I wrote this song on Tuesday 12/4/79, the morning after eleven people were
trampled to death in Cincinnati by an onrush of fans at a concert by The Who. The
crowd errantly believed they were missing the beginning of the show, stormed the
doors of the venue and plowed down anyone who was in their way. When I heard
the news reports of the tragedy, it really angered me that such a thing could
happen...that people could so blindly take these lives in their frenzy to see a band. I
picked up my guitar and 'Can You See?' emerged. This version was recorded in
2008 during the session celebrating Michael's 50th birthday and Pluto Jones' 30th
anniversary. There's also an earlier version recorded live by Pluto Jones in June
1980 at the Brass Monkey Lounge in Marathon in the Florida Keys.
Afterthought...I actually could've written Can You See today, as it is totally reflective
of my current outlook on the world that surrounds me, my immediate family, and my
entire human family in the 21st century.
Can You See © 2024 - Joey Arata