The Return of the Space Cowboy(s) and the Couch

Left: A brown couch on a green lawn in Seattle. Right: The Return of the Space Cowboy by Jamiroquai.

Back in Seattle! It's so good to see the explosions of untamed green, clean blue skies, old friends, and of course … outdoor furniture. Within days we were back in our old haunts noticing abandoned furniture like this brown couch in Fremont. Immediately, the lyrics of Jamiroquai's 1994 "Space Cowboy" came to mind. (We are partial to the David Morales 'Classic Club Remix' of the song.):

Everything is good and brown
Oh I'm here again
With a sunshine smile upon my face
My friends are close at hand
And all my inhibitions
Have disappeared without a trace, I'm glad
Oh that I found somebody who I can rely on
This is the return
Of the space cowboy

We feel like space cowboys dropping into Seattle after being away for some time. So much and so little has changed. We love the newness of something that was once old and familiar. One of those old and familiar things is furniture on the streets. It's not something we see that often in our corner of Italy.

It was just over 2 years ago that we posted on The Couches of Summer, which also included a beautiful, outdoor, brown couch.

The Couches of Summer

Should it be "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison or "Boys of Summer" by Don Henley for these pretty brown couches seen recently in Upper Fremont?  We are going with "Boys of Summer" with its chorus:

But I can see you
Your brown skin shining in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your
Sunglasses on baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

Left and Center: Two brown couches basking in the sun, getting an early start on their summer tan. Right: The cover of Don Henley's 1984 album Building the Perfect Beast, which included the hit "Boys of Summer".

I'm Free To Do What I Want

"I'm Free" is a 1965 Rolling Stones song that appeared on their American release December's Children (And Everybody's). The song became a hit again in 1990 with the Soup Dragons cover, which appeared on their album Lovegod. Some of the lyrics are:

I'm free to do what I want any old time
I'm free to do what I want any old time
So love me, hold me, love me, hold me
I'm free any old time to get what I want

If the free furniture pictured here could sing, it would surely be singing this song.



Left: Free furniture in Fremont. Center: The album cover of the Rolling Stones' December's Children (And Everybody's). Right: The album cover of the Soup Dragons' Lovegod.

Outdoor Sofa - Happening All Over Again

We spotted this abandoned couch just east of State Route 99 (above the Fremont Troll). The sofa looks so perfectly matched for its surroundings.

Outdoor sofas can break your heart. Believe me. Here one day, gone the next. So for this little number  - who knows what its tan cushions have see and endured - I give you Lonnie Gordon's 1990s hit "Happenin' All Over Again" (video).

I've taken you back before 'cause you told me you've changed
Looked in my eyes and said
Believe me, then you
Broke my heart and deceived me, when you
Said you never could leave me
But its happening all over again (no, no, no)

Welcome Back (Couch)

Having spent a chunk of time in Italy the last few years, I can't think of once when we saw a couch out by its lonesome, alongside a thoroughfare. However, back in Seattle in less than the time it takes to say couch pillow shams sale, we caught glimpse of an abandoned couch.

But why? Do Americans, or more specifically Seattleites, have so little regard for their couches? Do they think that couches can fend for themselves outside? I believe it's relatively easy to give a couch away or donate it, so I'm not sure why people think it's okay to just leave them around. This couch in particular has been on its Fremont Ave location for several days with rain and snow. At least it has company with that mattress. Two-for-one.

You don't believe me about Seattle and abandoned couches? Ha, check it out for yourself.

Abandoned furniture always brings a song to my mind. (It doesn't for you? I'm sorry.) For me, this couch conjured up the theme song to the 1970's show Welcome Back Kotter with the lyric "welcome back, welcome back." (youtube).
 

Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out
Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about
Well the names have all changed since you hung around
But those dreams have remained and they've turned around
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya
(Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(Back here where we need ya)
Yeah we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back

The song was written by John Sebastian.

September Mural and Graffiti Grab Bag

A collection of images taken around Fremont and Greenwood. The most enigmatic is the "Stay Posted" found scribbled on the side of a dumpster. What does it mean?

Left: Fremont Alley Garage Door. Center: Dumpster in Fremont “Stay Posted”. Right: Greenwood Mason Lodge Mural (of Seattle).

Phinney Market Pub and Eatery North Wall

Random Tags in Fremont Burned Building

September Morn (Couch)

Early, on a crisp September morning we saw this couch in upper Fremont. It was humming:

September morn
We danced until the night
Became a brand new day
Two lovers playing scenes
From some romantic play
September morning
Still can make me feel that way

From Neil Diamond's 1979 album September Morn.

Empty Chairs

The wicker chair we saw on the way to Zoo Tunes. The 69'ing chairs on the way back from dinner one evening. Both are part of Fremont's Ever-Changing Outdoor Furniture gallery. Makes me think of -- you knew it was coming -- a song by Don McLean called "Empty Chairs". It appeared on his second studio and breakthrough album American Pie.

