YouTube, Evolution, XNPR, and Chris Smither

Today I heard an interview with Chris Smither on the Bob Edwards show on XNPR.

Remember "Morning Edition" with Bob Edwards on regular ol' NPR?

Well he's living well and prospering on XNPR on XM radio.

Alaska doesn't get XM (bastard spherical Earth) but I subscribe to The Bob Edwards Show on Audible.com.

Apparently Chris Smither has been finger-picking and writing songs and singing since the 1960's but no one ever bothered to tell me. You'd think in 40 years he'd have had time to send a postcard, but noooooo.

He's fantastic, a very clever lyricist and a great guitar player. His style is a cross between Bob Dylan and Randy Newman.

Couple of fun facts:

On-stage they mic his feet. His boot-tapping provide the percussion for the songs.

He's done several Bob Dylan covers over the years. His newest is "Visions of Johanna" but instead of 4/4 time, he does it in 6/8 time. I wouldn’t have known the reason for the difference but you can hear it and it works perfectly.

Your mission: go to www.youtube.com and search for "Chris Smither."

Then click on "Origin of Species," sit back, turn up the volume on your speakers and hit "play."

Oh, and it goes by kind of quickly the first time through so here are the lyrics.

If you have a slow-speed connection, disapprove of YouTube on moral or ethical grounds, disapprove of accepting my missions because of injuries or incarcerations incurred last time you did so, or if you are just plain lazy then read the lyrics anyway.

You'll have to admit they are clever.

Origin of Species

by Chris Smither

from the album "Leave the Light On," 2006.

Well Eve told Adam
"Snakes, I've had 'em!
Let's get out of here
go raise this family someplace out of town."
They left the garden just in time
with the landlord cussing right behind
they headed east and finally settled down.

One thing lead to another
a bunch of sons, one killed his brother.
They kicked him out with nothing but his clothes
The human race survives
cuz those brothers all found wives
But where they came from aint nobody knows.

Then came the flood, go figure,
just like New Orleans, only bigger.
No one who couldn't swim would make it through.
Well the lucky ones were on a boat
think "circus" and then make it float
and hope nobody pulls the plug on you.

How they fed that crowd is a mystery
it aint down in the history
but it's a cinch they didn’t live on cakes and jams.
Lions don’t eat cabbage
and in spite of that old adage
you'll never see one lie down with a lamb.

Well Charlie Darwin
looked so far in
to the way things are.
He caught a glimpse of God's unfolding plan.
God said "I'll make some DNA,
they can use it anyway
they want, from paramecium right up to man.

"They'll have sex and mix up sections
of the code, they'll have mutations.
The whole thing works like clockwork over time.
I'll just sit back in the shade
while everyone gets laid
that's what I call 'intelligent design.'"

Yeah, you and your cat named Felix
you're both wrapped up in that double helix.
That's what we call intelligent design.