Available Now: Matt Watroba’s new album: The Far Si: The Si Kahn Funny Song Singalong Songbook
To order please go to https://www.mattwatroba.net/store
“I remember many years ago someone looking me straight in the eyes,” Si says, “telling me, ‘You are a very serious political songwriter.’”
What did Si say to that?
“I said, ‘Thank you so much. But don’t forget you’re talking to the person who wrote ‘Rubber Blubber Whale.’”
Now Si’s offside side is on full display in the new album by musician, songwriter and song leader Matt Watroba: The Far Si: The Si Kahn Funny Song Singalong Songbook, a collection of 11 songs, all with singable choruses, that will cause you to cover your eyes and say, “Please tell me Si Kahn didn’t write that.”
Believe it or not, Si did write 10 of the songs, including such alliterative semi-precious gems as “Pete’s Peaches” (hopefully honoring the late great Pete Seeger), “Will’s Will” and “Walt’s Waltz.” But it’s Matt Watroba who’s to blame for “Si’s Sigh.” Need we say more?
Matt’s a member of the Folk Alliance International DJ Hall of Fame, so he knows a good song when he hears one. But he also knows when he hears a truly bad song, such as Si’s “On the Air,” which unfortunately can’t be played on the air with its original FCC-disapproved language intact. Luckily, Matt came up with some remarkably creative bleeping on the chorus line “You Can’t Say xxxx On the Air.”
Then there’s the thought-provoking “Farewell Superior Sperm.” No, that’s not what it’s about – really, what were you thinking? It’s also not about white nationalists, the patriarchy or long discredited eugenics theories. The intelligent listener will immediately recognize that it’s based on stories by musician and novelist Scott Alarik about his family history, or at least what Scott claims is his family history, including how his great uncle Hendrik immigrated from Norway to the United States and launched the fresh water whaling industry on Lake Superior.
The perfect gift for someone you don’t get along with, The Far Si is actually available for sale. To purchase it and other Matt Watroba CDs and to learn about the wonderful rewards you can get for supporting this project (including a song written just for you by Si), please go to www.MattWatroba.net
Si himself composed the notes for each song:
Extended Track Notes by ANONYMOUS (it’s Si)
You Can’t Say **** On the Air: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (Minnesota), Si was in the green room with the awesome Robin and Linda Williams waiting to perform on Prairie Home Companion. Being the responsible sort, and of course desperately wanting to be invited back, he asked the producer what he should know. “Just don’t say **** on the air.” What else was Si supposed to do, but write this song right then and there in the green room while waiting to go on? Sadly, it’s never been played on the air – until now, thanks to Matt Watroba’s uncannily creative bleeping.
Walt’s Waltz: Yes, Virginia, there are military waltzes. Given that reality, you might well ask yourself why Si is so fond of writing waltzes. Want to know why? Because you can’t march off to war in ¾ time. Try it, but only in the privacy of your home with someone who loves you enough to forgive what an idiot you’ll make of yourself.
Will’s Will: Hey you know that old saying
“Where there’s a will,
there’s a way”? How’s that working
for you? Okay, that’s what I figured. What’s actually
the case is that where there’s
a will there’s a bill from your lawyer, usually for more than your total net worth. In this touching saga, our hero finds salvation
if not solvency during the altar
call in a Pentecostal church.
Farewell Superior Sperm: No, no, that’s not what it’s about at all – really, what were you thinking? It’s also not about white nationalists, the patriarchy or long discredited eugenics theories. The intelligent listener will immediately recognize that it’s based on stories by musician and novelist Scott Alarik about his family history, or at least what Scott claims is his family history, including how his great uncle Hendrik immigrated from Norway to the United States and launched the fresh water whaling industry on Lake Superior.
Minnesota Magic: A different long time ago, but in the same galaxy, Si had the extraordinary honor of being in Minneapolis-St. Paul on the coldest day of the century, 100 degrees below zero to be exact. Okay, that includes the wind chill, but it was still really, really cold. Si’s friends were wonderful, going far out of their way to completely terrify him with what could happen and what he needed to do to survive the day (example: keep blinking rapidly so your eyeballs don’t freeze). Lesson: If you’re going to Minnesota, do that in mid-summer, which takes place from 10 am to 4 pm on Thursday, July 14th.
Did Juneau?: Si spent much of the last 10 years as the Lead Organizer for Musicians United To Protect Bristol Bay, an international network of musicians working to stop the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska, which if built will almost certainly destroy the world’s richest remaining wild salmon fishery. One cold January as part of that campaign he arrived in Juneau to perform at the Alaska Folk Festival. Wanting to show respect to the folks/folkies who’d brought him there by playing some local songs, he asked, “What’s the Juneau national anthem?” “We don’t have one. Juneau isn’t a country, it’s a city.” “Okay, what’s your municipal national anthem?” Silence. “Okay, what do you call people from Juneau?” “We call them ‘people from Juneau.’” Si knew the forces of the universe were counting on him to write this song.
Pete’s Peaches: Si once said to Pete Seeger, “You know, you shouldn’t be charging people to come hear you sing. They should charge you.” Pete hmmmmed, always sweetly polite even when confronted with the kind of weird person who might, let’s say, write songs like “Farewell Superior Sperm.” “Why would you think that?” “Because the audience is doing the work. You strum one chord, stick your arm in the air, and they sing the song to you. Where is the justice in that?” Or, for that matter, in this song.
Gate And Stray: What can farm animals tell us about the need for unity and solidarity among peoples of all races, religions, genders, transgenders, national origins, sexual orientations and weird tastes in music? Not much, actually. Si wrote this song within hours of meeting the brilliant young Appalachian musician Sam Gleaves and being overwhelmed by how tall Sam is. Now that Sam and Si have been deep friends and co-conspirators for many years, perhaps Sam will forgive him.
Is It Love?: Many of have asked ourselves: Am I truly in love? Are these extraordinary feelings I’m having – weak knees, shaky hands, shivers, pounding heart, dry throat — mean I’ve finally found the one I want to spend the rest of my life with? Or am I just about to get really, really sick?
One Little Sip: This song was once titled “Three Old Jokes.: Why, you might well ask. Well please don’t tell anyone, but one night long ago Si was watching the Jackie Gleason Show. Yes, we know, we know, this is not exactly the image you have of Si. But he really really was watching the Jackie Gleason show, and Jackie told these three old – in fact, very old – jokes. What else was Si supposed to do?
Si’s Sigh: Matt Watroba’s kindness and generosity in writing this heartful tribute to Si’s lifetime of working and singing for a better, gentler, more just world are palpable. It’s not in the song, but at this moment Si is sighing with relief that it’s not the total roasting he really deserves.