There was a musical group, sort of a super-group as they used to be called, from the early 90s that recorded under the name Little Village.  The members included John Hiatt, Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner.

Ry Cooder went on to gather and record with the Buena Vista Social Club.  John Hiatt and The Goners went on the road after that and have released a number of albums since.  For those unfmailiar with the names, you’ll probably know Hiatt’s “Have A Little Faith in Me.”  He’s also written a host of songs made famous by other recording stars.

There was a song on that Little Village album that is one of the all-time greats with a driving base you will never forget after the first hearing.  It was called “Solar Sex Panel,” and it included these lyrics:

Got a fire up on top of my head
I’m a love regenerator
Why don’t you get up off your tanning bed
I’m an ultra-violet Penetrator

and

Don’t sweat and toil with no heating oil
‘Cause Momma I’m hot to handle
Gonna turn you up, gonna burn you up
With my solar sex panel

According to John Hiatt, his solar-powered lovin’ burned clean.

Earth Day, celebrated today, is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in in 1970 and is celebrated in many countries every year.

Renewable energy source research and implementation, reducing your carbon footprint, stopping the rape of the rain forests – - all worthwhile endeavors, all noble causes, all important to our survival as a species.

John Hiatt et als, and Little Village, pointed us in the right direction 18 years ago, also.

So, today, as you play your part in the celebration of Earth Day and everything “green,” be sure to include a little “solar-powered lovin” – - because it burns clean and is good for the environment.