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Topic: Pink Floyd, Eskimos and 1967
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RonPrice
recent-rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7083
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posted 16 August 2005 01:07 AM
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOONWhen the rock groupPink Floyd had the first successes of their career in 1967 I was on my way to life as a primary school teacher among the Eskimo on Baffin Island; when their greatest LP, The Dark Side of the Moon, was released in 1972 I had Aboriginal kids in my classes in Whyalla South Australia; when Pink Floyd went on their last tour, the Division Bell tour of 1994, I had just finished 25 years as a teacher/lecturer, was working in Perth Western Australia and was ready to retire, although retirement did not take place until 1999. -Ron Price with thanks to SBS TV, "Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon," 8:30pm-9:25 pm, October 12, 2003. My pioneering life from Eskimos to Aborigines went arm-in-arm with your musical career and we both kept going and going and going. When I arrived at the other side of the world, you arrived at the dark side of the moon. We both had our: simple exhortations, early adult disenchantments, quiet desperations, hanging on in the English way. (for hanging on in desperation has clearly been the English way) The era of the guitar played itself across two continents and that process of entry-by-troops pursued its erratic and unpredictable course and prelude to that long-awaited hour when the fortunes of this Faith will have been revolutionized.1 1Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, p.117. Ron Price October 12, 2003.
From: George Town Tasmania Australia | Registered: Oct 2004
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'lance
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1064
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posted 16 August 2005 08:56 PM
quote: Fear me.
I think this would follow naturally from... quote: I sang Handle Me With Care at an open mic night ...
Travelling Wilburys. Pfaw. (Truthfully, I actually rather liked them. A guilty pleasure, I'd say). I once sang "Folsom Prison Blues" at a karaoke night -- seguéing into "Pinball Wizard" on the second verse, to the astonishment and vast amusement of the karaoke host. (Apparently this gag hadn't yet made it to Australia, but it works perfectly -- try it!) Less than two years later, Johnny Cash died -- as it happened, on my (and, by coincidence, my wife's) fifth wedding anniversary. Johnny Cash had his first hit, "Cry, Cry, Cry," in nineteen-fifty-five, while his autobiography, "Man In Black," came out in nineteen-seventy-five. I trust I need say no more. Mwaha. [ 16 August 2005: Message edited by: 'lance ]
From: that enchanted place on the top of the Forest | Registered: Jul 2001
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ronb
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2116
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posted 17 August 2005 03:28 PM
quote: I once sang "Folsom Prison Blues" at a karaoke night -- seguéing into "Pinball Wizard" on the second verse, to the astonishment and vast amusement of the karaoke host.
Try the Mary Tyler Moore theme song lyrics to "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", some time. It takes some squeezing, but it's worth the effort. Isn't "I've Been Everywhere" a Hank Snow tune? [ 17 August 2005: Message edited by: ronb ]
From: gone | Registered: Jan 2002
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'lance
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1064
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posted 20 August 2005 12:19 AM
quote: Try the Mary Tyler Moore theme song lyrics to "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", some time. It takes some squeezing, but it's worth the effort.
And then, of course, a number of Emily Dickinson poems fit nicely to "Yellow Rose of Texas," sprightly version: "Be... cause-I-could-not-stop-for-Death He-kindly-stopped-for-meee! The-carriage-held-but-just-ourselves and-Immortaliteee!" etc., etc.
From: that enchanted place on the top of the Forest | Registered: Jul 2001
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'lance
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1064
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posted 12 September 2005 10:43 AM
This rabble column from a couple of years back clears a lot of things up. quote: The umbrella term for the far west, Alaska, is “Eskimo.” Alaskans do not seem to mind its use these days, simply because it provides a handy general term. There may be another reason not to mind it, as well. The old thinking was that it came from Cree, derogatorily meaning, “Eaters of Raw Meat.” It was thought that it was overheard by French missionaries, distorted to “Esquimaux” or “Esquimau,” then Anglicized to “Eskimo.” It is amazing how widespread this belief has become, so that it is cited by all but the most informed sources. Yet, while remaining a bit of a mystery, the missionary origin of “Eskimo” is pretty much discounted today, since there is some compelling evidence that the word existed in pre-colonial times. Some researchers have made a good case for it coming from Montagnais vocabulary, literally meaning, “snowshoe net-weaver,” but culturally being a term that indicates any craftsman of great skill. It seems to me that this makes more sense and, if true, would mean that the word is not derogatory after all. Inuit, however, will never be Eskimos. Existent in the west or not, preferred by Alaskans or not, it was simply never part of their vocabulary. Inuit, after all, have their own name for themselves: Inuit. Today, “Eskimo” only reminds Inuit of the days when missionaries kidnapped them, dumped flea powder all over them, and assigned “Eskimo numbers” to them, instead of bothering to note the proper name for the culture or the individuals within it.
