From ANDRAS JONES: As we come to the close of our Pop Oracle session with DON HEFFINGTON and DOMENIC GENOVA we start with a glimpse into the songs that initially inspired Don as a child growing up in a musical family before digging into his question about a potential return to New York City. With an answer like “Ave. C” the connections are kind of obvious and it leads us into a wonderful ramble through Don (& Dom’s) connections with , among others, Tom Waits, Lowell George, Fred Tackett, Jimmy Webb, Jon Brion & Bob Neuwirth with whom Don is doing a gig at McCabes in Santa Monica on July 15th.

It was a blast hanging with Don and his cool friends. I love the songs and the synchronicity but the thing that’s going to stick with me most is the easy rhythm and tone of his speaking voice, which isn’t far from his singing voice actually. I can see why he’d be good on a tour, with all those hours in the vehicle or waiting around backstage. Some people’s voices (like mine) can agitate while others (like Don’s) just put you at ease. A drummer who talks softly and “carries a big stick” is always going to have a gig, and now that you know he’s not just the man behind the drums but a poetic songwriter worth listening to on his own terms, I know you’ll be checking out his solo albums at the links provided.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcPNsaKETiM

AVE C

THE USUAL OBSTACLES, THE TYPICAL SLOGS

I WAS TOSSED IN A PIT FULL OF MENACING DOGS

THEN SOLD INTO SLAVERY FOR A TEN DOLLAR NOTE

SURROUNDED BY POSSUMS AND SUCKLED BY GOATS

I WAS TIED TO A ROCK OVERLOOKING THE THAMES

SWEPT INTO THE RIVER AND FISHED OUT AGAIN

ACCUSED OF ADULTERY BY A WELL KNOWN HARLOT

and BURNED AT THE STAKE BY NORTH AFRICAN PIRATES

BUT AS FATE DEEMED APPROPRIATE, DOWN CAME THE RAINS

BLINDING MY CAPTORS AND DOUSING THE FLAMES

AND DROWNING THE HARLOT WHO CALLED OUT MY NAME

THAT”S NOTHING UNUSUAL, IT’S MORE OF THE SAME

THEN I LAID AROUND MEMPHIS FOR A COUPLE A WEEKS

TOO EXHAUSTED TO STAND AND TOO EDGY TO SPEAK

TO HUNGRY TO THINK AND TOO TIRED TO PRAY

WITH NO PLACE TO GO AND YET NO PLACE TO STAY

AND TO ADD TO LIFES’S NUMERABLE PETTY FRUSTRATIONS

I WAS STRANDED FER HOURS IN THE LOCAL TRAIN STATION

BEFORE SETTING OFF TO SQUANDER THE SEASONS

IN THE CITIES THAT BLANKET THE NORTH EASTERN REGIONS

XXX AS WE FINALLY SET OFF WITH GREAT JUBILATION

XXX IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF PENNSYLVANIA STATION

XXX I RECALLED HOW MY FATHER HAD PASSED ON THIS THOUGHT:

XXX “A FOOL IS A FOOL, THEY DON’T VARY A LOT”.

WITH AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE AND DWINDLING RESERVES

OLD SCRAPES OF PAPER AND OVERWROUGHT NERVES

I SAW HER BEFORE ME HER FOOT ON THE STAIR

HER HAND ON THE RAILING, THE WIND IN HER HAIR

WELL, IT SEEMED THAT I’D SEEN HER ONE TIME IN L.A.

AT SOME LOCAL ART GATHERING OR SOME MISERABLE PLAY

PERHAPS IN CHICAGO OR MAYBE A DREAM

BUT DREAMS ARE BEYOND ME, WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY MEAN?

XXX OFF IN THE DISTANCE A SLOW MOVING TRAIN

XXX ALL COVERED WITH HOBOS ALL DRENCHED WITH THE RAIN

XXX TRYING TO BELIEVE THAT IT WASN’T IN VAIN

XXX NOTHING UNUSUAL, MORE OF THE SAME

AS I WENT OUT WALKING ONE EVENING SO FAIR

I SPIED A YOUNG JAYBIRD CIRCLING THE AIR

COME HITHER YOUNG JAYBIRD AND SIT ON MY KNEE

AND WE’LL WATCH THE SUNRISE OVER AVE. C

NO I WOULDN’T COME HITHER TO A ROUNDER LIKE THEE

FOR YE MAY TAKE VENGEANCE ON A POOR BIRD LIKE ME

AND LEAVE ME LIKE PAPA…DOWN 6 FEET BELOW

I SAID “HEY HOLD ON, TAKE IT EASY THERE CROW”

“YOU KNOW, MANY HAVE LIVED HERE LIKE MANY BEFORE

THEY’VE WALKED THE SAME HALLWAYS AND SWEPT THE SAME FLOORS

THEY FOUGHT THE SAME BATTLES WITH VARIED RESOURCE

AND THEY’VE SOUGHT THE SAME PLEASURES FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES

THEY’VE MARRIED, DIVORCED AND THE KIDS HAVE LEFT HOME

SOME HAVE TAKEN TO BEDS THAT THEY LIE IN ALONE

LIVING IN LIMBO-DYING IN VAIN

HEY THAT’S NOTHING UNUSUAL-IT’S MORE OF THE SAME”