When I got\u00a0up this morning, the idea was looming over my consciousness like a storm cloud, yet my brain hamsters had had enough of it. \u00a0I posted on facebook about my strange idea, as in a \u201cha, look at the funny stuff my brain does!\u201d \u00a0Then several friends commented that yesterday, they too had entertained similar thoughts. \u00a0Too weird.<\/p>\n
Why? Because the idea centers around an album released in 1990:\u00a0\u201cFlood\u201d by They Might Be Giants<\/a>. While it is indeed one of my all-time favorite albums (I believe it falls into the \u201cperfect album\u201d category)<\/em>, there had been nothing on my feed or in my daily life that would have brought it specifically to mind at 1am. \u00a0But hey, I\u2019m an artist and a Witch \u2013 weird stuff popping into my head isn\u2019t that unusual. \u00a0But it sure is a heck of a lot weirder when several other friends across the country all have the same idea. \u00a0The Muses are being slutty for a reason.<\/p>\n So let\u2019s see if I can conjure up what the Muses were pointing at, because they probably do indeed have a point. \u00a0(And this will possibly be the weirdest pop-culture post on this blog I have made so far, even surpassing this one<\/a>\u2026.but bear with me..)<\/em><\/p>\n Now there are *19* songs on this album, so I will try not to make this the longest post ever.<\/p>\n First, there\u2019s track one, \u201cThe Theme From Flood\u201d<\/em> which starts off with these lyrics to introduce the album:<\/strong> Track two is \u201cBirdhouse In Your Soul\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong> Track four<\/strong>:\u00a0\u201cIstanbul (Not Constantinople)\u201d Track five:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cDead\u201d<\/em> Track six:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cYour Racist Friend\u201d<\/b><\/em> Track seven: \u201cParticle Man\u201d<\/em> Track eight: \u201cTwisting\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Track nine: \u201cWe Want A Rock\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Track ten:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cSomeone Keeps Moving My Chair\u201d Track twelve : \u201cMinimum Wage\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Track thirteen: \u201cLetterbox\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Track fourteen: \u201cWhistling In The Dark\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Track fifteen: \u201cHot Cha\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Track sixteen: \u201cWomen & Men\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Track seventeen:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cSapphire Bullets Of Pure Love\u201d<\/b><\/em> Track eighteen:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThey Might Be Giants\u201d<\/em> Track nineteen:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cRoad Movie To Berlin\u201d<\/b> And now (if you made it down this far), you may be wondering what any of this has to do with witchcraft. \u00a0Well, besides the bizarre correlation and slutty muses\/spirits phenomenon\u2026.when we\u2019re looking at Modern Witchcraft, we not only at the myths of old, but the myths of now. \u00a0The bardic structure has long been used to explain and describe our human experiences \u2013 and music inspires us. \u00a0So it doesn\u2019t hurt to have some modern bardic workings to get the spirit and blood flowing.<\/p>\n You can listen to the whole album here and then buy it here because buying music is the right thing to do<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 or better yet, support your local music shop if you can: \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As I was falling asleep late last night, trying to win back space on the bed from 3 gravity-heavy cats, a strange idea filtered into my head. \u00a0In that space between waking and dreaming, it made so much sense. \u00a0Then it proceeded to permeate my dreams all the way until morning \u2013 as me working […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2676,"featured_media":371,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,13],"tags":[177,174,175,173,178,160,176,161,7,4],"class_list":["post-369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-modernpractice","category-myth-and-folklore","tag-anthem","tag-bard","tag-flood","tag-music","tag-resist","tag-revolution","tag-tmbg","tag-wearearadia","tag-witch","tag-witchcraft"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nWhy is the world in love again?\u00a0<\/em>Why are we marching hand in hand?\u00a0<\/em>Why are the ocean levels rising up?<\/em>
\nSo\u2026relevant to now? Maybe the world isn\u2019t in love precisely, but we\u2019re seeing a new awareness and a call for compassion, from the people. \u00a0And marching to show it. \u00a0Oh and climate change, because no really, the ocean levels are still rising up, whether you believe it or not.<\/p>\n
\nBlue canary in the outlet by the light switch<\/em>
\nWho watches over you<\/em>
\nMake a little birdhouse in your soul<\/em>
\n(and while you\u2019re at it<\/em>
\nKeep the nightlight on inside the<\/em>
\nBirdhouse in your soul)
\n<\/em>It was hard not to post all of the lyrics to this one. \u00a0I would say this is a song about hope, about creating room for others in your heart. \u00a0Brain hamsters from last night would also like to add \u00a0\u2013 \u201cblue canary in the outlet by the light switch\u201d certainly also could describe a cell phone being charged (and they do sing)\u2026and symbolize the electronic connection between us all that the internet provides. (Which is pretty oracle-like considering \u00a0that while the internet and mobile\u00a0phones did exist in 1990 \u2013 it would be another decade before they would start to look anything like they do now.)
\n![\"flood\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/654\/2017\/02\/flood-300x300.jpg\")
\nTrack three: <\/strong>\u201cLucky Ball & Chain\u201d<\/strong>
\nI could shake my tiny fist
\nand swear I wasn\u2019t wrong
\nBut what\u2019s the sense in arguing
\nwhen you\u2019re all alone?
\nSure as you can\u2019t steer a train
\nyou can\u2019t change your fate
\n<\/em>Well, the tiny fist part here nails it for me for a certain figure in public office. But mainly this song talks about being in denial and not listening to the reality right in front of you.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/em>This is probably one of TMBG\u2019s most well-known songs.
