The Songs for a (P&u) Departure (2): “Empty souls will leave their homes”

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Previously: The Songs for a (P&u) Departure (1): “These cameras never lie”

We’re told that Nov. 15 will be the last day for Pints&union in New Albany prior to the pub’s inglorious flight to the Highlands: Here’s the epitaph: “In the end, Pints&union didn’t deserve New Albany.” I’ll be marking the occasion with appropriately themed 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 the website.

Ironically, on Wednesday 9 October LEO Weekly revealed its 2024 Readers’ Choice poll winners. Pints&union captured 2nd place among the tally of best SoIN restaurants, and 3rd place for best SoIN bars. The LEO poll’s other SoIN winners (Lady Tron’s and The Exchange in food, The Alcove and Wine Shop NA in drink) will NOT be moving to the Highlands, and readers are encouraged to patronize them and celebrate good times, c’mon.

And now, a few resonant tunes.

Yak was a British band, circa 2014-2019, of the sort that routinely stole the show as an opening act but never became big on its own. We’re left with two stellar albums, and songs like this: “Blinded by the Lies.

Were you blinded by the lies?
Were you blinded by the lies?
Were you looking for some fame like a moth to the flame?
Were you blinded by the lights?
Big city lights, bright lights, big city

North Dakota native Norma Deloris Egstrom (1920-2002), who performed as Peggy Lee, would have appreciated Yak’s sentiments. During the course of a long career, Lee became known as the Queen of American pop music. “Why Don’t You Do Right?” is probably her best known song, performed here with the Dave Barbour Quartet.

Few readers will recognize the 2004 song “Empty Souls” by the Welsh band Manic Street Preachers, but bassist/lyricist Nicky Wire writes as if he lived right here in New Albany, and is wondering whether he’ll ever again consume draft Fuller’s London Pride.

Empty souls will leave their homes
To find a place where they’re alone
Rattling memories and hollow bones
Leaves a taste so bitter and cold

When Lindsey Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac in 1987, it took two guitarists to replace him: Rick Vito and Billy Burnette. The new lineup released an album in 1990; unsurprisingly, sales for Behind the Mask (what an appropriate title given our task!) were middling, but musically there were a few good moments.

To my mind, Burnette’s “Hard Feelings” is one of them. Breakups seldom come without them, right?

I’ve got hard feelings
When it comes to you and me
And these hard feelings just won’t let me be
These hard feelings run deep
These hard feelings run deep

While we’re on the topic of hard feelings, it’s hard to think of a single selection from the Great American Songbook more apt for the evacuation of Pints&union than this masterpiece from the legendary Ray Charles, who dispenses wonderful advice, simple and to the point — and don’t you come back no more.

I’m not a Bob Dylan devotee, although my respect for him as a performer, writer and artist is boundless. This said, my favorite epoch of Dylan’s begins with the album Blood on the Tracks and runs through the Rolling Thunder Revue live shows.

Specifically, “Idiot Wind” is one of my favorite songs ever, irrespective of genre.

Somehow the phrase “idiot wind” occurs to me whenever excerpts of Dementia J. Trump’s word salad come within earshot. Coincidence? I think not. However, it’s the sort of breeze we all feel locally, too, down on Market St.

In 2021, Sinead O’Connor told Entertainment Weekly, “Bob Dylan gave me permission to be angry because of his song ‘Idiot Wind.’ None of us would like to be the person he’s talking to. That’s why I love Bob Dylan. He’s utterly honest. He can be real f–king nasty.”

I been double-crossed now
For the very last time and now I’m finally free
I kissed goodbye the howling beast
On the borderline which separated you from me
You’ll never know the hurt I suffered
Nor the pain I rise above
And I’ll never know the same about you
Your holiness or your kind of love
And it makes me feel so sorry

As we count down the days to November, kindly glance at the information within the featured photo. I’ll be back with part three in a few days.