"We all inhabit this small planet...", JFK, June 10, 1963. ThisSmallPlanet is about life and culture, most often about music but also politics, nature, travel, and history. 'New Music Today' and 'Cool, New Music' feature the latest playlists and links to new music streams and downloads, selected music articles from our favorite sites, and original writing, photos, and videos.
Black hole opened in the kitchen Every clock's a different time It would only take the energy to fix it I don't know why I am
The way I am, not strong enough to be your man I try, I can't stop staring at the ceiling fan and Spinning out about things that haven't happened Breathing in and out
Drag racing through the canyon Singing "Boys Don't Cry" Do you see us getting scraped up off the pavement? I don't know why I am
The way I am, not strong enough to be your man I lie, I am just lowering your expectations Half a mind that keeps the other second guessing Close my eyes and count
Always an angel, never a god Always an angel, never a god Always an angel, never a god Always an angel, never a god
Always an angel, never a god Always an angel, never a god Always an angel, never a god Always an angel, never a god
Always an angel, never a god Always an angel, never a god Always an angel, never a god Always an angel, never a god
I don't know why I am the way I am There's something in the static, I think I've been having revelations Comin' to, in the front seat, nearly empty Skip the exit to our old street and go home
Go home alone
Satanist
Will you be a satanist with me? Mortgage off your soul to buy your dream Vacation home in Florida The collateral, the devil's repossessin' from me Tryin' to score some off-brand ecstasy
Will you be an anarchist with me? Sleep in cars and kill the bourgeoisie At least until you find out what a fake I am Spray paint my initials on an ATM I burn my cash and smash my old TV
Will you be a nihilist with me? If nothin' matters, man, that's a relief Solomon had a point when he wrote Ecclesiastes If nothing can be known, then stupidity is holy If the void becomes a bore, we'll treat ourselves to some self-belief
You wonder if you can even be seen From so far away A slow pull, a seismic drift Leanin' over the edge of the continent
It's so hard to come back You hang on until it drags You under, you under You under, you under
We were shocked to find out that Buffy Sainte-Marie, one of the most beloved Native American artists of our time, actually has no indigenous heritage whatsoever. Her father was the son of Italian immigrants and her mother English. She claimed she was born on a Cree reservation in Canada and raised by a white couple in Massachusetts who adopted her. In fact, they were her birth parents.
One activist called her a "Pretendian" - a Pretend Indian.
Here's her birth certificate, showing she was born in Massachusetts, not Canada:
Buffy has said several times that she had no birth certificate and didn't know her birthday or who her birth parents were. Yet she did have a birth certificate that indicated her birth day and the names of her parents. When Buffy married Jack Nietzsche, she signed documents acknowledging she was born in Massachusetts in 1941 to the Santamaria family. Buffy once claimed her birth certificate and other official documents had been destroyed in a fire but there was no record of such a fire. One expert said this was a red flag regarding ethnic appropriation - shifting narratives. Also Buffy claimed at various times to be Algonquin, Micmac, and Cree. An expert pointed out that the three groups live far away from each other and no one could be part of all three groups.
Buffy wrote the melody for the song that became "(Lift Us) Up Where We Belong", a big hit and a 1983 Oscar winner for best song in "An Officer and a Gentleman".
She shared the award with lyricist Will Jennings and composer Jack Nitzsche (Buffy's husband at the time). Nitzsche was well-known as a lunatic. Finding that she apparently willingly married him tells us something about her as well. By the way, when she married Nitzsche, she signed a document acknowledging that she was born in Massachusetts and that the parents that raised her were her birth parents.
Buffy was said to be the first indigenous person to win an Oscar. Actually that honor belongs to Wes Studi and New Zealand's Taika Waititi. Wes Studi, a Cherokee, received an Academy Honorary Award Oscar in 2019. Waititi, whose father was Maori, won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for 2019's Jojo Rabbit.
