Adventures In The (Pig) Skin Trade On Super Bowl Sunday

Roving Notes On Super Bowl Sunday
2/3/08

"There is some kind of back-door connection in my head between Super Bowls and The Allman Brothers--a strange kind of theme-sound that haunts these goddamn stories no matter where I'm finally forced into a corner to write them."
                                                  --Hunter S. Thompson

...A few notes written during Super Bowl Forty Two...

During the Fox pre-game show, they played a clip from The Black Crowes' "P.25 London", but not during a commercial--considering the Crowes frown upon corporate sponsorship. R.E.M's "I Am Superman" played during a Toyota commercial. The non-southern but beautiful Alicia Keys performed a medley of her hits. Grey skies hang over the Atlanta sky...a light rain falls...the air feels pleasant, nothing like last week's high-teens...

Willie Nelson and the striking Sara Evans performed "Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys". The Allman Brothers Band's "Ain't Wastin' Time" played during another pre-game segment. I saw the beautiful Victoria's Secret girl--who starred in Dylan's VS commercial--Adrianna Lima...I also heard a version of "Que Sera, Sera", but not the good one by Sly Stone.

Before the game, I called Luther Dickinson, who was riding on his tour bus 1,700 miles from last night's gig in Chicago to Tuesday's gig in Idaho. I'll be interviewing his father Jim Dickinson later this month. Look for Luther's periodic Swampland contributions to begin soon.

Today I also spoke with acclaimed Texas musician James McMurtry regarding an interview we'll do late next week. As if that's not enough, on Thursday, I'll interview my old friend, Widespread Panic drummer Todd Nance.

...As I began writing this, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' brilliant Jacksonville-native guitarist Mike Campbell tears up his solo on "Running Down A Dream". Petty & The Heartbreakers played "American Girl", "I Won't Back Down", "Freefallin'" and "Running Down A Dream". The ol' heart swelled with pride to see southern boy Tom Petty entertaining 150 million people live at the biggest game of the year.

For those of you keeping an eye on the Presidential race, here's a glimpse into where Hillary watched the Super Bowl. Tomorrow, Monday, surviving members of the Grateful Dead play a show in San Francisco in support of Obama...American history hangs in the balance during this upcoming year...

The New York Giants just upset the undefeated New England Patriots 17-14. By the time you read this, you'll know the outcome to the mystery at the end this Super Bowl screed...

James Calemine
JCalemine@swampland.com

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