Poll: How do you feel about Dan Bern?

first vote, first post. who the hell is this guy?

Dan Bern is really neat!� He did Jerusalem, which is a great song, though not one of his best.

you mean it wasn't don mclean that did that song first?

Different song, same name. Wasn't EFO either.

It also wasn't William Blake.

*stands in the tea-chest*

oOand did those feet in ancient times walk upon england's mountains greeeeeeenOo

on topic? hate dan bern. sorry, but true.

*removes bag from head* Thanks.

I was so hoping you two would do that.

oh man, i've had Jerusalem earwormed al day.

didn't fruvous sing that with him?

He did at least one set of co-bills with him, six shows at the Bottom Line in New York. I was already a big fan of both then. I remember talking to one of the Dan Bern fans at another show about Fruvous and he said they were "goofy."

Dan Bern is in my top three list of most talented songwriters I've ever heard. I can connect with his songs in a way that just transcends what happens when i connect with other musicians' songs. He can be comforting and unnerving at the same time. His songs have gotten me through some of the hardest times in my life.

he sings about Lithuania. He sings about Lithuania in a heartbreakingly beautiful way... he sings about disconnection and loneliness and loss and God and lesbians and cheese grits and... and... these are all things that are very near and dear to me.

Dan Bern is so much more than a musician. so much more.

He's alright...

Writes a few fun songs.... mostly he's just kinda.... ya know... shmeh.

I'd see him if he was an opener.

[Edit: I realized that, as all my writing did last night, this sounded more negative than it was meant to. I don't DISlike Dan Bern, he's just not one of my top picks.]

I love him because in almost every single one of his songs he manages to make me feel like, "Oh, I've been that guy." And because he makes shit up on the spot, and because his shows are so much a give and take of energy between him and the audience. Because he smashed his guitar and accidentally created a whole controversy, and because he actually stopped playing in the middle of a song, got a phone onstage and started calling guys named Al Kida. When he does covers, they're always covers of people I like, and that's very important. He's a big believer in audience participation, which is huge with me. Also, he shares my views on traffic jams.

(sorry if this makes no sense - be warned I have been drinking and doing... other things)

Love, love, love dan bern. Why? Because he's the messiah, that's why.

That was a reeeally big surprise!

Nice bell curve. :)

...is the best FUCKING musician, because he writes the best FUCKING songs in the whole FUCKING universe. FUCK! I just can't get enough of that FUCKER, because he's a FUCKING genius! Other musicians are not FUCKING worthy to licki his boots, because they can't come up with SHIT right on the spot, and HE can write whole FUCKING songs right as he goes, because he's so FUCKING awesome!

I'm not exagerating either! :)

I had to deal with this guy twice b/c Andy Stochansky was opening for him... well, of course, the second time I knew to get the hell out.� Didn't like�the audience (this was Martyrs in Chicago, though, so all the annoyances may not have been his following), or his writing, or *shudder* his voice.� Didn't find him witty or introspective.� I understand where people are coming from but I can't ever "get" him like many others here can.� There's�already enough stuff I do love and stand behind, and enough people who can write a song on the spot who impress me much more.

I did like his band and the harmonies though.��

Was that enough to imply that I hate him without being disrespectful to anyone who worships him here?� Hope so���