Okay, now it's "murderer": Well, I suppose it could be manslaughter, but let's not quibble.

Re: "Let it Be". Your points are well-taken, and certainly I would not argue that making money equals taste w/r/t Spector and his "wall of sound". I suppose my point is that if the song was good enough to get released, as it was, then changing it now can only be about making even more money (Paul simply can't need it) or giving Yoko a pain in her side b/c she has to read about McCartney writing songs. With "Let it Be" you can't say the Beatles didn't have the clout by that point to kill Spector's influence if they didn't want it. So, someone had to agree to it. Yes, they were divided at this point, and perhaps no one cared, but it can only be surmised that there wasn't enough vocal objection to Spector's influence at the time.

Okay, I'm not really arguing the artistic merits of the song. Some people (sappy sentimentalists, the lot of 'em) like rising crescendos with choirs and twenty violins. Some people find like layered harmonies with reverberation and other neato effects. No, the Beatles weren't about that, per se, but not every song could live off of Ringo's simplistic time-keeping (oh great, here goes Eno's next rant) without further embellishment. I don't begrudge the Beatles from branching out a little and seeing what Spector could do with a rock band. However, with "The Long and Winding Road" I couldn't agree more. In general, I'm all in favor of nakedness, but usually this is limited to supermodels.

In other music news: I was never a big follower of Warren Zevon. To me it was "Werewolves of London," "Lawyers, Guns, and Money," then....nothing. A few years ago a friend sung the praises of Zevon and I was very impressed. I had the same feeling as when I first was introduced to John Hiatt. Both are a songwriter's songwriter and a musician's musician, respected by everyone who knows them, but known by a relative few outside the circle. And both had limited success on their own, but their songs get covered all the time with more commercial appeal. Think Hiatt's "Thing Called Love" by Bonnie Raitt and Zevon's 'Poor Poor Pitiful Me" by Mary Chapin Carpenter.

That said, I got around to buying Zevon's final release, The Wind, this weekend. It had been praised by many already, even by (proving the "blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes" theory) VH1 who did a special on it just a few weeks before Zevon died. It's as good as everyone has said, even, at times, better.

It opens with the best song on the album, "Dirty Life And Times," which best shows off Zevon's greatest gift, his turn of a phrase that only he could think of (Elvis Costello does the same thing). With Billy Bob Thornton and Dwight Yoakam on backing vocals, he sings:

And if she won't love me then her sister will

She's from Say-one-thing-and-mean-another's-ville

And she can't seem to make up her mind

When she hears about my dirty life and times

It's Warren looking back on a full, if not sainted, life and forward to his last days.

Getting the most attention is his cover of Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door." Perhaps, like Phil Spector, producer Jorge Calderon couldn't resist dressing this one up a little too much. Everybody comes in on background vocals and Zevon's voice is lost behind them and the combined guitars of Tommy Shaw (12 string), Randy Mitchell (slide), and Brad Davis. Less would have been more, particularly since the whole album looks death in the eye and, in turn, laughs, cries, and flips the bird. Just as "Numb As A Statue" gives a peek inside the heart of a man who's just heard he's not long for this world, "The Rest Of The Night" tells us that, though he may be dying, Zevon isn't gonna let the party die.

You wanna go home? Why? Honey, When?

We may never get this chance again!

Let's party for the rest of the night!

If death and dying is the theme of the album, love is the underlying current that carries us to our final reward. Both "She's Too Good For Me" and "El Amor De Mi Vida" are love songs of the highest order, one mourning a love that couldn't ever be, the other wishing he cold hold onto the love he found at the end. And Calderon redeems himself on the latter by tastefully producing a delicate song and beautifully singing the simple chorus in Spanish.

Zevon seems to have received more attention in his death than he ever received in his prime (or at least since "Werewolves..." slipped off the charts). At least he left a final album that appeals to both longtime listeners and new ones. It's fitting.

What do you mean you don't own fucking Blonde On Blonde: I feel just like Jack Black's victim in High Fidelity, getting dragged through the record shop with Black shoving record into his hands saying, "It's gonna be okay."

