Thursday, August 25, 2011

Cows with Guns - Dana Lyons - music with humor

Dana Lyons rocks.

Well, he's excellent anyway, funny, funny guy. He has a great sense of humor.


How can you forget, once you hear "Cows with Guns", the magnificent vision of those cluckers flying (riding?) in choppers over the hill tops with guns a blazing, coming to rescue their poor bovine brothers? "Cows with Guns" was #1 For The Year on Dr. Demento, #2 on Australian Country Charts, 10 months on Seattle’s Top 40, 6 months on Ireland’s Top 40. Ireland, now that's the big time. Go figure huh, Ireland... cows... guns....



The video of "Cows with Guns" on YouTube (cartoon) and another version of Cows with Guns (Claymation).

We need more humor in the world. Dana gives us a fresh way to look at things and I for one, greatly appreciate it. I need more lightheartedness in life. Have you looked around lately? Life has been tough, and it may be a while before anything lightens up. So any chance at taking few moments to enjoy, smile, grimmace at bad puns, I'm there.


According to Wikipedia: "He is known for his environmentalist song "Our State Is a Dumpsite", which was actually the subject of a serious proposal in the Washington legislature during the 1980s to be made the official state song. He went on to perform music for the environmental group Earth First! and to record an album of children's music, At Night They Howl at the Moon, and more recently, he has moved from folk music into alternative rock with the album Cows With Guns."

What a guy, huh?

If you want to check him out in concert, take a look at his calendar, he's next scheduled to be in Port Angeles 0n September 16th at 7:30PM (Price: $12 / $10 for Friends Members). For Oregon, Salem in October.

According to his web site, Two of Dana’s songs have been made into award-winning illustrated books: Cows With Guns, published by Penguin (winner of the Bullitzer Prize), and The Tree, published by Illumination Arts. The Tree was endorsed by Dr. Jane Goodall, has forwards by Pete Seeger and Julia Butterfly Hill and has won numerous awards.


Dana’s songs have been re-recorded by many artists, but perhaps his highest honor as a songwriter came when Pete Seeger called him to get the music for Dana’s song “I am an Animal.” Dana has shared the stage with many notable performers including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Pete Sears of Jefferson Starship, Stephen Stills, River Phoenix, Nickel Creek, Country Joe McDonald, Utah Phillips and John Trudell.

Dana was born in Kingston, New York. He graduated from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. He lives in a nice garage in Bellingham, Washington, with his cat Oliver. His astrological sign is Taurus.

What a guy....

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