I woke up wondering what ever happened to Concrete Blonde

There was a time, not so long ago but long enough, that one could buy 12 CD (compact discs) for a penny or so. Or you could get 12 CDs for the price of one. Do any of you remember those times? Companies such as BMG and Colombia House used to send those envelopes to students all the time. One day I actually opened the envelope and filled it out. My mom had me listen to Country Western music and Elvis when I was growing up. Thus, these pick 12 CDs options were quite an endeavor for me as I had to do a lot of catching up on popular culture.

One day, I randomly picked a ton of CDs from the college music section. Of course, there was REM and the Smiths. Then I picked a group called Concrete Blonde. I got the CD and was hooked. Johnette Napolitano and her deep-gravel voice served as the lead. Their Bloodletting album was awesome. I loved the album and played and played it and then I forgot about it.

Today I woke up, out of the blue, thinking about Concrete Blonde. Actually, I woke up singing their Walking in London song. I kept singing to myself

“This deja-vu feeling I know quite well
This psychic confusion, this living hell”

Yes. That deja-vu feeling. Today I was experiencing an event I had experienced four other times previously. Each one just as important as the other and unique to the day and time. A lot is riding on today’s performance. And I have been living in a fog the past week. After today, tomorrow will bring its own brand of craziness. It is amazing how an intense moment can bring about a random song from over a decade ago. Shoot, it is probably more than a decade ago.

“And I’ve been running all this time
And I’m running out of places to go”

My mind is racing. It is running all over the place as I try to stage everything to go as smoothly as possible.

“I’m either going insane or I’m a human wire”

I am not too sure I understand that lyric but somehow it speaks to me. Weeks like this where there is so much on the line there is an awesome electricity to the air. Everything is crackling and I am zipping. My stomach is grumbling. Could be that all I had to eat was a donut, cheese and two pieces of bread; meanwhile I probably walked over two miles. The room is a little woozie indeed. Or rather the room is spinning. But I am in my element.

And I am walking in my own London
And they will be watching me walk

Here’s to a good old earworm to pump one up