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My Heart
My heart goes out to the good people of Oklahoma. My heart goes out to refugees. My heart goes out to all children who aren’t having a terrific childhood. My heart goes out to everyone in Boston who was injured in the bombings. My heart goes out to the homeless, to the hungry, to the abused. My heart goes out to the victims of bullying and to rape victims. My heart goes out to those who can’t make the next mortgage payment or cover next month’s rent.My heart keeps breaking and my feelings are often in tatters. I shutter and wince when a ferry goes down in waters off Bangladesh. I moan for every entombed miner, I grieve when trains collide, and I curl up in a ball when headlines of violent crimes keep streaming across the internet, day after day; month after month.
So my heart requires daily transfusions of trees and flowers and the breeze on my face. My heart gets energy from babies and dogs, from Sam & Dave, Paul Simon, and the Southern Rock of Little Feat and The Allman Brothers Band.
I draw upon shows like “Call The Midwife,” and actors like Denzel Washington and John Goodman. That is why I need the Red Sox, the Patriots, and the Crimson Tide. Certainly, love from my own children fills my heart with happiness and pride. But like all parents, I worry for them. I worry about them. I try not to, but… I am their father and that is simply part of the job description.
My heart is bolstered by every kindness and appreciation in all forms.
My heart usually tells me that I am safe and things are all right. I know where my kids are. In my heart I know that fathers and mothers in Moore, Oklahoma felt just fine two days ago. It can all change in a heartbeat.
So I am thankful. Meanwhile, tragedies keep happening. The News is one bad thing after another. Congress is crippled by partisan meanspiritedness. The floods, the earthquakes, the gas leaks, the rejections; the wishes that go ungranted, the prayers that go unanswered. I swallow it all in. I look for grace and for miracles.
I live in a world that turns and burns. It is cruel and wondrous, bitter and sweet, impossible and entirely possible. It is probably the same for you as well. We write our own stories, to the extent that we can. But 2013 belongs to us all, and we catch the starfish with the seaweed. The bitter herb and the harosis. Poverty kills. Joblessness kills. Stupidity kills. We all want security and opportunity. We want a fair shake in life. My heart is full of hope and despair – Harry Lipson III, 5-21-13_________________________________________________
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ELEPHANT
It’s probably time for me to move on. The Boston Marathon is over. But as a Bostonian, I know that, at least for the moment, part of me is not going anywhere.Boston has picked itself up, dusted itself off.
We are more than grateful for amazing outpouring of concern and support.
To us, this is personal. And thank you for feeling exactly the same. We are all Bostonians.
We are all Marathon runners.
In the face of terrorism, it feels vulgar for me to devote my weekly scribble to the fine weather we’re enjoying. There is an elephant in the living room. There is a fucking elephant in here, and the weather is only the weather. – Harry Lipson – harryShots.com
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My Heart
My heart goes out to the good people of Oklahoma. My heart goes out to refugees. My heart goes out to all children who aren’t having a terrific childhood. My heart goes out to everyone in Boston who was injured in the bombings. My heart goes out to the homeless, to the hungry, to the abused. My heart goes out to the victims of bullying and to rape victims. My heart goes out to those who can’t make the next mortgage payment or cover next month’s rent.
My heart keeps breaking and my feelings are often in tatters. I shutter and wince when a ferry goes down in waters off Bangladesh. I moan for every entombed miner, I grieve when trains collide, and I curl up in a ball when headlines of violent crimes keep streaming across the internet, day after day; month after month.
So my heart requires daily transfusions of trees and flowers and the breeze on my face. My heart gets energy from babies and dogs, from Sam & Dave, Paul Simon, and the Southern Rock of Little Feat and The Allman Brothers Band.
I draw upon shows like “Call The Midwife,” and actors like Denzel Washington and John Goodman. That is why I need the Red Sox, the Patriots, and the Crimson Tide. Certainly, love from my own children fills my heart with happiness and pride. But like all parents, I worry for them. I worry about them. I try not to, but… I am their father and that is simply part of the job description.
My heart is bolstered by every kindness and appreciation in all forms.
