I shot a man in Weeno, just to watch him die..
July 31, 2009 8:22 AM Subscribe
Why, that boy ain't never kilt nobody!
posted by cmoj at 8:36 AM on July 31, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by cmoj at 8:36 AM on July 31, 2009 [3 favorites]
I had two distinct thoughts about this: first, that he reminds me of that little guy that they brought on to "Diff'rent Strokes" when the rates started to slip. Second, that he's way too young to be singing a song that includes a lyric about shooting a man just to watch him die.
posted by parilous at 8:38 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by parilous at 8:38 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
Wesley's rhythm and guitar technique is pretty good, and points for remembering the lyrics, for sure. Melodic sense, though, not so much. I'm serious, too. I've heard 5-year-olds who can nail a melody. Kid needs to work on that.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:38 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:38 AM on July 31, 2009
I find this a little creepy.
posted by ryanshepard at 8:39 AM on July 31, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by ryanshepard at 8:39 AM on July 31, 2009 [2 favorites]
er... RATINGS, not rates. Yikes. Must've been thinking about Dana Plato there. (I KEED!)
posted by parilous at 8:39 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by parilous at 8:39 AM on July 31, 2009
I find David after the Dentist both creepier and funnier, in the my-kid-is-obviously-in-distress-let's-tape-it-for-the-internets sense of funny.
posted by Dr Dracator at 8:44 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by Dr Dracator at 8:44 AM on July 31, 2009
Check out this: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c02_1207015484
posted by shnarg at 8:45 AM on July 31, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by shnarg at 8:45 AM on July 31, 2009 [2 favorites]
He's very pitchy and he stumbles significantly on the timing on the way into the turnaround line and oh who am I kidding, that's fucking adorable.
posted by cortex at 8:47 AM on July 31, 2009 [5 favorites]
posted by cortex at 8:47 AM on July 31, 2009 [5 favorites]
What's with the fuckin' haircut?
posted by gman at 8:49 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by gman at 8:49 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
I was reminded of the elephant that paints a self portrait. "whoa! That is astounding! So cool! Wait, how many times did his trainer have to whip the shit out of him in order to train him to do that?"
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 8:52 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 8:52 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
With a haircut like that, Wesley might as well be named Sue.
posted by Nelson at 8:59 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by Nelson at 8:59 AM on July 31, 2009
"But I shot a man in Reno...just to watch him die"
He better come up with new lyrics before he gets to school, because singing that during show-and-tell will get an automatic expulsion and probably a trip to the local jail.
posted by wabashbdw at 9:01 AM on July 31, 2009
He better come up with new lyrics before he gets to school, because singing that during show-and-tell will get an automatic expulsion and probably a trip to the local jail.
posted by wabashbdw at 9:01 AM on July 31, 2009
A talented five-year-old can sure generate a lot of unsolicited hate. If this were your kid, you'd be bouncing off the walls.
posted by rahnefan at 9:04 AM on July 31, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by rahnefan at 9:04 AM on July 31, 2009 [2 favorites]
But probably you'd love him enough to cut that hair.
posted by rahnefan at 9:05 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by rahnefan at 9:05 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
You haters can just march right the fuck out of the auditorium... this is the true reason the internet was invented.
posted by not_on_display at 9:07 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by not_on_display at 9:07 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
No jury in the world's going to convict a child for killing a tune. Mmm... maybe Texas.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:08 AM on July 31, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:08 AM on July 31, 2009 [3 favorites]
He better come up with new lyrics before he gets to school
Folsom Elementary Rainbows:
When I was just a baby
My momma told me "Son
Always be a good boy
Go play and have some fun"
So I hugged a man in Reno
Just to watch him clap
When I hear that whistle blowin'
I rest my head and nap
posted by cortex at 9:08 AM on July 31, 2009 [31 favorites]
Folsom Elementary Rainbows:
When I was just a baby
My momma told me "Son
Always be a good boy
Go play and have some fun"
So I hugged a man in Reno
Just to watch him clap
When I hear that whistle blowin'
I rest my head and nap
posted by cortex at 9:08 AM on July 31, 2009 [31 favorites]
cortex you ain' getting all my favorites today, quit whorin' for im!
posted by cavalier at 9:10 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by cavalier at 9:10 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
He better come up with new lyrics before he gets to school, because singing that during show-and-tell will get an automatic expulsion and probably a trip to the local jail.
