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"The great ones have always broken the rules."
~ Martin Crane (episode: 'Motor Skills')
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This time, we are taking a break from Battle Of The Booze in order to do a special 4th of July 'League Of Soul Crusaders' themed BOTB installment.
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As most of you already know, in the early 1980s, I was a member of a group of friends known as The League Of Soul Crusaders (TLOSC) in the Santa Monica "Dogtown" area. Sowing our youthful, wild oats, we were loud, rowdy & funny, and everyone wanted to party with us. Even people who didn't drink much wanted to party with us!
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The League was comprised of 6 primary members: Torch (the unofficial leader), Napoleon (a.k.a. Nappy), Twinkie, Lynthy-Pooh (a.k.a. General Poohregard, or Pooh for short), Cranium & myself. Each of us had a Ph.D. in Carpe Diem. There were also occasional fill-ins, or "pinch hitters" (a baseball term), such as Wally, Oscar, Dean, Kelly & Marty, et al..
The genesis of TLOSC occurred on the day when Torch introduced himself to me on the set of the Gene Wilder movie 'The Frisco Kid'. Later, he introduced me to his buddy Lyle (Pooh) and, both of us being Thin Lizzy fans, we hit it off immediately.
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The League's comedic heroes were W.C. Fields, Laurel & Hardy, Monty Python, Benny Hill, The Three Stooges, Deputy Dawg & Wally George.
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We led the league in Most Amount Of Energy Expended In A Single Night, Most Number Of Jokes Told In A Night, Fastest & Funniest Ad-Libbing, Most Dangerous Stunts Involving Old Cadillacs & Other Autos, Highest Number Of Chess Pieces & Coconut Heads Knocked Down In A Night & other feats of astounding athleticism!
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| The trunk of Cranium's 1959 Cadillac. RCA Victor's dog Nipper & his many 80-proof friends! |
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The League Of Soul Crusaders inspired the creation of 2 poems, a 196-page single-spaced book manuscript, and a great Rock song (HERE).
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| L-R: Twinkie, Nappy, Wally, Torch, Stephen (me) & Pooh, sitting on the roof of a bank, July 4, 1983. |
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Two Things You Must Know For This Song Battle:
1) At that time, all of the League members were big fans of Bruce Springsteen. One night in 1984, The League even rented a Winnebago and went to a Springsteen concert together.
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2) We were most often seen together riding in Torch's 1964 Cadillac. Torch had taken a blowtorch to the Caddy and removed the metal roof, making it permanently topless; and he named the car "Tiburon" (Spanish for shark). We rode in Tiburon rain or shine!
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| The League in Tiburon - 4th Of July Parade, 1983. |
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| Nappy in a Springsteen shirt & giving the "Beee!" sign. |
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In Los Angeles there's a fancy-schmancy area called Brentwood, where an annual 4th of July Parade was held. In 1983 the parade included floats, marching bands, mounted cowboys, a motorcycle stunt team, mayors & various other city officials, as well as famous celebrities (Chevy Chase, Ted Knight & Dick Butkus). The League decided that Tiburon should be in that parade so... we sneaked in.
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And that explains why this BOTB installment is between two radically different songs: Bruce Springsteen's 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) and WAR's Whose Cadillac Is That?
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4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
by Bruce Springsteen
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| 1984: Stephen T. McCarthy & Lynthy-Pooh (both tired & hungover) waiting in line for Springsteen concert tickets. The night before, we'd ordered pizzas & had them delivered to "the six guys sitting on the couch at the intersection of 4th & Colorado in Santa Monica". |
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Whose Cadillac Is That?
by WAR
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Please vote in the comment section for the song you prefer, and then please visit the other BOTBers and vote in their Battles.
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🐝👌 EXTRA! EXTRA! 🐝👌
READ ALL ABOUT IT!
4 or 5 weeks before Christmas in '83, I got the idea to write the full story of The League Of Soul Crusaders and present a copy of it to each of my friends as a Christmas gift. So, I disappeared from their lives during that time, and a couple of them mistakenly thought that I was snubbing them & acting stuck-up.
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Boy, were they in for a surprise when I gave each of them a copy of "the book" on Christmas Eve!
