Gotta Serve Somebody

I posted the studio version of this Dylan song a few years ago, and have a Mavis Staples cover on my playlist but just came across at Assistant Village Idiot this terrific 1980 live cut of Dylan performing the song at the Grammys.  Much better than the studio cut.

You're gonna have to serve somebody

It may be the Devil, it may be the Lord

But you're gonna have to serve somebody

Yes, indeed.  Everyone, whether they think they are or not.  And, as AVP points out, "it is best to at least be aware who that is rather than kidding yourself". 

Orpheum Theater

 Washington Street in downtown Boston in the 1970s.  Filene's was the famous Boston department store that closed in 2006.  I attended many concerts at the Orpheum Theater during that decade - Roxy Music, Genesis, Al Stewart, Elvis Costello (three times), Squeeze.

Return From Domme

We returned from our month in Dordogne about ten days ago.  A last tranche of photos.

One of the two gates through which you can enter Domme by vehicle.

 

Panorama from the park on the north side of the town, overlooking the Dordogne River.  Location is a two minute walk from our rented house.

 

View back to Domme from village of La Roque Gageac.  This gives a good perspective of the heights on which the town is located.  The photo above was taken from a point about center where the elongated structure appears along the wall.  To the right is the town park.  Our house was located right behind it.  To the left is the center of the town.

 

Section of early 14th century wall on south side of Domme.

 

The reality of everyday life; disposing of trash at the bins just outside the town walls.  We were here every other day. 

Restless Farewell

Bob Dylan turned 85 a couple of days ago.  Recently I came across this 1995 performance of Restless Farewell, released by Dylan in 1964, and rarely performed by him since then.  I was surprised to see Dylan singing it at a Hollywood celebration of Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday and end by saying "Happy birthday, Mr. Frank".  His admiration for Sinatra is real, in more recent years, Dylan recorded an album of Sinatra songs.

According to Wikipedia and other sources, Dylan was the only performer that night to not sing a Sinatra song, and it was The Chairman of the Board who requested Bob sing Restless Farewell.  I don't know if the story is true but, in accordance with the Official Policy of this Blog, we're going to go with it. 

Restless Farewell is a Dylan tune I'd forgotten about until a few years ago and has since become a favorite.  Looking at the lyrics, and particularly the final verse (see below), I can see why Sinatra might indeed have requested it.

Oh, a false clock tries to tick out my time
To disgrace, distract, and bother me
And the dirt of gossip blows into my face
And the dust of rumors covers me
But if the arrow is straight
And the point is slick
It can pierce through dust no matter how thick
So I'll make my stand
And remain as I am
And bid farewell and not give a damn 

Of Blessed Memory

On this date in 1948, Witold Pilecki was executed by the Communist government of Poland.  The date and circumstances of his death were kept secret for decades, not becoming known until the overthrow of the Communist regime in 1989.  Today, Pilecki is a Polish national hero, though the location of his burial has yet to be identified.

Witold Pilecki fought Nazis and Communists, and volunteered to be imprisoned in Auschwitz, where he spent 2 1/2 years before escaping.  His life is one of astonishing physical and moral courage and was the subject of my post Volunteering for Auschwitz. 

The Chief Rabbi of Poland said of Pilecki:

"When God created the human being, God had in mind that we should all be like Captain Witold Pilecki, of blessed memory" 

Pilecki on entering Auschwitz:

 

Pilecki on trial by the communists:

 

 In my post, I wrote that I had not been able to bring myself to read Pilecki's account of his time in Auschwitz.  Since then I've read the report and hope to write about it at a future date.

Memorial

Today I attended the Memorial Day event at the Pioneer & Military Memorial Park in Phoenix, near the State Capitol building.  The Memorial Park is a collection of nine cemeteries established in the late 19th and early 20th century and is a National Historic Site.  The ceremony was conducted by Picacho Peak Camp #1 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, a group that I became an associate member of late last year (see Induction), and I was present as both a member and representing the Scottsdale Civil War Roundtable.

The event was under the auspices of the Pioneers' Cemetery Association, a non-profit, which operates and maintains the cemeteries.  I'm also a member of the association and our Roundtable was made donations to the group in recent years.

The ceremony included a reading of the history of the origins of Memorial Day and the role of the Grand Army of the Republic, the predecessor organization to the SUVCW, in its development, a reading of the Gettysburg Address and the playing of Taps.  Prior to the ceremony flags were placed on the graves of 73 Union veterans buried in the cemeteries.