COMMENTARY

This CD offers a large helping of celebrity satire, with forays into both the Animal Kingdom and the Kingdom of Love. The title comes from the English hymn “All Things Bright And Beautiful” (words written in 1848 by Cecil F. Alexander). The first verse goes like this:

“All things bright and beautiful / All creatures great and small /
All things wise and wonderful / The Lord God made them all.”

The phrase “All creatures great and small” has additionally been used as the title of a book by James Herriot (1972), a film with Anthony Hopkins (1974), and a British TV series (1978). It’s also the name of an animal sanctuary in Wales, an animal hospital in Massachusetts, and a center for wildlife rehabilitation in Maryland. And as if that wasn’t enough, the line “All creatures great and small” is included in one of my songs (‘Earth People’).

Although half the songs on this album were written in the five month period from September, 2006 to February, 2007, the foundation of the CD began thirty years ago (1977). Back in the old days I had a weekly one-hour show at a hippie hangout called Stone Soup Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts. The store-front space was a combination art gallery and poetry center that catered to working class locals who scorned mainstream society. I performed songs and satire, writing a new show on a new topic at least once a month. Subjects ranged from Politics to Religion to Economics. By far my most popular show was “Animals”, which included the tune ‘Mouse Song’.

As a result, I could hardly do a gig without somebody calling out “Do the Mouse Song”, “Do the Mouse Song”. I complied for awhile, yet in order to avoid being typecast as a singer of sentimental rodent material, I quit singing it. But now ‘Mouse Song’ is back, surrounded by a variety of creatures, critters, and show-business folderol.

Last but not least, I especially want to thank the following for their contributions:

Becca Leathers... Harmony on ‘Oprah’.
Katy Hays ……. Harmony and obligato on ‘Hymn To Jesus’.
Dennis Curley … Harmony on ‘Hymn To Jesus’, as well as help with the
song’s vocal arrangements.
Matthew Zimmerman ….. Percussion. Sound Engineer (Wild Sound Studio,
Minneapolis).
Gerard Boissy ………… Graphic design. Guitar on ‘Randy Jackson’.

I also wish to thank Leon Ross and Madora Minor for being my friend. Leon was the inspiration for the song 'Black Sheep' (#9). Madora was the inspiration for the song 'Rhododendron Poppy' (#20). Check out the SONG LIST for more information.

All of the songs were written, sung, arranged, and accompanied by Eskit (me!). I mostly play piano on the album, but there’s also some synthesizer and kazoo. People have told me I’m really great on kazoo, but word is they were just being sarcastic. Thanks for listening!