August 25, 2018

At the Floodwater Café...

IMG_2211

... wade in.

(And don't forget to do your Amazon shopping... through the Althouse Portal.)

106 comments:

Darrell said...

New thread, wet dog smell.

Michael K said...

Flood waters in Tucson last night. It;'s nice to live in the foothills, well above the flash floods.

tim in vermont said...

How did Lanny Davis end up Cohen's lawyer... How did that happen? But the Clintons are gone, yesterday's news.

Oh yeah, and do you think that the LA Times is keeping the Khalidi tape in a safe?

https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2016/10/11/khalidi-los-angeles-times-suddenly-cares-videos-not-published/

How much was that "in kind contribution intended to affect the result of an election" worth?

Mueller: "You show me the man's party affiliation, and I will show you the crime."

chickelit said...

That looks like a low spot on the Picnic Point trail. Is it?

tim in vermont said...

How many stories has the news media spiked for the Clintons'

"The problem with the internet is that there are no gatekeepers." - HRC

Yes, gatekeepers who can be bribed, threatened, or squeezed.

tim in vermont said...

The Democrats have struck at the King, and I don't just mean Trump, I mean half of America, and they better win for their sake, or they won't like the future.

Mike Sylwester said...

Lyrics by Gilbert O'Sullivan (1946 - )
-----

Alone Again, Naturally

In a little while from now,
If I'm not feeling any less sour,
I promise to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower
And, climbing to the top,
Will throw myself off
In an effort to make it clear --
To whoever wants to know --
What it's like
When you're shattered.

Left standing in the lurch
At a church,
Where people were saying:

"My God, that's tough --
"She stood him up.
"No point in us remaining.
"We may as well go home."

As I did, on my own,
Alone again, naturally.

To think that only yesterday,
I was cheerful, bright and gay,
Looking forward to --
Who wouldn't do? --
The role I was about to play.

But, as if to knock me down,
Reality came around --
And without so much
As a touch --
Cut me into little pieces,
Leaving me to doubt
Or talk about
"God in His mercy".

Who, if He really does exist,
Why did he desert me
In my hour of need?

I truly am indeed
Alone again, naturally

It seems to me
That there are more hearts broken in the world
That can't be mended,
Left unattended.

What do we do?
What do we do?

Alone again, naturally.

Looking back over the years
And whatever else appears,
I remember I cried
When my father died --
Never wishing to hide my tears.

At sixty-five years old,
My mother --
God rest her soul --
Couldn't understand why
The only man she'd loved
Had been taken.

Leaving her to start
With a heart so badly broken.
Despite encouragement from me,
No words were ever spoken.

And when she passed away,
I cried and cried all day.

Alone again, naturally
-----

Sung by Bobby Darin

The Crack Emcee said...

Oh, what a beautiful MORNIN' Oh, what a beautiful daaay,....

Yancey Ward said...

I think Andrew C. McCarthy has written the best collection of essays discussing the various Trump related investigations going on; no one else has even come close to doing as good a job. McCarthy is incisive, thorough, and even-handed. However, he has repeatedly been forced to give ground in his pre-defenses of former colleagues and the institutions in which he has worked. As a preface to this, I link here to his most recent essay discussing the campaign finance issues arising from the Cohen plea from earlier this week. In the essay, McCarthy argues that lack of intent is Trump's best defense, and I think he is completely correct, however, McCarthy sets himself up for more mea culpae in the future (McCarthy excerpted below):



"It’s Bad Law, Not a Get-Trump Conspiracy

So, that is where things stand: vague laws lending themselves to inconsistent, unpredictable enforcement. Caprice naturally makes people suspicious. So some Trump supporters contend that, being hell-bent to get the president and having Cohen dead to rights on evading taxes on millions of dollars in income, Southern District of New York (SDNY) prosecutors pressured Cohen to plead guilty to non-crimes — the campaign-finance charges — so they could get him to implicate the president and start the ball rolling toward impeachment.

I don’t see it. The SDNY is run by a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney, Geoffrey Berman. Although he is recused from Cohen’s case, his office is run by lawyers he has chosen. The SDNY, moreover, has consulted closely with the Trump Justice Department here. (As we’ve previously noted, the Justice Department gets heavily involved in prosecutions against lawyers because of the knotty attorney–client privilege issues).