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I had to write & type the 196-page manuscript as fast as possible. Time was of the essence, and there were occasions when I was mentally composing the chapters while simultaneously typing them! It was the roughest of rough drafts. And therefore, "the book" contained countless typographical errors, improper punctuation, and incorrect words. I had no - zero, zilch, nada - time to make corrections on the typewritten pages. It was an AS-IS project.
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Should anyone be interested in reading the pages from 'The League Of Soul Crusaders' which addressed our sneaking into the 1983 4th Of July Parade -- to learn how it happened & how the police and parade spectators reacted to our intrusion -- you'll find links below:.
{Click on the images to enlarge them for reading}
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
You always have such interesting stories. My life hasn't been nearly as colorful as yours. :) I don't have time to read book but I bookmarked today's post to remind me to come back to read it. Moving on to your battle. I'm going with "Whose Cadillac Is That". I just liked the overall sound. I can't put my finger on why but that's all I have to offer to ya. I know, pretty sorry excuse. Have a bandtastic week, my friend!
ReplyDeleteCAThy! It's that YOU!
DeleteThank you, muh frien', for checking in with a Patriotic vote in my Battle.
Yeah, I think "colorful" is probably a good word to describe my youthful escapades & escapes. Beginning at age 34, I became intensely Spiritual. Prior to that, I thought "Jesus" was the figurine of a baby that we placed in the Nativity set on Christmas Eve. ("Huh? You mean there's more to Jesus than that?" GOL!)
In hindsight, I can see that *everything* was always leading up to NOW. Every good story must have a colorful beginning, an exciting middle, and a strong ending. I can scarcely wait to see how God ties this all together felly soon-uh. ;^)
~ D-FensDogG
As you know, I'm a huge fan of your memoirs and will be back to read those excerpts. In the meantime, I'm voting for WAR. Their song had me jumpin' and jivin'. ☺
ReplyDeleteThank you, DEBBIE!
DeleteI've always appreciated your enthusiasm for my old stories. And I feel felly confident-uh that the Snakes Slithering Into The Parade story will entertain you. It *still* entertains me and - dang! - that was 41 years ago!
If you hadn't voted for WAR, I would have responded with: "OK, Missy, who are you really, and what have done with The Doglady?!!"
~ Stephen-Boy
I love the parade story and how the crowd embraced you! ☺ The Soul Crusaders were such a cool gang.
DeleteDEBBIE D'DOGLADY ~
DeleteI'm pleased as Crown Royal spiked punch that you returned to read those pages from "the book" (as The League referred to it) and that you enjoyed them.
Honestly, we were surprised (shocked-as-helck!) that the parade spectators "embraced" us the way they did. We shirley did NOT expect that, and so it remains one of the best memories of my life!
>>... "The Soul Crusaders were such a cool gang."
We *were* that. (I've often referred to us as "a drinking gang".) However, you might not have thought we were so "cool" if you had to live next door to us, or EVEN on the same street with us. (At one point, there was a petition circulating on the street to get us evicted! Of course, that went nowhere because... GOD clearly loved 'The League'. GOL!)
We were definitely misunderstood. In fact, we were (relatively) "the good guys". The police used to have regular stakeouts conducted on our house, because they were sure we were dealing drugs from there. The police couldn't have been more wrong (as usual!) Actually, we had a "no drugs in the house" rule. So, dealing drugs?
Fuhgeddaboudit!
However, it was *because*, for years, SO MANY PEOPLE kept coming to the house at all times, that the Santa Monica Police Department was thoroughly convinced that 824 Bay Street was a "drug house".
What SMPD failed to understand was this (as I stated in the blog bit) :
"everyone wanted to party with us. Even people who didn't drink much wanted to party with us!"
In my BOTB RESULTS post, I may include another League story, which illustrates how we - unbeknownst to most of our neighbors - were actually "good guys". It has to do with a guy who smacked his girlfriend in the face while partying with us. Long story short: He messed with God's favorite gang and paid the price! :^D
~ Moody-Boy
("Moody" was the name used in 'The League...' book manuscript that referred to me.)