Sorry, but I don't have Let It Be. But I'll never forgive Phil Spector for writing "Groovy Kind Of Love" or Mr. Beavers for making us sing it for our choir concert freshman year of high school.

Reagan's Long Legacy: The mainstream press continues to be astounded by evidence that Reagan was not a moron. The same sort of thing happened a few years ago when a book of his pre-presidential speeches and op-eds was published, showing Reagan to have a facility with the subtleties of economic policy that went beyond what the press suspected from a "genial idiot."

I guess that this will continue for many years, with Reagan finally taking the mantle he deserves, as the GOP's answer to FDR.

Beatles/Spector: I hope you all did your homework over the weekend: a couple of trips through Let It Be. I sure did, and I’m prepared to respond to Razor. (I would have done so over the weekend, but the in-laws were visiting. More on that later. Maybe.)

Phil Spector was indeed a brilliant producer. I’m still in awe of the Crystals' "And Then He Kissed Me" to this day. Listen to that tune and remember that this was the early 60s – Spector is already putting together a sound that will still be influential when Bill Graham is miking the Fillmore for the "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" show. The "Wall of Sound" on that song is so strong, you’d swear that fully half the sound in the recording is the studio vibrating sympathetically.

But one thing Spector has never been accused of, as far as I know, is good taste. You like girl groups? Good, here are 700 of them, all a touch different vocally, all recorded with the the same combination of gloss and rattling glassware. Sure, the guy made a mint off it all, and the sound was a startling innovation, but subtle he was not. And there is the crux of the biscuit: There are some things you can do with anonymous chick bands where the production technique is the star of the show that you don’t do with the Beatles.

The Beatles were always tasteful – a unless they were being camp, of course. With George Martin, who was everything Spector wasn’t, the Beatles pulled orchestral instruments and arrangements into rock music with great taste and great results. Mainly, this came from two things. First, they used the instrumentation sparingly (with exceptions, such as "A Day in the Life," in which "over the top" was the goal). Second, the arrangements are perfectly integrated. Think of the French horn in "For No One," for example. It’s possible to listen to that song without thinking that you’re hearing an unusual arrangement, without thinking, "Hey, that’s not a typical rock instrument."

Then, there is Let It Be. Where to begin? How about "Across the Universe," a beautiful, spare guitar-and-voice Lennon number to which has been added . . . what? A bit of harmony? Some sympathetic instrumentation? No, how about a f*cking choir! And "I Me Mine" may be a tricky Harrison tune that jumps, not altogether successfully, from waltz to swing-march and back. The full choir-and-orchestra treatment, though, serves only to highlight the imperfections in the song. An otherwise average song is suddenly a glaring failure. The fun and funky improv "Dig It" is a nice addition to the spirit of the album, which was meant to be live and casual. But whose idea was it to put "Dig It," which ends with Lennon mockingly calling for a hymn, in front of the hymn-like "Let It Be"? And why overinflate "Let It Be" with an organ, then add horns and strings? This would be a gorgeous song with just drum, bass, piano, Billy Preston’s nifty Fender-Rhodes fills, and with George’s overdriven guitar breaks. The ultimate travesty, of course, is the syrupy orchestration in "The Long and Winding Road," which gives the song all the subtlety of a cudgel. McCartney had intended it to be a plain voice-and-piano piece. It became, instead, the nadir of string arrangements, with "Dr. Zhivago" blaring over a very lovely and simple song. No doubt Spector heard any unfilled silences as wasted space and slapped the treacly orchestra on top like musical spackle.

