tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41250030987811947252023-11-15T11:25:27.579-05:00Tumbling TumbleweedsFrom Gene Autry to Rank and File, all the Western culture that we love.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-81780381968281566642013-02-27T09:11:00.000-05:002013-02-27T09:11:00.082-05:00Little Cowgirl Book Club: COWBOY<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789458543/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0789458543"><img border="0" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61frkXIufML._SL160_.jpg" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thehouseoffun&l=as2&o=1&a=0789458543" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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There's almost no need to review a DK Eyewitness book -- I have yet to see one I didn't think was fantastic and this one is no exception. Tons and tons of great photos showing every aspect of cowboy/cowgirl life, from historical to modern. The text is actually more extensive than you'd think in a photo-heavy book -- it would be a good reference even without so many photos. Everything from the origins of cowboy techniques to 20th century cowboy culture. And the photos! Every bit and bob of gear is shown and labelled. I think the Little Cowgirl was partial to the horse descriptions; I loved the fully equipped antique chuck wagon. A must-read. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789458543/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0789458543">Check it out on Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thehouseoffun&l=as2&o=1&a=0789458543" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />; or<a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/cowboy/oclc/71209770?referer=br&ht=edition"> find it at your local library!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-44659264382057416772013-02-21T09:51:00.000-05:002013-02-21T09:51:05.306-05:00Little Cowgirl Book Club: I Wonder Why Horses Wear Shoes<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0753465264/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0753465264"><img border="0" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/511bP41oqnL._SL160_.jpg" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thehouseoffun&l=as2&o=1&a=0753465264" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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This book is from the great Kingfisher <a href="http://www.iwonderwhybooks.com/">I Wonder Why</a> series (we've got tons of them) - basically they're a sort of kid's FAQ picture book; each book collects 30 or so interesting questions on a subject and answers them. This book covers all sorts of horse questions, including "Which horses do cowhands ride?"; "When did people first tame horses?"; "and of course, "Why do horses wear shoes?"<br />
The Little Cowgirl loves these books, so this one was a shoe-in. (Har-har.) Highly recommended!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0753465264/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0753465264">Check it out on Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thehouseoffun&l=as2&o=1&a=0753465264" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />; or <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/i-wonder-why-ponies-wear-shoes-and-other-questions-about-horses/oclc/694393546&referer=brief_results">find it at your local library</a>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-12296055706072362272013-02-14T08:25:00.000-05:002013-02-14T08:25:29.063-05:00Howdy and Happy Valentine's Day!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/550x/2d/bb/66/2dbb664f1e369fcb1bfa867770c091f0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/550x/2d/bb/66/2dbb664f1e369fcb1bfa867770c091f0.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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Let's all hope 2013 is a lot easier for me to wrangle than 2012 was; frankly, 2012 was one of the worst bronco rides of my life and I consider myself lucky to have made it to the end, bruises and all. See you soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-22917739529540856942012-03-30T08:00:00.000-04:002012-03-30T08:00:12.132-04:00best biscuits everAnd who doesn't love biscuits? In honor of Earl Scruggs, who passed away yesterday, I've written up the way I make his famous biscuit recipe. And I make it just about every week, that's how good it is. See?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jinjur/7026972383/" title="Earl Scrugg's Biscuits by colorkitten, on Flickr"><img alt="Earl Scrugg's Biscuits" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/7026972383_8103ebd098.