Obviously the internet is the dog’s bollocks, cat’s pyjamas and whatever else is the best thing since sliced bread, but boy it kills conversation. And I’m not talking about the five minute twitch of the addicted, nor Instagram, Facebook, selfies, whatever else leads whole huddles of people to sit in company staring at their own screen, typing to each other.
I’m talking about this: In the old days you might be out drinking with friends and a song comes on the radio, or juke box or whatever. An oldie but goodie. ‘Ooh’ you say, “The concrete and the clay, la la la” - you all sing along.
‘Great song – haven’t heard that in years – Andrew Gold, beautiful.’
‘That’s not Andrew Gold, he did Annie’s Song.’
‘Duh – John Denver did Annie’s Song. John Paul Young did Concrete and the Clay I think you’ll find.’
‘No I think you’ll find it was Unit 4 + 2.’
‘Correct, but not that version, that was by Randy Edelman.’
And continuing with your theme, you muse.
‘Great lyrics – “Because we’ll see the mountain stumble before we say goodbye…” always loved that.’
‘Yeah, except it’s actually we’ll see the mountains tumble.’
‘Huh? Nah, no way, mountain stumble, brilliant. Mountains tumble, that’s so tame, but mountain stumble that’s onto something’
And so you segue into a discussion about stones being able to talk, (and stumble) and about trees having conversations with Algernon Blackwood and whether all inanimate objects have consciousness. Yes, obviously you’re drinking. And this is exactly what we did for entertainment before the internet. Because I was there. Back when I, and possibly the mountain, had consciousness.
Now, someone simply googles Concrete and the Clay and says, ah yes, Randy Edelman, 1976, mountains tumble - here, have you seen this video of a loris being tickled, it’s great.
I’m talking about this: In the old days you might be out drinking with friends and a song comes on the radio, or juke box or whatever. An oldie but goodie. ‘Ooh’ you say, “The concrete and the clay, la la la” - you all sing along.
‘Great song – haven’t heard that in years – Andrew Gold, beautiful.’
‘That’s not Andrew Gold, he did Annie’s Song.’
‘Duh – John Denver did Annie’s Song. John Paul Young did Concrete and the Clay I think you’ll find.’
‘No I think you’ll find it was Unit 4 + 2.’
‘Correct, but not that version, that was by Randy Edelman.’
And continuing with your theme, you muse.
‘Great lyrics – “Because we’ll see the mountain stumble before we say goodbye…” always loved that.’
‘Yeah, except it’s actually we’ll see the mountains tumble.’
‘Huh? Nah, no way, mountain stumble, brilliant. Mountains tumble, that’s so tame, but mountain stumble that’s onto something’
And so you segue into a discussion about stones being able to talk, (and stumble) and about trees having conversations with Algernon Blackwood and whether all inanimate objects have consciousness. Yes, obviously you’re drinking. And this is exactly what we did for entertainment before the internet. Because I was there. Back when I, and possibly the mountain, had consciousness.
Now, someone simply googles Concrete and the Clay and says, ah yes, Randy Edelman, 1976, mountains tumble - here, have you seen this video of a loris being tickled, it’s great.
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