MORE HISTORY
Here's a little Randy Newman song, from his 1999 Bad Love album, that we've been whistling at Casa Diablo in view of what we like to call "the state of the world."
The great nations of Europe
Had gathered on the shore
They'd conquered what was behind them
And now they wanted more
So they looked to the mighty ocean
And took to the western sea
The great nations of Europe in the 16th century
Hide your wives and daughters
Hide the groceries too
Great nations of Europe coming through
The Grand Canary Islands
First land to which they came
They slaughtered all the canaries
Which gave the land its name
There were natives there called Guanches
Guanches by the score
Bullets, disease, the Portuguese, they weren't there anymore
Now they're gone, they're gone, they're really gone
You've never seen anyone so gone
They're some pictures in a museum
Some lines written in a book
But you won't find a live one no matter where you look
Columbus sailed for India
Found El Salvador instead
He shook hands with some Indians and soon they all were dead
They got TB and typhoid and athlete's foot
Diphtheria and the flu
Excuse me — great nations coming through
Balboa found the Pacific
And on the trail one day
He met some friendly Indians
Whom he was told were gay
So he had them torn apart by dogs on religious grounds they say
The great nations of Europe were quite holy in their way
Now they're gone, they're gone, they're really gone
You've never seen anyone so gone
Some bones hidden in the canyon
Some paintings in a cave
There's no use trying to save them
There's nothing left to save
From where you and I are standing
At the end of a century
Europes have sprung up everywhere as even I can see
But there on the horizon is the possibility
That some bug from out of Africa might come for you and me
Destroying everything in its path
From sea to shining sea
Like the great nations of Europe in the 16th century
JULIE IN RI
One last reminder that tickets are still available to see the magnificent Julie Budd, who will perform at Rhode Island College's Roberts Hall October 13 at 8 pm, sponsored by Temple Sinai with some proceeds going to benefit AIDS Project RI. Budd will be accompanied by the legendary Herb Bernstein. Organizers will also auction off a work of art by Rhode Island glass artist Toots Zynsky (which could be the steal of the evening since Toots's pieces go for big, big bucks).
Send absentee ballots and Pulitzer-grade tips top&j@phx.com.