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Get the instructions <a href="http://blog.colorkitten.com/2012/03/good-night-mr-scruggs-and-thank-you-for.html">right here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-64967248755028601032012-03-28T09:49:00.001-04:002013-01-15T10:35:03.440-05:00Little Cowgirl Bookclub: Hannah Mae O'Hannigan's Wild West Show<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068985191X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=068985191X"><img border="0" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/519BTD2QVZL._SL160_.jpg" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thehouseoffun&l=as2&o=1&a=068985191X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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How can you not love a book subtitled, <i>Featuring Her Trusty Cow Pony 'Sassafras'</i>?? Even without that subtitle this book would be in our top ten picture book list. Hannah herself is a character many parents know -- that kid who fancies themselves in a lifestyle that's not a great fit for where they live. In this case, it's a wanna-be cowgirl who lives in the city, a situation I know well!<br />
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Hannah's first gift as a baby is a cowboy hat and from there her path in life is set. Instead of trying to rein in their little cowgirl, her parents try to find ways to let her practice cowgirl skills (ponies in central park! wrangling a herd of hamsters!) and when she's ready, they send her off to help out on her Uncle Coot's ranch (Coot is the source of the cowboy hat that started it all). Hannah works hard on the ranch and ends up saving the day with some quick thinking and skills she learned in all that cowgirl training. And yes, not only does she save the day, she goes on to start the wild west show of the title and becomes the "best cowgirl in the world". <br />
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The art is cartoony and sweet, with a soft, slightly sepia-tinted palette in the colors. (And, there is no sign of the dreaded over-used Giddy-Up font anywhere - bonus points!) And the story is fun and engaging -- a must-read for any aspiring cowhand and honestly, I think any kid would really enjoy it. <br />
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Check it out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068985191X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=068985191X">on Amazon</a>; or find it <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/hannah-mae-ohannigans-wild-west-show/oclc/50251951">at your local library</a>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-34661166712103351852012-02-15T08:16:00.000-05:002012-02-15T08:16:08.447-05:00this western town can be yours!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEr_qrGu2FU/TzuuZz8in-I/AAAAAAAABh8/uUEIkuDc5Ss/s1600/westerntown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEr_qrGu2FU/TzuuZz8in-I/AAAAAAAABh8/uUEIkuDc5Ss/s1600/westerntown.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Seriously....this guy in Hoyt, Kansas built a little western town street in his back yard and he's ready to sell it (no more room and he wants to build new stuff!). Those buildings are fully functional and even an adult can go inside them -- the bank alone has an 11 foot tall facade and is 7' 6" x 6' 2"x 7' tall inside. The barn is wired for electricity and is being used as a chicken coop at the moment. And the saloon is actually a covered porch with balcony that will hold people (although how they get up there I cannot guess).<br />
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I love this! And it can be yours if you act fast (and you have $20,000 and can pick the whole thing up from them). What a cool idea for backyard structures. <a href="http://topeka.craigslist.org/grd/2847836858.html">Listing here</a> .Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-11680371490085506932012-02-14T11:33:00.000-05:002012-02-14T11:33:54.281-05:00Happy Valentine's Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTJ1_VMeRZI/TzqMhJTL1rI/AAAAAAAABh0/1DErXnyFsG0/s1600/scan0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTJ1_VMeRZI/TzqMhJTL1rI/AAAAAAAABh0/1DErXnyFsG0/s400/scan0006.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><br />
Things are looking up! 2011 is over and gone, and we're slowly getting back up to speed. Hope to be back in the saddle soon! Happy Valentines Day!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-64188616131152161062011-12-24T09:09:00.000-05:002011-12-24T09:09:24.367-05:00Happy Holidays!<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i0BOIdwUiqA?rel=0" width="420"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-76164813098957137882011-10-31T08:00:00.000-04:002011-10-31T08:00:16.814-04:00Music On Monday: Monster's HolidayDang! It has been a rough month, coming off a super-rough summer. Glad (hope) that's all over. Here's a Halloween hit to ring out the month -- Buck Owens' "Monster's Holiday":<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iqfkZ_n_TzI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br />