Wes Studi
Taika Waititi
In 1964, Buffy released "Universal Soldier", one of the best protest songs of the 1960s. It's been covered by numerous artists including Donovan, Glen Campbell, Bob Dylan, Chumbawamba, and Jake Bugg. This alone proves she had talent, begging the question, wasn't her talent enough? Did she have to embellish her personal history and deceive us for all these years? Couldn't she have just been a talented singer who supported indigenous causes without having to be Native American herself?
In the military, it's called "stolen valor", claiming military honors you did not earn for personal gain. "Pretendians", "Ethnic theft" or "ethnic fraud" is what some people call it, and sadly it's not as rare as you'd think.
In the 1960s, singer Peter La Farge claimed to be Native American and wrote a moving song about Native American Ira Hayes, who helped raise the American flag at Iwo Jima, but fell into severe alcoholism after the war and died prematurely. Johnny Cash recorded the song and championed La Farge. But La Farge had no indigenous background whatsoever.
"The Ballad of Ira Hayes"
Buffy Sainte-Marie on "The Johnny Cash Show" in 1969
Perhaps the most famous Pretendian (Pretend Indian) of all-time is Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined Marlon Brando's 1973 Oscar at his request and made a speech in favor of indigenous rights, in full Indian costume. It was later discovered that she was not Native American at all.
UPDATE: Forgot about Iron Eyes Cody, who played Native American characters in over 200 movies and TV shows, including opposite John Wayne and most famously as the Crying Indian in the 1970s era anti-littering PSA.
Iron Eyes Cody insisted he was Native American. In fact he was the son of Sicilian immigrants.
Some of these people represented Native culture well but their essential dishonesty outgoes any good they did. Artists must be honest. If we can't trust them, they can't listen to them. And we need artists to narrate the unknown and the unknowable. We can't afford for them to be liars and cultural thieves.
It really begs the question: Wasn't it good enough for Buffy to say she was a folk singer who cared about Native people and wanted to champion their cause? Did she have to falsely claim she was Native herself?
P.S. What a great song!
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER by Buffy Sainte-Marie
He's five-foot-two and he's six-feet-four He fights with missiles and with spears He's all of 31 and he's only 17 Been a soldier for a thousand years
He'a a Catholic, a Hindu, an Atheist, a Jain A Buddhist, and a Baptist, and a Jew And he knows he shouldn't kill And he knows he always will Kill you for me, my friend, and me for you
And he's fighting for Canada He's fighting for France He's fighting for the U.S.A And he's fighting for the Russians And he's fighting for Japan And he thinks we'll put an end to war this way
And he's fighting for Democracy He's fighting for the Reds He says it's for the peace of all He's the one who must decide Who's to live and who's to die And he never sees the writing on the wall
But without him How would Hitler have condemned them at Dachau? Without him Caesar would have stood alone He's the one who gives his body as a weapon of the war And without him all this killing can't go on
He's the Universal Soldier and he really is to blame His orders come from far away no more They come from here and there and you and me And brothers, can't you see? This is not the way we put the end to war
Speaking of indigenous artists, here are two who are of actual native heritage, poet John Trudell and guitar god Jesse Ed Davis, who aren't as well known as they should be. This song, "Rich Man's War", was written and recorded in 1986, but it could have been written this week about this week. The mark of a great artist. They speak simultaneously of their time and the times to come.
The four nominees for the International Emmy for Arts Programming:
Statement from Buffy, November 2023:
I want to begin by thanking the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the honour. As one of the most prestigious awards in the global entertainment industry, it is a true recognition of the outstanding team who worked on my story – the true story of my life.
I’ve always believed it takes rain and sunshine to bring a rainbow. This great honour does indeed come after the rain – as I continue to absorb and process the recent attack on my character, life and legacy. It’s a deep wound to my inner child, but as an 82-year-old now, I’m strong – and these allegations do not shake me.
Now it is time for me to shine a light on the truth, my truth.
I have never lied about my identity. The more I’ve known, the more I’ve pieced together a sense of self from what information has been available to me.
What I know about my Indigenous ancestry I learned from my growing up mother, who was of Mi’kmaq heritage, and my own research later in life. My mother told me that I was adopted and that I was Native, but there was no documentation as was common for Indigenous children at the time.