\nEven old New York was once New Amsterdam<\/em>
\nWhy they changed it I can\u2019t say<\/em>
\nPeople just liked it better that way<\/em>
\nSo take me back to Constantinople<\/em>
\nNo, you can\u2019t go back to Constantinople<\/em>
\nBeen a long time gone, Constantinople
\n<\/em>Once the past is done, it\u2019s done. \u00a0You have to move on to the future, you have to let change happen. Hindsight is often 20-20 regarding the past, and it rarely was as great as memory likes to make it seem.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>Now it\u2019s over I\u2019m dead and I haven\u2019t done anything that I want (now it\u2019s over)<\/em>
\nOr, I\u2019m still alive and there\u2019s nothing I want to do
\n<\/em>I could have probably posted all of the lyrics for this one. It actually would bring tears to my eyes back in high school for reasons I still can\u2019t quite fathom or express. \u00a0But for our anthem set, I would sum it up as: stop wasting time, do something.<\/p>\n
\nCan\u2019t shake the devil\u2019s hand and say you\u2019re only kidding<\/em>
\nThis is where the party ends<\/em>
\nI can\u2019t stand here listening to you<\/em>
\nAnd your racist friend<\/em>
\nI know politics bore you<\/em>
\nBut I feel like a hypocrite talking to you<\/em>
\nAnd your racist friend<\/em>
\nDo I really need to explain why this song is relevant? \u00a0I didn\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>Particle man, particle man
\nDoing the things a particle can
\nWhat\u2019s he like? It\u2019s not important
\n<\/em>Most folks also know this song because it\u2019s incredibly catchy. \u00a0I have a few different theories on this one, but I\u2019d mainly sum it up as needless in-fighting, identity politics, and lack of valuing life.<\/p>\n
\nShe\u2019s not your satellite<\/em>
\nShe doesn\u2019t miss you<\/em>
\nSo turn off your smoke machine<\/em>
\nAnd Marshall stack<\/em>
\nShe is so over your abusive shit and gas-lighting. Your days are numbered dude.<\/p>\n
\nThrow the crib door wide<\/em>
\nLet the people crawl inside<\/em>
\nSomeone in this town<\/em>
\nIs trying to burn the playhouse down<\/em>
\nThey want to stop the ones who want<\/em>
\nProsthetic foreheads on their heads<\/em>
\nBut everybody wants prosthetic<\/em>
\nForeheads on their real heads<\/em>
\nTrying to save the community and the dangers of fake news and alternative facts \u2013 watch out for herd\/tribe mentality.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>We\u2019re not done with you yet Mr. Horrible<\/em>
\nYou have to try on these pants so the Ugliness Men<\/em>
\nCan decide if they\u2019re just as embarrassing as we think<\/em>
\nWe have to be sure about this
\n<\/em>Scapegoating, playing games with the lives of others because they\u2019re different from you, when all they want to do is live life.\u00a0
\n<\/b>
\nTrack eleven: \u201cHearing Aid\u201d<\/em><\/strong>
\nI\u2019ve turned off my hearing aid<\/em>
\nDon\u2019t say the electric chair\u2019s not good enough<\/em>
\nFor king-lazy-bones like myself<\/em>
\nIf you\u2019re tuning out completely, you lose your chance to have a say. Things get decided by those who pay attention and show up.<\/p>\n
\nMinimum Wage! Yah!
\n<\/em>Do you really think corporations and rich people care that you are making enough money to live? \u00a0Watch what they do, not what they say.<\/p>\n
\nI\u2019ll never know what you\u2019ll find when you open up your letter box tomorrow
\n<\/em>Dear representatives of the people in Congress, you haven\u2019t heard the last of our opinions in your voice mail, inbox, and post box.<\/p>\n
\nA woman came up to me and said<\/em>
\n\u201cI\u2019d like to poison your mind<\/em>
\nWith wrong ideas that appeal to you<\/em>
\nThough I am not unkind\u201d<\/em>
\nI think this sums up most current Cabinet nominations.<\/p>\n
\nHot Cha, where are you?<\/em>
\nEverybody\u2019s eyes are closed<\/em>
\nI can\u2019t see why I miss you so<\/em>
\nSo Hot Cha, where are you?<\/em>
\nThis one I can see having several different applications, but let\u2019s put it as people basically not paying attention, romancing a far past, or demonizing the recent past \u2013 then realize the future is a lot scarier. \u00a0Sorry, you may need to change your idea of \u201csuffering.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n(Women & Men) Bringing with them messages of love<\/em>
\nAnd every where they go love will grow (love will grow)<\/em>
\n(Women & Men) When you see the faces of the women<\/em>
\nAnd the men, you too will know (you will know)<\/em>
\nAnd we return to a message of hope, of working together, of love and compassion, and the best parts of human nature.<\/p>\n
\nDone someone wrong<\/em>
\nAnd I fear that it was me<\/em>
\nLiving with consequences \u2013 that when we seek to hurt others, we often hurt ourselves.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>They might be big, big, fake, fake lies
\nTabloid footprints in your hair
\nTabloid footprints everywhere
\nWe can\u2019t be silent
\n\u2018Cause they might be giants
\nAnd what are we going to do unless they are
\n<\/em>The bigger they are, the harder they fall. \u00a0Just because someone seems rich and powerful, doesn\u2019t mean we are powerless in their wake.<\/p>\n
\nWe were once so close to heaven<\/em>
\nPeter came out and gave us medals<\/em>
\nDeclaring us the nicest of the damned<\/em>
\nSo\u2026A road movie is a part of a film genre, based on the idea of the epic journey that causes the characters to be exposed to a new perspective. \u00a0And Berlin was essentially the heart of Nazi Germany\u2026.<\/p>\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AwqLWGibwDY<\/a><\/p>\n