...and you can put the load right on me.

Lest everyone start thinking that I am a road rage-aholic, I will now put the subject of driving behind me. I promise. And talk about more inspiring things, like music.

Take for example that my band plays the song Knock On Wood by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper, covered by just about everyone. Countless times singing the lyrics and never once listened to what I was singing about. Finally hearing it on the radio one day I figured it out. Boner. That's it? This song, that has been covered by the likes of Eric Clapton, Otis Redding, Ella Fitzgerald, James Taylor, Seal, Ike and Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, David Bowie, even Michael Bolton, PLUS dozens of other artists most people, including myself, have never heard of, is about an erection? Inspiring? I guess from a certain perspective.

How about Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley. I love Marley, RIP. We even named our first cat, RIP, after him. Sing the refrain. Woi yo yo, woi ya yo yo, woi yo yo yo yo yo yo yo. Catchy, right? OK, now sing the refrain from The Banana Splits, that 70's show on Saturday mornings. Tra la la, la la la la, tra la la la la la la la. Ok who's ripping off who? Considering Buffalo Soldier wasn't recorded until 1980, and the Banana Splits ran from 1968-70, it doesn't take a genius to figure out the a 25 year old named Robert Nesta Marley was sitting in front of a TV set watching cartoons and writing songs.

One last realization. Listen to the lyrics of The Weight, by J.R.Robertson and popularized by The Band:

Take a load off Fanny,
take a load for free,
Take a load off Fanny,
And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me.

Wouldn't that make a great ad for Kohler toilets?