10-12-2005

On my way home I popped in a disc and listened as Billie Holliday tore my heart out with "Lover Man". While wondering how some skanky woman from 50 years ago could move me like that, I had a small epiphany (strange, considering I'm 2 hours away from my Yom Kippur fast--epiphany, small e). This revelatory flash was that Connecticut, while it's debatable whether it has a
an "author's voice" to it's blogs, clearly has no "lyric" or "melodic" voice. This state has absolutely no musical heritage. "California, Here I Come", Deep In The Heart Of Texas, "Carry Me Back To Old Virginia", "My Old Kentucky Home", "Missouri Waltz", "Tennessee Waltz", but no Connecticut anything-- waltz, foxtrot, or even a shag (only Carolignians can shag, or would want to).

Seriously, is it possible that our lack of a definitive musical culture affects our state's creative product, including blogging? When I visited Savannah, Johnny Mercer's presence was almost palpable. When in New Orleans (pre-Katrina) ,Dixieland permeated the atmosphere. I believe the lack of musical effect on a region is as important an influence as the presence of one. We are living in a non-melodious void, and it shows in our somewhat emotionally removed cultural aspect. Even our singers distance themselves from the state, Martina McBride sings with a Southern accent, and don't even bring up Michael Bolton, (who would?)

Enough,already. I have to go starve myself for 24 hours. Does God care ? I'm too chicken and/or too superstitious to risk finding out.