Here I must make some disclosure. I was an SDNY prosecutor for almost 20 years. The acting U.S. attorney running the Cohen case is Rob Khuzami, one of my partners on the Blind Sheikh prosecution. Cohen’s lawyer, Guy Petrillo, was my appellate editor on the brief I wrote defending the convictions in that case in the Second Circuit. Given what I know of the culture of the SDNY, and of Khuzami and Petrillo, who are among the best and most ethical lawyers in this country, it is inconceivable to me that Cohen’s campaign-finance convictions are a get-Trump ploy. The Justice Department filed the charges because it believes, as it did in Edwards’s case, that campaign-finance law was violated by Cohen’s conduct — making an expenditure that far exceeded the donation limit, and causing an unlawful corporate expenditure, with both actions intended to affect the election. Cohen pled guilty because the risk of conviction was real — just as Edwards could have been convicted on any of the five counts on which his jury hung.

One can abhor the campaign-finance laws, and disagree with the decision to charge Cohen, while still accepting that the Justice Department, defense counsel, and the court are all proceeding in good faith.
"

(Yancey again)

I admire McCarthy's loyalty to his former colleagues and office, but I suspect he is going to be forced to disown the above. While I agree completely that Trump can't be indicted nor can he even be convicted on the campaign finance part of this, I think the people running this investigation are not going to let the law and its strictures prevent them from trying to do so. McCarthy's good faith is going to cost him once again. Perhaps there is a method to what McCarthy is doing- trying to make his colleagues save their own reputations by warning them- but I don't think that is McCarthy's plan. I think he just lets his naivete get the better or him. It sometimes happens to honorable people- they are blind to the iniquity of others close to them.

Sebastian said...

"I admire McCarthy's loyalty to his former colleagues and office, but I suspect he is going to be forced to disown the above. While I agree completely that Trump can't be indicted nor can he even be convicted on the campaign finance part of this, I think the people running this investigation are not going to let the law and its strictures prevent them from trying to do so. McCarthy's good faith is going to cost him once again."

Correct. Except that I don't "admire" undeserved loyalty, which at this point looks like obtuse stupidity.

He thinks he is talking about law enforcement. He is actually dealing with a coup that is part of an ongoing war.

"It was inconceivable" to me that the CIA would run spooks at the campaign of a presidential candidate. It was inconceivable to me that the FBI and DOJ would exonerate someone who committed felonies by the thousands that would have landed anyone else in prison. It is inconceivable to me that a fair prosecutor would try to pin collusion on a president while ignoring actual collusion with actual foreigners through actual payments. Yet here we are.

tim in vermont said...

Cohen pled guilty because the risk of conviction was real

If Cohen paid her off using a method that was not legal, when all he had to do was use Trump's personal funds by doing a disbursement from the Trump owned corporation, then Cohen was a fuckup. Cohen violated the laws. Trump directed him to pay her off, not to do it illegally. As the now infamous "safe" shows, Trump has been doing this for decades, even when there was no election to influence. It's not illegal. The only violations would be technical violations and the person responsible for the technical aspects of it is Cohen.

Hagar said...

The Clintons may be retired, but Clinton, Inc. remains.

tim in vermont said...

Lanny Davis says you're a liar, Hagar.

The Crack Emcee said...

Show of hands, who's surprised? Buddhist author loses ‘How to Be Decent’ book deal after ThinkProgress covers alleged sex misconduct

Hagar said...

I take that as an affirmative indication.

Jupiter said...

"The Justice Department filed the charges because it believes, as it did in Edwards’s case, that campaign-finance law was violated by Cohen’s conduct — making an expenditure that far exceeded the donation limit, and causing an unlawful corporate expenditure, with both actions intended to affect the election."

How much did Carlos Slim spend to affect that same election, and a host of others? It is increasingly apparent that the "campaign finance laws" only affect Republicans. Like the laws governing handling of secret materials, and the laws against rioting, and the laws against entering the country illegally, and ...

Ann Althouse said...

"That looks like a low spot on the Picnic Point trail. Is it?"

