The Ballad of John Brown (today)

Ballad of John Brown (today)
lyrics: Jack Gorbett
           Brian Kuder
            Jesse Paulson

Music: Jack Gorbett

Chorus: Look around, look around

Feel the spirit of old John Brown

I think we're going Kansas bound

Border Ruffians all around

(hmmmmm)

Feeling heat from their sound

(hhmmmm)

Not in my American town.

Verse

October 16, 1859

Haper's Ferry will be mine

I think will march up the Potomac Creek

And disrupt the lives that make men weak

We'll surprise em' and they'll never knew what hit em'

Take the colonel, Washington we'll get em'.

Chorus:

Verse

You'll kill my body,

And the history books will dispute,

In the route, the method, and direction I took,

But there's one thing I know, and there's one thing that's true, the sin of slavery was casted upon you.

Chorus:

Political Anthems

Political Anthems

I love Political anthems.

(and capitalizing the 'p' inappropriately in that last sentence.)

Now read that sentence in parenthesis and try not to crack a smile.

I know, I know. What are parenthesis?

And what's a smile really? I don't own crack! Hey, what's your angle here?

Easy now.

Technically if you self identify as a 'political person' or someone who 'engages in politics' any song that you deem political can be.

Don't believe me?

Read any lyrics from a pop, country, rap, rock, funk, (fill in genre I'm to old to know is good and hip), and you can for sure find a lyric that can be attributed to any cause, person, group, or idea that yearning to breathe free. And I'm not being sarcastic even though it's a minor degree burn in my soul.

Sure, the Beatle's Penny Lane lyrics could be talking about an actual 'barber showing photographs' of 'every head he's had the pleasure to know'

OR

Are we in Guantamano  Bay and is this 'barber' really a CIA operative butchering suspected terrorist as he's not even the slightest bit fazed in showing, to their horror, the heads of the OTHER terrorists he's butchered?

We make music our own is my point.

Remember the 'Great Communicator?'

Good ole' Ronnie Raegan? R and R as his friends called him. Resuscitate and Revive.

You know the guy that said we should have a pathway to citizenship for people looking to better their life in this great country of ours?

Yeah this communist?

Well he's not the first, but America's favorite grandpa (who loved jelly beans by the way) accidentally (or directly eh?) used Bruce Springsteen's political diatribe "Born in The U.S.A" in 84' for his re-election campaign and it was all Thunder Road from there.

It turns out Bruce's lyrics (or the chorus) had a certain Nationalistic 'rah' rah' to it, but the verses were anything but:

"Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go"

All my optimism hopes that these lyrics aren't prophetic! (sad laugher?)

Still though,

We make any type of music our own to fit our worldview. So let's get out of the 80's.

Remember House Speaker Paul Ryan?

"Oh wait, he's still the speaker?"

Ooh yes!

Well it turned out that during the 2012 presidential election when he wasn't restricting women's access to their own healthcare, or cutting SNAPS funding as a true Christian would, the sixth member of New Kids on the Block was a 'yuge' Rage Against the Machine fan?

But relax kids!

Everyone can rage!

When House Speaker Ryan listens to 'know your enemy' he just knows that it's those people in urban areas!

It's always fascinated me as a fan of popular music that popularity doesn't necessarily mean 'clarity' for everyone. I include myself in this.

When news of Flynn resigning took notice this came next as a distraction.

I do love a Political Anthem song and I feel as we enter the, what is it  now, fourth official year of this four week presidency, we need more songs basically sounding like the end of the "Shim Sham Shammys" i.e. Da Grammys.

I'm not talking about the academy ignoring the fact that the Bee Gees were more then the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack, but also helped the careers of both Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake.

I digress.

We need more 'we the people' and less 'beautiful people.' (no offense to Marilyn Manson)

If there's a silver lining in any of this it's that I hope Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence can do a reboot with Dr. Who as they find there's in another dimension and galaxy. Seattle? Cleveland?

It was apparent to me that I was with my parent when in 2004 my mother accompanied me to what was then Gund Arena to watch the Vote For Change tour in Cleveland Ohio. I remember I was with my Mom and my older sister's friend who was a friend of the family in town from Buffalo. It was a cool night to be had of baby boom meets X marks the spot, meet old millennial me?  Headlining this bill was an eclectic cast of young and young at heart rockers and rollers with political swag to boot!

