1) Moondog was the pseudonym of Louis T. Hardin (May 26, 1916 – September 8, 1999). Hardin was a blind New York City street musician, influential composer and former beat poet. From the late 1940s until 1974, he was a permanent fixture on 54th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan, wearing a cloak and Viking-style helmet, sometimes busking or selling music, but often just standing silent and still. He was known not only for his music and poetry, but also for the distinctive Viking garb that he wore all his life, including a horned helmet, cloak and spear. He routinely gave away copies of his work to anybody who would take them. In this way, he came to the attention of producer James William Guercio, who took him into the studio to record an album, released as "Moondog" (1969) on the CBS label. The track Stamping Ground, with its odd preamble of Moondog saying one of his epigrams, was featured on the sampler double album "Fill Your Head with Rock". A brief phrase of another track on the album, Bird's Lament (In memory of Charlie Parker) was sampled by Mr. Scruff as the basis for his 7-minute track Get A Move On.
Hardin played drums for the high school band in Hurley, Missouri before losing his sight in a farm accident involving a dynamite cap at the age of 16 After learning the principles of music in several schools for blind young men across middle America, he taught himself the skills of ear training and composition. He studied with Burnet Tuthill and at the Iowa School for the Blind. The music of Moondog in the 1940s and '50s is said to have been a strong influence on many early minimalist composers; Philip Glass has written that he and Steve Reich took Moondog's work "very seriously and understood and appreciated it much more than what we were exposed to at Juilliard."
A second album produced with Guercio, and featuring both himself and his daughter as vocalists, contained song compositions in the forms of canons and rounds. It did not make an impression on popular music as the first had. The two CBS albums were re-released as a single CD in 1989.
In a search for new sounds, Moondog also invented several musical instruments, such as the "Oo", a small triangular shaped harp, and the "Trimba", a triangular percussion instrument invented in the late 40s. The Original Trimba today is still played by Stefan Lakatos, Swedish percussionist, close friend and pupil of Moondog, who also taught him how to build the instrument.
Moondog had an idealised view of Germany ("The Holy Land with the Holy River" — the Rhine), where he settled in 1974. A young German student named Ilona Goebel accommodated him, first in Oer-Erkenschwick, and later on in Muenster in Westphalia, Germany, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Moondog visited America in 1989, at the invitation of the New Music America Festival in Brooklyn, stimulating a renewed interest in his music.
He recorded many albums, and toured both in the US and in Europe — France, Germany and Sweden.
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2) Moondog was the name of the post-Gorilla Biscuits, pre-Quicksand project-band of Walter Schreifels, started due to his desire to sing for a band, and to follow the path Gorilla Biscuits had been on before their break-up (one Moondog song, “Distance”, was actually written for the 2nd Gorilla Biscuits full-length that never happened). It’s now being sold as a digital download at Anthology Recordings The band also featured Gorilla Biscuits’ drummer Luke Abbey. The band’s only recorded output is a series of demo-recordings (recorded at Don Fury’s legendary Lower East Side recording-studio). These sessions had Abbey playing drums, with Schreifels handling both guitar, bass and vocals. The few times they played live, Abbey switched to bass, with Armand Majidi (Sick of It All, Rest In Pieces) on drums, and the guitars being handled by Tom Capone (Beyond, Bold, Quicksand, Handsome, Instruction) and Howie (Alone in a Crowd). Although further sessions were planned (which most likely would have led to official releases), the band ultimately collapsed before this took place, with Schreifels shifting focus towards his new band Quicksand, who were initially meant to inherit some of the Moondog-songs, but with the band going in a very different direction than Moondog, that idea was eventually scrapped.
The band only played a handful of live shows (at infamous locations like CBGB and ABC No Rio), and the only officially released Moondog-track (Expression) appears on the “Look At All The Children Now” compilation LP (Evacuate Records, ‘90). Another post-GB band, namely CIV (featuring GB-singer Anthony “Civ” Civarelli, -bassist Arthur Smilios and -drummer Sammy Siegler) also recorded the Moondog-song “They Said We Were The Best” for their first full-length record (“Set Your Goals - an album that Schreifels also helped write songs for).
A bootleg 7” of Moondog-songs did appear sometime in the early 90’s, featuring 2 songs from the demos, making them gain a certain cult status. After years of pressure from fans, Schreifels recently (2006) “released” a number of songs from the demos through the online label Anthology Recordings, making them officially available for the first time.
