Udgivelsesdatoen er uvis, men sikkert er det, at Loundon Wainwright – en af mine personlige favoritter udi sangskrivningens ædle kunst – pladedebuterede i 1970 med det eponyme album. Ganske vist skulle der gå lidt tid, inden han slog igennem til en større publikumsskare med sit tredje album (i 1972) og specielt sangen “Dead Skunk”, men stilen var allerede lagt på den første plade. Iørefaldende sange med tekster, der både var skarpsindige og med en sjælden humoristisk sans, der altid nænsomt tog den værste skarphed. Som i sangen om skoledagene, hvor han fint spidder skoleknægtens ambitiøse selvovervurdering og smører tykkere på end der var belæg for…
In Delaware when I was younger
I would live the life obscene
In the Spring I had great hunger.
I was Brando. I was Dean
Blaspheming, booted, blue-jeaned baby boy
Oh how I made them turn their heads
The townie, brownie girls, they jumped for joy
And begged me bless them in their bedsIn Delaware when I was younger
I would row upon the lake
In the Spring I had great hunger
I was Keats. I was Blake.
My pimple pencil pains I’d bring
To frogs who sat entranced
My drift-dream ditties I would sing
The water strider dancedIn Delaware when I was younger
They thought St. Andrew had sufficed
But in the Spring I had great hunger
I was Buddha. I was Christ.
You wicked wise men where you wonder
You Pharisees one day will pay
See my lightning, hear my thunder
I am truth. I know the way
In Delaware when I was younger
Jeg fandt et punktum. Eller to. Forrygende text.
In Delaware when I was younger
They thought St. Andrew had sufficed
But in the Spring I had great hunger
I was Buddha. I was Christ.
@Donald: Ja, en fantastisk beskrivelse af det at være ung. Livsdrift, fandenivoldskhed osv. Og
så med den understrøm af forsonende humor, som han er en mester udi.