Happy Halloween!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-31680575630262879122011-10-04T10:08:00.001-04:002013-01-15T10:36:17.825-05:00Little Cowgirl Book Club: Cindy Ellen, A Wild Western Cinderella<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0064438643/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0064438643"><img border="0" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51vbXNNkptL._SL160_.jpg" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thehouseoffun&l=as2&o=1&a=0064438643" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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Written by Susan Lowell and illustrating by Jane Manning, this is a really clever retelling of Cinderella -- I often find fairy tale interpretations too gimmicky, but this one read wonderfully. And the art is fantastic! The Little Cowgirl still enjoys picture books and she said she liked this one a lot. I did too. Cindy Ellen is the best cowgirl in the area, but her nasty stepmother and stepsisters don't let her do anything but the dirtiest chores around their ranch. It takes her fairy godmother to give her some gumption -- and then she doesn't just go to a square dance/ ball, she actually competes in a rodeo! (Pretty sure that was my kid's favorite part.) Good enough that I'd be interested in Lowell's other western fairy tale retellings -- although those books unfortunately are not illustrated by Jane Manning. I think the art is at least half the charm of this book, so I don't know if we'd like the others nearly so much.<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1931721378" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cindy-Ellen-Wild-Western-Cinderella/dp/0064438643?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Check it out on Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0064438643" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1931721378" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />; or <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/cindy-ellen-a-wild-western-cinderella/oclc/40912658&referer=brief_results">find it at your local library</a>!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-77784570068336984442011-09-23T11:25:00.003-04:002013-01-15T10:37:40.589-05:00Little Cowgirl Book Club: Holding the Reins<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IOF1OS/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000IOF1OS"><img border="0" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51TBV3NWX5L._SL160_.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Little Cowgirl was especially interested in this book -- it follows the lives of 4 modern-day teenaged cowgirls throughout the year: KaDee of Utah & Colorado in summer; Sarah of Montana in fall; Katy of Wyoming in winter and Leslie of new Mexico in Spring. I found it a really fascinating book -- you can find plenty of books and blogs about real-life adults on ranches, but not too much on the younger set. Unfortunately, while it's marked as suitable for elementary school, it ended up being a bit too graphic for a 6-year-old. I think she was also a bit bored with the mundane details of high-school life. Definitely better for older kids, but an interesting read for anyone.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Holding-Reins-Ride-Through-Cowgirl/dp/B000IOF1OS?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Check it out on Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000IOF1OS" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />; or <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/holding-the-reins-a-ride-through-cowgirl-life/oclc/49683595&referer=brief_results">find it at your local library</a>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-45550370877291172432011-09-14T10:17:00.001-04:002013-01-15T10:38:41.924-05:00Little Cowgirl Book Club: Yippee-Yay!<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316309443/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316309443"><img border="0" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61ldLjJrFQL._SL160_.jpg" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thehouseoffun&l=as2&o=1&a=0316309443" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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Okay, first off, I just have to get something off my chest here.<br />
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Dear World, can we please call for a moratorium on the use of <a href="http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/adobe/giddyup/">Giddyup</a>? I grant you, it's a pretty cute font, and when it came out almost ten years ago there weren't a lot of choices. But now it is everywhere. <i>Everywhere</i>. Seriously, it's like the comic sans of western fonts. Just. Stop. Thank you. <br />