It's on Willow Way near Picnic Point.

Michael K said...

The Mueller thing has now turned into an impeachment case project. They hope the Dims will take the House and then pass an impeachment list of "articles" based on what Mueller has been doing. There are no "crimes" of course. This is all battle prep.

The Democrats know that the Senate will never convict but this is revenge for Clinton.

The crazier of them may still hope they cam flip the Senate but that won't happen.

What is interesting to me is wondering if they can really convince enough Americans that this version of "Recovered Memories" is valid.

This is a mass delusion like the Tulip Mania. How many are susceptible in this era of "microaggression?" I don't know.

Birkel said...

Who here wants to point and laugh at TCE about his believing a child’s fantasy story?
Spreading rumors about urination.

TCE = Christopher Steele

madAsHell said...

This is a mass delusion like the Tulip Mania.

I ain't worried about it. A box of 50 9mm cartridges is under $11 at Cabela's, and they have a Smith&Wesson AR-15 for under $800. Those prices have been fairly steady for at least the last 6 months. I call this the H.L. Mencken index.

When a box of 9mm gets closer to $15, well.......

“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.”

traditionalguy said...

WTF are the Badgers doing to a local boy named Quintez Cepheus?

Roughcoat said...

Three most punchable faces in America:

- Mueller
- Hogg
- Brennan

Discuss?

somewhy said...

Nuance: A Love Story is a long read, but is one of the best things I've read in a long while.

It also encapsulates why I have been reading Althouse these many years: Nuance.

Fernandinande said...

My stupid dog mangled a cute lil baby "horned toad" this morning. Its grey body was a little over 1/2" long, with spindly little legs and a round head showing the beginnings of the horns. About like this.

readering said...

New reports of POTUS mouthing off against dying McCain. Man knows how to hold grudges.

Contrast with the man who lost nomination in 2000 and election in 2008 and asks the 2 guys who beat him to deliver funeral eulogies. Both agree.

Darrell said...

"At GOP event, Trump is silent on dying McCain"
by Jonathan Allen / Aug.24.2018 / 6:19 PM ET

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/gop-event-trump-silent-dying-mccain-n903796

Lefty tells a porky.

narciso said...

it's the yagoda medal, with laurels,

http://dailycaller.com/2018/08/24/pentagon-whistleblower-claims-dod-official-awarded-investigators-of-his-case-with-military-medals/

narciso said...

so you get that they gave two medals, to the fellow who was covering for halper.

Francisco D said...

"New reports of POTUS mouthing off against dying McCain. Man knows how to hold grudges."

readering,

Can you give us links to those reports?

Yancey Ward said...

What do you think are the most memorable song lyrics that don't contain the title of the song? In other words, what song lyrics would you expect most people to immediately recognize the lyric, identify the song title, and the act that made the song famous?

My entry, and the song I heard just a little bit ago that made me ponder this pointless question: "Jeremiah was a bullfrog."

Yancey Ward said...

I voted for McCain in the 2000 Republican primary (CT), and would have voted for him in 2008 if the election were a close call (it was over by election day eve and I voted for Obama as a historical token).

However, I am glad he never became president- he would have been an awful one, and I write that as someone who considered George W. Bush one of the worst presidents ever.

narciso said...

the most curious thing, was hoyt axton wrote that song. and yet it's become a standard of the 60s, even though it was written in 1971.

The Crack Emcee said...

Birkel said...

"Who here wants to point and laugh at TCE about his believing a child’s fantasy story?
Spreading rumors about urination.

TCE = Christopher Steele"


I've been posting stories of white's racism towards blacks all night, but one (1) turned out to be untrue, upon investigation. So, seeing that long line of stories with one (1) wrong, not only does Birkel point it out on the thread where it was mentioned - which would be totally fine since he corrected it before I dgot around to it - but now, he's taking the one (1) wrong story and parading it around to others like a scalp - while conveniently ignoring all the other stories that, he knows, are all true and condemn whites as solidly as his,...shall I say,...piss-poor display of so-called "honesty" does here.

He's attempting a crime of ommission. On me, on you, on reality. Gaslighting, I think it's also called.

Just horrible people.

CWJ said...