When I grew up, I was adopted into a Cree family by Emile Piapot (son of Chief Piapot, Treaty 4 Adhesion signatory), and Clara Starblanket Piapot (daughter of Chief Starblanket, Treaty 4 signatory), in accordance with Cree law and customs. They were kind, loving, and proud to claim me as their own. I love my Piapot family and am so lucky to have them in my life.
I have always struggled to answer questions about who I am. For decades, I tried to find my birth parents and information about my background. Through that research what became clear, and what I’ve always been honest about: I don’t know where I’m from or who my birth parents are, and I will never know. Which is why, to be questioned in this way is painful, both for me, and for my two families I love so dearly.
My Indigenous identity is rooted in a deep connection to a community which has had a profound role in shaping my life and my work. For my entire life, I have championed Indigenous, and Native American causes when nobody else would, or had the platform to do so. I am proud to have been able to travel the world, sharing Indigenous stories. I have always tried to bridge gaps between communities and educate people to live in love and kindness.
This is my truth. And while there are many things I do not know; I have been proud to share my story – as I know it – throughout my life.
The attack on my character is full of mistakes and omissions. While I will not stoop to respond to every false allegation, I feel it is important to clarify two things.
First, the central proof used to question my identity is a story fabricated by my abuser and repeated by two members of my estranged family I don’t even know. This has been incredibly re-traumatizing for me and unfair to all involved. It hurts me deeply to discover that my estranged family grew up scared of me and thinking these lies because of a letter I sent intended to protect me from further abuse from my brother. I want to be clear, I do not blame them. They, of course, want to believe their father. I have evidence I was sexually abused by my brother, but I can’t tolerate discomforting his children even more. I wish them only the best and hope they move forward from this and find peace, as I am trying to do.
The second is my “birth certificate”. As many Indigenous people know, and the National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada has stated, it was common for birth certificates of Indian children to be “created” by western governments after they were adopted or taken away from their families. So it was quite shocking to me to hear a city clerk say she had 100% confidence in its authenticity. I have never known if my birth certificate was real. I have used it because it was the only document I’ve had my whole life. I’ve heard from countless people with similar stories – who do not know where they are from and feel victimized by these allegations and one-sided reporting as I do.
Most importantly, this is my life – I am not a piece of paper. I am a product of both my families and all my experiences in this world.
If you are a pure-blood documented something, I’m glad for you. It’s awesome and beautiful to hear you speak your lineage, history and genealogy. But even if your documentation says you’re racially pure, you might miss the point. Being an “Indian” has little to do with sperm tracking and colonial record keeping: It has to do with community, culture, knowledge, teachings, who claims you, who you love, who loves you, and who’s your family.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy.Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You. Soothing acoustic sounds.
Dropkick Murphys. Okemah Rising. Follow-up to last year's This Machine Still Kills Fascists, this also uses archival Woody Guthrie lyrics matched with contemporary tunes by Dropkick Murphys. Besides the killer single "Gotta Get To Peekskill" (feat. The Violent Femmes), there's a re-working (the "Tulsa Version") of Dropkick Murphys' original "collaboration" with Woody Guthrie's archives, "I'm Shipping Up To Boston", as first seen in Martin Scorsese's 2002 film Gangs Of New York.
Grian Chatten.Chaos For The Fly.Fontaines D.C. frontman's debut solo album. Change of pace from the band's heavy sound. One of the surprise hits of summer. Fontaines D.C. spent the summer touring with Arctic Monkeys, adding Chilli Jesson (ex-Palma Violets) to the touring band on bass and backing vocals. (See their recent performance at KCRW above.) We also liked Fontaines D.C.Skinty Fia Go Deo. A deluxe version of their 2022 release Skinny Fia, feat demos, a live song, an Orbital remix, and two covers, including U2's "One" (which Johnny Cashsang a memorable version of). The uncluttered takes reveal the strength of vocalist Grian Chatten's singing which sometimes gets buried in the heaviness of the band's sound. On Grian's solo album, feat the single "The Score", we heard his voice, unencumbered, as if for the first time.
Kristin Hersh. Clear Pond Road. Very cool album. I liked her recent 50 Foot Wave effort. This is completely different but just as good.