My heart usually tells me that I am safe and things are all right. I know where my kids are. In my heart I know that fathers and mothers in Moore, Oklahoma felt just fine two days ago. It can all change in a heartbeat.
So I am thankful. Meanwhile, tragedies keep happening. The News is one bad thing after another. Congress is crippled by partisan meanspiritedness. The floods, the earthquakes, the gas leaks, the rejections; the wishes that go ungranted, the prayers that go unanswered. I swallow it all in. I look for grace and for miracles.
I live in a world that turns and burns. It is cruel and wondrous, bitter and sweet, impossible and entirely possible. It is probably the same for you as well. We write our own stories, to the extent that we can. But 2013 belongs to us all, and we catch the starfish with the seaweed. The bitter herb and the harosis. Poverty kills. Joblessness kills. Stupidity kills. We all want security and opportunity. We want a fair shake in life. My heart is full of hope and despair – Harry Lipson III, 5-21-13_________________________________________________
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“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up” – Mark Twain from the harryShots.com Good Quotations_________________________________________________
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“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind” – Dr. Seuss…from the harryShots.com “GoodQuotations”_________________________________________________
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“The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself” - Benjamin Franklinfrom the harryShots.com Good Quotations_________________________________________________
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“An economist’s guess is liable to be as good as anybody else’s” – Will Rogersfrom the harryShots.com “Quotes of What”_________________________________________________
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“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails“…from the harryShots.com Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“Don’t cry because its over. Smile because it happened.”
- Dr. Seuss
the harryShots.com “Quotes of Whatever”_________________________________________________
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recent bumper sticker:
“You should agree with me
It will save SO much time“
…the harryShots.com “Quotes O’ Whatever”_________________________________________________
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“An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind” - Mahatma Gandhi…from the harryShots.com “Quotes of Whatever”_________________________________________________
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“The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at a time” – Richard Cech…from the harryShots.com “Quotes of Whatever”_________________________________________________
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“I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture” – Bob Uecker…from the harryshots.com “Quotes of Whatever”_________________________________________________
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“I laugh so hard ’til the tears run down my leg“ - a rare Delta Blues joke, from the seminal blues tune, “Silverado in My Pathway“…from the harryshots.com “Quotes of Whatever”_________________________________________________
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“Everywhere is within walking distance… if you have the time”from the HarryShots.com “Quotes of Whatever”_________________________________________________
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“May the blessings of each day be the blessings you need most“from the harryshots.com “Quotes of Whatever”_________________________________________________
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“Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday“from the HarryShots.com Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle” …from the HarryShots.com Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“I can only please one person per day. Today isn’t your day…and tomorrow don’t look good either” – anonymous
the HarryShots.com Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“Peace begins with a smile“ - Mother TeresaThe HarryShots.com “Quotes of Whatever”_________________________________________________
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“If you don’t know the blues… there’s no point in picking up the guitar and playing
rock and roll or any other form of popular music” —-
Keith Richards…from The HarryShots.com Quotes of Whatever
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“Every day is Earth Day“the HarryShots.com Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“I’ve chosen to treat my life more like a party than something to stress about” - Martin ShortThe HarryShots.com Quote of the Day_________________________________________________
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“Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck” -
George CarlinThe HarryShots.com Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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James Hood Was Here
It is reported that James Hood died today. from THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS 1-17-2013:-{ “James Hood, who faced down George Wallace’s stand in the schoolhouse door to help integrate the University of Alabama 50 years ago, died Thursday afternoon at the age of 70, in his hometown of Gadsden. James did a great thing for the University of Alabama,” said E. Culpepper Clark, former dean of UA’s College of Communication & Information Sciences, and author of “The Schoolhouse Door: Segregation’s Last Stand at the University of Alabama.”
“With Vivian Malone, he liberated the university to serve all the people of Alabama and thereby join the ranks of the nation’s flagship universities.”
