasons as number one)<\/li>\n
  3. Everywhere There’s Statues<\/strong> \u00a0(today’s selection)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    As we Yanks in the US celebrate the country’s founding, I was drawn to this song in particular. Jay muses with many things in this song, playing with common threads that no matter where you are in the world brings the question of what constitutes freedom front and center.<\/p>\n

    I love the imagery in this song. It is so poetic and riveting in both scope and appeal. It’s a mental floss moment in songwriting:<\/p>\n

    It’s like looking for hay in a stack of hypodermics<\/span>
    Shooting up grey through the cracks in the yellow brick road<\/span>
    And everywhere there’s statues with their arms open wide<\/span>
    Surrounded by fences that you, that you can’t get inside<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    That’s brilliant bloody writing, that is. Simplistic in nature yet evoking sentimental imagery that we can all commonly share. Four lines that have a great impact \u2014 questioning how we truly view the world and how we sadly often trade security for liberty in this day of casual terrorism. I can’t help thinking as we watch FIFA going on and the image of\u00a0Cristo Redentor<\/a> at the top of\u00a0Mount Corcovado in Rio De Janeiro. Arms open wide (just as Jay calls to question) but there are so many oppressed peoples of the favelas there that will never find a path to a better life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Heady words and a heady prospect. I often liken it to trying to explain the lofty goals as humans we set for ourselves only to fall well short of the mark. If we had to explain that to beings not from our world, an alien race per se, what would they see in our bold and charismatically infused words? Would they see the strive for that universal acceptance and utopian ideal? Or would they see us for the charlatans that many of us are? All words with very little bite to them?<\/p>\n

    The verse in the song that I love to sing along with kind of sums it up for me –<\/p>\n

    Sub-normal people do supernatural things<\/span>
    In a world full of demons with white feathered wings<\/span>
    I feel like I’m open hearted, but it’s a broken range we’re on<\/span>
    I know I’m not the only one asking where have all the cowboys gone<\/span>

    Can’t one of these cowboys come rescue me?<\/span>
    I need a little bit of rope n ride to keep me on my feet <\/span><\/p>\n

    (to chorus)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    I even allude to these lines of Jay’s in my first novel (coming soon)<\/a> in that my world deals with the concept of Angels – the potential angelic ideal in all of us, and how sadly we often can’t bring ourselves to care enough to do something. Oh, we can acknowledge the horror, the inhumanity of it all, but how many of us are called to action to do something?<\/p>\n

    But it is Jay’s bridge in the song that carries the greatest emotional and reasoned impact\u00a0in the song – for me, it elevates it and gives it its true power.<\/p>\n

    Face down on the hardwood floor<\/span>
    In one more empty corridor<\/span>
    I’m all alone in these halls<\/span>
    All is fair in love and war<\/span>
    If I can’t find an open door<\/span>
    Then I’ll start taking out walls<\/span>
    I’m face down on the hardwood floor<\/span>
    And not a soul with which to be<\/span>
    If this craving’s one to ignore<\/span>
    Then someone tell me what the fuck a soul is for<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    You go, Jay. I fucking love it when he kicks me in the emotive and mental parts all at the same time. This song is brilliant and works on so many levels. None the least of which is the orchestrated version on Rob Me Blind. I love the string arrangement in it. Very elegant touch in the final chorus – heightening the production value immensely from this little musical segue. Lovely arrangements, simply moving.<\/p>\n

    While Jay doesn’t travel with a band, because it would probably be a logistical nightmare for him as he does 99% of his work all by himself, I know I will have to supply the stirring string arrangement myself if he performs this one live. It’s how I’ll hear it in my head. This is bang on one of my absolute favorites songs of his.<\/p>\n

    I am a fan of his because his music makes me question, leads me to ponder, gives me a good mental flossing and prods me along to reevaluate how I see things. It’s like putting on glasses where things were simply so out of focus but you just plodded along anyway until you put them on and suddenly you realize the details in life you may have been missing all along.<\/p>\n

    Brilliant, brilliant work!<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \n

     <\/p>\n

    The Always, Then & Now Tour…<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Sidebar:<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>I bought my Deluxe Package from Jay Brannan’s store<\/a> for the tour he’s embarking on now. The cost of the deluxe package is $40 and you get quite a bit for it. There are other packages as well. But that isn’t why I did it.\u00a0I did it because I truly feel indebted to this man of words and music. I am enriched by his musical musings and experiences. I am emboldened to discover that I am not alone in my dreams and fears. And for that I will always support him and do what I can to spread the word.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"picture<\/a>

    The deluxe tour package from Jay Brannan’s merchandise store<\/a> – get this or many other offerings from\u00a0his site.<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Please check out\u00a0his site<\/a>\u00a0with links for his upcoming shows. I am definitely a late comer to the Brannan bandwagon whenever he pulls through my city. But now that I am going this year, I am making it a goal never to miss when he swings through town. I hope you take advantage of the opportunity as well. Also be sure to check out his web store at the following\u00a0link<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \"Jay's<\/a>

