My family and I always play the “what song will be first?” game when we attend concerts.
I remember seeing Lyle Lovett perform with his Large Band once in Pompano Beach and throwing out a bunch of great guesses only to have him take the stage and launch into ‘Penguins,’ a minor track nestled in the middle of I Love Everybody, itself a collection of odds and ends.
What an entirely random opening song.
Don’t get me wrong… I love this track. It’s brilliant in its absurdity, and it does showcase the freakishly talented Large Band.
I was doubly amused when Lovett released a live album (Live in Texas) some time later and selected today’s SOTD as the lead-off track.
For diamond rings
Or movie stars
I go for penguins
Oh Lord I go for penguins
Throw your money out the door
We’ll just sit around
And watch it snow
I go for penguins
Oh Lord I go for penguins
Penguins are so sensitive
Penguins are so sensitive
Penguins are so sensitive
To my needs
Penguins are so sensitive
Penguins are so sensitive
Penguins are so sensitive
To my needs
To my needs
To my needs
To my needs
Penguins are so sensitive
Penguins are so sensitive
Penguins are so sensitive
To my needs
To my needs
To my needs
Meet Me In Montauk 
Such an absurd and fun song. I so wish lylewould get down here for another concert.
I have NO memory of this being his opening song. But I do love it, and I love that he would choose a “random” song to open his concert. Random or not, the music is fantastic. When was the last time Lyle Lovett was on the cover of Rolling Stone? My brief research suggests… NEVER (while John Mayer has been on the cover TWICE!!!)
Meanwhile, I wish he would come back to Florida, though I’m trying to convince Dana that we should go see him at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.