We’re told that Nov. 15 will be the last day for Pints&union in New Albany prior to the pub decamping for the Highlands: Here’s the epitaph: “In the end, Pints&union didn’t deserve New Albany.” I’ll be marking the occasion with music: Speaking of epitaphs, a wonderful song called “Get Out and Stay Out.”
There’ll be daily postings on my NA Archipelago page at Fb, which then will be aggregated here at my website.
The idea of songs for a departure occurred to me when I awoke to my inner jukebox playing the preceding song by The Who, which was written for the Quadrophenia album but not used. It appeared on the film soundtrack album in 1979.
But as early as 1985, the late, great Tom Petty foresaw Pints&union’s future flight from New Albany in favor of the Highlands panacea, and he co-wrote this popular number, which was a huge hit for Petty and his popular combo, the Heartbreakers.
All together now … don’t come around here no more.
In 2024, the long-tenured rock band Deep Purple released a wonderful new album with the title = 1. A track called “Pictures of You” suggests that maybe there is less to flurries of Instagram marketing posts than meets the eye (insert rows of !!!!!!!!!).
Forgive me asking, I can’t help saying
But what you got there, the price you’re paying
In the light of day, what do I see?
For what it’s worth, seems no better to me
These pictures of you
Are too good to be true
I’m using my eyes again
These cameras never lie
“Memoria” is a song by the NYC band Sunflower Bean. It was released in 2018, and both song and band would have remained unknown to me if not for Calvin Philley, who was lead bartender for Pints at the pub’s opening the same year. Calvin’s musical tips invariably led me to new and rewarding places, and I thank him for that.
According to Wikipedia, the Latin word memoria means “memory” and refers to “aspects involving memory in Western classical rhetoric.”
It happens that I’m an Oakland A’s fan, and the team will not be playing in Oakland again, dastardly owner John Fisher having committed to house temporarily in Sacramento before permanently relocating in Las Vegas.
The topic of “memory” was exceedingly painful in Oakland this season. For fans, was the best response to the impending move to come to the ballpark, spend money and cherish memories?
Or was it to boycott the games as a gesture of displeasure with a desperate, carpetbagging owner? It turns out there’s another song about memory is “The Way We Were,” from the 1973 film:
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Or has time rewritten every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again
Tell me, would we, could we?
Maybe, maybe not.
If I’d have been an A’s fan living in Oakland, the money would have stayed in my pocket. Then again, I take matters like betrayal somewhat seriously, and your hypothetical experience might well be different.
Ladies and gentlemen, the great Sunflower Bean.