From: that enchanted place on the top of the Forest | Registered: Jul 2001
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RonPrice
recent-rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7083
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posted 13 September 2005 03:06 AM
I think I'll write another piece here about my life with the Inuit. I'll add a bit about music, not Pink Floyd, but other stuff. So music and the Inuit will continue as the theme I introduced. I wrote most of this just after I retired from teaching in 1999. ________________________________________________ NEW LIFE IN MY STRINGSIn October of 1967 I bought a guitar to use to teach music to my grade three Inuit class. This was about five weeks after the beginning of my teaching career, at the outset of what one writer called ‘the dark heart of the age of transition.’ This morning, I bought another set of guitar strings about five weeks after retiring from teaching. As I purchased the strings, a ten dollar set of Gibson’s, I thought that this might just be a landmark experience, perhaps indicative of the end of a thirty-two year musical line, perhaps indicative of the beginning of yet another stage of life for both my guitar and my teaching experiences. Perhaps it was just a simple purchase so that I could play the guitar for the final time, the final teaching event in Perth and an extension teaching trip to Northam, WA. -Ron Price, Pioneering Over Three Epochs, Unpublished Manuscript, 1999. Getting ready for another move to yet another town; getting ready for another trip, an extension teaching trip, I decided to buy some strings, the first in three years, just about dead, as I had just about died. But here, new life quivered along on the strings. I could hear it as I tuned myself up. I could feel new life surging within me, reborn after just about bottoming out. Got my talk ready, reorganized my song booklets so I’d be ready for a ‘secular’ afternoon, a sacred program, just about anything when you go to the country for a teaching trip.1 Ron Price 1 May 1999 1 One of my files is entitled Resources File: Sing Alongs. It contains the various kinds of musical packages I have come to use with singing groups, for people with disabilities, in old age homes, with pre-school kids, among other groups. I have come to enjoy singing immensely but, from time to time, I get very tired of the process because (a) I am not that talented a guitar player and (b) I find the repetition of singing the same songs year in and year out deadening. The last half a dozen years were one of those ‘dead periods.’ [ 14 October 2005: Message edited by: RonPrice ]
From: George Town Tasmania Australia | Registered: Oct 2004
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Ken Burch
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 8346
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posted 15 June 2006 07:21 PM
quote: Originally posted by 'lance:
And then, of course, a number of Emily Dickinson poems fit nicely to "Yellow Rose of Texas," sprightly version: "Be... cause-I-could-not-stop-for-Death He-kindly-stopped-for-meee! The-carriage-held-but-just-ourselves and-Immortaliteee!" etc., etc.