As a said, you can do some of this stuff to manufactured teen-pop. Spector even called his prefab hits "little symphonies." And the fine parts of Spector’s sound were refined by Brian Wilson into songs as subtle as "Pet Sounds" (which uses lots of orchestration) and as heavy as "Good Vibrations" (which was likely intended as the second coming of the wall of sound). But you can’t just slap these techniques on the Beatles, particularly since the Beatles were never a genre band that needed tarting up. And finally, contrary to some critics who have said the songwriting on Let It Be was too thin to stand alone, I think the songwriting is, with exceptions, quite excellent. "Two of Us" could be a hit record today, and is one of the best Lennon-McCartney duets, with a nifty interval to the harmony. "I’ve Got a Feeling" and "Get Back," both nitty-gritty rock songs, show the Beatles playing rock and roll again, apparently enjoying it, and certainly doing it well. Even the filler has its charms: "One After 909" shows the group in full retro mode, jamming on a song that might have been on the radio when the lads were listening to Carl Perkins and combing DAs. Both Lennon (Rock and Roll) and McCartney (Run Devil Run) would go back and cut whole albums of this greasy kid's stuff later in their careers, so you know the joy in it is natural.

Strip it all away, and Let It Be is the Beatles' final rock album, a throwback. Taking off the Spector production, I think, can only give us more of what the intention of the album was, the reason they recorded it live, instead of tracking it like Abbey Road. Spector’s polish and schmaltz are antithetical to Let It Be. Scrub it off.

Spector: Genius or Fraud (let's leave out "Murderer" for now): You tout McCartney taking off the "Wall of Sound" from Let It Be. But wasn't the Spector Sound revolutionary? Didn't it take music to a whole new level? God knows the guy made a ton (and we're weighing $100 bills here, not $1s) of money from it. What's wrong with some post-production tinkering? Why is "naked" better? There, I've poked Eno enough, but I'm interested to hear more on why the song (which did pretty well as it was) is improved. Or, do you simply think this is McCartney giving the finger back to Yoko for not letting his name go first on the writing credits?

Speaking of soccer that nobody watches: In case you don't catch the last ten seconds of SportsCenter, or fail to read the tiny 2-inch column below the local high school sports section in your paper, it's time again for the Women's World Cup - new marketing slogan: "No sports bras this time!". Can't you just taste the excitement? Fortunately for its own sake, the event is once again in the U.S. where there is at least the hope of some $$ trickling in (for all of the chest-beating over in Europe about how much they love the foot, they love more relegating women to where they belong, and don't spend much time watching the gals run around on the pitch). Also fortunate, is that the U.S. team has no young talent, so it's pretty much the Mia Hamm show again (I think there's a clause in there somewhere that she has to play and appear in every ad until she dies), with the nearly menopausal supporting cast: Lilly, Foudy, Fawcett (all combined, nearly 500 games played). Chastain is back too.

Interesting side notes: For some reason, the Nigerians and the North Koreans (!) are getting all the press; for the first time, headgear will be worn by certain players to reduce concussive type injuries; rumor is that another successful tournie will revive WUSA.

And you thought the WUSA had it bad: With a nod back to my post earlier on the problems soccer faces in our country, here's how well the NHL is doing. No surprise, the staggering collective loss is attributed to player salaries spiraling ever upwards, or the "save me from myself" complaint. But to be fair, there's no salary cap in the NHL, and it's been proven that in every sport, the owners can't help themselves, so a cap is put in place. Plus, the cap brings us "parity" which, we are calmly assured, is a good thing. That's right: every year, a different team wins the championship, while the one that just one it has to dump half of its players to get back under the cap for the following year.

Anyway, the collective bargaining agreement in the NHL runs out this time next year. What will happen? What always happen. Minimal negotations for 10 months, followed by panic, name-calling in the papers, and finally, lock-out. This proven pattern of mutual self-destruction should just about put the final clod of dirt on the NHL ever getting a good t.v. contract. Hell, the strike almost killed baseball (we can always dream) and that sport is actually watched south of Lake Ontario. Hosers.

In Other News: Paul McCartney has remastered the Beatles' Let it Be to remove the post-production schmaltz ladled on by Phil Spector. Can I get an amen?

I do own (and cherish) the album; as tasteless as a lot of it may be, and as much as it was Lennon's middle finger to the group to get Spector involved, the songwriting is a tour of understated excellence ("Two of Us"), ballsy R&B ("Get Back"), the original power ballad ("Let it Be"), and some retro kicks ("One After 909," no doubt one of the inspirations for David and Nigel's impromptu "All the Way Home" from Spinal Tap).