Lana Del Rey.Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. She's the best.
Paul Simon.Seven Psalms. Very, very good.
Rufus Wainwright. Folkocracy. Strong album we didn't expect. Good takes on some cool classics.
Sufjan Stevens.Javelin. Sounds good. Sadly he's been ill and can't promote the album and also is grievingthe tragic loss of his partner. These songs seem celebrate their relationship and mourn his passing. We wish Sufjan the best during these challenging times. UPDATE: Just found 5 Unreleased Songs, apparently outtakes, also very cool.
Toro Y Moi.Sandhills (EP). Folky. Complete departure from the recent funky soulful Mahal. I love it.
Wednesday.Rat Saw God and their guitarist MJ Lenderman's live album with his other band The Wind,And the Wind (Live and Loose!)are both worth considering and let's consider them together. They announce a major new talent, Mr. Lenderman, knocking on our door.
Various Artists. Playing For The Man At The Door: Field Recordings From Mack McCormick, 1958-1971. Feat. Lightnin' Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb, and other classic recordings by the infamous late blues documentarian Mack McCormick, who had a hellhound on his trail.
HONORABLE MENTION: TOP ALBUMS OF 2023
A. Savage.Several Songs About Fire. Second solo album from Andrew of Parquet Courts. His first solo album was very good and this one is even better, Quite a change of pace from Parquet Court's often manic style. Deep and reflective, like a pool in a Zen garden.
Andre 3000.New Blue Sun. An all-instrumental flute-based album? Don't knock it before you try it...
Don Letts.Outta Sync. Soul song of a veteran Black British punk reggae warrior. His debut album.
Glen Hansard. All That Was East Is West Of Me Now. I liked the first single, "The Feast Of St. John" a lot. I hoped that the rest of the album would follow suit, and it does. Not all the songs are in the aggressive style as "Feast", but they all have both a gravitas and a lightness that we find appealing.
Iron & Wine.Who Can See Forever Soundtrack (Live)
Jane Remover.Census Designated.
Jeff Rosenstock.Hellmode. Strong effort of melodic powerful punk with a lot of heart.
Johnny Marr.Spirit Power: The Best of Johnny Marr. An overview of The Smiths' guitarists illustrious solo career, featuring two new songs: "Somewhere" and "The Answer".
The Kills.God Games.
Kurt Vile.Back To Moon Beach (EP)
Laura Veirs. Phone Orphans.
Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives.Altitude. He played on the recent tour of The Byrds' Sweetheart Of The Rodeo and this album seems to be a reflection on The Byrds' legacy.
Mitski. The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. Great! Very cool album of... "dream pop"... says here....
Peter Gabriel.I/O
PJ Harvey's Tiny Desk Concert
PJ Harvey.I Inside The Old Year Dying.
Quasi.Breaking the Balls of History. Pleasantly surprised how good this is.
Queens Of The Stone Age. In Times New Roman... Another classic from QOTSA....
Robyn Hitchcock.Life After Infinity. Another instant classic.
Sarah Mary Chadwick.Messages To God. Worth listening to.
Sparklehorse.Bird Machine. Strong posthumous album from Mark Linkous.We wish he were here, but are grateful to hear these last songs. Reminds us of why we liked him in the first place.
Sparks.The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte. Pure Pop Classic!
Various Artists. Ears of the People: Ekonting Songs from Senegal and The Gambia. Excellent collection featuring an African forerunner of the banjo. An important document.
Wreckless Eric. Leisureland. Very strong album.
Yo La Tengo. This Stupid World. Fantastic new album from these beloved indie vets. Check it out. Also, a late addition:The Bunker Sessions (EP)
Yungchen Lhamo. Awakening.
BEST TWO DOZEN (OR SO) SINGLES OF 2023
A. Savage."Elvis In The Army". Solo effort of Andrew S, one of Parquet Courts' two singer/guitarist/songwriters.
The Beatles."Now & Then". "New" Beatles song based on a 1978 John Lennon solo demo. Intended for release in 1995 on the Beatles Anthology but unreleased officially until now.
