Spade Cooley

While watching a “Honeymooners” re-run the other night, Norton mentioned a record by Spade Cooley. I knew the name but have to admit that I wasn’t all that familiar with his work. So, off to you tube I went. Man, was I surprised at the wealth of entertainment, as well as the actual story of Spade and what happened to this man who was at one time giving both Ed Sullivan and all the rest, quite a run for the money in the TV ratings.

Western Swing music has always held a fascination for me. The blending of big band instruments with traditional country music can produce some smooth music, ideal for dancing. Spade Cooley’s band was composed of Spade Cooley, real name Joaquin Murphey Donnell Clyde Cooley, on steel guitar; Tex Williams (no relation to Ted), on vocals; and the rest of the members on everything else.

Cooley was born in Oklahoma in 1910 and began studying classical violin and cello at age 4. By the time he was 8 years old he was performing in public. He eventually made it to Hollywood and served as a stand-in for Roy Rogers in many of his films. He also played with the legendary Riders of the Purple Sage in the late 1940’s, before forming his own band in 1941. Carolina Cotton joined the band as a fiddle player and yodeler a few years after.

His TV career began in 1948 with a show on KTLA which ran for 11 years, and even affected the ratings of other shows airing opposite his, including Ed Sullivan’s. The Spade Cooley Show ended in 1959, shortly after he was charged with the death of his wife, Ella Mae. They had been arguing since 1952, when she claimed to have an affair with Roy Rogers. That was never proven to be true.

By 1958 she apparently wanted a divorce so badly that she told him she was a member in a “sex club” as a way to get him to dissolve their marriage. Infuriated, he struck her in the chest with such force that he ruptured her aorta, causing her death. In 1961 he was sentenced to life for the crime. No proof of her claim of alleged infidelity has ever surfaced.

His trial was unusual in that he was so remorseful that he refused to even testify on his own behalf, accepting his life sentence without an appeal. In August of 1969 he was scheduled for release on parole in February of 1970. That same month he performed a concert for the Alameda County Sheriffs Association. 

In front of 3,000 lawmen he gave one of the finest performances of his career. After leaving the stage he collapsed and died, never living to be paroled. His body was returned to the prison, where it was cremated. Today he is interred at Chapel of the Chimes Cemetery in Hayward, California.

"Hysterical High Spots in American History" from Walter Lantz (1941)

Walter Lantz is most noted for his Woody Woodpecker cartoons, but he had a life in animation before the advent of the noisy little bird we all came to love. This Technicolor cartoon from 1941 should give you a good idea of what Mr. Lantz was doing prior to the birth of Woody.

Beginning with Columbus’ voyage to the New World, Mr. Lantz takes the viewer on a tour de force through America’s most colorful moments. From Columbus and all the way through the American Revolution; which began today at Lexington-Concord in Massachusetts; on through the stock market crash of the late 1920’s and the Great Depression, this cartoon leaves nothing out.

The First Thanksgiving is covered in a humorous fashion, with everyone shaking hands and saying “Thank you” to one another. The Minutemen are here, as is Lincoln at Gettysburg. The Gold Rush in California, the New Deal, and even the rumblings of the Second World War, along with the first peacetime conscription of  the Armed Forces, are all covered as well.  

Today is the anniversary of the events that brought us freedom, and in spite of the events in Boston; the “Cradle of Liberty”; this past week, Americans will persevere and move on with their lives, always remembering the fallen that did not make it. And, along with that, we will keep our senses; all of them; even our sense of humor. And that, in itself, is a victory.

"God's Gonna Cut You Down" - Johnny Cash (2006)

This is for the person, or persons, responsible for the carnage in Boston last week. Johnny Cash, who was an anti-war activist during Vietnam, expresses his outrage here over those who work so hard to make our existence in this life a hell on earth. Sometimes, a little fire and brimstone is appropriate.

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down

Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news
My head's been wet with the midnight dew
I've been down on bended knee
talkin' to the man from Galilee

He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel's feet
He called my name and my heart stood still
When he said, "John go do My will!"

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down

Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin' in the dark against your fellow man
But as sure as God made black and white
What's done in the dark will be brought to the light

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God'll cut you down
Sooner or later God'll cut you down

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down.

Metamucil and Me

A few weeks ago I had a routine colonoscopy and it about killed me. Last Saturday I took my first dose of Metamucil, a common over the counter supplement, on the advice of a specialist, with the same results. Once again, being treated by a specialist can be very risky if you suffer from a disorder which that specialist may be unfamiliar with. In essence, in these cases, you MUST be somewhat of your own doctor. This is not a short-coming on the part of the physicians; as they are treating so many people; but it is a responsibility of you, as the patient, to be somewhat aware of any special conditions which may affect your treatment in an adverse way. And, if that specialist seems unwilling to listen, then you need to seek treatment elsewhere.

