FOLKFAN
Monday, September 08, 2003
George Wurzbach and Dan Pelletier at the Panzer House Concert on September 1, 2003
There are no guitars, but two keyboards fill the front of the Panzer living room. This is "acoustic sing-songwriter" music on keyboard. Although there is just barely room for both keyboards, is there rooms for 2 such larger than life personalities? I won't say ego, that is too trite - though George does allege co-writing with God, and when Dan re-enacts the battle of good and evil the space for this drama includes the aisle, and then it reaches up - down - over and reverberates through the room.
In introducing George Wurzbach, our host Steve lets us know they share a hometown, Brooklyn, NY. Although they share this in common, Steve and George have many differences. For example, Steve is not wearing red sneakers tonight, and Steve has never talked about annoying his dad by writing songs about him, or alleged co-writing with God.
I Wonder What My Dog Would Do - George wrote this song before he had a dog. When he got a dog, the dog was very impressed with this song!
2 songs about George's father, and one is true:
This Old Dog Has a Few New Tricks to Learn (this one is about his father not his dog) and My Father Looks like Moe (yes he has the photos to prove it).
It's a Relatively Simple Life - George alleges this is one of the many songs written about relativity theory.
The Winds of Change - a lovely relationship song. George says he changes and grows, but only when his wife insists. (This from a man in a group whose web site says: "youth is fleeting, but immaturity can last a lifetime")
Just Ask the FBI - Is George a wanted man?
Slither - this is about a snake but it is not a pet song. This story is not in the Bible yet, but George is working on that.
Song co-written with God - obviously a pretty good song
A Much Better View of the Moon - George brings a different perspective to living
Dan Pelletier's songs include:
It's Been A Long Day All Day Long
Cat Song (it's you and me cat - for a while at least)
Don't Ever Trust the Moon - Dan discovered from a WWII navigator that because of the parallax phenomena, sailors navigate by the stars. But "the moon, that beacon of romantic love is unreliable" as a navigation tool. And maybe other ways too.
Wild Heart Rodeo (title song of his new CD)
Spoken poem about Good And Evil
Ace is the Dog
I Want all the Trouble Lovin you Brings
Three Chances to Make me Love You
They are listing all my credits, but it's my debits that they show
Dan continues the pet theme giving both a cat and a dog a spotlight. His earlier CD is titled Mr. Sunshine, but Dan's humor comes in spite of long day all day long experiences, trust issues with women (and the moon), and wresting with questions like does love conquer all (in wild heart rodeo and his dramatic poem).
The evening includes a discussion of which keyboard is best - Dan's Yamaha or George's Roland (with an American Flag). There was the usual ribbing and attempts at one-upmanship you'd expect with 2 comic songwriters with an attitude like these guys. As you'd suspect, belly laughts, and emotional rollcoasters - but also some gentler satire, and quirky perspectives on living and loving.
Afterwards I asked the Panzer's and the Moore's if they had yet recovered from their volunteer experiences at the Country Roads Festival on Saturday. Sherry had a whirlwind weekend with the festival and guests, but things will get back to normal on Monday when she goes back to work.