Moondog Monologue
Moondog Lyrics
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No matter where I go,
To me what matter is where I am on this day
Let me identify myself now
Songsters both and both clad in brown
The hermit thrush and I dwell far out of town
May you come to me swiftly
I would rather not linger, not linger.
Driving with air doctor one day for the air
He recircled the square before he taught me
How to square the very same circle.
You are opportunist the very worst way
Therefore, I pray,
Let it pay for you to know me.
I do not dress as I do to attract attention,
I attract attention because I dress as I do.
You the vandal plunder the village as you will
The earthworm will pillage you the vandal,
When you are under.
I would bow down before just one:
One who bows down before none.
I should know who that one might be,
Who would do that to me.
I am that one
And I bow down before me.
Since the hunter is the hunted,
Surely, he knows what it is to listen in ecstatic dread
To some oncoming hunter's tread.
Such and such is a star
That filters through the starry blue alone
A burning star, turning in an orbit all of its own
Such and such as I.
Beasts were always great trail-blazing engineers.
Modern engineering would do well to do as well today,
As well as beasts have done.
If on this rock I stand alone,
Loneliness will turn heel as he turns to stone.
Each today is yesterday's tomorrow,
Which is now.
Now is all I have, now is all I need,
Now is all I want,
Now.
Better I go when you would that I stay, that I stay on,
Than stay when you would that I would go.
Better I go than stay.
Ebb and flow of the ocean,
Love and hate of emotion,
Nothing lasts is my refrain,
As the moon is my feelings wax and wane,
I remain calm.
I was just everything until I fell,
And was just nothing.
Then, worming up half-way,
I found with pleasure:
I was just something.
Standing at the door of my departure I observed
That your eyes belie all that you have said,
For you are still in love with me.
Then, when recognition comes,
You will take my muse, take her to his bed of ease,
Have his will, have his fill,
And strangle her.
My tiny butterfly butters my bread,
My browny flutterby keeps me well-fed,
Why should I mutter?
Stung by this last rebuff,
I rebound
On the way back I hear me saying to myself,
Dwell in your shell.
One thing about life be it said,
It feeds upon itself over and over
And of itself is fed.
Should I love you the way I love myself,
Suppose I hate myself,
I would be as free to hate you, too.
I am never quite educated,
Never quite so,
But I am ever in the painful process
Of becoming so.
You remember me and my song.
Only such immortality strikes creative sparks from my soul,
Because of you.
Who could wear out their welcome there,
Where there is no welcome there to wear out.
There is where it is,
Here on earth.
I would advise you not to generalize as a rule,
A-hoo to be!
I have just entered a generalization,
Ah-me!
Down is up and so up is down.
Because the earth is round,
There is no such a thing as up or down.
This one wish is ever so near to my heart,
But oh, so far away from my tongue.
Sadness was so mixed with gladness that she wept for joy,
She was so sad.
Tear-filled eyes but enhanced a smile on her face.
She was so glad.
Think of all of the thoughts that I think.
They are naught to me, compared with just one fleeting thought of you.
How could I fear for my last day when I am dying daily,
And have been since my first day?
Thus, the clown wore cap and gown
For she lived by degrees while she died by degrees
With a frown.
Voices of spring were in chorus,
Each voice was singing a song.
I could not sing in that chorus
Until I wrote me a song.
I wrote my song and joined the throng.
Why besiege my liege still further?
For my wooing is turning your majesty's royal head
And turning toward me.
Though I climbed up the highest mountain in view,
Yet contentment was not mine,
For beyond, a mountain still higher was looming.
Now is that painful moment of parting we dreaded.
Saying goodbye is plural indemnity, truly,
Of having said hello.
Moondog Monologue is a philosophical and introspective song, where the artist expresses his ideas about life, death, and identity through a series of disconnected verses that touch different subjects. The first verses state his disregard for the past or the future, but rather only care about the present moment. He then identifies himself as a loner in the company of the hermit thrush, one of the few birds that sing throughout the winter. The following verses describe his desire for a swift death, rather than suffering, followed by a reflection on knowledge and opportunism, claiming that he rather to be known than be a victim.