I certainly would have wanted to party with you! ☺ We did a lot of that as well, but on a much smaller scale, compared to your League. I can see where the cops might have thought you were drug dealers, with all the people coming and going. Hope they didn't harass you too much. Looking forward to reading more of your adventures!
DeleteHey there Stephen! (Or should I call you Ferris?)
ReplyDeleteGreat story from back in the day. Made me smile from ear to ear.
I'm going to give my vote to War because it's more my groove.
I've got a couple Tekillya tunes battling it out on my page, should you and yer friends be inclined to visit.
-MMQE
www.jinglejanglejungle.net
MMQE ~
DeleteI'm pleased as spiked punch that you enjoyed the story. Truth be told, I've been a bit tired & hungover since 1985. (Ha! That would make a goot T-shirt!)
Ooh! TeKillYa... cactus poison. "It's poison, I tell ya!" (I wonder if Birgit will be able to make a bust on that line o' dialogue.)
The only time I ever got into real serious trouble from drinkin', Jose was involved. I've mostly avoided Jose & the rest of the Cuervo Brothers since then. But I will sho-'nough be by to vote on your Cactus Poison Battle. (Maybe I'll even try to get Napoleon to come along as a special Guest Voter.)
Until then, try to keep out of trouble 85% of the time.
~ D-FensDogG
"Tired & Hungover Since 1985"
It's wonderful that you wrote down your exploits and gave all of them. A copy. Since then, one passed away I a vehicle accident? You sis the right thing, errors and all in giving them a mini novel about your exploits. I love that you crashed a parade...that's hilarious. If I drank the way I used to my liver would be trying more than it already does.
ReplyDeleteNow, I voye for Cadillac because I love the temp and vibe more than the first one.
BIRGIT ~
DeleteAs always, I thank you for bringing some 80-proof to the BOTB punch bowl!
Yes, "pinch hitter" Marty was killed in a car crash in L.A. when a carjacker ran a red light at high speed while running from the police. That was in '89, and I learned later from his Mother that Marty had obviously had a premonition that he was soon to die.
Prior to that - in 1986 - "pinch hitter" Kelly committed suicide. Kelly & Marty were the two best friends I've ever had. These were two guys whom you could call at 3:00 AM and say, "I'm stuck in Rhode Island" and they would immediately go to work to save you.
~ D-FensDogG
I loved reading the full story of the parade. I never realized it was so intense, that you guys were waiting to be ambushed by police any moment and get arrested. I also never realized it was such a patriotic act. Very suspenseful, very inspiring, very funny. This line genuinely got a GOL out of me: "I couldn't help thinking that there were thousands of people lined up on the sidewalks, clapping vigorously for us. A few of us possibly being alcoholics and none of us desirable as neighbors."
ReplyDeleteI hate to pile onto the one-sided beatdown, but you can also include my bote for War. Better song for my tastes, better vibe, and it's the exact thing I picture playing as Torch's Caddy glided down the street behind that nuclear sub. God bless America.
JULIO (Down By The Trainyard) ~
DeleteTerrific comment, my friend! And I am pleased you read the story and enjoyed it.
I have "alway" - "ALWAY" (using the King James Version version of the word here) - been a big fan of War's music.
I began transitioning LPs to compact discs in 1988 or '89. And it was around that time when I bought the CD 'The Best Of War... And More'. That's when I heard 'Whose Cadillac Is That?' for the first time, and it floored me! I was thinking: WAR - were you guys reading my mail?!
It was almosts - ALMOSTS! - like they were writing & singing about The League Of Soul Crusaders! I immediately thought this, also: If 'The League Of Soul Crusaders' was ever made into a movie, 'Whose Cadillac Is That?' would definitelys - DEFINITELYS - need to be included in the movie's musical soundtrack!
Thanks again for coming by with an excellent comment & time to dig the entire scene!
~ D-FensDogG
That is one awesome tale of shenanigans! It would have been BEYOND exhilarating. I am honestly shocked you were NOT arrested! These days you would not only have been arrested, you might have been shot while NOT resisting arrest, or - if arrested - you might rot in prison for years for "interfering with an official proceeding."