A simple skin test, or a blood test, can determine whether or not this over the counter supplement is right for you or not. For millions of people it is perfectly suited, brining positive results. But, for the patient who may in some way be compromised in relation to their immune systems, this can be a very dangerous supplement; and in the case of myself; can even be life threatening, as I found out last weekend while out for the day with my long suffering (from being married to me) wife, Sue.

Metamucil works in much the same way as the prep containing PEG 3350 does for a colonoscopy, only less dramatic, but it has the addition of psyllium, which can be a real challenge to patients with COPD, as I am, and even for people with conditions as common as asthma. Again, although you would think that the doctor should ask you about any conditions which might be a problem, the specialist does not know you as well as your GP. For that reason I usually run everything by my doctor before using it. But in the case of this harmless looking supplement, I simply followed his advice.

There seems to be no acceptable alternative for either the preparation for the colonoscopy, or the accepted control of the bowels by use of Metamucil. Baby boomers beware; if you have any allergies at all; be sure to consult with your General Practitioner before following all of the advice of your “specialist”. After all, your GP knows you; and your medical history; better than a “specialist”, who is really just a stranger to your body and its particular quirks.

For more on this subject, here is a link to get you started;

http://www.livestrong.com/article/323450-the-link-between-psyllium-powder-allergies/

"Movin' On Up" Performed by Hitler and Friends

There was a video of Hitler strutting his stuff to Merv Griffin’s “I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts” on you tube which I was hoping to re-post, but it has been removed due to copyright issues. It’s too bad, because it was really well done. I was thinking about the video while watching the news and the latest rumblings from North Korea. Don’t take me wrong, the situation is not a good one, and whenever things get too far down on the scale of life I always turn to humor as a source of relief. And that’s what brought that video to mind.

I did find, in its stead, this little gem of Hitler set to music; in this case “Movin’ on Up” from the sitcom “The Jeffersons.” Now, before you object too strenuously, let me tell you why I find these types of videos to be so funny. You see, they take the demagogue and show him up for what he really is; a buffoon. Not a larger than life dictator, but a fool. Just as in Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator”, or the Three Stooges in “You Natsy Spy”, these films help to undercut the fear engendered by such fanatics. No one is powerful enough to stop laughter.

The best example I can give of this line of reasoning comes from a concentration camp survivor named Robert Clary, who played Corporal Le Beau on “Hogan’s Heroes”, and was a prisoner from 1942 in Ottmuth and then transferred to Buchenwald where he was freed on April 11, 1945 at the age of 19. The other 12 members of his family all perished there. He was asked if he thought there was something wrong with his participation in a show that made the Nazi’s look like fools. His reply was that in the camps there was only laughter to sustain one’s strength. To lose that spirit would have meant giving up, and then dying. That explanation, from someone who was there, and lost so much, has always held weight with me. 

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Tommy Tucker - Fascist on the Rise

“I am the Senator. You are the citizen. You need to be quiet.” 

  Senator Tommy Tucker (Waxhaw)

This is the face; and those are the words; of Fascism. The man looks quite ordinary, and that’s where the danger lies. Think about Charles Manson; he looked nuts, so he didn't scare me. But his “disciples”, who all looked like ordinary people were the ones who carried out his orders; hence they are the scarier of the two groups.

North Carolina is in the midst of a sea change in politics. With a Republican held state government anything is possible. Just 2 weeks ago the State Legislature tried to fast track a resolution which would have established a State Religion. Naturally, I was not included in that group, which would have marginalized my rights as a citizen to worship as I please without fear. It did not even make it to a vote because people, like me and you, stood up against it.

This week we see the emergence of State Senator Tommy Tucker of Waxhaw pushing a bill on a fast track which will allow the state government, and small towns, to act in what amounts to secrecy in changing things like zoning laws and the placements of waste-water treatment facilities without the requisite placement of Public Notice in the local newspapers which are read almost 60 times as much as the notices posted on government websites, which is where the notices will go if the Senate Bill 287  passes today.

I called Mr. Tucker’s office at 919-733-7659 this morning and was treated with the utmost rudeness by a man who would not give his name, did not know that the Senator had said the words quoted above, and had never heard of the bill. When I tried to explain the meaning of the bill to him he became agitated and rude, talking over anything I had to say. Then, to cap it off, he claimed to know about the bill but refused to discuss it. Such arrogance has never come my way before.

Tommy Tucker works for the people. He is an employee. When he tells a reporter to shut up, he is talking to you. As his employer, we call upon the people of Waxhaw to fire this misguided would be dictator in the next election. And then, tell him to be quiet.