Hood and Vivian Malone Jones, who died in 2005, attempted to register and pay fees June 11, 1963, at UA’s Foster Auditorium, accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach. Gov. George Wallace, surrounded by a phalanx of state troopers, barred them, attempting to keep his infamous inaugural promise of “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.” Later that day, Wallace backed down after President John F. Kennedy federalized the National Guard. }
JAMES HOOD WAS HERE. Thank you Sir. Lord, may he rest in peace. – HL_________________________________________________
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“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” – Soren KierkegaardThe HarryShots.com Quotes o’ Whatevah_________________________________________________
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“How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.” – Benjamin Disraeli_________________________________________________
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“Happiness depends more on how life strikes you than on what happens” – Andy RooneyThe HarryShots.com Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“I’m happy now!” - Nick Saban, 3-time National Champion Football Coach of The University of Alabama_________________________________________________
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“No coach has ever won a game by what he knows; it’s what his players know that counts” – Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant_________________________________________________
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May 2013 bring good health and happiness to all my friends; I wish you the very best.
Let us renew our faith in ourselves, and in each other, and let safety and well-being be a given for everyone, everywhere. Happy New Year. – Harry_________________________________________________ -
“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness“. – Dalai Lamathe HarryShots.com Quotes of Wha
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“My books are like water; those of the great geniuses are wine. (Fortunately) everybody drinks water.” – Mark Twain…from The HarryShots.com “Quotes”_________________________________________________
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“No one has ever drowned themselves in sweat” – Coach Lou HoltzThe HarryShots.com Quotes_________________________________________________
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“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people” – Eleanor RooseveltThe HarryShots.com Quotes_________________________________________________
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“Most American children suffer too much mother and too little father” – Gloria SteinemThe HarryShots.com Quotes of Wha (whatever)_________________________________________________
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“Electricity is really just organized lightning” - George Carlinfrom the HarryShots.com Quotes of Wha_________________________________________________
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“Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage” – President Teddy RooseveltThe HarryShots.com Quotes of Wha (Whatever)_________________________________________________
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“Think off-center” – George CarlinThe HarryShots.com Quotes of Wha_________________________________________________
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“Grown men can learn from very little children for the hearts of little children are pure. Therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss“ - Black ElkThe HarryShots.com Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“Well done is better than well said” – Benjamin FranklinThe HarryShots Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“Happiness doesn’t depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude” – Dale CarnegieThe HarryShots Quotes of Whatever
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“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible” – The Dalai LamaThe HarryShots Quotes of WhAtEvEr_________________________________________________
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“Imagination rules the world” – Napoleon BonaparteThe HarryShots QuOtEs oF wHaTeVeR_________________________________________________
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“Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated” - Coach Lou HoltzThe HarryShots qUoTeS oF WhAtEvEr_________________________________________________
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“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us” – Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephonethe HarryShots Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“I am easily satisfied with the very best” – Sir Winston Churchillthe HarryShots Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere“. – Carl Sagan, astronomerThe HarryShots Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter“ - Martin Luther King, Jr.The HarryShots Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong” – Mohandas Gandhithe HarryShots.com quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me” - Coach Jim ValvanoThe HarryShots Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.” – Michael PritchardThe HarryShots Quotes of Whatever_________________________________________________
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“PAGE ONE:
INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES”
a documentary (premiered at Sundance – 2011)
A very interesting movie about a very interesting subject. The question posed was (paraphrased): “Do we need the Grey Lady in an age of internet news, instant information, tweeting, the blogisphere, round the clock cable news channels, among the myriad ways we find out about the news?” There are those who see the New York Times, always “the newspaper of record” as either anachronistic now or soon to be so. In this digital age where everybody is a reporter and we all have cellphones, cameras, and are “tapped in” to what is happening, how important and useful, relevant is the NYT and its worldwide bureaus, staff writers far flung around the globe, and the thousands more in New York City who shape and deliver a newspaper on a daily basis?
Michael Kingsley of the New York Times panned the movie saying it was “all over the place” and “it does little to illuminate that struggle, preferring instead a constant parade of people telling the camera how dreadful it would be if The Times did not survive.”
David Carr, the Times media and culture columnist, is the man who gets the lion’s share of the face time. Frankly, I don’t think the Times could find a better advocate, one who can relate to the question of “relevance.” David is a very interesting man, casually impressive in an offhand but on-point way. I found the movie engrossing and highly interesting.
