Dead at the ripe old age of 89. When I first moved to Rochester, it seemed like a depressing place, a boarded-up rust belt city ringed with Chili’s-ridden, Godforsaken suburbs. One day on the radio, I heard some Mose Allison song, I think it was his version of “Seventh Son”, and after it was over, the DJ talked about having seen Mose Allison at a dive on Monroe Ave. (they have a funny way of pronouncing “Monroe Ave” here and it’s supposed to connote something bohemian or run-down), and I thought maybe this wasn’t such a bad place after all.
“Tell Me Something” is my favorite Mose Allison. You can’t beat lyrics like this:
You say the world’s a mess
It’s anybody’s guess
As to who will deliver that low blow
WereBear
Loved his stuff.
Gin & Tonic
I heard about the news driving home yesterday listening to the Sirius jazz station. Commented here later: he was not just an American original in music, but (IMO) one of our leading philosophers.
realbtl
RIP to a true original.
Prometheus Shrugged
“Your mind is on vacation; your mouth is working overtime”
I use this classic line on my family members all the time.
Brachiator
I love what his wife said about him, according to the Wiki.
RIP
Martin
Mose Allison wrote some really great songs, and he was a very good jazz musician. After I was already a fan I found out that (one of ?) his son(s) was a neighbor of mine when I still lived in Tucson about 10 years ago. Went to see him play at a small venue, which seems to me to be the kind of place that suited him well. I guess his songs might not be to everyone’s taste, but if you haven’t checked him out, do so, and you might find his tunes are yet a good fit for our declining, collective state.
dedc79
Van Morrison’s cover of Tell Me Something is pretty good too. Unfortunately can’t find the studio version on youtube.
trollhattan
@Prometheus Shrugged:
Yup! Second only to “How can I miss you when you won’t go away?”
How’s Tom Waits doing these days? I’m putting my foot down on any more 2016 shenanigans.
M. Bouffant
@Gin & Tonic: Indeed. The Wiki sez:
frosty
Another favorite, and very timely:
“I used to be troubled ’til I finally saw the light.
Now I don’t worry about a thing ’cause I know nothing’s going to be all right.”
dedc79
@frosty: Easy for him to say. He got out before Trump became President.
Gin & Tonic
@frosty: “If you live, your time will come.”
Chromaticmaille
Just listened to this one last night after I heard the news….
I don’t know why, but it actually made me feel better. Thanks, Mose…
I know you didn’t mean it when you brought me down
It just happened to be beneficial to you
I know you’re always worried about that first pronoun
And you were just doing what you had to do
I know you didn’t mean it when you stole my coat
It just happened to be the logical one
I know you didn’t mean it when you slit my throat
You’re just out with the fellows trying to have some fun
I know you didn’t mean it when you blew us up
You just happened to think it was a good idea
Ungrateful people trying to interrupt
When you were just trying to make your viewpoint clear
I know you didn’t mean it
I guess I’ve should have seen it.
I know you didn’t mean it
I know you didn’t mean it
Doug!
@dedc79:
That’s what I posted!
Jim
A definite loss. He was one of the greats who got me into jazz. Haven’t listened to anything of his in years, but hearing of his death zapped me back to the 60s and some very good memories.
kmeyer the lurker
Opened for him at Denver’s Gothic Theater 12 years back, it was such a pleasure. Nicest guy, though his mush mouth is not an affect! He had a full size grand brought in and just destroyed it. Think my fave is “Your mind is on vacation (but your mouth is working overtime)”
Also: Fuck you 2016. Again. Fuck you to death in the face.
barbequebob
Loved his music, which I came to originally in the 1960’s through covers by classic rock bands, such as: Parchman Farm by Blue Cheer and Young Man Blues by the Who.
Saw him at Fat Tuesday’s in NYC in early 1990’s, where I had the pleasure of exchanging pleasantries with him in the men’s room during his break.
Such a great talent and social commenter
mvr
I saw him a couple of times (I think it was a couple) at Charlotte’s Web a club in Rockford Illinois back in my teens, almost 40 years ago. I first heard of him on WIVS (Crystal Lake, IL) a sunup to sundown station rum mostly by Rick Belaires the son of a well-known local (Chicago) radio host. Rick would play everything all mixed together, from classical to Hendrix to Jazz, which meant I heard lots I’d never heard before. Bought several of his albums from the remainder bin when I went to college and had little income.
Mose Allison’s voice was always highly distinctive and his timing was wonderful!
I’m getting to be an old codger who thinks too much about what we’ve lost.
Thanks Doug!
Greenergood
RIP Mose – first encoutered through Bonnie Raitt covers – favourite is Everybody’s Crying Mercy:
I can’t believe the things I’m seeing
I wonder ’bout some things I’ve heard
Everybody’s Crying Mercy
When they don’t know the meaning of the word
A bad enough situation
It’s sure enough getting worse
Everybody’s Crying Justice
Just as long as it’s business first
Toe to toe
Touch and go
Give a cheer
Get your souvenir
People running ’round in circles
Don’t know what they’re headed for
Everybody’s Crying Peace on Earth
Just as soon as we win this war
Straight ahead
Knock ’em dead
Pack your kit
Choose your hypocrite
Well you don’t have to go to off-Broadway
To see something plain absurd
Everybody’s Crying Mercy
When they don’t know the meaning of the word
Nobody knows the meaning of the word
Psych1
If you gone up to the city – you better bring some cash.
Cause people in the city – don’t mess around with trash.