"Please allow me to introduce myself.
I'm a man of wealth and taste..."

And to top it of, the title never appears in the lyrics.

tim in vermont said...

For the first time in months, Democrats and Republicans are tied on the Rasmussen Reports Generic Congressional Ballot.

Hmmmm....

gadfly said...

Democrats Strip Superdelegates Of Power In Historic Reform Vote

The plan, supported by DNC Chairman Tom Perez and allies of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), strips superdelegates of the ability to vote on the first ballot at a presidential nominating convention ― unless a candidate already has such a large delegate advantage from caucus and primary wins that he or she would win the nomination without superdelegate support.

So the door is now wide open for Michael "Hottie" Avenatti.

“I think I’m a man of substance, frankly,” Avenatti told reporters in the lobby of Chicago’s Hyatt Regency hotel after a short speech to the DNC’s Ethnic Council. “I think actually when people hear me speak and when I answer questions about the issues, they’re taken aback in a significant way.”

Some have compared Avenatti’s knack for attracting cable television cameras (he did a brief segment with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer after his speech to the Ethnic Council) and ability to tease out revelations with that of President Donald Trump.

Explaining Avenatti’s appeal, Michigan Democratic Party’s Chief Operating Officer Lavora Barners told VICE News: “A lot of it is like his ability to speak truth to power and ‘You say what all of us are thinking but nobody's saying.”


So Bernie and Biden are done.

Michael K said...

readering has no links. He heard it on the TPM bamboo telegraph.

Michael K said...

The RNC is probably working on a plan to create supper delegates to prevent another Trump.

Too many rice bowls being broken.

Michael K said...

"Supper" was typo but not entirely inappropriate.

rcocean said...

From the Huffpo

"In a long-awaited bid to reinvigorate the Democratic Party and heal the divides of the 2016 presidential primary, the Democratic National Committee voted Saturday to disempower superdelegates as part of a package of historic party reforms."

"dismepower"?! What the fuck.

CWJ said...

"Is this the real life?
Is it just fantasy..."

Another where the title is never sung.

Anonymous said...

readering: New reports of POTUS mouthing off against dying McCain. Man knows how to hold grudges.

Which man? Trump or McCain?

Trump seems to hold explicable, if hardly noble and magnanimous, grudges against individuals; McCain went in for inexplicable, and unappeasable and entirely ignoble mass grudges against his constituents and his countrymen.

Contrast with the man who lost nomination in 2000 and election in 2008 and asks the 2 guys who beat him to deliver funeral eulogies. Both agree.

Why wouldn't McCain ask this of his comrades-in-arms in the uniparty?

I guess with ARM lying low these days you decided somebody needed to take over his wailing "oh, but muh principled conservatives!" shtick. (The place where shit-tier concern-trolls go to die.) You forgot the customary link to some National Review cuck, though.

CWJ said...

Or how about a lyric which DOES contain the song title, but not in the version most people mistakenly hear.

e.g. "There's a bathroom on the right."

narciso said...

that's right up there with 'sweet airliner' name the song,

tim in vermont said...

The Times report explains that the Manhattan DA’s interest is piqued because it is potentially a state-law felony for a business to misrepresent the basis for a reimbursement — e.g., to claim or deduct as a “legal expense” something that was not a legal expense.

Unless it’s Hillary funneling money to Russian spies for dirt on Trump, of course.

It’s almost as if there are two sets of laws... Naah!

Birkel said...

TCE spreading false stories makes me a bad guy.
Got it.

Fernandinande said...

"There's a bathroom on the right."

I have that song. I never did figger out what it had to do with the moon.

Dot hogs!
Armored dot hogs!
What kind of kid eats armored dot hogs?

Jon Ericson said...

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are."
#CSLewis

Big Mike said...

So Bernie and Biden are done.

Bernie, the Socialist whose third house, a vacation home that he probably does not occupy got more than a few weeks per year, cost hundreds of thousands more than the home I live in, would be easy to attack. Anyone willing to get on YouTube and search on “Joe Biden Pervert” will never got Biden. So neither is a loss to the 2020 Democrat nomination process.

Bad Lieutenant said...