I still have my t-shirt of this!

On the bill? And the songs I remembered that clear cool October 2, 2004  night? (hey 6 years before my "I almost died day!")

Bright Eyes

Bruce Springsteen

John Fogarty

R.E.M.

James Taylor

Dixie Chix

Pearl Jam  (when they played this song I figuratively lost my shit)

and others I'm sure of it!

One of the few concert experiences I remember and no doubt I always believed it but I remember specifically many things during this 'Vote for Change' tour that was nothing new in American sentiment. That artists shouldn't be political. Just like athletes need to please 'just shut the fuck up'.

Bollocks! Never mind these sex deprived pistols!

Michael Stipe took the stage to proclaim to the packed, excited crowd:

"They tell us. Don't talk about these things. Do your job. Well, Hi. My name is Michael I pay taxes in Georgia and this is what we do. And this (pointing to the stage) is our front yard. This is our Yard sign!"

Bam!

They kicked into "It's the End of the World As we Know it" and the place lost its shit. It was reassuring to me that the lead singer from the band that is one of my Dad's favorites would have the bravado to come out as a post punk poet and just declare what we all know: Athens, GA has some pretty cool bands.

It's a Dead Beat Club I would be happy to join.

Maybe I yearn for a 2017 year when even Justin Bieber gets out of  his pop conformist fake tough guy crooner turned softie bubble and talk shit about 'agent orange' to quote Busta Rhymes?

"Daddy, daddy, why is he yelling like that?"

"Well sweetie, he's Busta Rhymes, and he's busting his anger although not rhyming about it now ironically given his name."

I'm yearning for a year in which every musician digs deep and understands why they got into art in the first place. Free expression? You like sounds? You like instrumentations? Maybe you like people? Maybe you like people who think, look, act and sound differently then you? Maybe you're not a fascist asshole who shares the same first name with the cute fluffy golden haired feline who journey through America's west with the fawn Pug Otis? Damn you Milo!

I digress.

Look. I bought Kid Rock's albums because (I'm sorry future senator Robert Ritchie from Michigan) I liked his music and his flow.

Does it irk me that he designed shirts for Trump that were very bad and in poor taste?
Yes.

I don't buy his music now.

But I did buy Devil Without A Cause when I was a freshmen in high school and maybe driving to Romeo, Michigan with a good friend to see if we could find him after our excursion to Cedar Point was a bust.

I digress.

But tell me that this isn't a cool song when you're like a thirteen year old boy in the Midwest yearning to breathe free?

MTV was playing videos kind of!

I'm not trying to play the role of 'this is what you will listen to if you believe in 'x.'

First off I don't do x pills,
and
Second (doesn't need to be capitalized again!)

Listen to what you want to listen too.

I was born in the south, in Virginia, and although I like to lovingly roast how backwards the south has been, it's home of the blues. (For better or worse in music and life.)

I come back to a band I listened to time and time again as a small child and young kid on road trips in the back of vans every summer  that had the new GM car smell and late night highway excursions to the south and east coast with family. I call it the 90's (and parts of the 00's)

My whole life I never felt connected to anything except family, a few friends, being educated by Jesuits, volunteered politically, and getting shot with a shotgun at random.

It feels good to be connected to good people and good causes out here as we all in some form or another recognize that we've been living at times on a Channel that's really boring.

And this writer is still a fighter of a different kind.

I'm turning the Channel on my worldview lately.

One day I'll find my political anthem, always knowing it was in my thoughts put to work.

This is your patriot on track, Jack. Action Jackson signing out of service.

Deuces!

Hamilton Cabinet Meeting 1 (so fun)

Hamilton

As I immerse myself in the new 'rage' musical sweeping the country (Yes I know I'm late to the party. psyche! I don't get invited to parties, why you tardy? I feel my flow into the mind of Hamilton.

Enjoy

My Cypher:

Cabinet Meeting #1

"Yo. Action Jackson will take third verse please."

(Jefferson)

(Hamilton)

"Action Jackson? Would you like to add some words?"

