"I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by PAWA

 

On this day in history, American colonists went to Griffin's Wharf in Boston, and, in an act of defiance against British imposition of taxes without Parliamentary representation, dumped north of 300 chests of tea into the harbor.

Having already used covers by the bands Mad Tea Party and Harbor Party, the best song to mark the occasion would have to be Quincy, Massachusetts Celt punk band Dropkick Murphys' 2004 regaling of a peg leg hunting excursion "I'm Shipping Up to Boston."

Here's a cover version by Belarusian band PAWA, that is a full 130% badassed.

Medieval electronic folk metal?  Yes, please.

For a cover by Dropkick Murphys, their version of "Fortunate Son" can be found here.

"Fortunate Son" by Dropkick Murphys

 

I'm sure I've given James Bell some awful birthday presents over the years.

There was one time, though.... in my early teens.... that I know I hit it out of the park.

A late-night infomercial for a six or seven cassette collection of ultra-prolific swamp rockers Creedence Clearwater Revival aired one Sunday morning after the closing credits of Saturday Night Live.  I called the order in that night, because "operators were standing by."

For years after I presented him with these tapes, they were the only thing that he listened to. 

On long road trips, we'd pop the first installment into the tape deck of his Econoline (at least I think it was an Econoline.  It was a van.  With a tape deck.) and listen reel to reel before repeating the process with tape two.  And three.  And four.

I thought it would be fitting to select a CCR song for his birthday.  And what better one than "Fortunate Son?"  Because, if you don't listen to the lyrics, the title sounds like a guy who had a pretty great Dad.  Like me.

I'm pretty sure he'll dislike the Celt-punk execution by Quincy, Massachusetts band Dropkick Murphys.  But, eh.  Consider it another crappy birthday present.

Happy Birthday, Old Man!