    Jay’s Website – jaybrannan.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    31 Days of Brannan – Day 4   [embedplusvideo height=”329″ width=”400″ editlink=”http:\/\/bit.ly\/Vp5oPe” standard=”http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/4m_rCnaasQM?fs=1&vq=hd720″ vars=”ytid=4m_rCnaasQM&width=400&height=329&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=1&autoplay=0&react=0&chapters=&notes=” id=”ep2126″ \/]   Today’s Playlist – Everywhere There’s Statues   Happy Fourth of July to all the US peeps out there! There are three songs I am looking forward to (well hoping, actually) that Jay performs on this tour. They are: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[43,7,22,3,32,18],"tags":[138,143,144,142,27,731],"class_list":["post-380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-life-inserts-itself","category-my-what-the-fuck-on-the-media","category-music-that-inspires","category-novel-writing","category-pathos","category-writing","tag-brannan-as-bard","tag-brannan-on-tour","tag-defining-freedom","tag-everywhere-theres-statues","tag-jay-brannan","tag-words-have-power"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p75tPU-68","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":590,"url":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?p=590","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":0},"title":"80 Days of Jay","author":"S A Collins","date":"July 26, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"31 Days of Brannan - Day 26 \u00a0 [embedplusvideo height=\"329\" width=\"400\" editlink=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/1nJqq5B\" standard=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/0KeeczV_1Q4?fs=1&vq=hd720\" vars=\"ytid=0KeeczV_1Q4&width=400&height=329&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=1&autoplay=0&react=0&chapters=¬es=\" id=\"ep4101\" \/] \u00a0 Today's Playlist - Twee Vaders \u00a0- \u00a0in Dutch, no less... \u00a0 I like that Jay takes the time to find a way to connect with his international audiences. He may flub things up\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Giving Back"","block_context":{"text":"Giving Back","link":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?cat=48"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/biz141.inmotionhosting.com\/~akweko6\/sacollins.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/JBbanner-300x249.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":578,"url":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?p=578","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":1},"title":"Journey to the Dead Sea","author":"S A Collins","date":"July 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"31 Days of Brannan - Day 23 \u00a0 [embedplusvideo height=\"329\" width=\"400\" editlink=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/1niR7P4\" standard=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/IpcIIaiyWlM?fs=1&vq=hd720\" vars=\"ytid=IpcIIaiyWlM&width=400&height=329&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=1&autoplay=0&react=0&chapters=¬es=\" id=\"ep1767\" \/] Today's Playlist - The Eldan Song \u00a0 So after the dark and wanderlust thoughts I had in my last posting with Jay's (and my) past, separate as they may be, I wanted something a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Journey"","block_context":{"text":"Journey","link":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?cat=216"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/biz141.inmotionhosting.com\/~akweko6\/sacollins.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/JBbanner-300x249.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":584,"url":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?p=584","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":2},"title":"We can all use a little expert advice…","author":"S A Collins","date":"July 24, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"31 Days of Brannan - Day 24 \u00a0 [embedplusvideo height=\"329\" width=\"400\" editlink=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/1mLCvT6\" standard=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/elq1vCh1cno?fs=1&vq=hd720\" vars=\"ytid=elq1vCh1cno&width=400&height=329&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=1&autoplay=0&react=0&chapters=¬es=\" id=\"ep9189\" \/] \u00a0 Today's Playlist -\u00a0 Relax your neck (and breathe through your nose) \u00a0 I've always wanted to play this video. I am a big Margaret Cho fan. So the idea of Brannan and Cho\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Giving Back"","block_context":{"text":"Giving Back","link":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?cat=48"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/biz141.inmotionhosting.com\/~akweko6\/sacollins.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/JBbanner-300x249.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":595,"url":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?p=595","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":3},"title":"Using Both Hands","author":"S A Collins","date":"July 27, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"31 Days of Brannan - Day 27 \u00a0 [embedplusvideo height=\"329\" width=\"400\" editlink=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/1k38iEv\" standard=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/F2b6YDmR-Bg?fs=1&vq=hd720\" vars=\"ytid=F2b6YDmR-Bg&width=400&height=329&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=1&autoplay=0&react=0&chapters=¬es=\" id=\"ep3080\" \/] \u00a0 Today's Playlist - \u00a0Both Hands (Ani DiFranco Cover) \u00a0 This is a song that Jay has recorded (quite brilliantly, I might add) on his 80 Days of Jay album. This is a rather\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "imitation as Flattery"","block_context":{"text":"imitation as Flattery","link":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?cat=229"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/biz141.inmotionhosting.com\/~akweko6\/sacollins.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/JBbanner-300x249.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":599,"url":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?p=599","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":4},"title":"LIVE FROM…","author":"S A Collins","date":"July 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"31 Days of Brannan - Day 28 \u00a0 Today's Playlist - ANYTHING LIVE! (We're only a few days away from his performance in SAN FRANCISCO!)\u00a0 \u00a0 Up first - B\u00e4 B\u00e4 Vita Lamm \u00a0(Live from Stockholm, Sweden) \u00a0 [embedplusvideo height=\"329\" width=\"400\" editlink=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/UyEK5C\" standard=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/cHBlrLqklow?fs=1&vq=hd720\" vars=\"ytid=cHBlrLqklow&width=400&height=329&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=1&autoplay=0&react=0&chapters=¬es=\" id=\"ep6797\" \/] \u00a0 This is brilliant\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Giving Back"","block_context":{"text":"Giving Back","link":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?cat=48"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/biz141.inmotionhosting.com\/~akweko6\/sacollins.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/JBbanner-300x249.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":539,"url":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?p=539","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":5},"title":"A Little JB @ the Soda Shop","author":"S A Collins","date":"July 18, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"31 Days of Brannan - Day 18 \u00a0 [embedplusvideo height=\"329\" width=\"400\" editlink=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/1qlsbJI\" standard=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/eVuhdIK2E7o?fs=1\" vars=\"ytid=eVuhdIK2E7o&width=400&height=329&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=0&chapters=¬es=\" id=\"ep1614\" \/] \u00a0 Today's Playlist - Soda Shop\u00a0 \u00a0 First off, I'll take Jay's video posts regardless of his level of dress or even undress. To my way of thinking:\u00a0Jay can do whatever the hell he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Media Musings"","block_context":{"text":"Media Musings","link":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/biz141.inmotionhosting.com\/~akweko6\/sacollins.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/JBbanner-300x249.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=380"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":393,"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380\/revisions\/393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sacollins.com\/blog-wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}