See The Stars Tonight

I've been waiting for a sign from the heavens to share with you one of my all-time favorite songs, and what better time than tonight, when the annual Leonid meteor showers take place? I can't say I know much about astronomy (but I do know that one and one is two), although I did take an astronomy class in college. I remember writing my term paper on the dud comet Kohoutek because I liked the R.E.M. song by that name, and I remember laughing hard when the nice but nerdy prof took us out to an observatory and let us spy on the heavens and a student got all excited because she could see the stars "twinkle." "No, that's just the refineries around Gary you're seeing." Another time, the same girl asked why the rings around Saturn were made of ice. "Because they're umpteen trillion miles away from the sun," the professor informed her and us. I can still hear her "Oh" echoing off the concrete and metal walls of the observatory.

Around this time of year in 2001 I remember taking a thirty minute drive out into the country to see what was promised to be the best meteor shower show in decades. I couldn't believe the amount of people out and about and looking up at four in the morning. It was cold, but the show was amazing and well worth it. Anyway, this being November in Cleveland, clouds will probably obscure the celestial fireworks, but they say the pre-dawn hours will be the prime viewing time, so I just might get myself out of bed an hour early. I've got my first three wishes ready for the first three shooting stars I see: 1). a happy 21st birthday for my nephew 2). that Sarah Palin's book, which comes out tomorrow, becomes the quickest book to be remaindered in the history of publishing and 3). that a speck of stardust falls on me and singes me benignly but enough to be able to call in sick and go back to bed and then get to be a guest on George Noory's Coast to Coast AM radio show tomorrow night. After those wishes are taken care of, I'm open, as always, to suggestions/comments.

But the song. Part of me wants to keep it a secret because it's a song I never hear or read anyone talking about and it's nice to think I'm the only one who appreciates it, but it's too beautiful to keep all to myself: "Have You Seen The Stars Tonite" by Paul Kantner and David Crosby. It appeared on Kantner's first solo album, Blows Against The Empire, in 1970 under the name Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship, years before the Jefferson Airplane officially changed their name to Jefferson Starship. It's gorgeous. Rumbling piano, rudimentary space sound effects, beautiful ensemble vocals, jaunty acoustic guitars,and some nice pedal guitar, from Jerry Garcia, I'm pretty sure. It's such a warm, welcoming song. Enjoy it, and get to sleep early and get up early and look up.

Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship-Have You Seen The Stars Tonite