I’m writing this early (on Wednesday) because we’re going to Jazz Fest on Friday. Should I have said we went yesterday? No, that makes me sound like a time traveler.

I have mixed feelings about Jazz Fest. For me, it’s like an ex-girlfriend you once loved passionately then broke up with but remained friends even though you don’t like what they’ve become. Most people either love or hate Jazz Fest. I’m in the muddy middle but I try not to harsh anyone’s festival buzz. Oh well, what the hell.

One more Jazz Fest note. I’m known to be a hardcore Who fan. Hell, this feature is named for one of their albums. I did not attend the day The Who played the festival. They were such an important part of my youth, that the thought of seeing Roger at 78 and Pete at 76 perform makes me feel old, old, old.

I understand The Who looked and sounded good, but I prefer to remember their glory days when I saw them 20+ times in a decade. Oddly enough, I miss John Entwistle’s playing more than Keith Moon’s. Sorry, Kyle.

Aimee Mann and Michael Lockwood wrote this week’s theme song for the soundtrack of Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 movie Magnolia. That’s one story. The other is that they wrote it for Aimee’s 2000 album Bachelor No. 2. The sources are unclear and so am I.

Here’s Driving Sideways for your listening pleasure.

Next up, another song called Driving Sideways. It’s an old blues song. This version is by John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers with future Rolling Stone Mick Taylor on lead guitar. Mick shreds it.

Before we drive on to our second act, here’s a driving song with a driving beat by Mott The Hoople:

Another Mick, Ralphs, shreds on that tune.

We begin our second act in earnest with a song about someone’s mother, not their sister. It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow, after all.

Fear Of Flying 2022-style: Molly Jong-Fast is an Atlantic staff writer with a famous mother, Erica Jong who wrote the groundbreaking novel Fear Of Flying.

Erica Jong was a second wave feminist who lamented the failures and shortcomings of her generation with one exception:

“We may have made a lot of mistakes, but at least we gave you Roe.”

Erica Jong was proven wrong by Sam the Sham Alito & the Federalist Society Pharaohs. They can still go Bork themselves.

Her daughter Molly tells us that her mother was wrong in a terrific piece that you can read if you click on this link.

Can you handle more Mott? You have no choice. Those are your mother’s wishes.

Make It Not Suck: Michelle Gotthelf used to be a big shot at the New York Post. There’s a swell article at NY Magazine’s The Cut by Angelina Chapin that poses this question, Is She a Bully or Did She Just Work for the New York Post?

FYI, the segment title is what the former editor said when asking a writer to revise a piece. Words to live by.

The last word of our second act goes to the Rolling Stones. It was the sole song with suck in the title that doesn’t suck.

We begin our third act with our favorite stolen feature.

Separated At Birth Casting Edition: My position on General/President Grant is well known. I think he’s the greatest general in American history and one of our most underrated presidents. He’s often been depicted as a sloppy drunk. These portrayals were somewhat more dignified.

The compilers of the list forgot about William Mims in an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, The South Rises Again. An odd title for an episode featuring General Grant but it was a show for bucolic boobs, after all.

I recall some of the plot twists but they’re too dumb to delve into here. Suffice it to say that Granny developed an unlikely crush on Uly who she thought had come back to life. I told you it was stupid.

Here’s the episode via the YouTube:

Poor General/President Grant. Who the hell wants to hang out with Jethro Bodine?

Let’s try and class things up with some Jethro Tull:

The Movie List: I use an expansive definition of road movies for this list. Why the hell not? It’s my party and I’ll be expansive if I want to.

My Top Ten Favorite Road Trip Movies

1.    The Wizard Of Oz
2.    Sullivan’s Travels
3.    Harry and Tonto
4.    It Happened One Night
5.    Stranger Than Paradise
6.    Little Miss Sunshine
7.    Midnight Run
8.   They Live By Night
9.   Thelma & Louise
10.   National Lampoon’s Vacation

My favorite part of The Wizard Of Oz is when the wicked witch meets her maker, and the Munchkins celebrate. What’s not to love about a song written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg? It was good enough for Ella Fitzgerald and Billy May to record.

The Best Of Johnny: We all miss Betty White. Here she is on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1977.

Ready to hit the road again?

Saturday GIF Horse: This week, GIFs from It Happened One Night and Sullivan’s Travels.

Mmm, ham, eggs, and Claudette Colbert’s legs.

Tweet Of The Week: Declan MacManus dba Elvis Costello is in town to play Jazz Fest. He made an album with the late Allen Toussaint after Katrina. EC paid a visit to the street that used to be named for Robert E. Lee:

It’s about time. Had to see it with my own eyes. The other road ran out. ⁦@jazzfest⁩ ⁦@dirtydozenbrass⁩ ⁦@preshallband⁩ ⁦@ElvisCostello⁩ ⁦@JoeHenryMusic⁩ pic.twitter.com/KhhuOyosKU

— Elvis Costello (@ElvisCostello) May 3, 2022

Here are Allen and Elvis with the latter looking almost as dapper as the former.

Let’s close down this virtual honky tonk with some more music.

Weekly Vintage Video: This song wasn’t a big hit for Todd, but the video is a nice bit of filmmaking.

That’s all for this week. The last word goes to Art Carney and Tonto the cat in the #3 movie on the road trip list.