The Ramones of American Folk Music

Man! I am so fuckin' mad I just want to blow up and make sure somebody gets to clean up the mess. Fuckin' world!

Hey! Farmboy! What's this about?

It's about everything. It's about how there seem to be conscience-free creatures out there in high positions that get their fuckin' rocks off taking advantage of poor people, the elderly, the disabled, the mentally ill, the physically ill, you fuckin' name it...

Hold on. Did you just get home.

Yeah.

From work?

Uh, yeah.

I want to talk to you, but first I want you to pick up the guitar and play and sing one song.

Huh?

Look, just go do it. I'm not leaving. I'll be here to listen, but it would be good for you to play at least one song. You have to sing, too. Humor me.

(sighs) Okay. I'll see you in a few.

See you.

* * *

So, did you have fun?

It was good. I had a hard time focusing, though, my mind going in a million stupid places, one after another. So that's frustrating. But I played well. It's like "Too bad you weren't here for it." But I got more into it after the first couple of songs.

What did you play?

I played two songs I wrote plus a ragtimey-like instrumental I made up on the spot.

Sounds good.

I also played, let's see, "In My Life," the Beatles' tune. The Beatles' classic. After that, I played Paul Siebel's "Louise," which I've played for years and years. Those are two effortless songs, in a way. Plus, they're short. I like short. I should strive for short. I should be the Ramones of American Folk Music.

Short and sweet.

Fuckin' A, man

(laughs) Fuckin' A? What are you, some cool guy from the 1950s?

I just like the sound of it.

But, anyway, I like short and sweet. I wish I could write pop songs.

Maybe you will.

I hope so. I just want to discover what music is inside me. For no good reason except I can.

Which is reason enough.

(laughs) I hope so. I'm dependin' on it.