Emily's poems can also be sung to "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing(In Perfect Harmony)"), the old Coca-Cola jingle. [ 15 June 2006: Message edited by: Ken Burch ]
From: A seedy truckstop on the Information Superhighway | Registered: Feb 2005
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erroneousrebelrouser
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12363
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posted 06 July 2006 02:38 PM
Oh My God lmao and off; rotf...wish I had an emoticon that could 'splain just how this thread attacked my funny bone. Careful with that adze, Eugene ? LOL; does anyone remember the screaming that finished off that glorious song; oh the times they were so good to me. I remember having that album; it's long gone now but one of my favorite songs on it had a melody that went something like this; see the (something, word?) splashing through the water and the river of green is smiling unseen beneath the trees laughing as it passes through the endless summer making for the sea if anyone remembers this one; and can point me, wee lad to it's origin or destination I would gladly give you a hamburger and repay you on Tuesday, or something like that. Oh and I'm proud to say that my kiddie LOVES the Floyd. I downloaded some of the older stuff which was some of the best and let him listen; and he was actually already acquainted with "Shine on you Crazy Diamond" -- It seems that they play this one a lot at a skating park inside of a mall where they go. Pretty cool pick for the year '2006. He likes "wish you were here" too; but he doesn't understand why it makes me sad to hear it; it was one of my brothers favorite songs too. And it was he who originally turned me onto the "dark side of the moon. This thread has made me happy. Thanks for bringing up the Floyd today. And as for now; I need to laugh actually being too terrified to do anything else. If you need another good laugh; you might read this site; completely unrelated but funny nonetheless. Depending on your humor, of course. been a strange week. I really need to start a thread about this being totally unrelated. But it kind of goes along with the "clueless" theme, don't you think? [URL=http://users.livejournal.com./kim_jong_il__/ Ah drat I can't make my webpage come up. I'll fix it on another day. Actually that page is quite old but it just gives a hysterical glimpse of the man. now he is being scarrwrey. Those links didn't work, so you can do this if you want to read something funny. users.livejournal.com/Kim_Jong_il__ I think the "Kim_Jong is in bold. Sorry about that train just rolling off it's tracks again. Back to the Floyd; I recently bought the boxed set which included all the good oldies, or at least most of them. Andy loves to listen to them. [ 08 July 2006: Message edited by: erroneousrebelrouser ] To edit once again; after reading of Syd Barrets death the other night; I thought it at least appropriate to look up the lyrics to that old song that I loved and I found it; here it is. ____________________________________________ Granchester Meadows "Icy wind of night be gone this is not your domain" In the sky a bird was heard to cry Misty morning whisperings and gentle stirring sounds Belie the deathly silence that lay all around Hear the lark harken to the barking of the dark fox Gone to ground See the splashing of the kingfisher flashing to the water And a river of green is sliding unseen beneath the trees Laughing as it passes through the endless summer Making for the sea In the lazy water meadow I lay me down All around me golden sun flakes settle on the ground Basking in the sunshine of a bygone afternoon Bringing sounds of yesterday into this city room Hear the lark harken to the barking of the dark fox Gone to ground See the splashing of the kingfisher flashing to the water And a river of green is sliding unseen beneath the trees In the lazy water meadow I lay me down All around me golden sun flakes covering the ground Basking in the sunshine of a bygone afternoon Bringing sounds of yesterday into this city room Hear the lark harken to the barking of the dark fox Gone to ground See the splashing of the kingfisher flashing to the water And a river of green is sliding unseen beneath the trees [ 16 July 2006: Message edited by: erroneousrebelrouser ]
From: home sweet home | Registered: Mar 2006
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Fidel
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5594
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posted 21 July 2006 08:09 PM
quote: Originally posted by erroneousrebelrouser: Oh My God lmao and off; rotf...wish I had an emoticon that could 'splain just how this thread attacked my funny bone. Careful with that adze, Eugene ? LOL; does anyone remember the screaming that finished off that glorious song; oh the times they were so good to me.
Weren't there some big base drum beats followed by a distorted voice that said, O-ne of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces" ?. David Gilmour's guitar solos on the Animals album were absolutely awesome for me when I was young. I wanted so bad to go to one of their concerts. I never made it.