"The Hour of Peril" by Daniel Stashower (2013)

The plot to assassinate President-elect Lincoln has always been a source of fascination for me. When I was living in Baltimore, some 30 odd years ago studying for a Coast Guard License, I used to stand opposite the Calvert Street Station and contemplate what would have been if the plot to kill Lincoln had been successful. And, standing on the very spot in the station where Lincoln had once trod held another appeal all of its own. So, naturally, I was eager to pick this book off the shelf at the library where it was presumably waiting just for me. And, what a treat it was to read!

Author Daniel Stashower has taken the oft told story of the attempted assassination of Lincoln en route to Washington and turned it into an all-encompassing saga of such diverse topics as; Scottish immigration, the westward expansion of the United States as a nation, the Abolitionist Movement, Allan Pinkerton’s rise from humble beginnings to his world-wide fame as a premier Private Investigator, his part in the Underground Railroad, his friendship with John Brown, and of course the founding of the Secret Service.

Along the way he introduces the reader to Eugene Vidocq, the former criminal turned law enforcement agent who founded the French Surete, and pioneered the plaster casting of footprints and established one of the earliest criminal data bases of the era. He was the actual inspiration for Victor Hugo’s character Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables.” Even the Lincoln-Douglas Debates are not ignored here, nor their implications concerning the inevitable coming of a Civil War. Oh, and did I mention that this is a book about Abraham Lincoln’s First Inauguration?

In a sweeping style, and drawing upon all sources, the author has penned what could very well become the basis for a movie about Allan Pinkerton. If Steven Spielberg were to undertake this as a companion piece to his current blockbuster “Lincoln”, he could not miss. 

As a member of the Scottish Chartist group; who were early champions of the working class and later tied to Marx and Engels; Pinkerton was also a natural  champion of Abolition. His work with John Brown put him in direct violation of both state and federal laws, but still he persevered . His attitude was expressed in the oft quoted “The ends justify the means, if the ends are for the accomplishment of Justice.”

When the author does get around to the journey by rail from Illinois to Chicago, by circuitous fashion, passing through all the stops on the way to New York, and from there on to Washington, D.C.; including a very dangerous change of stations at Baltimore where the President-elects life was in imminent danger; the narrative actually gets even better, if that is imaginable. 

The smoke filled cars come to life as the train hurtles toward the destiny which will ultimately; some 4 years later; culminate in the President’s death by an assassin’s bullet. That in itself is almost ironic; that he should live through the earlier attempt upon his life, only to die in the same way after holding the country together during a vicious Civil War; seems almost as if history had done with him; and having done so, cast him aside.

This book also explores the role that the railroads were beginning to play in the way Americans lived, worked and even engaged in politics. Filled with rogues, knaves and the world's first female detective, there is something for everyone in this book. It is still early in the year; and the book is just recently out; but I would suggest that if you only read one or two books this year, skipping this one would be a real loss.

"Everyone's Dying" by Robert Williams (1969)

This poem was written on April 15th, 1969 when I was 14 and a half years old. It got me called into the school counselor's office because it was not the first time I had written about death at such a young age. The first time I was called out for my choice of subject matter was in 1965, when I was 11 years old in 5th grade. I picked it at random from a pile of things which I keep in a drawer while looking for something to post for the 15th. Since it was such a coincidence, I thought I'd run it, if only for that purpose alone.

I had written a poem called "Jenkin's Grave" as a writing assignment in Mrs. Denslow's class in 5th grade, and she actually phoned my parents to discuss whether or not there was a problem at home. There was; as my mother was ill from the time I was about 6, until she passed away when I was 30.

So, death was always lurking about somewhere close by in my thoughts. Naturally, these thoughts found their way into my writing and have probably colored my feelings, and thoughts, for my entire life. And now, as I am getting older; past the age of my mother's death; I find myself looking at these poems more closely, as if to detect some meaning within them; a clue perhaps; of how I came to be who I am. 

Well, for better, or worse, here is that poem from 1969. It still resonates with me, and I still wonder about the eternity that faces us all; though I'd rather hang out for a few more years before I find out that answer!

An old man lay’s dying,

He’s passing away.

What does he think of

On his bed as he lay?

“I think of young ladies

Who were once young and free;

And of old folk, once young folk;

now passing with me.”

An old woman’s crying,

She’s passing away.

What does she think of 

in her final days?

“I think of the young men

I had way back when;

And of old folk, once young folk;

I won’t see again.”

A young boy is playing,

He screams and he shouts;

What does he think of

When at night, lights are out?

“I think of my father,

and how it must be.

To be older and wiser,

with a kid just like me.”

A tycoon is working

And working some more.

What does he think of,

As he does all those chores?

“I think of dead folk

And how glad they must be,

To get away from it all

And be so damn free!

I see people laughing

And larking about.

They’re right to be happy,

For time soon runs out!”

April 15^th, 1969  Cunningham Junior High School 9^th Grade