So, I’ll disagree, rather strongly, with Michael Kingsley and say that this is well worth a couple of hours, if only to see behind the veil and watch decisions being made and the paper put together. I give it “five highfives” “and it goes well with popcorn.” HL_________________________________________________
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Ratatouille
Ratatouille (rat-a-too-ee) is just plain fun to watch. For adults and kids alike. From Disney/Pixar studios and the creative people behind Cars and The Incredibles. Paris never looked so beautiful at night. Voicing by Patton Oswalt, Brian Dennehy, Janeane Garofolo, Peter O’Toole, Brad Garrett, among a host of others. Light, friendly, and charming, although set in a Paris restaurant’s kitchen that is anything but. As improbable as a story can get, but it’s animation, so relax take off your critic’s hat, and let yourself be entertained.I give Ratatouille five highfives, and “and it goes well with popcorn.” HL_________________________________________________
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OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?
stars George Clooney, John Goodman, John Tunturro, Tim Blake, Holly Hunter, Chris Thomas King and Charles DurningFrom the creative minds of Joel and Ethan Coen. Which means its both funny and good.
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We start out with a chain gang prison break at Mississippi’s Parchman Farm Penitentiary in Sunflower County in the Mississippi Delta. The year is 1937. The film is said to be loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey, but you sure don’t need to be a Greek scholar to enjoy the hell out of this great movie. The soundtrack won the Grammy award and is good to the very last “Amen.”
We’ve got buried treasure, wanted prisoners trying to stay wanted, a scene at the Mississippi “crossroads of musical fame”, the Ku Klux Klan, Mississippi state elections, and a great deal more to feast your tired eyes upon. John Goodman is extraordinary as always in his cream colored Southern business suit and suspenders. Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? is a great movie and I give it five highfives, “and it goes well with popcorn.” HL_________________________________________________
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OUT OF AFRICAstarring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep (1985)
About once every year when I am restless and looking for something good, really good, to watch, I reach for one of the all time great movies, Out of Africa with maybe the finest work ever done by both Meryl and Bob.
This is an epic movie. It won the big awards as it should have: Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Set Decoration, Best Musical Score, Best Sound, and Best Screenwriting.
Further, Out of Africa was nominated for: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Costume, and Best Film Editing
Suffice it to say that Out of Africa is a triumph of the human spirit. It is grand, it is large; a tour de force and very well worth your seeing, or seeing again. I love the scene where Meryl’s character, Baroness Von Blixen surprises a lion in the Kenyan brush. She implores Robert Redford to shoot the beast and the dialogue and tension are memorable. And that is just one of a great many rather extraordinary scenes we are part of, in this riveting and well told story. I give it five HighFives, “and it goes well with popcorn.” HL_________________________________________________
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MASKED AND ANONYMOUS
Want to see the coolest movie you never heard of? Want to see a movie with a cast that includes Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Jessica Lange, Val Kilmer, Ed Harris, Mickey Rourke, Luke Wilson, Penelope Cruz, Bruce Dern, Christian Slater, Fred Ward, Angela Bassett, Cheech Marin, and stars Bob Dylan?
Then you want to seek out an amazing piece of cinema called “Masked and Anonymous” (2003). The soundtrack is sensational. John Goodman channels The Big Lebowski to a certain extent.
The dialogue is incredible. Val Kilmer is at his peak in his brief but unforgettable cameo.The poster at left is a Spanish language promotional poster.
I give this film five highfives, “and it goes well with popcorn“. HL_________________________________________________
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The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story (2009)
Two brothers who hated one another and wrote the most wonderful songs. Songs you sing, songs you hum, songs your kids (grandkids) sing or will be singing a hundred years from now. The two brothers, Robert (Bob) and Richard (Dick) Sherman collaborated uneasily, but wrote songs such as:It’s A Small World * A Spoonful of Sugar * Chim Chim Cher-ee * Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious * Winnie The Pooh * Chitty Chitty Bang Bang * Tall Paul (a pop hit on the Billboard charts) * You’re Sixteen (You’re Beautiful and You’re Mine) (another Billboard chart topper). Their list of songs is as long as your arm. Walt Disney recognized their talents early on and they were integral parts of the Walt Disney empire. They won Academy Awards, Grammies, Presidential Medals of Freedom, and more.