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Okay, I feel better now. This is a pretty nicely done non-fiction picture book, mostly covering the history of the Old West. Lots of information on gear, clothing, cattle drives and so on, presented in a cartoony fashion. The Little Cowgirl didn't like it much though, because while it claims to be a book about cowboys and<i> cowgirls</i>, actually, the first page tells you that there were very few women on the frontier and only a handful of cowgirls, and then we get zero cowgirls until the last two pages of the book, which is the brief "modern times" section. I would still recommend it to any kid interested in the subject -- just as long as they're not a persnickety little cowgirl!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Yippee-Yay-Book-About-Cowboys-Cowgirls/dp/0316309443?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Check it out on Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0316309443" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1931721378" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />; or <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/yippee-yay-a-book-about-cowboys-and-cowgirls/oclc/36498871&referer=brief_results">find it at your local library</a>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-16295860286155439522011-08-22T08:00:00.004-04:002011-08-22T08:00:14.559-04:00Music On Monday: the Little Cowgirl's Top 5Funny enough, the Little Cowgirl's all-time top 5 songs so far (she's 6-1/2, though, so this could change) all qualify for posting on this blog! So I decided to immortalize her (current) top 5 for posterity.<br />
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Her very first favorite song was "Fujiyama Mama" as performed by Wanda Jackson. Wanda was the first singer/band she asked about and knew by name (although she called her "Wonder Jackson" for a long time) by the age of...I'm thinking 2-1/2? I have to admit, I was a proud mama the day at her playgym when the 3-year-olds were asked to name their favorite song, and in the middle of all the "Wheels on the Bus" and "Twinkle Twinkle" answers my kid busted out with "FUJIYAMA MAMA!!!"<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MCKCj3QAyG0?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div><br />
Wanda Jackson remained her favorite singer until shortly after her 5th birthday, when she fell hard for Rose Maddox (she prefers her with the Maddox Brothers, but it's really Rose she cares about). Rose slowly pushed Wanda aside and for a long time her #1 song was "No More Time", by the Bros. & Rose, from 1955:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KWXlpMFL07E?rel=0" width="420"></iframe></div><br />
Then she actually forgot about the girls a bit and went Bob Wills crazy! (Keep in mind she loves all this stuff to this day, and she adores Bob Wills "and the TEXAS PLAYBOYS!" All of these songs have remained in her top 10 at least.) When it happened I'm not exactly sure, but her #1 song became "Take Me Back To Tulsa". We have a few versions of it, mainly earlier recordings with Tommy Duncan singing, but here's a much later live clip that we like a lot too:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/--_AXFcm48o?rel=0" width="420"></iframe></div><br />
But then Rose got back into the fight with a decidedly rockabilly track from the mid-50s, "Stop Whistlin' Wolf". She loves this one and from week to week changes her mind which is #1, this or "Tulsa":<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LIHE1Hi9n9s?rel=0" width="420"></iframe></div><br />
But wait, that's just 4 songs! There's another song that has never really been #1, but definitely has filled out her top 5 since early last year, and that's the Flatt and Scruggs hit "Pearl, Pearl, Pearl". Might not really fit the Western theme, but it was featured on Beverly Hillbillies....and that took place in California so...I call it good. Ahem. Enjoy:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r7QIlqb1RGQ?rel=0" width="420"></iframe></div><br />
<i>And just in case you're wondering, how do I know what her #1 songs are? Well, for one thing, she tells me. For another, she plays them over and over when they come up on the stereo or ipod. And finally, because when she was younger she would run around in circles while singing the lyrics. For what seemed like hours. Thank goodness it never was "Wheels on the Bus"!</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-11605142588308557372011-08-09T11:44:00.000-04:002011-08-09T11:44:41.657-04:00In Utah? Got a cowboy rec room? You need this!This amazing 50s Western-themed bar is up for sale right now (<a href="http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=16672510&cat=&lpid=&search=cowboy">listing here, $350</a>). It's in perfect shape, and is seriously amazing. See for yourself- here it is in all its basement-installed glory:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fc8iGCI4NzM/TkFUcNEyjGI/AAAAAAAABgg/Y91QAAxejvw/s1600/9920702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fc8iGCI4NzM/TkFUcNEyjGI/AAAAAAAABgg/Y91QAAxejvw/s400/9920702.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> And check out that floor! Sadly, the fish is already gone. </i></span></div><br />
Here's a better look at the front:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Yt1EH3vqGw/TkFUcawE8sI/AAAAAAAABgk/FeggvQlCDAs/s1600/9920757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Yt1EH3vqGw/TkFUcawE8sI/AAAAAAAABgk/FeggvQlCDAs/s400/9920757.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazing nailhead designs in the vinyl bar front.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
