Saturday 9

 

Saturday 9: That's So True (2024)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 
1) In this song, Gracie Abrams can't stop thinking about her ex. Who is on your mind this morning? The Chicago Cubs, who are moving on in the NLDS! I'm delighted and surprised by how good they have been this season, and October baseball is the best. Go, Cubs, Go!

 

2) She wonders if she should warn his new girl about him. Think of the last time someone offered you advice. Did you take it? No. It was from one of my new managers on duty at the card shop. She told me I should encourage people who are just buying a card to also buy something else. I'm not going to do it. Someone who is only buying a card only wants a card. They'll be annoyed with me if I get all pushy and salesgirly with them. 

3) She concludes her old boyfriend wasn't worthy of her love and attention, and now sees him as "just another dude." What is something you regret spending time on? (It doesn't have to be a romance.) I have a love-hate relationship with lazy days. First I look forward to an empty calendar as an opportunity to relax and recharge, then later I chastise myself for wasting time I could have spent on chores and bringing order to my life.

 

4) On July 31, Gracie Abrams performed at Lollapalooza in Chicago. More than 100,000 attended the first day of the outdoor festival. It was sunny and 79º. Describe your perfect day (weatherwise). Yeah, sunny and 79º sounds pretty perfect.

 

5) Gracie's father is J.J. Abrams, perhaps best known for directing the 2009 Star Trek movie and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Would you rather watch Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Trek. It tends to be quieter and easier to sleep through. I really don't like sci-fi.

6) She is very much a 21st century artist in that she doesn't rely on radio to introduce her music to her fans, often sharing demos on TikTok. Do you watch, or create content for, TikTok? Nope.

7) In 2024, when "That's So True" was released, Madonna set a record. Her free concert in Brazil drew the largest audience (1.6 million) ever. What's your favorite Madonna song? I really cannot stand Madonna, except for this song. This is lovely.

 

8) Also in 2024, former President Jimmy Carter died. In addition to his work in politics and philanthropy, Mr. Carter wrote more than 30 books. Who wrote the last book you finished? I finished a cozy mystery by MC Beaton around Labor Day. Since then I have been ploughing my way through John Farrell's 750 page biography of Richard Nixon. I'm glad this book and I found one another now. Right now it's early 1972. Nixon and Kissinger are each "secretly" worried the other is crazy. They were both under enormous pressure, with China and Russia and Pakistan and India and, of course, Vietnam. On top of all that, they were worried about re-election. Because of the stress and their own substantial personal flaws, they have been making bad decisions and soon will make historically worse ones. I keep telling myself that if this nation was strong enough to survive Nixon and Kissinger and Vietnam, we may just be strong enough to survive the current administration.

9) Random question: What sound stresses you out? I hate the sound of cardboard scraping against cardboard. We get many shipments at the card shop and opening and breaking down the boxes often makes my skin crawl.