ReplyDeleteI know you loathe "Animal House," but this is just the sort of stuff in all of those types of movies, even down to the crowd getting behind you while knowing you crashed the parade. Truly cool! Do you still have the cardboard sign? I hope.
Probably this was never going to be a shutout, but I have to vote for Bruce. As you know, I used to be a huge Bruce fan myself. Keep it on the QT, but I still like his old stuff when I hear it... although I never ever play it on my own anymore. Even so, I still own probably 50 Bruce bootleg albums from those early days - many multi-colored, or flames on 'em, or red, white, and blue. Also as you know, I was probably at the same Springsteen concert you guys were. He did four shows in a row in L.A. and I drove up from San Diego to attend TWO of them. So it's at least a 50% chance. I didn't hear a bunch of troublemakers in the venue, though, so perhaps it was a different night!
With "Sandy's" lyrics like "This pier lights our carnival life on the water; Running, laughing 'neath the boardwalk," and "Now, the greasers, ah, they tramp the streets, Or get busted for sleeping on the beach all night," how can I vote for anything else? TLOSC got frequent visits from cops and hung near the Santa Monica pier. And you had "The Boss" on the back of Tiburon.
So, for the first time since about 1986, I shout: "BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE!"
Sixgun McItchyfinger
PART 1 OF 2
DeleteSIR SIX-A-LOT ~
This was truly a Hall Of Fame comment! Methanx ya!
Yeah, I'm still a bit puzzled by the nonchalant attitude of the police. It wasn't their custom, so it wasn't what I had anticipated... at all! Obviously, they had suspicions about what we were up to, hence the planting of an unmarked car behind us for quite awhile. But either they figured perhaps their suspicions were unfounded, or maybe they got called away to some other situation, or maybe... The Spirit led them away.
And, I guess, once we had accomplished the goal of getting into the parade, they took a "let it go" attitude. And, seeing the incredibly positive reaction we got from the vast majority of the parade spectators, it would have made the police look even worse (than usual) had they tried to oust us in the middle of the thing.
Sadly, I no longer have one of the (autographed) signs we displayed on the side of Tiburon. After moving so many times, from city to city, state to state, at some point I just discarded it, as I was trying to downsize my belongings. (I also got rid of - literally! - a ton of books, and lots of music recordings. Some of which I reacquired years later.)
I don't actually "loathe" the movie 'Animal House'. I just don't particularly like it. And why should I? I lived the *real* thing, and the *real* thing was actually far funnier and more exciting than the Hollywood version!
Interesting trivial Fun Fact: Back in March I did a BOTB installment featuring the Doors' song 'Roadhouse Blues' and the Don Henley song 'Sunset Grill'.
http://stmccpresentsbattleofthebands.blogspot.com/2024/03/botbs-botb-2024-march-1-or-jim.html
In that blog bit, I mentioned a gal named Lin who, while we were driving around Hollywood one night in her VW Bug (with an open beer keg in the backseat), convinced me to write a screenplay about Jim Morrison and to play the role of Jim in her student film project.
Well, in that B&W photo showing Pooh and I sitting on the couch, waiting in line for Springsteen concert tickets, that is Lin whom you see standing just to the right of me. When she was younger, Lin had been the babysitter for the Harold Ramis family. And Harold Ramis had been one of the three writers of the 'Animal House' screenplay! What a small, full-o-coincidences world this is, eh?
To Be Continued...
~ D'DogG
PART 2 OF 2
DeleteHappy Independence Day, McBrother Sixgun!
Prior to posting this Battle, I was absolutely certain that WAR would win in a blowout. I considered the possibility that it could even result in my first-ever shutout. I was willing to take that chance because:
1) That Springsteen song & that War song were just too thematically perfect for my 4th of July Parade story. I couldn't resist putting them up against each other.
2) I felt there was two of my regular voters who would quite possibly vote for the Springsteen song, thus saving me from a dreaded shutout. One was Pooh (I know how much he loved Springsteen's older material) and the other was YOU!
Five years ago when I did a BOTB installment between Bruce's song 'Night' (which is what put the "soul crusaders" into the name The League Of Soul Crusaders), and Twinkie's song 'TLOSC', you were one of only two persons who voted for Bruce over Twinkie. So, I figured there was a goot chance that you would do likewise when I put War up against Bruce. And you did! And Pooh did, too! Looks like I did a bang-up Magic 8-Ball job in predicting the outcome of *this* Battle.