From: Viva La Revolución | Registered: Apr 2004
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erroneousrebelrouser
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12363
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posted 24 July 2006 11:14 PM
Well, I remebered those lyrics because I had listened to it a lot way back when. Seems like I especially liked those lyrics By Floyd entitled Grantchester Meadows, -- I still remembered listened to them a lot whilst looking through a beautiful 'window' pane..which had lovely scenery, lovely lyrics, and beautiful vocals. And the visuals...kind of took me away.(!) (for a while that is.) Unfortunately I believe it's obvious that it took its toll on Syd -- and predictably noting at the extent in which he took his experiments a bit too far. Howover I was led to believe that his experimentations 'through the looking glass' were so much more of an ongoing experiment than for instance, someone who used it occasionally or just for a special occasion; unlike for instance that of someone like myself..."If" I had come to the conclusion that I had wanted to try it myself...I would have thought that it would be imporant that one would get out of the city and get back to a natural setting...a peaceful one --for instance like taking up camping with other very good friends far away from a big city; or go with your significant other; maybe next to a flowing river; ect. ect..! You get it. Friends with whom I have done some camping out were very close; and we really enjoyed being with each other. We didn't kill animals; and we would be ever mindful of keeping everything together...laughing, singing, playing music together and in contrast to the former's use; having a different kind of ongoing use/experimentation. I can't imagine taking it every day; or every other day, especially large doses. This kind of substance will and does humble even the highest ego; that's why they say before you ingest this substance -- to check your ego 'at the door'...I always thought that was hysterical. But so VERY true. Anyway back to the mentioning of the 'Animals' and the great guitar playing; now I remember seeing documentaries about the train ride through Canada with greats like The Animals, Janis Joplin, and the Dead - I hope I have my facts straight, and I can't remeber all of the artists who were there for the rides and concerts at stop points. I'm going to try to find a link about that tonight to better recall what the ride was like; per journalists and documentaries, ect. The Animals had great music. I remember reading a story where Syd had shaved all of his hair and had stopped by to visit during the band's recording session, and while they were working on "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"... I had read that Syd was so completely unrecognizable having been there for quite a long time and to the shock and surprise of everyone; realising this they were equally shocked at how different he 'appeared' and acted, as well. From what I read it was hard to get 'through' to him. But of course I wasn't there; I'm just basing my facts on what I have seen and read; and it seems for the most part I believe to be accurate. I believe that Syd's experimentation of the drug LSD had gotten the better of him; and had completely changed him especially toward the end as he was supposed to show up for concerts and bookings; he would sometimes just drift off; not show up at all; not play at all; or play the wrong chords -- being so out of it that he either didn't reaize what he was doing, or that he was unwilling to change his intake of Psychedelic Drugs. This poor guy; It's so sad and such a waste for such a gifted artist to lose his abilities due to overusing such a drug as LSD; because anyone who has ever done it knows that it is easy to have a 'bad trip' -- and I believe he became more and more paranoid, eventually becoming a complete recluse -- and very eccentric as well. I wonder if there could have been a way to have helped him with the kinds of medications that we have in the world in this day and age; the kinds that were not available or didn't even exist that long ago. Anway it's sad -- anyway that you look at it. Rest in Peace, Sir Barret. You and your legacy will always be in my heart; as well as the millions of Floyd lovers all throughout the world. (BTW) I was happy to read that they had sort of taken care of him, made sure that he received his royalty checks in his later years so that he could be comfortable. Its curious, what we do to ourselves in this crazy search and adventure that we call life; some just take it to the extreme, while others kind of lay back, realizing what excessess do to people. Some really amazing people came to harm so unnecessarily back then; and even now. They do. [ 01 August 2006: Message edited by: erroneousrebelrouser ]
From: home sweet home | Registered: Mar 2006
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Steppenwolf Allende
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 13076
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posted 22 August 2006 03:51 PM
Ok, interesting gossip. Let me wade in with some boring accuracies: quote: When the rock groupPink Floyd had the first successes of their career in 1967 I was on my way to life as a primary school teacher among the Eskimo on Baffin Island;
Interesting job you had. But actually, Pink Floyd's first album Piper at the Gates of Dawn was relased in August 1966. quote: when their greatest LP, The Dark Side of the Moon, was released in 1972 I had Aboriginal kids in my classes in Whyalla South Australia;
It was November 1972 to be exact. And still sounds like a very challenging and eye-opening career. quote: Hell, the day I got my first job Bob Dylan and Liberace ate lunch.
It's obvious they would both eat lunch. It's sad to know they ate lunch together. Bet you I can guess which one was doing all the talking. quote: I sang Handle Me With Care at an open mic night and Roy Orbison died the next day. Fear me.
Deadly! I had heard somewhere that Karaoke was hazardous to human health. I didn't think it meant hazardous to the composers of the songs. The single was recorded in August 1988 and released in Spetember. Based on the huge public response, the five main musicians involved, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynn, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, hurriedly wrote and recorded nine more tunes and released a project album in November under the band name The Travelling Willburies. Orbison died in early December of a heart attack--about one week after the release of his own album .Mystery Girl, which the other musicians worked on as well. My own "fear me" experience happened in August 1977, when playing for the first time Lynyrd Skynard's third album and cranking the tune Freebird to the max, just after which I was interrupted by a work colleague who told me Elvis Presley had died that day. One week afterward, I was playing that tune again, when I was again interrupted and told that three members of Skynard died in a plane crash that day. I quit playing that tune for a long time after.
From: goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here | Registered: Aug 2006
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