Why thank you Mr. Hamilton for your graciousness,

.

.

Check this out,

I'm just a southern boy born,

near Monticello,

UVA, USA, and I'm sayin'

Hello,

Unlike Lionel, I ain't Richie,

I'm dancing on the debt,

ceiling, why the country gettin'

itchie,

POTUS twitchie,

And the Twitter hits the fan,

From a POW to dissin' an,

Elisted 'Vietnam man.'

"Order! Order!

Senator Gorbett born Virginia

has the floor!"

"Thank you Mr. Prez, we can't

handle this shit no more.

The senator from Washington

state and I would like to

propose a new amendment,

We'd like to help the rural,

states who plead small gov't,

but are dependent,

On us, and their fellow

Americans of all stripes and,

Colors,

Of trans teens, Asians,

Muslims, single mothers.

In addition, we'd like to close

the wage gap,

Ah oh, the amendment

states, to talk in congress is

now to rap, imagine that!

(Trumpie)

"I object!

Ah what the heck, I reject,

the notion, of taking this hate fill potion

what's your locomotion?

You aint' moving to the people,

why you're lying ass serves nor the church or the steeple

We the people!

(Yeah!)

In order to create a more perfect union,

Beastie boys and girls of all humans

and we be 'body movin'

(Trumpie)

"This is Ludicrous!"

Then 'move bitch, get out the way!

And while you're at it take the KKK

From around the way

(We don't play!)

Well, speak for yourself playing's good

What's not is a Sessions as an AG

who's  behind a hood?

(Trumpie)

"So what's good?"

Glad you asked,

And it aint, name your 'Price'

As Secretary of Health, I aint a beach, boy but,

"wouldn't it be nice?"

If we can grow to live in,

A country that's universally accepting,

With healthcare for all WWJD and it's tempting,

To throw your hands up like you just don't care,

But we came here to act, not to destroy the sunny weather.

Whether or not you engage aint the issue,

it's so you're not paying 5.99 for one single tissue,

are you one issue?

But we better then that we went to the moon

People "So when the change going to come Mr. Cooke?"

I ain't him, soon?

(Trumpie)

"The Senator from Virginia  doth talk too much shut him off!"

The Senator does yield, but

Before I go one more word?

We resist the new fascist

regime, have ya heard?!

That's my time I yield the floor,

Action Jackson want to act and talk no more.

(drops pen)

365 And Glad To Be Alive (One Year Somber Story) *Sober, I mean Sober!

On the 'telephone' with a 'lady' who calls herself 'Gaga.'

365 And Glad To Be Alive (for real this time, ha!)

If there's one thing I've not only learned on an intellectual level, but more so on a spiritual level, it's that life is very, very funny.

I didn't always think that. Even as an optimist most of my life struggling with depression and anxiety.

Take my day one of choosing that in my life moving forward I've taken my last alcoholic drink.

That kid is 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'!

Put him in the basket CHIEF!

For some, the situation has come to a halt. There's an arrest, a major incident that touches the heart and mind. Perhaps someone was so drunk and did something so deplorable that FINALLY it reached them on a level of cognitive awareness of,

"Huh, I can keep bullshitting myself that there's not a problem, but man I need to clean up this house now!"

I didn't have that 'ah-ha' moment as Oprah Winfrey would proclaim.

That's not to say I haven't had my share of 'roaring 20's' stories that were the opposite of any prohibition in American history. Like the mob, I ran free during a national dry spell that was the early 00's and mid 00's.

My blood alcohol level, while not John Bonham levels, usually had a hammer of the god's fill in it.

I had the "Hmm I see" moment.

Was it getting randomly shot, being life flighted, thirteen life saving surgeries awakening to a new gratitude for life?

Ha! No.

Getting married to like the coolest girl, sorry woman ever?

Try again.

Becoming a father to an adorable baby that is the epitome of her 'mama'?

One would think.

I've been blessed with an amazing family, wife and baby and yet time and time again I'd come back to an 'old familiar friend' to quell any anxiety or small dose of PTSD.

"Hey it's not like I do it everyday. Relax." I'd tell myself.

"You deserve this."

"You deserve this."