Blur. "St. Charles Square". A return to form for Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, and Co.
Don Letts. "Out of Sync". Black British OG, friends with Bob Marley & Joe Strummer, member of B.A.D. with Mick Jones, shot many of The Clash videos. Got a song to sing. From his debut album.
Dropkick Murphys. "Gotta Get To Peekskill" (feat. Violent Femmes). Archival lyrics by Woody Guthrie about a 1949 confrontation with the KKK in Peekskill, New York. An earlier concert by activist Paul Robeson was disrupted by the local KKK, veterans, and American Legion "patriots". Leftists rallied to protect a second concert, but were menaced by a crazed right-wing mob who attacked concert-goers as they left. They threw rocks at a car that held Guthrie, Pete Seeger, his wife Toshi, and their young children. Woody wrote a song about it. Pete used some of the rocks thrown at them to build his new fireplace.
Grian Chatten."Fairlies". Fontaine D.C. frontman's solo album. This cool new song was the second single from the album. The first single was "The Score".
Lana Del Rey. "A&W". Simply great (if you're a fan). Rob Grant. "Lost At Sea" feat Lana Del Rey. Lana's a guest vocalist on her piano player father's song.
Phoebe Bridgers."Waiting Room" (Deep cut re-released) and Rob Moose feat Phoebe Bridgers."Wasted". Phoebe's been performing this song in concert, but this is the first recorded version of it.
Andrea Prichett. "The Avenue". This kind, insightful Berkeley educator/artist/activist has been a friend since the anti-apartheid movement in the 1980s. Here's her take on Berkeley's famed Telegraph Avenue. Available on Bandcamp.
The Beatles. The Red (1962 -1966) and Blue (1967 - 1970) Albums. The first Beatles recordings I had were the Red & Blue "greatest hits" collections, on cassette, and I suspect many people were introduced to The Fabs through these compilations. The new improved versions are great and worth checking out.
Billy Bragg.The Roaring Forty (1983 - 2023). There's a 2 CD version of this Bragg retrospective, but also a 14 CD Super Deluxe version for the super fans. A fitting tribute to one of the brightest political singers of our time.
Bob Dylan. Fragments - Time Out of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17 (5-CD Deluxe Edition) and The Complete Budokan 1978. Both are fantastic!
The Clash.London Calling (Expanded Edition). A good excuse to go back and listen to this classic album, along with the rehearsal recording The Vanilla Tapes (1979).
Iggy Pop. Rare Trax. Alternate versions of some the classics including "China Girl" and "Lust For Life".
Mississippi Fred McDowell.Jesus On The Mainline. Two live shows: April 14, 1971 in Tacoma and November 5, 1971 at the Gaslight in New York City (Fred's final recording). Seminal.
Nirvana.In Utero. (30th Anniversary Super Deluxe). The original album plus over 50 live tracks and a few outtakes and B-sides.
Steely Dan.The Record Plant 1974 Live. Their best period?
Steve Miller Band.J50: The Evolution Of The Joker (Deluxe) and At The Record Plant 1973 (live in the studio). Fantastic!
Thin Lizzy.Vagabonds Of The Western World (Deluxe Edition)
The Who. Who's Next: Life House (Super Deluxe). Ten discs of music plus a DVD... sounds a little overwhelming! It was meant to be another rock opera but became Who's Next instead. We can now sort through the rubble and picture what a pretty building it would have been. Also from The Who,Back At The Fillmore (1969). Great.
HONORABLE MENTION: TOP ARCHIVAL RELEASES OF 2023
Big Joe Williams.Back To The Roots. Big Joe Got The Blues. And he wants to give them to you.
Billie Holiday.Live in Los Angeles 1946. Simply great.
Bob Dylan & The Rolling Thunder Revue.New Orleans 1976 Soundboard. Classic. Dylan + Mick Robson + Joan Baez + Roger McGuinn
Cheap Trick. Live At The Whiskey 1977.
Dandy Livingstone. "Rudy A Message To You" (1967). The original.
David Bowie. "Looking For A Friend" (1971).
