The Red White and Blues night in the Big White was totally awesome!
Big Guy explained how the Blues grew out of slavery and segregation, and reminded everybody that we’re celebrating Black History month.
And as we celebrate Black History Month, the blues reminds us that we’ve been through tougher times before -- that’s why I’m proud to have these artists here -- and not just as a fan, but also as the President. Because their music teaches us that when we find ourselves at a crossroads, we don’t shy away from our problems. We own them. We face up to them. We deal with them. We sing about them. We turn them into art.
It’s obvious that Big Guy’s administration has been singing the blues since they got here, and as a result have turned many a situation into “art.” In fact, I’ve heard a lot of people saying that Jay-Jay is a real “piece of work.” I’m sure they mean that in the artistic sense.
Although it does seem to be a bit deriviative
So did you hear who was here, singing the blues? Everybody who’s anybody, that’s who...butt not the Who. B.B.King – he sang “The Thrill is Gone.” I hope there was no subliminal message intended. And Jeff Beck, Keb Mo, “Trombone Shorty,” and Buddy Guy!
And then…the moment everyone had been waiting for: the atmosphere was electric.
The audience held their breath: waiting to hear the most famous set of pipes in the history of the recording business.
They cheered, they whistled, they cat-called! They held their breath, waiting for the world famous cock to take the stage! Butt before we got to hear Big Guy’s rendition of “Sweet Home Chicago,” we had to sit through Mick Jagger’s performances. He can still do the “Rooster Strut,” butt his singing proved that even a Rolling Stone can gather moss.
Mick rocks "I Can't Turn You Loose." More subliminal messaging?
Hoo-wee! That is one old cock!
Lady M and I gave Big Guy lists of our favorite Stone’s tunes to pass on to Mick ( or sing himself) and Big Guy had his own list too: (click to play any of them)
Lady M’s List:
Big Guy’s List:
- Under My Thumb
- Ain't Too Proud To Beg
- Time Is On My Side
- Winning Ugly
- Beast Of Burden
- I Wanna Be Your Man
- Not Fade Away
- Rock And A Hard Place
- Sympathy For The Devil
MOTUS ’List:
- It's All Over Now
- Get Off of My Cloud
- Back To Zero
- Biggest Mistake
- Please Go Home
- (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
- You Can't Always Get What You Want
Wow! Prescient song titles! It’s almost as if Mick was a prophet or something. As if he knew way back then about the second coming…of Carter.
And come on! I mean, seriously, the last time Jagger and the Stones were actually relevant was in the seventies, during the halcyon days of the Carter administration. You know -- the last time the misery index was miserably high and the “Voter’s Economic Well Being” index was miserably low -–
Ouch! That last tenth of a point really hurts
Butt let’s not dwell on negatives: let’s be - as Lady M advised the Women of Virginia Who Heart Obama – optimistic! And have a little fun around here. Because what’s more important than having a little fun? That’s right, winning! Butt aside from that, having fun is job number won around here.
So that’s exactly what we did last night, on Fat Tuesday.
Cheering on the Chicken Man
Butt the crowd demanded an encore, they were chanting “Buh-rock! Buh-rock! Buh-rock!” And then the magic moment everyone was HOPING for: BO grabbed the mic, and burst into a little song. Again.
This singing thing is starting to get out of hand. Al Green? OK, a bit of a stretch, butt marginally on key. Butt now this: “Sweet home Chicago?” Give. Me. A. Break. Apparently I’m in a minority on this though. Everyone else has been astounded by Big Guy’s pipes. Just like they’ve always been.
Anyway, yesterday wasn’t all just one big Mardi Gras party. First we had to do a little sacrificin’. Lady M met with Middle School student musicians from around the country who were invited to the Big White for a music clinic with some of the Blues singers and writers. She dedicated 9 minutes out of her very busy day to inspire them.
You can read the the whole transcript in less than 2 minutes if you want, butt I’ve extracted some of the key points for you.
I also checked the full text and counted 14 rhetorical “rights?” in Lady M’s 9 minute, uh, inspirational speech. It’s, like, one of Lady M’s signature motivational verbal tics. Right?
Some other inspirational excerpts.
MRS. OBAMA: Hey! (Applause.) You guys, rest yourselves. Welcome to the White House. (Laughter.) What do you think? (Applause.) Do you like our house?
AUDIENCE: Yes.
MRS. OBAMA: It's the State Dining Room; there's state dining that goes on here.
Which really impressed the kids.
MRS. OBAMA:…Well, we've invited you here at the White House because we want you to know that you all have a place here -- a place here at the White House. Yes, here. This is your spot. We want this house to truly be the people’s house. That's something that we say -- people say, this is the people's house. We just happen to occupy upstairs, but this belongs to everybody.
Then one of the upstairs occupiers wrapped it all up, due to other pressing duties:
So I say all this, it's because I want you all to believe that anything is possible for you all. That's one of the reasons we do this music series. That's why it is so important for me to open up these doors, to have you guys come from all over the country to sit in the same chairs that kings and queens and ambassadors and senators have sat in, right? They sit right in those chairs. And I want you all to hear from people who have struggled, who have worked, who built up careers and art forms for themselves.
…But ask some good questions. And remember that you're grooming to be the next greatest something, right? But it starts with believing that you can be there. And half of it is walking in these doors at the White House and sitting down here, and just being here, right? Just get comfortable here, right? Get comfortable with a little greatness. (Laughter.) See how it feels. Put it on. Wear it a little bit, right? Feels pretty good.
… So don't be afraid of hard work. Don't be afraid to fail a little bit. Don't be afraid to trip, stumble, make a fool out of yourself sometimes. Sometimes that's the best way to get to your goal, all right?
So I am thrilled to have you all here. Have fun. And I have to go to some meetings, okay? (Laughter.)
So with that I will turn it over to Bob. You all have fun. (Applause.)
Because having fun is important, right? Almost as important as winning, right? Right.
So as we find ourselves at the crossroads of “The Thrill is Gone” and “Sweet Home Chicago” I say “Laissez les bons temps rouler!”
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