And just look at this formica!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.bonnint.net/c/992/99207/9920764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://img.bonnint.net/c/992/99207/9920764.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I'm just stunned by this. Never seen this pattern before in my life.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">If </span> </span>that formica was actually available, this could be copied pretty easily. But it's not, sadly enough. But if you are close enough to drive a truck over it can be yours!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(spotted on <a href="http://retrorenovation.com/2011/08/09/1950s-cowboy-basement-bar-from-house-where-45000-was-discovered-in-the-attic-yeehaw/">retrorenovation.com</a>)</i></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-16320264021161724052011-08-08T10:43:00.000-04:002011-08-08T10:43:57.359-04:00Music On Monday Song Special: The "Oakie Boogie"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s.dsimg.com/image/R-2700344-1297971634.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://s.dsimg.com/image/R-2700344-1297971634.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
"Oakie Boogie" is a classic track, maybe Western Swing, maybe Hillbilly Boogie, maybe proto-rockabilly, but definitely awesome. We generally like every version we've heard! It was first released in 1947 by both the writer, Johnny Tyler and also by Jack "Oke" Guthrie (Woody's cousin) -- Guthrie's version was a bona-fide hit and is considered a candidate for "first rock-and-roll record". And it probably is the best version to this day - just listen:<br />
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It's been recorded countless times and with all sort of interpretations. Another hit version was the Nelson Riddle arrangement of the song into a pop version for Ella Mae Morse as the "Okie Boogie":<br />
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I do like that version, but it's a bit on the smooth side! Our house favorites, Maddox Brothers and Rose also recorded <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REgjg9xD-lo">their version</a>, but to make things even better, they also recorded an answer song variation called the "Mean and Wicked Boogie"!<br />
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The list of cover version is endless, but feel free to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=oakie+boogie&search=Search">start checking them out</a>! Of special note, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDpSU4pnBlE">Ted Heath big band version</a> (almost seems like a parody); <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjhYrpIJ4Hw&feature=related">Hank Swatley's 50s rockabilly version</a>; and this great live version from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMeV4pEUBHM">Mimi Roman</a>. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-38691717376286378682011-07-25T08:00:00.001-04:002011-07-25T08:00:16.745-04:00Music On Monday: Girls of the Golden West<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-upxauDCfnuM/TiwSE95qWAI/AAAAAAAABgM/26IMln808us/s1600/goldenwest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-upxauDCfnuM/TiwSE95qWAI/AAAAAAAABgM/26IMln808us/s1600/goldenwest.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Dolly and Millie Good were sisters from a farm in Illinois, but they reinvented themselves as cowgirls from Muleshoe Texas and became the Girls of the Golden West in the early 1930s -- naming themselves after the Puccini opera. Very popular through the 30s and into the 40s, they cut a ton of sides for 5 different labels, yet no-one seems to have collected much of their output in modern times. Perhaps that's because their stuff is pretty mellow - it's just the two of them and a single guitar, so even for cowboy music of the time it's a bit stripped down. Plus they sing ballads. But every so often they get a bit goofy with songs like "Cross Eyed Beau":<br />
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They also sing about wanting to be real cowgirls (rather than cowboy's sweethearts):<br />
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And while you can't find them on too many compilations, you can find a small collection of tracks at the internet archive, <a href="http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Girls+of+the+Golden+West%22">ready to download</a>! To read more about the Good sisters (and to see a full track listing), go <a href="http://www.hillbilly-music.com/groups/story/index.php?groupid=11037">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-1648042651519815542011-07-18T09:36:00.001-04:002011-07-18T09:38:09.705-04:00Music On Monday: The Gun Club<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-of-Love/dp/B00154XPMA?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Fire of Love" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B00154XPMA&tag=houseoffun-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00154XPMA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div><br />
