Three Beautiful Things 01/01/09: Grand Ole Floyd, Slips Sheep, Ron Franklin

1. I listened to Luther Wright and the Wrongs transform Pink Floyd's "The Wall" from a rock opera to a Grand Ole Opry and it works. It really works.

2. My first prayer of 2009 was answered at about 1:00 a.m.: The Floydian Slips played "Sheep" in their encore. Rich Sellars comes out from the percussion section at the back of the band and fronts the band for "Sheep" and his sense of drama makes me think of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. Perfect Theater of Alienation.

What do you get for pretending the dangers not real.
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
Down well trodden corridors into the valley of steel.
What a surprise!
A look of terminal shock in your eyes.
Now things are really what they seem.
No, this is no bad dream.

3. I listened to the Orange Bowl on the radio. It wasn't that compelling of contest, but I enjoy listening to Ron Franklin do football play by play so much that I remained fixed to my seat.