The movie is a documentary about their careers and lives, as told by their adult children. This is a story of two families, fame, creative genius, rivalry, dysfunction on one level and acclaim on another. It is truly amazing, award-winning documentary and definitely worth seeing. The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story is a HarryShots.com Ramble recommendation, I give it five highfives, “and it goes well with popcorn“. HL_________________________________________________
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Barney’s Version
I am a fan of Paul Giamatti so it was a treat to stumble on Barney’s Version (2010) not long ago. If there was press and media hyping this movie, I totally missed it. You probably did as well, ’cause I think it was minimal at best. So if you are looking for a something not too taxing or heavy handed, may I recommend Barney’s Version, with a nice role for Dustin Hoffman as icing on the cake.
Rosamund Pike is magnificent to watch. Bruce Greenwood, Minnie Driver are both in the cast. “Barney” time travels back and forth over a handful of decades, weaving a remarkable and quirky story but a cool one. I give it five highfives, “and it goes well with popcorn“. HL_________________________________________________
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SOUTHERN BELLESStars Anna Faris and Laura Breckenridge. Looking for a good movie to rent? I’m recommending Southern Belles (2005). Might be hard to find, but good stuff often is. It is a little Georgia small town slice of life picture. Numerous memorable scenes and dialogue. It’s a lot of fun. Rated H for happy. I rate it Five HighFives, “and it goes well with popcorn“. HL_________________________________________________
“Souvenirs” (LIVE) by John Prine and Steve Goodman
Click here to download mp3 via Amazon.com
John is one of the best songwriters of a generation. Many folks put him in the same general category as Bob Dylan. I’ll be including a fair share of John’s music, over time, here at HarryShots.
“Souvenirs” was co-written by John and the late, and truly great Steve Goodman (who was probably the best solo acoustic performer I ever saw). He was excited and he wore his heart on his guitar, so to speak. Steve Goodman was this little ball of energy and jubilation. To see him in concert was a memory maker. We lost Steve Goodman some years ago, in the prime of his life. It is one of the great tragedies of Americana/folk music. I think he is mourned to this day. By the way, if you aren’t familiar with Steve, he wrote “City of New Orleans.” That guy. Genius. Incredible guitar player too.
Back for a moment to John Prine. Genius also. His nonchalance and goofy mood is disarming. He’ a good man too. I produced John in several concerts, in and around Boston, and he is funny and cool to hang with.
Two boys from the Midwest, both with Chicago roots. Two of our great writers. Two of our great artists. Here they are with “Souvenirs,” a heartbreaking and heartwarming song of nostalgia. Slice of Life. Listen and learn. There are not a lot of Prine/Goodman recordings and it just does a heart good to listen to John and Steve together. Wish we had more of that. Oh Boy. HL
“CALLING TRAINS”
Click here for this mp3 download
INTRODUCTION TO THE SONG: I’d like to say thanks to a friend of mine. This song, “Calling Trains” is on one of his many record albums, and it is his photo and album cover that you see down below. He was the real Dos Equis guy. Bruce Phillips (1935 – 2008) was his name, and he was in the running for the most interesting man in the world. ”Utah” was the name he answered to. His nom de guerre was U. Utah Phillips.
In this little adventure, Utah was my personal tour guide at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, on a day, just months before the Gardner Museum was robbed in what was, and remains, the biggest art theft in American history. That is all I have to say on the subject of robbery until they up the reward, wink wink. I’m kidding.
There are individuals and there are INDIVIDUALS. Bruce Phillips was the latter. Ask anyone who knew him, and plenty did. He had merriment in his eyes and a benevolent aura about him. His hair and beard were snow white. He wore a flannel shirt and painters overalls.
Utah Phillips was a less well known American icon, a railroad man, a hobo, a gandydancer, a writer and performer, a Wobbly, a pain in the ass to conservatives and bosses, and a people person of the highest order. Utah got paid to travel the world and sing songs, and tell his always hilarious stories. He was far more of a story teller than a song singer.
On this particular day, at the Gardner Museum, Utah Phillips was piss full of vinegar and details about Rembrandt this and Rembrandt that. He morphed into a museum tour guide, as versed as if he worked there.
