While His Guitar Gently Creeps Me Out

A Ceeb-er currently on tour with well-known troubadour/Socialist leader Jack Layton hails his gee-tar chops:

Well, it happened.

Perhaps tired of us asking about his campaign Layton busted out the guitar and the songbooks en route from Halifax to Ottawa.

First up "Barrett's Privateers." Then "Cockles and Mussels" (chosen by yours truly) and "Downtown."

Lots of others too taken from the dozen or so folksy songbooks Layton always brings on the road.

With his guitar and amplifier he sang a few songs, played a few chords.

Reporters played and sang along. With tambourines and maracas.

There are few chances to rock out during a campaign.

This is classic Layton. He loves a singalong. During an election or any time at all.

This is classic Ceeb-spin. It loves boosting the fortunes of hardened lefties--and offers too tempting a parody target to resist ("Cockles and Mussels," my arse):

When you're on tour
With the Ceeb's flavour du jour
Oh, you can always boost
Lay-ton.
When you intend to shift a "scary" agenda
From its current roost--
Lay-ton.
Just listen to the music on his gee-tar
Un-acoustic.
Shake your two maracas,
Post a sign up with a glue stick
Tellin' the folks
The left is much defter y'all
You can forget all your troubles
When they get the ball and then
Lay-ton,
He will light up the room.
Lay-ton,
We'll have a spending boom.
Lay-ton,
Support from cradle to tomb...

Update: Stephen Harper sings Lady Gaga.