When I was just a baby my mama told me. Dude,
Always be a good boy, don't ever play with food.
But I used a glass in Reno just to smash a fry
When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry.
*sigh* why did I do that.
posted by BrotherCaine at 9:13 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
When I was just a baby my mama told me. Dude,
Always be a good boy, don't ever play with food.
But I used a glass in Reno just to smash a fry
When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry.
*sigh* why did I do that.
posted by BrotherCaine at 9:13 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
Damn you cortex *shakes fist*
posted by BrotherCaine at 9:14 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by BrotherCaine at 9:14 AM on July 31, 2009
rahnefan: "A talented five-year-old can sure generate a lot of unsolicited hate. If this were your kid, you'd be bouncing off the walls."
My daughter can play "Smoke On The Water" yet amazingly and to the astonishment of my rubbernecking friends, I have not videotaped it, sent it to American Idol and posted it on YouTube.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 9:15 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
My daughter can play "Smoke On The Water" yet amazingly and to the astonishment of my rubbernecking friends, I have not videotaped it, sent it to American Idol and posted it on YouTube.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 9:15 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
A talented five-year-old can sure generate a lot of unsolicited hate.
Is unsolicited praise ok?
posted by Nelson at 9:23 AM on July 31, 2009
Is unsolicited praise ok?
posted by Nelson at 9:23 AM on July 31, 2009
I know I'm not the only one who wonders why they haven't whisked that child off to a speech therapist, right?
posted by winna at 9:25 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by winna at 9:25 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
Speech therapy will be the least of his needs when his classmates find this video.
posted by srboisvert at 9:32 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by srboisvert at 9:32 AM on July 31, 2009
Speech therapy will be the least of his needs when his classmates find this video.
Dude, he shot a man. Just to watch him die. Nobody is going to fuck with him.
posted by uncleozzy at 9:39 AM on July 31, 2009 [5 favorites]
Dude, he shot a man. Just to watch him die. Nobody is going to fuck with him.
posted by uncleozzy at 9:39 AM on July 31, 2009 [5 favorites]
Yeah, yeah -- my five year old does an awesome version of 'I'm a little teapot, short and stout' -- accompanied by circuit bent Furby and unmodified Speak and Spell.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:49 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:49 AM on July 31, 2009
I find it hard to believe a 5 year old boy would have sufficient attention span to wait patiently while his victim bled to death from a bullet wound... unless, of course, it was a headshot.
posted by CynicalKnight at 9:57 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by CynicalKnight at 9:57 AM on July 31, 2009
It's not his fault this got online, and that could very well be what pushed him over the edge; you don't murder a random victim and then sing of teapots...or play the one song everyone learns in their first guitar lesson.
posted by rahnefan at 10:01 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by rahnefan at 10:01 AM on July 31, 2009
What is it with speech impediments being thought of as cute or adorable? Am I the only parent in the world that just shudders when kids are trained to talk that way?
posted by dejah420 at 10:05 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by dejah420 at 10:05 AM on July 31, 2009
Yo I think a few of you are being a little too demanding of child speech development. Durr.. first link I find for it here says normally you don't always get an 'r' sound till age 7. Exceptions on both sides of the aisle, but come on, he's 5!
posted by cavalier at 10:11 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by cavalier at 10:11 AM on July 31, 2009
What is it with speech impediments being thought of as cute or adorable? Am I the only parent in the world that just shudders when kids are trained to talk that way?