Birkel said...
Who here wants to point and laugh at TCE about his believing a child’s fantasy story?
Spreading rumors about urination.

TCE = Christopher Steele

8/25/18, 1:09 PM


For what reason? Why the vindictiveness? Granting that Crack realizes that he is wrong, what's the point of rubbing his nose in it? If I have objections to some of his comments, I would prefer that he improve rather than be driven away.

Birkel said...

Bad Lieutenant,
Because it was a ridiculous story. The wilder the accusation, the more proof is necessary. It’s standard to operate with that as a default.

On another thread, just now, I agreed with TCE. And I think I offered his position full-throated support. But spreading rumors is a bad look. And when all TCE has is a hammer...

tcrosse said...

"In a long-awaited bid to reinvigorate the Democratic Party and heal the divides of the 2016 presidential primary, the Democratic National Committee voted Saturday to disempower superdelegates as part of a package of historic party reforms."

The superdelegates were put in place to prevent another McGovern. Now they're being eliminated to prevent another Hillary. Got it.

readering said...

No good at links when away from laptop. There's this thing google. Not public remarks. Report of comment to aides (who continue to leak like no one's business. Can't blame P0TUS for being driven to distraction over that).

As for those who use host's invitation to comment about anything to comment about me? Aw shucks.

Birkel said...

Leaks?
Like the ones Ali Watkins got for sleeping with people?
Or the made up ones like Cohen to Prague?
Take your pick.

n.n said...

... here comes baby. Twins!

Jon Ericson said...

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account
@realDonaldTrump

Ex-NSA contractor to spend 63 months in jail over “classified” information. Gee, this is “small potatoes” compared to what Hillary Clinton did! So unfair Jeff, Double Standard.

4:10 AM - 24 Aug 2018

readering said...

Have reached around page 500 of Battle Cry of Freedom. Cringing reading about Northern Irish Catholic Democrats. (My people) Archbishop Hughes!?!

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“I admire McCarthy's loyalty to his former colleagues and office, but I suspect he is going to be forced to disown the above. While I agree completely that Trump can't be indicted nor can he even be convicted on the campaign finance part of this, I think the people running this investigation are not going to let the law and its strictures prevent them from trying to do so. McCarthy's good faith is going to cost him once again.”

Ah, when you’ve lost McCarthy...

Unknown said...

@Fernandistein

My Frenchie almost ate a small toad this morning. I wasn't sure she didn't, but I think I saw the same toad in the same place a little later when I cut the grass. This was good news for me, not only was I distressed about what a toad's skin toxins could do to my dog, I was regretting the demise of an innocent and appreciated mosquito control creature.

Yancey Ward said...

I was unclear- I wasn't talking about songs that don't contain the title in the lyrics- just which lyrics are so memorable and well known that most people can identify the song and act from just that lyric with the only stipulation that the lyric itself in not part of the title of the song.

Yancey Ward said...

And, of course, you got Inga who completely misunderstands McCarthy's essay, if she even read it, which is unlikely.

Yancey Ward said...

In other words, McCarthy takes the position that it is literally impossible to convict Trump on the campaign finance issue that Cohen pleaded to this week, and even more, McCarthy takes the position that NY office won't even try to do so because they are all good honest lawyers. I think McCarthy will turn out to be wrong on the second part, just like he has been wrong from the very beginning on the motives and actions of all the anti-Trump people in the DoJ and FBI. That belief in the integrity of former colleagues has been McCarthy's biggest blind spot from the beginning- something he has admitted belatedly, and yet today he makes the same mistake once again.

Original Mike said...

Don’t waste your breath, Yancey.

Churchy LaFemme: said...

What do you think are the most memorable song lyrics that don't contain the title of the song? In other words, what song lyrics would you expect most people to immediately recognize the lyric, identify the song title, and the act that made the song famous?

"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" ?

Mike Sylwester said...

Yancey Ward at 11:45 AM
McCarthy sets himself up for more mea culpae in the future

Excellent comment, Yancey.

chickelit said...

The superdelagates are being removed to make way for Occasional-Cortex. She will win the CA and NY “popular” vote and so deserves to be POTUS.

Mike Sylwester said...

What do you think are the most memorable song lyrics that don't contain the title of the song?

