Grumpy Old Men Songs #5: I Can't Get Behind That

Two Grumpy Old Men for the price of one today! When I began this feature a few weeks back, I knew this would be an inevitable inclusion...

5. William Shatner & Henry Rollins - I Can't Get Behind That

I was never a huge Trekkie, but I've always had a lot of affection for William Shatner as an actor / performer who doesn't take himself too seriously. His musical career is often scoffed at, but I'd much rather listen to a William Shatner record than anything Bono ever set to wax.

In 2004 (when he was just 73 - a slip of a lad, really), the former James T. Kirk released his second solo album (following 1968's insanely trippy The Transformed Man)... and this is his masterpiece. Co-written and produced with Ben Folds, it features collaborations with Joe Jackson (their unmissable cover of Common People - almost better than the original), Aimee Mann, Brad Paisley... and Henry Rollins.

I defy you to find a bigger pair of Grumpy Old Men than you'll hear on this record...
I CAN get behind that!

BILL: I can't get behind the Gods, who are more vengeful, angry, and dangerous if you don't believe in them!
HENRY: Why can't all these Gods just get along? I mean, they're omnipotent and omnipresent, what's the problem?
BILL: What's the problem? What about the men who say 'Do as I do. Believe in what I say, for your own good, or I'll kill you!'? I can't get behind that!
HENRY: I can't get behind that! Everybody knows everything about all of us!
BILL: That's too much knowledge!
BOTH: I can't get behind that!

(Make sure you listen right to the very end too, when they ask Bill if he can do one more take. If I knew how to do such things, I'd make his reply into my ringtone.)



There's a good chance Bill Shatner will return in the Talky Songs feature very soon...