I think there's a big difference between thinking some emergent behavior in a kid is cute and actually making any effort to train that behavior into a kid. Speech development in childhood is an iterative, staged process (on preview, cavalier is on it) and while there may be a few degenerate parents out there who are actually trying to foster lisps or whatever in their kids, most are probably just cooing over what they recognize as typical childhood markers.
posted by cortex at 10:13 AM on July 31, 2009
I think there's a big difference between thinking some emergent behavior in a kid is cute and actually making any effort to train that behavior into a kid. Speech development in childhood is an iterative, staged process (on preview, cavalier is on it) and while there may be a few degenerate parents out there who are actually trying to foster lisps or whatever in their kids, most are probably just cooing over what they recognize as typical childhood markers.
posted by cortex at 10:13 AM on July 31, 2009
trained to talk that way
Children don't pronounce R as W because they hear their parents talk baby talk to them. Baby talk subs W for R (and L) because children naturally find it difficult to make those sounds, so we recognize those as typical markers of childish speech. As the kid grows up he'll master the skill.
I thought the kid was adorable and showed incredible courage performing all alone on stage like that. I hope he never stumbles on this thread in future years.
posted by yoink at 10:23 AM on July 31, 2009
Children don't pronounce R as W because they hear their parents talk baby talk to them. Baby talk subs W for R (and L) because children naturally find it difficult to make those sounds, so we recognize those as typical markers of childish speech. As the kid grows up he'll master the skill.
I thought the kid was adorable and showed incredible courage performing all alone on stage like that. I hope he never stumbles on this thread in future years.
posted by yoink at 10:23 AM on July 31, 2009
See, Guy asks me all the time why my family keeps the family kids' videos on relative internet lock down. This is why. Unsolicited hate. Disproportionate praise. Accusations of harming or whoring their kids.
I mean, everyone loves their kids. And you want to have videos and pictures of them at their young & adorable. But, jeesus, it gets out into the wild and there's nothing but yuck involved. Even if the video (which I haven't watched--no youtube at work + no interest in other people's home movies) shows something really funny, or genuinely interesting, or whatever.
I guess I'm crotchety and old, but I just think people should demarcate a public and private sphere.
posted by crush-onastick at 10:24 AM on July 31, 2009
I mean, everyone loves their kids. And you want to have videos and pictures of them at their young & adorable. But, jeesus, it gets out into the wild and there's nothing but yuck involved. Even if the video (which I haven't watched--no youtube at work + no interest in other people's home movies) shows something really funny, or genuinely interesting, or whatever.
I guess I'm crotchety and old, but I just think people should demarcate a public and private sphere.
posted by crush-onastick at 10:24 AM on July 31, 2009
Well, I don't have any objection to posting my kid's video online yet (apparently not, because I do it). But my kid is still at the "look at me I have learned to roll over" stage, and putting the videos up is one of the few ways most of my relatives can see our baby regularly.
Performances? No so sure about those. I'd be proud if my kid was good at something. I'd want to share. But I do know that it's easy to be the object of ridicule some day, which is why I'm not posting anything obviously embarrassing (there's a bathtub video, for example, but the naughty bits are covered at all times [even though I really feel that if you think a 2-month old baby's genitalia are obscene and dirty, then you are the one with the problem, not me {also this comment could use more nested parenthetical statements}]).
posted by caution live frogs at 10:51 AM on July 31, 2009
Performances? No so sure about those. I'd be proud if my kid was good at something. I'd want to share. But I do know that it's easy to be the object of ridicule some day, which is why I'm not posting anything obviously embarrassing (there's a bathtub video, for example, but the naughty bits are covered at all times [even though I really feel that if you think a 2-month old baby's genitalia are obscene and dirty, then you are the one with the problem, not me {also this comment could use more nested parenthetical statements}]).
posted by caution live frogs at 10:51 AM on July 31, 2009
As far as the put-it-on-the-internet-or-don't argument, in this case it's worth noting that this is a taping of an already-public performance by a bunch of music school students. Wesley is one of a bunch of students of various ages who performed. This seems a few steps removed from some unthinking parent tossing up a home camcorder take of their kid jumping naked out of the bath or whatever.
