Hits of Sunshine (for Allen Ginsberg): Issa's Sunday Service, #174

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Sonic Youth makes a spectacular return to the Sunday Service, with one of my favorite 'tunes' - "Hits of Sunshine (for Allen Ginsberg). There's lots to recommend this tune - it is one long noodle, nicely cradled between opening and closing lyrics. It runs plus 11 minutes in contrast to last week's selection, which barely clocked in at 1 minute.

Is it all noodle for noodling sake, you ask? Well, put on the headphones and you will find a delightful balance of two lead guitars, one per speaker, plus a fat-ish bottom in the middle, to sustain the journey.

Besides the hat tip to Mr. Ginsberg, we've got a painter with a conflicted goddess, all manner of colors, there is blues and haiku (so precipitously spaced as to hint at Sal Paradise), and all those yellow shadow girls.

Yes, lots to keep the wary wondering and the curious curiouser.



Hits of Sunshine (for Allen Ginsberg)

Today I said goodbye to my conflicted goddess
Her lush eyes show surprise
At how we could gather knowledge
The painting has a dream
Where shadow breaks the scene
And the colors run off
Blue is bashful, green is my goal
Yellow girls are running backward
Until the next time, with six hits of sunshine
The lights will blind us with blues in haiku
The shadow has a dream
Where painters look to sea
And colors burn out
Now I know where I once saw you
Stepping into muddy water
John's reflection decried perfection
Now you walk him through the garden
Waiting in the wings
Painters shade their dreams
With falling colors

See me wave goodbye forever
Happiness the goddess lover
Hurry back remember last time
The hits of sunshine, the hits of goldmine
I'll see you back tonight
Where painters love the light
And yellow shadow girls


As long as we are conjuring Allen via extra-psychic means, here is a little something from the recent full-length feature, Howl. 

Here is a delightful little 10 minute interview/reading by Allen, so he may speak for himself:

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Photo (detail) by Vinoth Chandar

in the hell painting
perched on a fence...   
a lark sings

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,

Don

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Go to the LitRock web site for a list of all 174 songs