Don Henley - Workin' It

Wow, I completely spaced this last night.

I'm back with another selection, though - this time with something from Don Henley's recent solo album Inside Job. Yes, that Don Henley, of The Eagles fame.

Remember my pick of "Seen Enough" by Crosby Stills and Nash a few weeks ago? This one fits in the same vein. A protest song for the new millennium, written by a man who has seen it all before. Drugs? Consumerism? Corrupt politicians? Ruthless corporations? Check, check, check, and check.

I can't really put myself in that position yet. I'm at the age now that most of these guys were in the '60s. Unfortunately, my generation doesn't seem to have the same guts that they did. We, apparently, prefer to withdraw into darkness than do anything about it.


See you on Christmas Day, my dear reader.

David Lanz & Michael Jones - Good King Wenceslas

Well, I suppose it's about that time to start thinking about the holidays. This particular track is a traditional holiday piece within my family.

Yes, it's a familiar song, and I still don't really know the words, but thanks to Wikipedia, I now know that the Czech ruler Wenceslas helped out a poor, cold peasant on the day after Christmas at some time during the early 10th century.

That's nice, isn't it? That's what the holidays are all about. I wonder what holiday songs they'll be singing a millennium hence, and if any of today's world leaders are capable of the same generosity.

J.S. Bach - Concerto in F Minor, II. Largo (BWV 1056)

I would hope that Johann Sebastian Bach doesn't need an introduction.

A central theme in two relatively unknown films, Slaughterhouse-Five and Raising Victor Vargas, this short piece was originally written for harpsichord, but is commonly played on the piano, which had only recently been invented.

It's less than three minutes long, but it reminds one how a beautiful piece of music doesn't lose its lustre after over three centuries. It is, however, a rather uncharacteristic piece compared to the work of Bach you are more likely familiar with.

Thanks to Matthew Ebel for his comment! I'm quite pleased to hear from the artists themselves. I would, however, be extremely concerned if I received an artist's comment on this one.

Happy November!