August 24 - Harlem Roulette

God, this song is an engine. From the jangly guitar to the description of the city, to the rapid pressing motion of the narrative and the lyrics.

And god, what lyrics. "The loneliest people in the whole wide world are the ones you're never going to see again".

This to me is a song about the indelibility of ephemeral content. These songs went out into the world and they lasted on wax and tape but most of all they lasted in people's heads.

John Darnielle has this tremendous gift for capturing the last moments of people who died too soon, giving them greater life past what the world allowed.

oh, and a couple of extras. A beautiful live version recorded by the Hudson:

and of course Seabreeze by Frankie Lymon