Morning comes and morning goes with no regret
And evening brings the memories I can't forget
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs
And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs

Blue and Brown

Corner of 49th and 1st in Fremont: a blue fainting* chaise on very brown grass and dandelion seed heads. Whether you want this piece or not, you must admit it speaks to our summer this year in Seattle with blue skies (chaise color), high temperatures (fainting weather for Seattleites), and little rain (parched lawns). If only the donor had included a fan.

* Always thought this was "feigning couch" as in someone who uses it is pretending to be affected by something.

Night Moves

This episode of outdoor furniture features nocturnal pieces; they only come out on warm nights*, waiting to be someone's treasure. A brown corner seat, a sofa bed on it's side, a chintz-y couch, and an overstuffed sofa and matching chair. So much selection and it's not even the beginning or end of the month when you typically see pieces curbside.

* Okay, it's not summer yet here in Seattle, but sure has been some warm weather.

We were walking back from Delancey's pizza and came upon these pieces. Hope they all found a home. I imagine the furniture humming Night Moves.

Workin' on our night moves
Tryin' to make some front page drive-in news
Workin' on our night moves
In the summertime
In the sweet summertime

Workin’ on Their Night Moves: Brown Corner Piece (just a tad wear); Sleeper Sofa on its Side

Work that Corner Chintz Couch

Overstuffed and Ready to Take Home

Streetside Sofas

I admit it. I’m attracted to couches on curbs, sofas streetside, and furniture foresaken. I imagine if you place your ear close to the cushions you will hear: “Human kindness is overflowing. And I think it’s gonna rain today.” (It is without a doubt Dusty Springfield’s version of the much-covered Randy Newman song.)

Left: Brown Corduroy; Right: Cyan Dream Couch
 

The Discontents of May - Abandoned Furniture

Random furniture sightings of late May, in Fremont.  A flowery easy chair interrogates a black (faux) leather sofa with juvenile pears on it. “What are you doing here?”  And, a wooden rocking chair passes out by a fire hydrant.

The title of this post is a riff on the title of the song "The Waters of March",  a Brazilian song composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim (1927–1994) in 1972. The song's translation in English starts: "A stick, a stone...". We imagine that as "A couch, a chair...".

May Furniture

Recliner at N 50th St and Woodland Park Ave N.

Slightly used café chair nearby.

Putrid at the Zoo

Gray ways freshly painted, but Putrid is back.

April’s Street Art

A slow month for spotting street art. Here is something from Post Alley at Pike Place Market: a paste up of a repeated image. (I admit I’m disconnected from popular culture…who is this?) And the second spotting was on the east wall of the build that house Nectar Lounge in Fremont.

Left: Post Alley; Right: Nectar Lounge

Nectar Lounge Building (east wall) Mural

April’s Furniture

Left: A mocha brown corner piece at Francis Ave N and N 43rd Street. This was probably snapped up quickly.
Right: A sight for sore eyes this tan couch with lavender pillows at Winslow Pl N and N 41 Street. Walk on by.

So It Goes

Left Image: That’s the title of the stencil on a land use permit sign. Another huge chunk of Stone Way N is disappearing, below N 38th St where currently there is Rodda Paint Co and Morgans Electric & Plumbing. A new and interesting site Seattle in Progress tracks these projects. Here’s the project for this location. 

Center Image: Up the street and between N 40th St and N 41st St (west side of the street) is a mural on the south wall of a building used by WorldSpice Merchants.

Right Image: A fence in Wallingford, just above 45th on Bagley Ave N. Theme? Sea monster echoing the Seamonster Louge in the nearby building?

What’s up with Fire Hydrants and Discarded Furniture?

This fire hydrant is consorting with a rather nice looking sofa, complete with throw pillows. The couple was photographed at the corner of Evanston Ave N. and N. 35th St. The mixed-use building just west of 9 Million Unmarked Bills is getting demolished, which probably explains this couch deciding to leave the building and look for a better home.  (BTW, I will always call 9 Million … whatever the Triangle Tavern, which is what it was for many years before.)

Also, a stool. Nothing more to say. But let me leave you with the Carly Simon song Love Out in the Street from her Playing Possum 1975 album.

I've seen the sidewalks
And I've been aware
Of the lamps and tables and the paperback books
That you throw out there
All your artifacts
In disrepair
Make up a pile so high
Could tie up the traffic in the thoroughfare
Put your love out on the street
Put your love out on the street
Put your love out on the street
Put your love out on the street tonight
I don't mind your sinning
I'm no saint myself
And if the neighbors call you a hellcat
Then let them call me a jezebel
Cause I've come to know you
I've come to know you so well
From spying on you from my bathroom window
In this cheap hotel
So let flow the hydrants
And we'll dance in the spray
And we'll wash out our dirty laundry
In the alleyway

March Grab Bag of Street Art

Two images of the south wall of the building of 501 Commons, Lower Queen Anne – 2nd Ave W and W Republican St.

Left: A Henry (ryanhenryward.com) on a Garage on Taylor Ave N. (For more Henry work, see Henry Murals In and Around Fremont and Ballard, Seattle).

Right: The back of Lighthouse Roasters in Fremont.