Also in the musical vein, my son has taken quite a shine to Dusty Springfield's Dusty in Memphis, which I had given a lot of play at one time. It's great that he just pulls whatever catches his eye out of the collection, and I say, "Oh, yeah! I forgot we had this one." If you haven't heard it, check it out. And definitely get the version with the extra tracks. Her crack at the Goffin/King tune "That Old Sweet Roll" alone is worth the extra couple of bucks.

What Will Old Europe Say? Vaclav Havel, Arpad Goncz, and Lech Walesa gave a Bronx cheer to Castro (and implicitly to those in Europe who still swoon in the presence of El Jefe) in the WaPo yesterday, saying:

It is the responsibility of the democratic world to support representatives of the Cuban opposition, regardless of how long the Cuban Stalinists cling to power. The Cuban opposition must have the same international support as did the representatives of political dissent in Europe when it stood divided. Statements of condemnation for the government's repression, combined with specific diplomatic steps coming from Europe, Latin America and the United States, would be suitable means of exerting pressure on the regime in Cuba.

I note only the (probably intended) irony that they issued this stirring call in September, the month in which so much of Europe has returned from holiday to shake la arena de Cuba out of their shoes and get back to their grueling 30-hour workweeks.

How You Like Me Now? TNR's Primary published an interesting question: Why is Howard Dean so sanguine about Wes Clark jumping into the race? (They decided he was being either cautious or naive, or both.) Dean's answer, from the Washington Post:

It is a good thing for us to have Wes Clark. I have four people beating up on me for being against the war. Now, I have a four-star general saying the same thing I've been saying.

Yesterday, Clark rolled out a Kerry-style position in favor of the Iraq war (and, in fact, skipped Kerry's dodge about voting to "threaten" war), while reserving the right to criticize. That is, he's definitely not "saying the same thing" Dean has said. Having held talks with Clark, presumably to co-opt him by signing him onto a Dean ticket, Dean must have known where Clark stood. Sounds like whistling past the graveyard to me.

Hunker Down: Glad to see you're not packing it in . . . like the nation's capital. They even closed the Metro in DC, and it's underground!

On a not-unrelated note, I had a college friend from the Carolinas who wore a shirt that said, "I got blown by Hugo."

Brief Point: Flyer, I think Hillary's internal polling tells her exactly what we all know: The nomination's hers for the asking. Most of today's big boys would drop out the day she jumped in, and for one good reason -- namely, that she will suck every penny out of the race. If there's any Clinton/Clark ticket, it will be in that order.

Isabel: I'm far enough inland that Hurricane Isabel won't be terribly disruptive (at least it seems that way now). I'll be following it here, though. In the meantime, some useful facts about hurricanes.

On Clark and Hillary: Peter Lawler thinks a Clark/Clinton tag team could be imminent.

Why would the senator give up her all the influence that comes from having a safe seat from one of our largest states? The former First Lady could hardly be fulfilled as a mere senator; her real ambition is to be president. And whomever Clark picks as his vice-presidential candidate — if the ticket is elected — would have immediate advantages in the struggle to succeed him. Hillary can't count on that person not catching on. And no insider Democratic senator has won the party's presidential nomination under the present primary-nomination system. If Mrs. Clinton wants to be president, she'll want to be on the Clark ticket.

I don't thnk so. I think she has to wait out '04. To lose the nomination to any of these bozos would be too much and she's got a better chance of getting elected in '08, on the presumption that 9/11 and national security will be further in the rearview mirror. And she's nobody's VP (been there done that, as has been noted). The only downside to waiting is the chance that the Dem nominee wins and she has to wait until 2012. But that also gives her time to build credibility that comes with a little senatorial seniority (committee assignments and chairmanships etc.). When she gets in, it'll be 100%. Not as Clark's #2.

