Tuesday, September 3, 2013

I’d Rather Go Blind ("The Faces" 1974)


You know, if Rod Stewart had been singing to the United States of America personified (Lady Liberty, obviously, not Uncle Sam), then this song pretty much would have captured how I’ve been feeling for far too long.   

Of course even before the song begins, when Rod asks “Upstairs, you’re very quiet, are you there?” it strikes me because I've been wondering much the same of the Republicans in Congress. 

Likewise, the “him” mentioned in the lyrics could easily be any of a wide range of bad actors from Bill Ayers, to Obama, to Bashar al-Assad.


Regardless. My apologies – sincere apologies – go out to those lads from "The Faces" that are still with us; they didn’t mean this as a political anthem – not at all. 

But this song moves me, and since I’m happily married and politically active this is how I hear it now, every time.

Enjoy. A lot.

The Faces (with Keith Richards) – I’d Rather Go Blind (1974)


2 comments:

  1. great song. i prefer the etta james version:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9PYPvMz-Wc

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gotta give props to Etta James, but I still prefer the Faces' cover.
      *It's rougher, but I prefer rougher
      *It's bluesier, but I prefer bluesier
      *It's live, and live music is my bent
      *It's been gender-shifted to the male point of view, making it not merely "easier", but in fact "possible" for me to internalize/personify (I don't know if "personify" is really the word I'm looking for here... pretty sure "personalize" isn't the correct term either...)

      But "Classic" is certainly "Classic", so thanks for putting the Etta James link out here - it's absolutely a keeper!

      Delete