I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: PEARL JAM-“Gimme Some Truth” (2001).

On December 2, Pearl Jam announced that their fan club holiday singles will be released to streaming services.  Their first holiday single was released back in 1991.  It was “Let Me Sleep (Christmas Time).” They are rolling out the songs one at a time under the banner 12 Days of Pearl Jam.

These releases are coming out as a daily surprise.

“Gimme Some Truth” was written by John Lennon during the Nixon administration.

Pearl Jam played this song live a bunch of times during the George W. Bush administration.  They had played it twice before recording this version at the Groundwork Benefit, Key Arena, Seattle. October 22, 2001.

It’s quite a faithful cover.  The original has angry guitars and Lennon’s growly voice. Although the original has a very distinctly Beatles-sound from the guitars (Which is obvious, but still somewhat surprising).  Even Lennon’s guitar solo has that Beatles sound.  The Pearl Jam version doesn’t have that feel at all–it sounds very much like a Pearl Jam song.

In fact, Eddie and the guys updated the lyrics for the George W. Bush administration.  I’ve listed both sets of lyrics at the bottom of the page.

The song is catchy and passionate and, frankly, is even more applicable now with the Liar in Chief’s administration literally incapable of saying a true word.

This year, S. ordered me The Short Story Advent Calendar.  This is my fourth time reading the Calendar.  I didn’t know about the first one until it was long out of print (sigh), but each year since has been very enjoyable.  Here’s what they say this year

The Short Story Advent Calendar is back! And to celebrate its fifth anniversary, we’ve decided to make the festivities even more festive, with five different coloured editions to help you ring in the holiday season.

No matter which colour you choose, the insides are the same: it’s another collection of expertly curated, individually bound short stories from some of the best writers in North America and beyond.

(This is a collection of literary, non-religious short stories for adults. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.)

As always, each story is a surprise, so you won’t know what you’re getting until you crack the seal every morning starting December 1. Once you’ve read that day’s story, check back here to read an exclusive interview with the author.

Want a copy?  Order one here.

I’m pairing music this year with some Christmas songs that I have come across this year.

I have read a number of stories by Rachel Kushner.  I tend to enjoy them, although this one was more thought-provoking than interesting.

The story concerns a man, Hauser, who is warden at a women’s prison. 

All of the women there were serving a life sentence–they would all die in that prison.

Lieutenant Garcia liked to joke that a fool and his freedom were soon parted.  But Hauser was more thoughtful about freedom.  He believed that if God made man perfect and untroubled, then freedom would be banished, “Man would not be free if his life could not be ruined.”

Although he believed that religion was more cultural than theological, he also knew that no one in prison did not believe in God.

He cared for all of the women, like they were his family.  Although he wouldn’t let them know his first name (he needed some degree of separation).  Nevertheless, some of the prisoners told him everything–although it was impolite to wonder what someone had done to be in there.

He thought of all of this as he was heading toward the Sagrada Famlia Church on his vacation to Barcelona.  He believed that he, unlike the other tourists, was their for he real thing–to let passion destroy him.  He wanted to be “reduced to tears by the simplicity of a world without mercy.”  For even a God who has abandoned you is still your God:  “He is acting upon you.  By his abandonment.”

Finally in trying to understand God, suffering, prisoners, (the one who bludgeoned an old woman with an axe) he asked one of the guides if he felt a deeper understanding of God when he was at work.

The boy first said he was only there part time.  But when pressed he admitted that mostly he thought about managing the flow of people.  After some more pleading and questions the boy said, “Honestly sir, if there is  God, I don’t think he’d step foot in here.”

Will this destroy Hauser’s faith?

The calendar says, It’s December 12. Please enjoy this interview with Rachel Kushner, author of The Mars Room, responsibly.

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Lyrics to “Gimme Some Truth”