Shooting Stars

was out soaking in the Tub of Hotness just now (which is absofuckinglutely awesome when it's this cold out), and it occurred to me that it has been a long time since I saw a shooting star. I used to sit out there and tell myself "Okay, I'll get out when I see a shooting star". And I would usually see one within a few minutes. Which was really cool.

Now, everyone knows that shooting stars are God's brain cells exploding. Which makes sense - meteor showers happen on nights when God really feels the need to tie one on. The fact that they only happen a few times a year shows what restraint the Big Guy has, considering his responsibilities.




Anyhoo, thinking about shooting stars got me thinking about Bob Dylan. Huh? you ask? Well, one of my favorite Dylan albums, Oh Mercy, has a track called Shooting Star. As with all of the tracks on this album, the lyrics just cut to the bone.

Once again the world conspires to force me to review my shortcomings as a human being. And that's OK.


I could not find a decent video of Bob playing this song. But I encourage you to read the lyrics. And you can get a used copy of the whole CD for $2 plus shipping.

Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of you.
You were trying to break into another world
A world I never knew.
I always kind of wondered
If you ever made it through.
Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of you.

Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of me.
If I was still the same
If I ever became what you wanted me to be
Did I miss the mark or
Over-step the line
That only you could see?
Seen a shooting star tonight
And I thought of me.

Listen to the engine, listen to the bell
As the last fire truck from hell
Goes rolling by, all good people are praying,
It's the last temptation
The last account
The last time you might hear the sermon on the mount,
The last radio is playing.

Seen a shooting star tonight
Slip Away.
Tomorrow will be another day.
Guess it's too late to say the things to you
That you needed to hear me say.
Seen a shooting star tonight
Slip away.

Edit: I was driving to work the morning after writing this post and a song by Harper Simon (son of Paul Simon)came on the radio. The song is called - you guessed it - Shooting Star. And the last two lines of the refrain are "Someday, you'll find out who you are. Someday, you'll be more than just a shooting star."

Weird.