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Birkel said...

I get knocked down, but I get up again...
Tubthumping
Chimbawamba

Song title not in the song?
And people immediately identify it from those words.

William said...

If Trump says something derogatory about McCain, he's spiteful. If he says something nice, he's a hypocrite. If he says nothing, he's unfeeling.....Trump's in a box, and you can bet that the media will pound that box......I think the best thing would be for Trump to acknowledge their differences and pay respect to McCain's courage and endurance. He'll still take a lot of flack, but the media will probably overdo it so it will come out even......At any rate, the funeral should be about McCain and not Trump. I wish everyone would let it rest.

madAsHell said...

What do you think are the most memorable song lyrics that don't contain the title of the song?

Ode to Joy!

readering said...

Bernie and Biden are done.

From your lips to God's ear.

Andrew said...

I agree with those who think that Andrew McCarthy has an unfortunate blind spot. Other than that he has been a must-read. I thought that he was having an epiphany about how deep the corruption goes, but he always seems to avoid facing that reality.

My own view: the scandal is 100 times worse than most people are willing to admit. In particular, Obama himself and his entire administration are guilty of many crimes, including treason. But I'm not sure the Messiah (Obama) or his anointed successor (Hillary) will ever be held accountable.

I admit, however, that I might be a nut. I honestly think that Seth Rich was assassinated for being the Wikileaks source.

Francisco D said...

"Report of comment to aides (who continue to leak like no one's business. Can't blame P0TUS for being driven to distraction over that)."

rendering,

Do you have the name of the reporter?

Francisco D said...

@ readering,

I'm just checking.

We all know that the media never lie about Republicans or anything else.

Dan Rather and Bran Williams assured me.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I admit, however, that I might be a nut. I honestly think that Seth Rich was assassinated for being the Wikileaks source.

Media investigating! oh wait. nope.

readering said...

John McCain rip

HT said...

Yes, RIP, John McCain. I wonder how long it'd been since he gave up treatment. It's weird that the day after that was announced, he died.

Unknown said...

"What do you think are the most memorable song lyrics that don't contain the title of the song?"

B52s, 53 Miles West of Venus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESAZFiD9rAU

J/K, those are the only lyrics.

JackWayne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JackWayne said...

Now we’re gonna find out how corrupt or honest the Arizona governor is.

rehajm said...

Champagne wishes Robin Leach.

tcrosse said...

The Naval Aviators I knew from the period were willing to credit John McCain as a North Vietnamese Ace. Tough crowd.

BUMBLE BEE said...

tcrosse... As a friend, (gunner on apc), said of the swift boaters viz Kerry, it's peer review man, peer review.

wildswan said...

"tcrosse said...
The superdelegates were put in place to prevent another McGovern. Now they're being eliminated to prevent another Hillary. Got it."

2020 Vistas
Dream Team: Alexandra Ocasio_Cortez and David Hogg. Young, yes but too young? only the Constitution is in the way! Supported by the Smith and Wesson Six who wear outlaw bandannas.

Biden and Mitt Romney form The Union party and each run as both President/Vice President

The first debate - 53 candidates
Colin Kapernicke takes a knee when asked what his program is. Kamala Harris and Pocahontas discuss the issues. Kamala says her cheekbones are higher. But Pocahontas, in a surprise attack, carries off Kamala's switch while shouting the battle cry of feminism - "meow, meeeeoowurow". Colin Kapernicke takes a knee. Six late-night comedians are unable to function and request future debates be held after midnight. Antifa invades. The Smith and Wesson Six take off their bandannas showing Anonymous masks. Colin Kapernicke takes a knee.

Ralph L said...

All my bags are packed I'm ready to go

I was talking to 2 squishy liberals today who'd never heard of Seth Rich or Arkanicide.

Ralph L said...

Has anyone under 50 heard Joy to the World?

wildswan said...

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2vn5VIdnBw

Big Mike said...

Just make sure Zeus doesn't drink any of that yellow water.

The Crack Emcee said...

Bill Burr on Canadians: "Anybody of color that tried to make it playing hockey up there, listen to the stories they have, you'll be like 'Were you in Alabama?' 'No, this was Manitoba.' Yeah, those are still white people up there. Just because they're on the other side of the invisible line doesn't mean they're not gonna act like white people."