Bruce was telling me exactly how many self portraits Rembrandt had painted as we stepped into the beautiful home of the late Isabella Stewart Gardner, a 19th century Patron of the Arts, who would eventually own one of the great private art collections in the world. It is now a museum in Boston’s Back Bay.
Utah pointed out a small painting on the wall to the right and blurted, “Ah, the ‘Storm on the Sea of Galilee.’ Harry did you know that Rembrandt painted himself into this very painting. Look in the lifeboat, right there. It’s Ol’ van Rijn himself.”
About a half hour earlier, Utah and I had been at a nearby conference and the proceedings were sliding downhill into Pedantics 101. He got my attention, gave me a thumb sign, and motioned toward the door, with a jerk of his head. I had no idea where we were going. He obviously did and it was off to the Gardner Museum.
THE SONG ITSELF
As mentioned above, this is about a song that appeared on one of his many records. He didn’t sing the song. We don’t know who did. It is titled “Calling Trains” and it is all of 46 seconds long. It is spoken word.
It is a chant by an unidentified gentleman, inside the Union Railroad Station in New Orleans, circa 1935 give or take five years, announcing the departure of the City of New Orleans passenger train bound, eventually, for Chicago.
This is not an express train to say the least. It is the Local, making stop after stop (forty in all) as it rolls north 
from New Orleans toward Chicago, through Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois. “Calling Trains” calls out each of the forty scheduled stops the City of New Orleans was scheduled to make on its journey. The recording is from the Library of Congress.
When I listened, at first, I couldn’t decipher much of what was being said. But I stayed with it, trying to understand the whole “call from start to finish. After studying old railroad maps and Mississippi atlases, I have a written complete precise translation of the “call.” Absolutely correct. Guaranteed or your money back.
As the gentleman is calling out for passengers to board the train on track four, you can probably pick up some of what he say on first listen. After you hear it a few times take a look at the transliteration below and then listen again as you read along. I think it is pretty cool. And it is historic as well.
So enjoy the listen. However, I still need some help with the transcription. If you can figure out the last three words spoken, you will get credit for doing so in this post. It sounds to me like SAL A MATOO. Obviously, that is not English. He may be saying “That’s all of my tune” It has me stumped. So if you have any idea, please let me know
HERE ARE THE LYRICS, which are absolutely spot on except for the last line.
“CALLING TRAINS”
transcription by Harry Lipson III
“ALL UP FOR ILLINOIS CENTRAL, LULING, PONCHATOULA, HAMMOND, AMITE, INDEPENDENCE, FLUKER, KENWOOD,
OSYKA, MAGNOLIA and MCCOMB, BROOKHAVEN, WESSON, HAZELHURST, CRYSTAL SPRINGS. TERRY, BYRAM, to JACKSON, to
TOUGALOO, RIDGELAND, LUX, and MADISON, CANTON, VAUGHN, PICKENS, GOODMAN, DURANT, WINONA,
GRENADA, SARDIS, MEMPHIS, DYERSBURG, FULTON, to CAIRO, CARBONDALE, Centralia, Effingham, Mattoon, Champaign,
Kankakee, and Chicago. Train on Track Four. Sal a matoo.”
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A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFO ABOUT THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND THE ROUTE IT TRACED:
I found it a nice coincidence that one of the forty en-route stops for the The City of New Orleans was in Goodman, MS, given that Steve Goodman wrote the Grammy award winning song about this famous train.
One of the mysteries, to me, is why the gentlemen calls out “Lux”, Mississippi as one of the train stops. The train rolls along the Illinois Central Railroad tracks and Lux was located northwest of Hattiesburg and southeast of Jackson. It was many miles away from the railroad line, no where near it in fact. I have looked at original Mississippi railroad maps and old state maps and you won’t find Lux anywhere near the tracks. To add to this mystery, Lux disappeared and is no longer found on maps after a certain date prior to 1950. . Could the gentlemen have been from Lux and wanted to give a shout out to his hometown? We will never know how Lux makes the list of train stops, for sure the City of New Orleans never once stopped in Lux.
Deciphering the audio was initially challenging. I misunderstood the gentleman at numerous points, but eventually it became clearer to me. Mapping and repeated listening ultimately solved the puzzle of the lyrics.