According to this site...
http://brucebase.wikidot.com/1984
...Springsteen played 7 shows at the L.A. Sports Arena in '84 (late Oct. & early Nov.). I don't remember which of those shows The League went to, but I went to a second concert at that time, in which I took my Ma to see Bruce. So, between your two shows and my two shows, the odds are very good that we both attended at least one of the same concerts in helL.A.
Today, I only own two Springsteen albums (his first two, which I bought on compact discs "USED" so that he wouldn't receive any money from the sales).
I have one goot story that involves League members at the Santa Monica Pier, but unfortunately it isn't in "the book" because the event occurred after it was written.
Thanks again for your enthusiastic comment and your Bruce "bote", McFriend!
~ D-FensDogG
And your reply means that YOU are voting for War! Oh, well! It is an excellent song also, although I truly feel that everything Bruce (only EARLY Bruce) sums up TLOSC in it's essence.
DeleteSixgun
It was a California day and we came to play
Delete. . .
Old folks and children stand and lookin'
At the sight right in front of their eyes
All they could say, truly amazed
Was "Whose Cadillac was that floatin' by?"
They all say
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
Everywhere we go
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
Up and down the street
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
Everyone we meet
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
Number one from coast to coast
Everybody they all know our name
From the neighborhood {"Dogtown"} to Hollywood
Yeah, we're movin' in the Diamond Lane
. . .
"Whose Cadillac is that?"
. . .
Up and down the street
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
Everyone we meet
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
We saw them scratching their heads
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
And everybody said
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
They got the music loud
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
And stirring up the crowd
("Whose Cadillac is that?")
Everywhere we go
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Everywhere we go it's the same old question...
~ Moody-Boy
VOTE = WAR
ReplyDeleteI dig the funky style and the tongue-in-cheek humor of the title question.
ED ~
DeleteI thank you for checking in with a vote.
(In life, humor is very underrated,
as Roger Rabbit stated.)
~ D-FensDogG
This one? No contest: love War, hate Springsteen. War for me.
ReplyDeleteSIR JOHN ~
Delete>>... "hate Springsteen"?!
"How come that?"
(As Bullwinkle often asked.)
~ D-FensDogG
I've gotten unexpected access to a computer so I figured I'd try to vote on as many Battles as I can get to.
ReplyDeleteThe Springsteen song got more enjoyable as I kept listening, but the War song seemed more from my neighborhood. Voting for War---the band.
Lee
Happy 7-4, BOIDMAN!
DeleteI'm pleased as Everclear in Lemonade that you were able to stop by and contribute a vote to this ongoing slaughter of "The Boss".
>>... "Voting for War---the band.
Make Bruce, Not War!
Suppose they gave a Bruce and nobody came!
~ D-FensDogG
Great story, Stephen! I can see why you guys became legends :-) Both songs go well with your story. I really liked Springsteen's 4th of July, but the Caddy song seems more like your soundtrack so I'm going with them '-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, dEAR dIEDRE!
DeleteWe were indeed legends - LOCAL legends.
I suppose I could have also used the Springsteen song 'Glory Days' against this War song. But the fact that the goofball put "speedball" instead of "fastball" in the song lyrics makes the whole thing just unlistenable to me. (Clearly, "The Boss" was only pretending to be the voice of the everyday American and he knew nut'n about the American pastime. Ha!)
Thanks so much for your two cents worth, my Western friend! A blessed Fourth O' July to ya!
~ D-FensDogG
And Stephen...
ReplyDeleteWell what can I say? Perhaps most of the best days of my life were spent with you and the rest of the League. What I wouldn't do for an ounce of that energy we created nightly as you mentioned. The eternal summer nights and, as captured so well in the ticket photo, the hellish hangovers. Underlying it all was the incredible bond of friendship and wit. The belly laughs were often and priceless. You see as Rickie Lee Jones said, "We belong together."
Alas, the angels "don't want to set themselves on fire for us anymore." Perhaps that's because our candle burnt from both ends back then. God knows our livers were scorched. Good times, and I will always remember most of those nights, your book and the parade.