So what did in it for me? Well I had been contemplating it for the New Year as a goal, but my resolutions always seemed to go two months out and then fizzle like a Cleveland Brown's offense*


*(Bad example. That's a week out maybe?)

Superbowl 50!?

Feb 7, 2016

Thank you Peyton Manning.

Yes. Peyton Manning going out on top was interviewed right after winning. I was happy for the guy. In his moment of glory he was happy to go out on top as he was on the field in all his glory and told the cameras and I quote.

"I'm going to go home and enjoy a Budweiser."

I sat there with my 7th screwdriver, and not a Philips-head-kind thinking:

"Huh?"

That's when it hit me. A football in the face!

No.

I'm retiring too!

Granite, is a rock.

And granite, I learned he has stock in the company so it was a nice shout out but maybe it was me getting older but I remember thinking to myself,

"I mean I know athletes aren't role models nor do I pretend to think they actually are although can be I guess, but really? Man I'm old. Also, why is Peyton Manning showing me sobriety?!?!??!"

I'm retiring this rationalization that I A.) need a little of this stuff and B.) I deserve it.

I deserve to be happy and everyday I'm awakened to that idea that it's possible no matter how hard the day is through sobriety to embrace the unknown fully, in action.

You have to want it, right?

I forgot after my life altering saving grace moment that to be anxious, sad, and what have you is a blessing in disguise (for me) in that it reaffirms that I'm still a human being.

There's empathy. And it starts with me.

My lovely wife and small child (two people way smarter than me) show me everyday how adults do things.

Avery can do the dishes and cook at 17months it really is quite remarkable thing to watch!

One day as she balances her toys in both hands I can see her showing me how the checkbook does the same thing.

Addiction is a hard demon for a lot of people and I've been given the tools and people who are a positive reinforcement in my life.

Adults can rationalize. Look at American politics right now.

Others aren't so lucky.

The best thing people can do for people who battle with anxiety, depression, addition, etc, etc, is to offer an ear and listen.

This is truly hard for me.

Be a friend. We are all on the same Earth and different paths not greater then anyone in my opinion.

That's something I'm learning to do everyday. Sobriety helps remind me that the loudest voice in the room isn't the most powerful and that you have to stay in tune with yourself.

Be mindful. Be respectful. Focus on you and you alone before the mouth opens (or words are typed)

It's a daily reminder.

A daily affirmation.

I kid to those who listen that while I profoundly have respect for A.A. (Akron, Ohio what what?!) I'm more of an elevator guy. A.A. has steps. I like the path of least resistance.

But now I fully understand spiritually that through sobriety the stairs help you lose that negative weight that's been holding you down.

Fat is good. Negative fat (rationalizations, pity parties (oh so fun), dissing yourself (what is this Yo MTV raps?) is not good.

So I'll continue to daily affirm my sobriety and try and offer an ear to those who need it.

If you're reading this, I take from you some wise words, a kind funny moment, a remembrance of how you affirm this truth.

"But is Oasis not the best British band since the Beatles?! Can we not agree on this??!"-Will Ferrell


Am I going back to beat myself up or rehash the past or say 'would of, could of, should of?'

Nah. It's time wasted. I have now.

And never going back again.

Thanks for reading. Live for today party people.

your partner in crime,

Action Jackson

P.S. In case anyone is wondering what the 'state of comedy' is in our new nation one only needs to look at the party in the upper left portion of our country to see that the Emerald City (Seattle) is at it again folks! -Donald Trump     (I couldn't believe he actually said this) ;-)

Christian Nation

Christian Nation



Hmmmm.


They say the witching hour is at 3 o'clock in the morning because it's the inverse time Jesus Christ had rose to life eternal to meet with, you guessed it, Biggie Smalls and 2Pac Shakur. That's right Luke, Luke Luke 23:32-43, "I am your father." For tonight those who have been misconstrued and booed shall be the first with me in paradise,

Isn't this nice?

And, 'Wouldn't it be nice if people practiced, and they loved just as I said how?
And wouldn't it be nice if instead of calling yourself Christian, get off your street corner and learned right now?
It's like if we went to church the works in action,
But you're dressing nice and have false sense of fashion,
So were the fuck's your passion?
Oh wouldn't it be nice?