A Name in the Race: The more I think about it, the more I think Wes Clark isn't that name. Did you hear his hat-tossing speech? He doesn't exactly light up the hustings, does he? (Remember that Admiral Jim "Why am I here?" Stockdale was a military hero, too, and about as exciting as cold toast.) He seemed at his worst when he's tried to generate enthusiasm, to play to the crowd; he would stumble over a word -- not badly, mind you, but just enough to put him on autopilot for a second -- and it would all suddenly sound very rehearsed. And the "My name is Wes" schtick isn't going to fly. He'll get an Oscar for sure if he can play the just plain folks routine through this campaign; anyone who sees him on CNN knows that he's pedantic, not homey.

No, the Democrats need an established persona, someone larger than life.

Trial Balloon: Drudge links to this speculative Daily News story. Bill Clinton, speaking to his old buddy Leon Panetta in California, said that the calls for Hillary! have begun:

Clinton said his wife was being urged to run by supporters in spite of her commitment to serve out her six-year Senate term, the newspaper said.

The former President's statement tantalized Democrats who have heard the senator say repeatedly she will be on the presidential sidelines next year.

"He's clearly not discouraging speculation that she could be in the race in 2004," said former New York State Democratic chairwoman Judith Hope, who is close to the former First Lady but is supporting ex-Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.

I'll say this much: This scenario is how we've all known it would go -- she promised to serve a full term in the Senate; but if the people she promised to serve are practically begging her to run, then she owes it to them to consider 2004. Beyond that, you can be damn sure Hillary knows that her 2004 chances are looking a lot better than they were a year ago. If I were her political advisor, I'd tell her to jump in. If she shows she can compete with Bush, even if she loses, she makes herself the top choice for 2008 anyway. Sure, nobody likes a loser . . . for a little while. But remember how badly Gore was trashed by the party when he lost? Didn't mean crap. He'd still be the front-runner immediately if he jumped in for 2004.

My instinct is that either Gore or Hillary has to make the move. I read everywhere that major Democratic money is sitting this one out, not energized, and likely waiting for a name to get in the race.

And I never did steroids: The most testosterone-laden political candidate ever just finished with a nice round of pandering to the estrogen crowd, on Oprah, no less. His hand firmly entwined with Maria's, he goes out of his way to embellish his family values creds, while showing even a big guy like him just wants to be cuddled. Oh, and that Oui thing? Just some youthful bragging.

I must say I'm disappointed. This is a guy who is running as the consummate outsider. So why spend so much effort in mashing your oversized frame into the broken mold used by so many candidates: dissemble, diffuse, defy? What's wrong with: "Hey, it was the 70s in Southern California for crying out loud. Any one of you would have killed to be in my Speedos. I was a physical miracle, an already big star on my way to better things, and chicks dug my bod. We didn't have AIDS, no one was hurt, and I don't live that way now." He could therefore avoid the "are you lying then or now" scenario, plus, the whole event shows his "commitment to diversity"! I would expect better.

The Spoiler Scenario: What's the Wes Clark effect? Who the hell knows? But more to the point, what the hell is in it for the party? A political nobody like Clark, even if he does have four stars, doesn't hop into the Democratic rodeo without kissing the ring of Terry McAuliffe -- and, by extension, of the Clintons -- because that's where the money and the on-the-ground support will come from. Do the Clintons want Clark to take away Dean's spark? There are two possibilities here: First, Hillary could be beginning to take seriously the prospect of a Dean nomination, which -- even if he loses to Bush -- makes him a big dog in the party establishment, with his big donor lists and his purportedly huge following, both of which he has made clear he will not automatically share with the party. Second, and this is really speculative, Hillary has every reason to wish for a deeply divided party at the convention. She is truly in a bind. If she wants to run in '08, the Dems need to lose in '04. If she wants to run in '04, she has to take the big gamble on beating an incumbent Republican.

There is speculation that Clark is a placeholder for Hillary, but that's nonsense, I think. He doesn't seem like the type to hold her coat, even if he did get the VP slot out of it. And Hillary wouldn't take the VP slot if Clark offered it. Been there; done that. (If you try to tell me that Gore was Clinton's real VP, remember: Gore got to go to funerals; Hillary got to design the health care proposal.

If nothing else, an interesting few months await us.

This just in: Monkey to run for president on Democratic ticket. They certainly have the right temperment.