You'll find The Gun Club on the 80s cowpunk lists, but I think they shade a bit more country than a lot of the other (more western) bands they were associated with -- in fact, some people apparently consider them the first alt-country band. (Not that I think any band is the "first" of anything, really, but okay. They're also called "punk blues" and "tribal psychobilly blues" and "early roots rock" so, you know, whatever.)<br />
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Their history and line-up is pretty convoluted; founder and singer Jeffrey Lee Pierce was about the only constant as various musicians (including Kid Congo Powers of the Cramps, Patricia Morrison of Sisters of Mercy and Debbie Harry on backup vocals) and celebrity producers (Chris Stein of Blondie, Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins) came and went. The band formed in 1980 (when Blondie fan club chapter president Pierce met Ramones fan club chapter president Powers!) and continued in one form or another until Pierce's death in 1996. (Read the whole saga <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gun_Club">here</a>.)<br />
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While they are pretty consistently interesting all the way through their run, I have a personal fondness for the earliest recordings. Here's a track off the first album, <i>Fire of Love</i> -- "Ghost on the Highway":<br />
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And from <i>Miami</i>, "Mother of Earth":<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hvvGM3QhtOg?rel=0" width="425"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">That is just scratching the surface - you could probably cruise <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Gun+Club&search=Search">YouTube</a> and listen to them for a week! And if you still have some free time left, there's a great set of interviews with Kid Congo Powers <a href="http://www.newyorknighttrain.com/zine/issues/1/oralhist.html">online here</a> (especially if you're a Cramps fan). Enjoy!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-80271194605542243952011-07-11T10:46:00.000-04:002011-07-11T10:46:10.215-04:00Music On Monday: Dick Stratton & the Nite Owls<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Vol-Boogie-Woogie-Tennessee/dp/B0013FCV80?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Nashville, Vol. 1: Boogie Woogie Tennessee" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B0013FCV80&tag=houseoffun-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0013FCV80" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002DSA2K" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>Here's a song I can't tell you anything about, really. But we got it on a comp and fell for it hard -- it's Dick Stratton and the Nite Owls doing "Pistol Boogie", and is my favorite version of that song. It was put out by Tennnessee Records, a country/western indie label in Nashville that existed from 1950-1952. I would say it falls into that area where western swing was sliding through bop and boogie into rockabilly. I cannot find out a thing about Dick Stratton, although he is described as a "prolific record cutter in Nashville", but The Nite Owls were apparently Tennessee Records' house band and are a cover name for whatever Nashville area musicians were in the studio that session. They recorded several tracks with Dick Stratton and others (several of which are on the comp above, but not "Pistol Boogie", unfortunately!). Enjoy:<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZZnHTpoN554?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-16542634187748187292011-07-04T08:00:00.012-04:002011-07-04T08:00:02.427-04:00Music On Monday: Happy 4th!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IPeQFiGCbvo/Tg4LXYR3GbI/AAAAAAAABeE/dCjGYQcYuwU/s1600/3cheers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IPeQFiGCbvo/Tg4LXYR3GbI/AAAAAAAABeE/dCjGYQcYuwU/s1600/3cheers.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Not patriotic or really even all that upbeat, but still....Dave Alvin's take on the 4th:<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">X recorded this song as well while he was their guitarist, and I realize that's the much better known version. But I really like this one as well, and I love this video for capturing the 4th in such a realistic way. <br />
