When I was emptying out my memory stick, I just noticed this pic and remembered something.
I was there at the Levis Great Indian Rock 2006
Reached late when Demonic Ressurection was playing. Wasn’t impressed. Medusa wasn’t nice but the lead guitarist was fabulous. Prestorika was nice, though I had walked out for a snacks in between. I thought they were the best in the competeing category.
Zero (Mumbai) just swept me off. Mindblowing. This picture is of them playing a solo.
And where did they find those buffoons from UK?
The code name is : MILO.
I walked out when they started playing. It was late for me anyway
This song was perhaps written in the 1800s.
There is perhaps no telling how many musicians have sung it.
I listened first to a version sung in 1946 by Mary Ford and Les Paul.
Soon I got to listen to another version sung the same year by Patti Page.
Needless to say they both had completely different tunes.
I liked the sharpness and quickness of Les Paul’s recording over the flowing voice of Patti Page. But what stood out was a song that lent itself to be sung in many different ways.
It’s curious that no one seems to be singing that portion of the song about buying a mule.
I guess they consider it uncool.
Anyways, here is to another great song.
Lyrics to the Mocking Bird’s Hill
When the sun in the morning peeps over the hill,
And kisses the roses around my window sill,
Then my heart fills with gladness when I hear the trill
Of the birds in the treetops on Mockin’ Bird Hill.
Tra la la, tweedle dee dee dee
It gives me a thrill,
To wake up in the morning
To the mockin’ bird’s trill.
Tra la la tweedle dee dee dee
There’s peace and good will;
You’re welcome as the flowers
On Mockin’ Bird Hill
Got a three-cornered plow and an acre to till
And a mule that I bought for a ten-dollar bill
There’s a tumble-down shack and a rusty ol’ mill
But it’s my Home Sweet Home up on Mockin’ Bird Hill.
Tra la la, tweedle dee dee dee
It gives me a thrill,
To wake up in the morning
To the mockin’ bird’s trill.
Tra la la tweedle dee dee dee
There’s peace and good will;
You’re welcome as the flowers
On Mockin’ Bird Hill
When it’s late in the evening I climb up the hill
And survey all my kingdom while everything’s still.
Only me and the sky and an ol’ whippoorwill
Singin’ songs in the twilight on Mockin’ Bird Hill.
Tra la la, tweedle dee dee dee
It gives me a thrill,
To wake up in the morning
To the mockin’ bird’s trill.
Tra la la tweedle dee dee dee
There’s peace and good will;
You’re welcome as the flowers
On Mockin’ Bird Hill
You know, I’ve always wanted to know more about music as it was before Rock and Roll. Before Boney M, ABBA, Elvis or even Chuck Berry.
Was there really no good music before them?
Can’s really say, but there happen to be some bright singles.
The Red Foley version of the Chattanoogie shoe shine boy is certainly one of them.
The hoppety hippety hops and hand claps that form an important part of this music makes it an excellent single. There is even a Wikipedia article on this song here .
Here are the lyrics
Lyrics to the Chattanoogie shoe shine boy
Have you ever passed the corner of Forth and Grand
Where a little ball o’rhythm has a shoe shine stand
People gather ’round and they clap their hands
He’s a great big bundle o’joy
He pops the boogie woogie rag
The Chattanoogie shoe shine boy
He charges you a nickel just to shine one shoe
He makes the oldest kind o’leather look like new
You feel as though you wanna dance when he gets through
He’s a great big bundle o’ joy
He pops the boogie woogie rag
The Chattanoogie shoe shine boy
It’s a wonder that the rag don’t tear
The way he makes it pop
You ought to see him fan the air
With his hoppity-hippity-hippity
Hoppity-hoppity-hippity-hop
He opens up for business when the clock strikes nine
He likes to get up early when they’re feelin’ fine
Everybody gets a little rise ‘n shine
With the great big bundle o’joy
He pops the boogie woogie rag
The Chattanoogie shoe shine boy
It’s a wonder that the rag don’t tear
The way he makes it pop
Just listen to him fan the air
Here goes
He opens up for business when the clock strikes nine
He likes to get up early when they’re feelin’ fine
Everybody gets a little rise ‘n shine
With the great big bundle o’joy
He pops the boogie woogie rag
The Chattanoogie shoe shine boy