And the dark side of the force is a force to be wrekened  with since the last jedi died year ago
so.....

hmmm.

Is the sound that I make, make no mistake
The time that I take, to partake, hell aint fake.
It's on Riki Lake.
I knew as a kid this wasn't reality, but it was plain to see.
The direction our country was going.
The audience wants to 'be involved' just so long as we can stay on couch enthralled.
Over time we gave up on facts, when the news gets boring, just another line in the cracks.
We saw it coming from a mile away, while the
Sorry Fonzie, and well wacka wacka.
Played us out like suckas, suckas, why bother bother?
Oh Marvin, 'Mercy, mercy me.'
Meanwhile a Devos is the boss, and they're trying to tire me.

'Got to keep those love and vibrations happening with her......
'Got to keep those love and good vibrations happening with her......
'Got to keep those love and vibe, vibrations happening with her........

But it's a bad, bad, bad, Christian Nation....

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

The turn of the century Cohen brothers classic, the film that sparked one of the best country albums of all time (And won the Grammy for best album), has a line in it:

"You aint bonefide!"

Ulysses Everett McGill, in prison for practicing law without a license is told by his young child that despite his efforts to right his ways, he's not winning anybody over with his behavior. He wants to get back to his family before his wife remarries. The kids miss their father, and most likely have been lied to, as to shelter their hearts for being so young to the actual truth.

This was 1930's, 1940's deep south.

Fast forward to our reality right now in 2017 America.

For many, it is 'hard time killing floor blues'.

"These hard times will drive you from door to door."

Many Americans were conned by a oil snake salesmen, going against their better nature to elect a failed businessman who inherited wealth from his father and has violated more ethics laws then Ted Bundy and Jeffery Dahmer in Judge John Jay Celebrity Heaven Court.

These people would have never settled for the New York City pitch of 'Make America Great Again."

I'm talking about the ones that aren't inherently racist.

I know what you're thinking. John Jay made it to heaven?

God decided to forgive a lot of slave owners.

I digress.

As website are starting to pop up showing people's reservations for actually voting for Donald Trump, my mind keeps coming back to this soundtrack and message.

The movie, based on the Greek king Odysseus, who tries to return home after being in the Trojan War.

As I adventure outside my bubble, I strongly disagree with how some reached conclusions, but people feel at war. At war with themselves. At war with others. At war with addiction. At war with depression.

Many people's fears have come true. And for most, I feel they can care less about race and more about their own stability and happiness.

 It's normal. You have to start with yourself first.

Whether your a political activist or a farmer in the deep south with a heroin addiction, you know that you need to take care of yourself.

Who's going to save you?

You can put your faith in things not seen, and yet you need help from the people.

So what do you have now?

We are introduced into the new Age of Austerity and it's only going to get worse.

DT can't save enough jobs and negotiate his way into jobs that are becoming obsolete as we move towards automation and the future.

This is a reality nobody wants to face.

That and this.

Suicide, Alcoholism, Addiction all give us the George Orwellian book we find ourselves in. Only difference is David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen aren't in this 1984. And you don't need Cris Cross to make you "Jump, Jump."

You need a ticket to Panama. Well, assuming you don't have a valid Green Card..

...

..

.

How are we going to accept everyone as a human being free from religion and free to practice it?

How are we going to understand each other moving forward?

How are we going to make our leaders accountable as millennials tell the older generations,

"We have it from here. Thank you for your service."?

Politics have changed. The way we speak to each other has changed.

What's never changed is the everyday struggle for most people as they face their own demons in a land that demonizes others.  

Our hearts will remain steadfast in our patience quest for unabashed truth to power.

O' Brother Where Art Thou?

Here, and I'll tell you how, say how?

As I 'went down to the river to pray.'

I bowed before the water, to hear the grass say.

"Although people walk over me, and assume I'm always here,

I too need the water, as I often think in fear.

So worry not my travelers, and to wherever you may roam,

Know that this land is your land, but a house is not a home.

'Go to sleep you little babies', your Mom and Dad have gone away,

To find a better nation, one in which you're free to play.

And so as you march and exercise rights be guided by the stars, do not hide,

For you will be redeemed, and even 'bona fide!'

Let us bow our heads to pray.