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Also, if you're cooking out today, it's too late to make these for this year, but next year how about trying <a href="http://www.texascooking.com/recipes/cowpinto.htm">cowboy beans</a>! (Find an alternate, <a href="http://texascooking.netrelief.com/recipes/bbqbeans.htm">much easier recipe here</a>) Happy 4th of July! </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-75492724813719813642011-07-01T14:23:00.000-04:002011-07-01T14:23:24.102-04:00Singing Cowboys on TCM!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.cdn.turner.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i138/singincowboys_apt_678x230_062220110236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i138/singincowboys_apt_678x230_062220110236.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Almost forgot to mention, starting tonight and running throughout the month of July, TCM will be showing a <a href="http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/410830%7C0/Singing-Cowboys-TCM-Spotlight.html">tribute to singing cowboys</a>. Almost makes me wish I had cable! (Especially to see a decent print of a Herb Jeffries film.) Presumably the usual extra sides from TCM will be present as well, but no idea what. If you've got cable, check it out!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-64853226825228763202011-06-30T08:00:00.001-04:002013-01-15T10:39:53.749-05:00Little Cowgirl Book Club: Ranch (a seek-and-find)<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1931721378/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&tag=thehouseoffun&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1931721378"><img border="0" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61HMzU-h9LL._SL160_.jpg" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thehouseoffun&l=as2&o=1&a=1931721378" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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This is a pretty cute seek-and-find type book that takes place on all the different areas of a working (modern) ranch. Each page (or two-page spread) shows a section of the ranch (barn, cookhouse, etc), describes it briefly then gives you a long list of things to find. The depth of detail is impressive, and we had fun finding everything (3 chaps! 7 cowboy hats! 2 coyotes!) but we ran into a few problems - the biggest one being that the binding process obscured a few of the items we were supposed to be finding (too much glue -- about 3/4" was just gone from the center of one illustration) and the art style made a few things hard to identify. Luckily, the keys in the back let us figure out where the missing things were. Fun to go through once, but I don't know how many kids would want to read through it more than that. And definitely for the younger kids. Worth a library visit for sure, though!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ranch-Roxie-Munro/dp/1931721378?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Check it out on Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1931721378" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />; or <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/ranch/oclc/54046441&referer=brief_results">find it at your local library</a>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-83678369499410897272011-06-27T08:00:00.005-04:002011-06-27T08:00:04.086-04:00Music On Monday: Blood On the Saddle<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Blood-Saddle/dp/B0000AUHQJ?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="New Blood" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B0000AUHQJ&tag=houseoffun-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000AUHQJ" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div><br />
Another of the 80s LA cowpunk bands, Blood on the Saddle was formed by guitar player and vocalist Greg Davis who said that because he liked punk, but he wasn't a punk, he tried to come up with a sound that combined all the things he liked. In the process, he formed what was probably one of the key cowpunk bands of the era, performing covers of songs like "Blood on the Saddle" (you're surprised, right?), "Ring of Fire" and "Wish I Was A Single Girl Again" along with the band's originals. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/561241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/561241.jpg" /></a></div><br />
He added then-girlfriend Annette Zilinskas as vocalist before they recorded their first album (she is unfortunately better known for being an early bass player in the Bangles). They harmonized much in the same way that Exene and John Doe of X do (not surprising since their first date was at an X show!), but also, as Davis pointed out in an interview, the way that Johnny Cash and June Carter did. Unfortunately they only lasted a few years in this incarnation but they left behind a lot of great songs. Here's a live performance of one of my favorites, "Poison Love"<br />
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And here's an actual video for the song "Promise Your Heart to Me" -- well, it's one of those "let's lip-synch in the bed of a truck while driving around the city" videos, but still fun to see:<br />