“Luling” was initially difficult for me to ascertain what he was saying. I found Luling on an old map right on the train line.
“Amite” was another that took additional time to understand and transcribe.
“Terry” and “Byram” were initially tough to determine. I thought he was saying
“Cairo bound for Jackson”. If you listen to it, you might hear him say that too.
I also had trouble understanding an earlier portion that I thought was “Westhaven”. But there is no Westhaven MS. It was “Wesson”, “Hazelhurst”.
And as mentioned previously I am unable to understand the last three words that are spoken which sound like “Sal A Matoo.” ANY THOUGHTS ?
Vaughn, MS, one of the forty stops along the line in “Calling Trains,” is oft forgotten as the place where famous railroading “disaster” occurred in 1900.
It was near Vaughn that Casey Jones, veteran Illinois Central conductor, died, the only fatality in that accident, (Casey was at fault for rear ending a freight train) forever immortalized in song. Listen and enjoy and try to catch the words (you can follow along with my transcription above).
Harry Lipson III @ HarryShots.com
“Hard Times” by Jacob Sweet
Click here if you want to download the mp3 at Amazon for 89 cents
Good ol’ Stephen Foster keeps on flowing and “Hard Times” is just one of his many truly good songs. If they gave posthumous Nobels in music, he would be in line for a trip to Oslo. Bob Dylan and Jerry Garcia (he’d come back for this) would give speeches on his behalf.
Always plain spoken, sparse, and deeply sweet and respectful, Foster was America’s first great songwriter of note. I see him up there with Sam Clemens, himself a sure fire Nobelist in literature, as long as we are handing them out posthumously at HarryShots.
“Hard Times” has been recorded by a long list of fine folks; today I thought I would choose someone less well known - Jacob Sweet, who lives in Chicago, is a folksinger, and teaches at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Can you say Steve Goodman (he’d be in Oslo to sing to Stephen Foster), John Prine, Bonnie Koloc, and Studs Terkel (He’d deliver the Clemens speech, along with Will Rogers).
Enjoy Jacob Sweet with “Hard Times,” our song of the day. HL
“My Old Man” by Rosanna Goodman
Click here to download the mp3 at Amazon.com
When I remember Steve Goodman, I think of the finest solo acoustic stage performer that I ever saw. He was so in touch with himself and his audience. Steve was naturally funny, even with a poignant story or song to sing. And he was among the finest guitarists that I ever saw in person. Tragically, Steve died in 1984 after a long battle with leukemia (He would occasionally refer to himself as “Cool Hand Leuk”). The night Steve died, I was on the phone with Monteray Peninsula Artists, Steve’s booking agency, talking to Paul Goldman with some dates that I was hoping that Steve might play for FolkTree, my concert company. I will never forget Paul Goldman saying that Steve had died about twenty minutes earlier in a Seattle hospital.
I have a sweet spot in my heart for Steve Goodman. He wrote great songs, co-wrote many great songs, was such a crackerjack performer, and his albums were stellar. A lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, Steve’s ashes were scattered (as was his wish in one of his songs) at Wrigley Field. When the Cubbies someday win the World Series, I will be thinking, first and foremost, about Steve Goodman. And I won’t be alone.
The first time I saw Steve Goodman perform, he was the opening act for Emmylou Harris back in 1975 in Birmingham, Alabama. The house lights went down and a little sprite of a guy wearing a white collarless shirt and blue bib overalls bops out on stage, sits down and begins to play amazing guitar and sing. He doesn’t introduce himself, just starts into his first song. He was not introduced to the audience, his name was not in the show advertising nor on the tickets, so none of us in the crowd had any idea who we were listening to. That included me, until he mentioned his father, Joseph, and I realized who he was. Suffice it to say that Emmylou (I always refer to her as EmmisLou) was great as always, and I love her, but what I remember over three decades later is Stevie Goodman and the one man show he was.
So today, it is Steve’s daughter, Rosanna, who sings the song about her grandfather; a song that her father wrote about his father. “My Old Man” is a beautiful song and Rosanna puts her heart into it. Bravo, Rosanna. HL