I'll also say that if I'd had a chance to do this gig at any point during my childhood, I would have been pretty stoked, adjusting for the fact that I was very shy at age 5. And that I'm probably not related to Brady Millard-Kish.
Also also, Jack is pretty adorable too.
posted by cortex at 11:06 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'll also say that if I'd had a chance to do this gig at any point during my childhood, I would have been pretty stoked, adjusting for the fact that I was very shy at age 5. And that I'm probably not related to Brady Millard-Kish.
Also also, Jack is pretty adorable too.
posted by cortex at 11:06 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
Jack is the one- he actually has a career ahead of him... smoking!
posted by frankbooth at 11:11 AM on July 31, 2009
posted by frankbooth at 11:11 AM on July 31, 2009
I saw this on Reddit two or three days ago and was incredibly excited just to open the link! I love that 'Folsom Prison Blues', I love covers, and a 5 year old no less!
I don't know what it says about me that I turned it off after about 45 seconds. I know he's 5 and that I should be super impressed, but I didn't think his singing was all that great. I think this might make me a monster. Oh well.
posted by Bageena at 11:14 AM on July 31, 2009
I don't know what it says about me that I turned it off after about 45 seconds. I know he's 5 and that I should be super impressed, but I didn't think his singing was all that great. I think this might make me a monster. Oh well.
posted by Bageena at 11:14 AM on July 31, 2009
And seriously, check this little proto-punk out. He banters about as well as half the bands I've ever played shows with, and his songwriting isn't any worse either.
That may be more a knock on your average garage rock band than anything, but for a 9 year old, this Connor kid is a damn monster.
posted by cortex at 11:26 AM on July 31, 2009 [4 favorites]
That may be more a knock on your average garage rock band than anything, but for a 9 year old, this Connor kid is a damn monster.
posted by cortex at 11:26 AM on July 31, 2009 [4 favorites]
It wouldn't be rock without some superficial androgyny, MontySwan.
posted by cortex at 11:46 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by cortex at 11:46 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
When I first saw it I thought how awesome it would be if I had a daughter who was that cool. When I found out it was a dude, suddenly the haircut and the Who t-shirt didn't seem so cool anymore. Does that make me sexist?
posted by Dr. Send at 12:28 PM on July 31, 2009
posted by Dr. Send at 12:28 PM on July 31, 2009
I saw this the other day. I never thought it was a girl, and I have to say I'm kind of surprised by all the hate too. It's just weird. It's a kid who sings OK on youtube. I didn't think he was that good, but WTF is wrong (some of) with you people?
posted by delmoi at 1:40 PM on July 31, 2009
posted by delmoi at 1:40 PM on July 31, 2009
Speaking of the intersection between Wesley and Wesley, there's an awesome autistism-spectrum kid musician named Kirk who lives near me who has been doing music stuff for the last while with his caregiver Shane as the duo act Rocket Boy and Egypt.
He's got stuff up on CD Baby, and there was a nice writeup about him in the local neighborhood monthly.
posted by cortex at 2:01 PM on July 31, 2009
He's got stuff up on CD Baby, and there was a nice writeup about him in the local neighborhood monthly.
posted by cortex at 2:01 PM on July 31, 2009
OK, I didn't watch the video, I'm sure the kid has great talent.
There seems to have been a trend lately in bluegrass circles to put together the youngest band you can get to play. I guess it's kind of cute for a minute to say aw, lookit that. However, how can someone with no life experience sing about what it feels like to love and lose, to go to jail, to come through tragedy better off, to go through the pain of working and not getting anywhere? The kid wonders have no depth. The depth is what I look for in a performer. That life experience tends to shine through in instrumentals as well, not just vocals. Imagine a 7 year old John Coltrane, what would he be like on sax compared to his 1965 self.