The Crack Emcee said...

Bill Burr Thinks Most People Online Are Evil. And so do I!!!

Yancey Ward said...

Here are some of the song lyrics I think of in regards to this question. As a preface, I would say the songs have to have been huge hits and/or gotten literally tons of airplay over the decades on radio, television, and popular culture like movies and television ads. They have to be songs that at least 50% of Americans over the age of 30 will be familiar with. The song that got me thinking about this was, of course, Three Dog Night's Joy to the World. The lyric I quoted is truly unique- if you know the song, you know instantly the lyric when it is quoted to you. Of course, songs like the National Anthem will be recognized by almost all Americans from any of the lyrics, but I had in mind songs that became hits during the lives of people living today. Here are some of the ones I thought of:

"I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"

"Well, since my baby left me
Well, I found a new place to dwell
Well, it's down at the end of Lonely Street"

"You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one"

"He got ju-ju eyeballs, he's one holy roller"

It is this sort of thing I was asking for.

Karen of Texas said...

Anyone mentioned the imminent implosion of the Catholic Church re:the letter from His Excellency Carlo Maria Viganò, Titular Archbishop of Ulpiana, Apostolic Nuncio? Because, yeah: "In this extremely dramatic moment for the universal Church, he must acknowledge his mistakes and, in keeping with the proclaimed principle of zero tolerance, Pope Francis must be the first to set a good example for cardinals and bishops who covered up McCarrick’s abuses and resign along with all of them."

The link to the full letter is on Scott Hahn's facebook page.

Ralph L said...

Bohemian Rhapsody could be the best bet thanks to Wayne's World exposing it to a younger generation.

Are we looking at first lines only or any line, and how long a phrase is allowed?

narciso said...

Yes it's quite an interesting song, a picaresque tale, even with some Arabic thrown in, bismillah, one of those mis interpreted words.

narciso said...

Freddie mercury grew up in Zanzibar, a majority Moslem country, scaramouch means coward.

Yancey Ward said...

Ralph,

Any lyric, any length. Bohemian Rhapsody is an excellent one- several of the lyrics are quite unique.

Ralph L said...

Movie songs have an edge.

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk near, far, wherever you are, how do you solve a problem like Maria?

Yancey Ward said...

In short, the lyrics will be so specific to the song, someone who recognizes the lyric won't be wondering what the song was. I can literally hear the opening ten seconds of any song recording that I have heard more than 2 or 3 times, and tell you the title and usually the artist, but printed or quoted lyrics are harder for me to identify outside to hearing them sung in the song itself. Some lyrics, though, can't be mistaken as part of some other song.

narciso said...

The rough translation there is 'Allah will not me go' a rather serious sentiment in such a seemingly light hearted song, but look further.

Yancey Ward said...

Ralph,

The first one I got instantly, I had to ponder a bit on the second one, but guessed right just on the "Maria" part. I guess I haven't seen The Sound of Music more than twice, though. However, I have heard "Stayin Alive" probably over a 100 times over the years.

Ralph L said...

Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger now he's dead isn't my idea of light-hearted lyrics, but the tune is bouncy all over the place.

Yancey Ward said...

Ah, I missed the one in the middle! I would not have gotten that one without looking, though I am quite familiar with the song.

Ralph L said...

"I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"

I've read that line but don't know the song or remember the tune. (looks up) Not a Cash fan for some reason.

"Four hungry children and a crop in the field" was probably not known past its time.

I heard "the lines in the road just looked like dots" at the Y this week, but they successfully orient the music for the expected clientele.

Yancey Ward said...

I know Kenny Rogers through and through, but I don't think that lyric qualifies- the song just isn't that broadly heard today.

I didn't recognize the second lyric, though I have heard the song before.

Yancey Ward said...

If you are going to go with a Kenny Rogers song, there are lyrics in The Gambler that are probably widely recognized in, at least, the South and Southwest.

Ralph L said...

It always gets me when square, 40ish Jeopardy contestants know rap "artists" and "songs."

"The dolphins make me cry"

"She's just a girl who says that I am the one"