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Poi Dog Pondering — The Ancient Egyptians
Album: Wishing Like a Mountain and Thinking Like the Sea
Avg rating:
5.4

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Total ratings: 67








Released: 1990
Length: 3:00
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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(A Love Letter to Jonathan Richman)

Well the Ancient Egyptians, and the other Africans
The Mayans, the Incas, and all the Polynesians.
All around the world, a long long time ago,
People would walk, where ever they had to go.
They didn't have car keys, and they didn't have roads --
They didn't have those ugly convenience stores, or Texacos
In fact, all around the world, a long long time ago,
people would walk, where ever they had to go.

Well now it's the 1990's, and the gasoline does flow,
but I still try and walk most of the places I have to go
But sometimes my friends will stop and say,
"Hey Frank! There's a bus or a cab over there...
Why don't we go ahead and get in it?"
But I say no, no, no, and didn't you know,
you get to know things better when they go by slow.
Comments (24)add comment
 ludwig7 wrote:
Actually, Frank Orrall is from Hawaii, and he started Poi Dog after moving to Austin and living out of a VW bus for awhile. He's had an almost completely different lineup for each album, ala Steely Dan. The band made its musical shift to more technofunk and sampling after its move to Chicago. I've got great memories of his occasional returns to Hawaii during the 11 years I lived there--one time the entire band (6 or 7 people at the time) piled into a little coffee shop by the University of Hawaii and played a whole acoustic set there, I think after the second album (CD, whatever) came out. Which reminds me, their first three albums are all great, though I think their third one (Volo Volo) is probably the most polished and accessible for mainland folks.


Actually started PDP in Hawaii then moved to Austin after travelling around the country. 
Posted 3 years ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
 bluedot wrote:

am i the only one here that thinks that this song sounds like a blatant, bald-faced jonathan richman RIPOFF? why can't we just hear some REAL jonathan richman? ....



Can't read? - 

(A Love Letter to Jonathan Richman)
Posted 3 years ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
The more you drive, the less intelligent you are.
Posted 20 years ago by drH    [ Reply ]
Who shot JR? I'd love hearing some. I'm a Little Airplane and Affection should work for most on a first listen, assuming they have a sense of humor. And (seasonally) That Summer Feeling (which would make a nice set with Barenaked Ladies' Pinch Me, and -- dating my youth, I guess -- Smashing Pumpkins' 1979. ScottFromWyoming wrote:
I've been considering which Jonathan to upload. I'll give it a think over the weekend. And to answer your first question, yes there's no doubt that PDP really enjoyed JR, but their music is more accessible, and still only gets a 6-ish rating, so if I just upload my favorite JR songs they'll get trounced. I need to really assess which ones people would like on first listen. Damn few, I'm sorry to say.
Posted 21 years ago by DespiteAllTheAmputation    [ Reply ]
I suppose everyone should hear a sermon on Sunday morning.
Posted 21 years ago by ndanger666    [ Reply ]
Into every life a little CRAP MUSIC must fall
Posted 21 years ago by Thistle    [ Reply ]
I can\'t believe I missed a Poi Dog song...can we hear the big satellite song next, or complicated? I love Poi Dog and never get to hear them way out herrrreeee
Posted 21 years ago by crink51    [ Reply ]
please make it stop. it\'s funny, but that voice makes me feel blue :(
Posted 21 years ago by joshuaglynn    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by bluedot: am i the only one here that thinks that this song sounds like a blatant, bald-faced jonathan richman RIPOFF? why can't we just hear some REAL jonathan richman? ....
I've been considering which Jonathan to upload. I'll give it a think over the weekend. And to answer your first question, yes there's no doubt that PDP really enjoyed JR, but their music is more accessible, and still only gets a 6-ish rating, so if I just upload my favorite JR songs they'll get trounced. I need to really assess which ones people would like on first listen. Damn few, I'm sorry to say.
Posted 21 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
am i the only one here that thinks that this song sounds like a blatant, bald-faced jonathan richman RIPOFF? why can't we just hear some REAL jonathan richman? ....
Posted 21 years ago by bluedot    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by ata166: This is a great band and don't get near enough airplay outside of their hometown, Chicago (even IN their hometown Chicago).
Actually, Frank Orrall is from Hawaii, and he started Poi Dog after moving to Austin and living out of a VW bus for awhile. He's had an almost completely different lineup for each album, ala Steely Dan. The band made its musical shift to more technofunk and sampling after its move to Chicago. I've got great memories of his occasional returns to Hawaii during the 11 years I lived there--one time the entire band (6 or 7 people at the time) piled into a little coffee shop by the University of Hawaii and played a whole acoustic set there, I think after the second album (CD, whatever) came out. Which reminds me, their first three albums are all great, though I think their third one (Volo Volo) is probably the most polished and accessible for mainland folks.
Posted 21 years ago by ludwig7    [ Reply ]
Fabulous song! (even Better live!) More early and mid PDP!
Posted 21 years ago by Uncle_Flip    [ Reply ]
I was so glad to hear this song this morning! I only found RP about 6 weeks ago and this is the first Poi Dog I have heard. How about adding their cover of \"I had to tell you\" from the \"Fruitless\" CD? Thanks for providing such a great soundtrack to my day.
Posted 21 years ago by janehobbit    [ Reply ]
Yea, brings me back too... back when I was doing a world music radio show in Napa, CA... for some reason, I played Poi Dog Pondering in between Youssou N\'Dour and Dead Can Dance. Stretching the meaning of the phrase \"world music,\" yes, but Poi Dog Pondering just worked in that context, and it works in THIS context. You\'ve sent me to Google to find out what\'s up with them....
Posted 22 years ago by mfassett    [ Reply ]
Thanks for the Poi!
Posted 22 years ago by camarkim    [ Reply ]
Quite likeable...
Posted 22 years ago by BC_Night_Heron    [ Reply ]
Please keep up the Poi Dog Pondering! What a great band...they\'ve covered a lot of musical ground since they formed & while not all of it works, they should be heard. -- Thanks Bill
Posted 22 years ago by Videll    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by pazzat: I've never heard of these guys before, and know nothing about them. Are they Jonathan Richman's cousins?
Yes, they could be. I was thinking of Jonathan Richman too, listening to this. But I don't know anything else of them, 'till now.
Posted 22 years ago by Johray63    [ Reply ]
One of my favorite songs, from one of my favorite bands. They've changed a lot since this song, but they're still good. I especially like this song because it sums up the whole Austin attitude of those days, which led to Richard Linklater's wonderfully goofy film, "Slacker." (Frank Orral, poi dog's lead singer, is in "Slacker" -- he's the guy who turns down the free newspaper and then loses his money in the newspaper vending machine.)
Posted 22 years ago by tawanda    [ Reply ]
Wow! Poi Dog on RadioParadise! You made my day. Anything off their self-titled first album would be fantastic, too. And don't miss the reincarnation of Poi Dog, featured on the All Songs Considered CD: The Garden, by Palm Fabric Orchestra. I knew it was them without even looking!
Posted 22 years ago by haoleboy    [ Reply ]