The Right of Spring
Since yesterday was when -- for some teams (including, most happily, the Chicago Cubs...!) pitchers reported to Spring Training, I thought it only proper to, once again, post this wonderful song by the great Tom Paxton about being a baseball pitcher. Well, it's about that and more. Like the best of baseball songs, it touches on areas beyond just baseball. In pure Paxon style, it tells a lovely story so smartly, with some unexpected directions, and an utterly infectious melody.
I have a particular fondness for this particular recording, as well. It comes from his album Live from McCabe's recorded on the backroom stage at the Santa Monica music shop in 1991. That's because I was at the concert. The album wasn't released immediately, but many years later. In 2006, in fact. However, when it eventually went on sale, the memory kicked in of all the recording equipment on view, and him referencing that they were recording the show for later release. (I just didn't guess how much later...)
With a shout-out to the inveterate Chris Dunn. Not only because of his love of baseball (to his great credit, but deeply alas for the St. Louis Cardinals) and also music, but --
I've had a couple of opportunities to meet Tom Paxton. (And both times he was an absolute gem -- warm and personal.) Once, when working backstage at the Ravinia Music Festival, and the other time as a result of an article I wrote about him for the Huffington Post. That surprisingly got him in touch with me, and an invitation to his concert in Los Angeles at McCabe's -- to which I could bring a guest. And that was Chris Dunn.
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