So, yes these kids have talent. No, I don't want to listen to them. The second or third one I heard, the novelty was gone. Now I turn off the radio when one of them comes on.
corollary: Whenever I have a kid, whatever they do will be the best. I certainly won't force it on you though, unless you are unfortunate enough to work with or be related to me.
posted by Antidisestablishmentarianist at 2:18 PM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
There seems to have been a trend lately in bluegrass circles to put together the youngest band you can get to play. I guess it's kind of cute for a minute to say aw, lookit that. However, how can someone with no life experience sing about what it feels like to love and lose, to go to jail, to come through tragedy better off, to go through the pain of working and not getting anywhere? The kid wonders have no depth. The depth is what I look for in a performer. That life experience tends to shine through in instrumentals as well, not just vocals. Imagine a 7 year old John Coltrane, what would he be like on sax compared to his 1965 self.
So, yes these kids have talent. No, I don't want to listen to them. The second or third one I heard, the novelty was gone. Now I turn off the radio when one of them comes on.
corollary: Whenever I have a kid, whatever they do will be the best. I certainly won't force it on you though, unless you are unfortunate enough to work with or be related to me.
posted by Antidisestablishmentarianist at 2:18 PM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
Dude, he shot a man. Just to watch him die.
but the man took too long and mom said it was bath time
posted by pyramid termite at 3:30 PM on July 31, 2009
but the man took too long and mom said it was bath time
posted by pyramid termite at 3:30 PM on July 31, 2009
Remember this FPP? Now there's a five year old who can sing.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:46 PM on July 31, 2009
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:46 PM on July 31, 2009
OK, I didn't watch the video, I'm sure the kid has great talent.
Go ahead and watch. The kid is just a pretty ordinary five year old kid who has learnt a song and is willing to make a brave effort. There's nothing ickily "my parents are prepping me for American Idol" about it. It's not about "talent" (though the kid certainly should be encouraged to keep singing and keep playing; as should everybody who isn't totally tone deaf), it's about a lovely moment in a kid's life when he takes on a challenge and rises to the occasion. There's really no reason for anything but happiness about this.
posted by yoink at 4:50 PM on July 31, 2009
Go ahead and watch. The kid is just a pretty ordinary five year old kid who has learnt a song and is willing to make a brave effort. There's nothing ickily "my parents are prepping me for American Idol" about it. It's not about "talent" (though the kid certainly should be encouraged to keep singing and keep playing; as should everybody who isn't totally tone deaf), it's about a lovely moment in a kid's life when he takes on a challenge and rises to the occasion. There's really no reason for anything but happiness about this.
posted by yoink at 4:50 PM on July 31, 2009
All right, I'll say it: needs more cowbell.
Other than that, so what if the kid is a little off on the melody: doing what he did takes guts.
But I'd have loved to hear him do A Boy Named Sue: "My name is Sue, how do you do? Now you gonna die!"
posted by bwg at 4:54 PM on July 31, 2009
Other than that, so what if the kid is a little off on the melody: doing what he did takes guts.
But I'd have loved to hear him do A Boy Named Sue: "My name is Sue, how do you do? Now you gonna die!"
posted by bwg at 4:54 PM on July 31, 2009
We're gonna hear from this kid a few years down the road. Yep. Big things.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:04 PM on July 31, 2009
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:04 PM on July 31, 2009
A talented five-year-old can sure generate a lot of unsolicited hate.
It's a loud voice, and though it's not exactly flat she'll need a little more than that.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:32 PM on July 31, 2009
It's a loud voice, and though it's not exactly flat she'll need a little more than that.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:32 PM on July 31, 2009
See also: Keb Mo's cover.
posted by flapjax at midnite
Wow, that was fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
posted by the cydonian at 4:00 AM on August 1, 2009
posted by flapjax at midnite
Wow, that was fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
posted by the cydonian at 4:00 AM on August 1, 2009
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posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:32 AM on July 31, 2009 [1 favorite]