Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Emotional Bissage

The great Althouse uses labels for her blog posts. One of those labels is called “emotional Althouse.”

Well, it might shock my millions of adoring fans to learn that Bissage has his sensitive side. Yes, yes, I know, I know . . . that’s a terribly uncool thing to openly admit when you are a middle-aged man with enormous, astonishingly effective genitals. But it’s true.

Why am I such a semi-softie? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll tell you some stories about that later on.

But for now, let’s listen to Regina Spektor as she sings “Laughing With.” Hey, there’s no point in my denying it. I get all weepy over this one.

But why is that? Well, I'm not quite sure. Maybe it's because those big, beautiful eyes look like they would never, ever, tell a lie.

Or maybe it’s because, sometimes, you can feel completely safe, and drop your guard, and let it out.

Something like that.

16 comments:

Lem Vibe Bandit said...

Good choice.

Jeff Boulier said...

Never heard of her before; thanks for sharing. It's an odd song for a singer who clearly plays to the NPR-demographic, yet the right sort of song that ought to be sung for them.

jimspice said...

Astonishingly effective gag induction.

Alex said...

Astonishingly effective gag induction.

Taste in music is a fickle thing, my friend.

MnMark said...

Yes thank you for sharing this. I've never heard of her before either and this song really stuck in my head...a nice new discovery.

bearbee said...

Nice.

Quite interesting background

bearbee said...

We’re all laughing with God

Even Christopher Hitchens. He just doesn't realize it.

Bissage said...

Thanks for commenting, everyone.

Voltaire generally gets the credit for having said “God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh.”

Many a bucket of pure, refreshing, life-giving water has been drawn from that deep well.

Richard Lawrence Cohen said...

Regina Spektor is a dreamboat, and apparently a kind person too.

TWM said...

"Yes, yes, I know, I know . . . that’s a terribly uncool thing to openly admit when you are a middle-aged man with enormous, astonishingly effective genitals."

How did I get involved in this?

Wince said...

Also posted at Althouse...

Coincidentally, I had the pleasure of working with Regina Spektor last night at the time these posts went up.

She really is a spellbinding performer. And a very sweet young woman when she's off the stage.

A reviewer rebutted the Amos-Osborne label well,

There’s something refreshing about seeing a female singer-songwriter who is not pushing calculated outrage and cartoonish sexuality on stage.

She effortlessly combines whimsy and gravity, innocence and insight, beauty and talent, and manages opposition without rancor.

I'm very impressed by her.

And, Bissage, I will not admit whether I had to wipe a tear, even just one, during Laughing With.

Alex said...

EDH - are you an audio technician?

Bissage said...

Yet again, thanks for commenting.

I am very glad to hear that Ms. Spektor is, in real life, the same as she seems to be in her art.

That's important to me.

Alex said...

I am very glad to hear that Ms. Spektor is, in real life, the same as she seems to be in her art.

That's interesting, because I know people who see singers as entertainment and don't care what they are in real life. However I don't agree with that anymore. I think looking at music just as entertainment is a childish view, and as we mature we realize there is more out there.

Bissage said...

Alex, I am modest man . . . a man of few ambitions.

All I really ask is to live my life fully believing that there is no meaningful distinction to be made between artistic gesture and real life.

Alex said...

All I really ask is to live my life fully believing that there is no meaningful distinction to be made between artistic gesture and real life.

Yup, I feel the same way!