He later mentions the attention his appearance attracts and how people should not judge one's looks. Next, there is a verse about karma, where he claims that whoever causes harm will receive it back, even if in an unexpected way. He goes on to verbalize his self-importance and how he puts no one above himself. The following verses use metaphors to compare humans and beasts' ability to engineer and their connection with the cosmos. Then, he expresses the relativity of time and finality, concluding that he exists only in the present moment.
Finally, the song goes through a series of short verses with different motifs, like love and hate, the pain of growing up, the fleeting nature of thoughts, and the difficulty of saying goodbye. The song seems to be a stream of consciousness, where the artist exposes his thoughts about various subjects in a raw and unfiltered manner, creating a glimpse of his complex and unconventional worldview.
Line by Line Meaning
No matter where I came from, I say,
Regardless of my origins, I assert myself
No matter where I go,
No matter where I travel
To me what matter is where I am on this day
What truly matters to me is my current location
Let me identify myself now
Allow me to introduce myself at this moment
Songsters both and both clad in brown
We are both singers, dressed in brown attire
The hermit thrush and I dwell far out of town
The hermit thrush and I live in seclusion, away from the city
Death, when you come to me,
When death approaches me
May you come to me swiftly
I hope you arrive quickly
I would rather not linger, not linger.
I prefer not to delay or prolong my departure
Driving with air doctor one day for the air
Once, while traveling with a physician for fresh air
He recircled the square before he taught me
He drove around the square before instructing me
How to square the very same circle.
How to reconcile two contradictory things
You are opportunist the very worst way
You are an opportunist in the most disgraceful manner
Therefore, I pray,
Consequently, I implore
Let it pay for you to know me.
You should benefit from getting to know me
I do not dress as I do to attract attention,
I don't dress this way for the purpose of gaining attention
I attract attention because I dress as I do.
I draw attention because of my unique attire
You the vandal plunder the village as you will
You, the plundering vandal, ravage the village at your discretion
The earthworm will pillage you the vandal,
The earthworm will consume the vandal
When you are under.
When you are buried underground
I would bow down before just one:
I would kneel before only one person
One who bows down before none.
The person who does not kneel to anyone
I should know who that one might be,
I should be aware of the identity of that person
Who would do that to me.
Who would show me such reverence
I am that one
I am that person
And I bow down before me.
And I kneel to myself
Since the hunter is the hunted,
As the hunter becomes the prey
Surely, he knows what it is to listen in ecstatic dread
Certainly, he understands the feeling of listening in fearful anticipation
To some oncoming hunter's tread.
To the approaching footsteps of another hunter
Such and such is a star
Different stars have unique qualities
That filters through the starry blue alone
That shines through the blue sky, standing out
A burning star, turning in an orbit all of its own
A star that burns and revolves in its own unique orbit
Such and such as I.
Similar to how I am
Beasts were always great trail-blazing engineers.
Animals have always been excellent pioneers in engineering
Modern engineering would do well to do as well today,
Contemporary engineering should strive to achieve the same level of success
As well as beasts have done.
That animals have achieved
If on this rock I stand alone,
If I stand alone on this rock
Loneliness will turn heel as he turns to stone.
Loneliness will vanish when it transforms into stone
Each today is yesterday's tomorrow,
Every present day becomes the future of the past day
Which is now.
Which is the current moment
Now is all I have, now is all I need,
The present moment is everything I possess and desire
Now is all I want,
Now is my ultimate desire
Now.
Now.
Better I go when you would that I stay, that I stay on,
It is preferable for me to leave when you would rather have me stay
Than stay when you would that I would go.
Than to remain when you prefer me to depart
Ebb and flow of the ocean,
The natural movement of the ocean's tides
Love and hate of emotion,
The fluctuation between feelings of love and hate
Nothing lasts is my refrain,
My recurring theme is that nothing endures
As the moon is my feelings wax and wane,
Just like the moon, my emotions fluctuate
I remain calm.
I stay composed
I was just everything until I fell,
I possessed everything until I experienced a downfall
And was just nothing.
And became nothing
Then, worming up half-way,
But then, slowly recovering
I found with pleasure:
I discovered with delight
I was just something.
I became something again
Standing at the door of my departure I observed
As I stood at the threshold of leaving, I noticed
That your eyes belie all that you have said,
Your eyes contradict everything you have expressed
For you are still in love with me.
Because you still have feelings of love for me
Then, when recognition comes,
When realization finally strikes
You will take my muse, take her to his bed of ease,
You will claim my inspiration and bring her to a place of comfort
Have his will, have his fill,
Enjoy his desires, satisfy his needs
And strangle her.