David Bowie.Ziggy's Last Stand. Live.
David Bowie. Dutch Courage. Live.
Devo.50 Years of De-Evolution 1973–2023.
Donovan. "Barabajagal" (1969) feat Jeff Beck on guitar, Groovy.
Elvis Presley.Las Vegas Hilton Presents Elvis - Opening Night 1972.
Faces. Sit Down, Get Up, Get Out (Live 1971) feat Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, Ronnie Laine, Kenney Jones, and Ian McLagan.
Heatmiser.The Music Of Heatmiser.Elliot Smith's alternative rock band from before.
Hüsker Dü.Tonight Longhorn. Early live shows.
Howlin' Wolf.Live In Bremen 1964.
James Cotton. Harvard Square Blues (Live Cambridge '74). Harmonica master live in concert.
James Gang.Everything Is Hazy (Live, Paris '71). Feat. Joe Walsh future guitarist for The Eagles doing the classic "Walk Away" and never sounding better.
Jeff Beck. "Shape Of Things" (1968). RIP Jeff Beck at his best here with Rod Stewart & Ron Wood.
Jimi Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At The Hollywood Bowl: August 18, 1967
John Coltrane.Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy. (1961)
Kak. Kak-Ola (1968). Psychedelic classic. Gary Lee Yoder went on to play with Blue Cheer.
The Kinks. Mojo 2023.05: The Kinks (A 60th Anniversary Sampler). Compiled by the surviving original members: Ray Davies (voice), his brother Dave Davies (guitar) & Mick Avory (drum). Included with Mojo Magazine: Issue #354 (May 2023). A very interesting sampler featuring some of their best lesser known and overlooked songs.
The Kinks. The Journey Pt. 2
Malvina Reynolds.Magical Songs.
Michael Bloomfield. Living In The Fast Lane (Expanded Edition)(1981). One of the best guitarists ever just hanging out and playing songs.
Neil Young. Chrome Dreams.
Neutral Milk Hotel.Everything Is (EP). Some of the first songs Neutral Milk Hotel recorded. They just released a box set and this 7-song expanded EP is part of that project. A good excuse to revisit Neutral Milk Hotel.
Nina Simone.You've Got To Learn. (Live Newport Jazz Festival 1966)
Paul McCartney.The 7" Singles. So nice to hear Paul solo classics like: "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey", "Give Ireland Back To The Irish", "Hi, Hi, Hi", "Live And Let Die", "Jet", "Helen Wheels", "Let Me Roll It", "Band On The Run", and "Mull Of Kintyre".
Sister O.M. Terrell.Sister O.M. Terrell. Reminds me of Memphis Minnie and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Soft Machine. The Dutch Lesson.
The Specials. "Message To You Rudy" (1979). Terry Hall, Rest In Peace.
Various Artists.Before Bob Dylan: 100 Songs. Stunning collection of some of the folk, blues, gospel, country and rock traditional artists who influenced Bob Dylan inc. Woody Guthrie, Reverend Gary Davis, Lead Belly, Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, and Memphis Minnie.
The Velvet Underground. Le Bataclan '72. A one-off reunion concert in Paris in 1972 feat Lou Reed, Nico, and John Cale.
The Who.Sleep On The Beach (live) and
Concertgebouw Amsterdam 1969 (live). Great. And also Live At Leeds (1970). Some say it's the beat live album ever.
Forthcoming Highly Anticipated Releases
Car Seat Headrest. Faces From the Masquerade [Matador] December 8
Sleater-Kinney.Little Rope [Loma Vista] January 19, 2024
Ty Segall.Three Bells. [Drag City] January 26, 2024
J. Mascis.What We Do Now [Sub Pop] February 2, 2024
Brittany Howard. What Now. [Island] February 2, 2024
Idles.Tangk. [Partisan], February 16, 2024.
Mary Timony.Untame The Tiger. [Merge]. February 23, 2024.
Yard Act.Where's My Utopia? [Island] March 1, 2024.
The Libertines.All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade [Casablanca/Republic] March 8, 2024
"All Of The People", Grian Chatten, live solo acoustic at Maida Vale
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