Horseleg Swastikas - Silver Jews Cover - July 8, 2012

I had been staying at my friend Dave Gowans' place, we were milling around before I departed to catch the ferry, and he put on the Silver Jews  album Bright Flight.  I was struck by the vision and imagery of David Berman's writing and his startlingly original wordplay and became an instant convert. I've been a serious fan since, accumulating the entire discography and covering a couple of songs....this one, and from the album American Water, the song Random Rules which we recorded  and released on my CD Mantennae.  The sweet girl vox featuring Rachelle Reath and Megan Boddy, plus percussive touches, were added later by DJ Hairwolf at The Palace Of The Golden Dragon.  

CLICK HERE to listen to our version of RANDOM RULES recorded by Scott Bennett live in the living room at Walnut 

Street. 

Here my version of the song

Horseleg Swastikas - David Berman

Drunk on a couch in Nashville

in a duplex near the reservoir

every single thought is like a punch in the face

I'm like a rabbit freezing on a star

On the wrong side of Sunday morning

shattered in a terrible light

working for a bankrupt circus 

on the wrong side of Saturday night

And I wanna be like water if I can

'Cause water doesn't give a damn

water doesn't give a damn

Chased by a floating hatchet

you can't just shoot your way out and go

I could tell you things about this wallpaper

that you never ever wanna know

There's an altar in the valley

for thing in themselves as they are

and the triumph of the obstacle

and horseleg swastikas

And I wanna take a ride on the back of a sunbird

up into the highest number

up into the highest number

And I wanna be like water if I can

'Cause water doesn't give a damn

water doesn't give a damn

If you haven't heard the original, check it out!