And suffocate her
My tiny butterfly butters my bread,
My small butterfly spreads butter on my bread
My browny flutterby keeps me well-fed,
My brown butterfly ensures I am well-nourished
Why should I mutter?
Why should I complain?
Stung by this last rebuff,
Hurt by this recent rejection
I rebound
I recover
On the way back I hear me saying to myself,
On my journey back, I hear myself speaking internally
Dwell in your shell.
Remain within your own refuge
One thing about life be it said,
One truth about life can be stated
It feeds upon itself over and over
It sustains itself in a continuous cycle
And of itself is fed.
And nourishes itself
Should I love you the way I love myself,
If I were to love you as much as I love myself
Suppose I hate myself,
Imagine if I detest myself
I would be as free to hate you, too.
I would also have the freedom to despise you
I am never quite educated,
I am never fully knowledgeable
Never quite so,
Never completely
But I am ever in the painful process
Yet I am constantly undergoing the painful journey
Of becoming so.
Of acquiring knowledge
You remember me and my song.
You recall me and the song I created
Only such immortality strikes creative sparks from my soul,
Only that form of immortality ignites creativity within me
Because of you.
Because of your presence
Who could wear out their welcome there,
How can someone overstay their welcome in a place
Where there is no welcome there to wear out.
Where no welcome exists to exhaust
There is where it is,
That is where it exists
Here on earth.
Here, on this planet
I would advise you not to generalize as a rule,
I would recommend against making generalizations as a practice
A-hoo to be!
Beware of becoming too absorbed in your own thoughts!
I have just entered a generalization,
I have recently made a general statement
Ah-me!
Oh, me!
Down is up and so up is down.
Down is equivalent to up, and vice versa
Because the earth is round,
Due to the earth's spherical shape
There is no such a thing as up or down.
The concepts of up and down become irrelevant
This one wish is ever so near to my heart,
This particular desire is strongly cherished within my heart
But oh, so far away from my tongue.
But unfortunately, it remains unspoken far from my lips
Sadness was so mixed with gladness that she wept for joy,
Happiness and sorrow were so intertwined that she cried tears of joy
She was so sad.
She was incredibly sorrowful
Tear-filled eyes but enhanced a smile on her face.
Despite her tearful eyes, a smile was accentuated on her face
She was so glad.
She was extremely happy
Think of all of the thoughts that I think.
Consider the multitude of thoughts that occupy my mind
They are naught to me, compared with just one fleeting thought of you.
They mean nothing to me, when compared to a brief thought of you
How could I fear for my last day when I am dying daily,
Why should I worry about my final day when I experience a daily demise
And have been since my first day?
Since the beginning, this process has been ongoing
Thus, the clown wore cap and gown
As such, the fool wore academic attire
For she lived by degrees while she died by degrees
Because she experienced varying levels of success while gradually fading away
With a frown.
Wearing a frown
Voices of spring were in chorus,
The sounds of spring harmonized together
Each voice was singing a song.
Every voice was uttering a melody
I could not sing in that chorus
I couldn't participate in that ensemble
Until I wrote me a song.
Until I composed a song for myself
I wrote my song and joined the throng.
Having written my song, I became part of the group
Why besiege my liege still further?
Why persistently trouble my lord even more?
For my wooing is turning your majesty's royal head
Because my pursuit is captivating the attention of your highness
And turning toward me.
And directing it towards me
Though I climbed up the highest mountain in view,
Even if I scaled the tallest visible mountain
Yet contentment was not mine,
I would still not find satisfaction
For beyond, a mountain still higher was looming.
Because there would always be a higher mountain ahead
Now is that painful moment of parting we dreaded.
This is the sorrowful moment of separation we anticipated
Saying goodbye is plural indemnity, truly,
Bidding farewell is a form of compensation in itself, indeed
Of having said hello.
For having greeted one another
Writer(s): T Louis Hardin
Contributed by Aubrey R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jacob Johnson
on Coffee Beans
Coffee beans make the finest coffee of all
it's time to take
a coffee break
to sit a while and savor
the rarest coffee flavor
of bean coffee
I make with bottled spring water
is my day
Maru Lazzaroggi
on Maybe
Maybe someday, I'll be recognized for what I am before I'm dead and gone.