Good battle and apropos for the 4th of July.
Funny at the time Asbury Park was too slow for my liking or I equate it with the morning after more than the night before. I like the upbeat and sentiment of the Whose Cadillac is That?, but Sandy, 4th of July takes my vote as it defines and connects with the Bay Street Days much better in my soul. Hard to believe that the parade was 41 years ago. Add us all to the LTBA list. And I will have a Pepsi Light in memory of those who didn't make it this far like Andy and Marty. Heck, I might even light a candle in my last Mickey's bottle.
May you have all your fingers after the Fourth of July my friend.
Love,
Pooh!
...AND, POOH, THAT'S NOT ALL!...
DeleteHappy Fourth, General Poohregard! I'm listening to side "Beee!" of 'Me, Lynth & The Beach Report' while I am typing these woids.
I'm so pleased you came by here with two shots of Pepsi-Light for the BOTB punch bowl. This Battle just wouldn't have been "official" if you had not shown up with an opinion. Just like The League would not have been The League if you hadn't been a member. Every kingdom needs a court jester and you, sir, were the best in the business!
I was just thinking of when you went all "Taxi Driver" on that rich kid at the Santa Monica Pier! GUFFAW-OUT-LOUD!! I'm inclined to say that was your greatest hit, but then you had so many great hits that it's impossible to grade them all. (Can you still chase a guy around parking meters?! ;-)
I can remember - as if it were only 43 years ago - how I could get "Moody", isolate myself in my bedroom and listen to Rickie Lee's pain & joy. And then rejoin the gang in time to "Prove It All Night".
Mang, our guardian angels worked 24-7-365 and earned three or four sets of wings apiece. And, gettin' on down with my Spiritual self now, I will say that I am really looking forward to seeing Andy & Marty again. (Ty, too. Although he did visit me once, shortly after he committed suicide-by-cop.)
>>... "Love, Pooh!"
Pilgrim, you better add "John Wayne! John Wayne!" when you say "Love" to me, punk! ;-D
~ D-FensDogG
Al Bondigas here. Looks like a pretty good showing this round. Well, as you know I was a big Springsteen fan way back in the day, as we all were. There are still a few songs that I like by the low rent, phony, disgusting, wife cheating on, Marxist punk Springsteen, but, for the most part, my musical tastes have changed drastically. Love the beat to " Whose Cadillac is that," in fact, I really dig practically all of War's songs. Therefore, I be rulin' fer War and " Whose Cadillac Is That." That's it, that's muh rulin!! Oh, by the way, The Pooh leaving out " John Wayne John Wayne " had me a little worried. Glad you straightened the punk out.
ReplyDeleteJUDGEY! ~
DeleteI still distinctly remember one time when we were all in Tiburon and pulling out of the parking structure at the south end of the Santa Monica Place mall (which, of course, is unrecognizable today) when Springsteen's 'Badlands' played on the radio. We were all singing as loud as we possibly could and... well... people were staring and we made a spectacle of ourselves. (Situation normal.)
Sadly, heroes very seldom live up to their billing & I'd have Springsteen at #2 on my list of 'All-Time Greatest... Disappointments'.
Ha! Yeah... that Pooh.
I can overlook the missing "JW! JW!", but only because he's hitched to a woman. :^D
~ D-FensDogG
Hey ole buddy, I finally got around to reading how y'all crashed the 4th of July parade. How awesome and what a fun, fun, crazy memory! This snippet belongs in an 80s National Lampoon movie. :D Great stuff! Thanks for sharing with your humble peeps, my friend!
ReplyDeleteCATthy! It's that YOU!
DeleteThank you for reading & commenting.
The parade was great, and primarily because of the way the spectators reacted to our presence in it. Not one of us could have anticipated that we would be so riotously celebrated for that stunt!
But after all of the self-serving politicians and celebrities went by, suddenly there appears these six regular working-class dudes in a battered old American car, who had clearly not been "invited" to join the American parade but entered themselves into it regardless. The regular folks watching the parade "got it" and loved it.
That may have been the last great moment in American history! [;^D}
~ D-FensDogG