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Someone, presumably connected with the band (or maybe just a fan) has set up a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/bloodonthesaddleband#g/u">Blood On the Saddle YouTube channel</a> -- these two videos can be found there as well as several rare live appearances and a 10-minute interview about the band with Greg David and Annette Zilinskas. If you enjoyed these two clips, definitely head on over and listen to more!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-86239367812066963632011-06-26T08:00:00.003-04:002011-06-26T08:00:11.042-04:00Gene Autry: The Sagebrush Troubadour (1935)<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gene-Autry-Collection-Sagebrush-Troubadour/dp/B000G8NXS2?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The Gene Autry Collection: The Sagebrush Troubadour" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B000G8NXS2&tag=houseoffun-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000G8NXS2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div><br />
"Gene Autry's Vagabond Troubadors" (that would be Gene, Frog and a donkey loaded with instruments) are yodeling through the sagebrush when they reveal that they have evidence that will hang somebody....and it's their job to track that man down! (The evidence is a broken-down swaybacked horse...and a guitar string.) Why, they're not wandering troubadors at all! They're Rangers, sent out to solve the murder of "old" Frank Martin.<br />
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On their way to the Martin ranch, they're forced off the road by a coach being driven recklessly by a young lady; Gene jumps aboard, pulls the wagon to a stop and then gives the young lady a paddling!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4YrtNEplFS8/TgXy89y6uRI/AAAAAAAABdY/5JutWxKiAv8/s1600/35sagebrush-g.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4YrtNEplFS8/TgXy89y6uRI/AAAAAAAABdY/5JutWxKiAv8/s1600/35sagebrush-g.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This is what you get when you are reckless with good horses.</i></span></div><br />
But it seems he's made a bit of a faux pas when they discover the young lady is Joan Martin, the granddaughter of the murder victim (she's returning to the area after being back East for a long time, apparently since she was a young girl). As Smiley says, "That just proves that you shouldn't spank girls before you're introduced to 'em."<br />
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In town, Joan is practically barraged by men -- her uncle John, greets her, old friend Lon Dillon declares his intention to start courting her, and then she's whisked off to see lawyer Nolan. He tells her that her grandfather had secrets, which he was murdered for. He then reads the will and John, who was the foster son of Frank Martin, is shocked to learn that he gets just $5,000 while Joan gets the rest of the estate, including the ranch. However! If she dies, John gets everything. And if she <i>and </i>John die? Lawyer Nolan gets everything! Intrigue ahoy!<br />
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Meanwhile, Gene and Frog have caught up and gotten into town, where they immediately begin to get offers for the swayback horse...because everyone believes that Frank Martin discovered gold on his ranch and that the horse can lead them to it. (Don't forget the guitar string, though -- because somewhere there is a guitar missing a string and clearly, it will lead to the murderer!) They turn everyone down, which results in Uncle John telling Joan that he insists she throw a dance party and hire Gene and Frog as musicians for it. She thinks this is not super-appropriate, considering that her grandfather was just murdered, but Uncle John insists, claiming that Gene is the murder suspect. (Because he plays the guitar, and somehow everyone knows that old man Martin was killed with a guitar string, even though Gene has it in his pocket!) She asks them, and they agree to follow them to the ranch right away and perform that night.<br />
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A weird bit of business follows - someone is shown loosening the wheel of the wagon that Joan is sitting on, and all we see is a male hand and jacket sleeve. It can't be the lawyer, he's by his office. It can't be John's henchman Pablo, he's on the other side of the wagon and is wearing something totally different. It's not Gene or Frog, obviously, and it's neither the "boyfriend" nor the stable owner. And Uncle John's sleeve is different as well. Who can it be? Pablo appears to know what's about to happen, he looks at the wheel as it loosens and jumps from the wagon before it comes off. And when Gene rescues Joan, he takes a shot at the two of them. (Which Uncle John and Lawyer Nolan seem to find funny.) My guess is that you're supposed to think it's Pablo, but when you attempt intrigue in a low-budget film with sloppy continuity sometimes you raise more questions than you mean to!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xV7p-Zi1mjU/TgXzJIqpfBI/AAAAAAAABdc/-HwF3GX9mLI/s1600/35sagebrush-e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xV7p-Zi1mjU/TgXzJIqpfBI/AAAAAAAABdc/-HwF3GX9mLI/s1600/35sagebrush-e.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gene serenades Joan while she....hides behind that tree branch?</span></i></div><br />
Gene tells everyone he's locking the horse in the barn (to see who makes the first move), but he actually rides off with it to find out just where it does go. When he gets back, all the men trying to get to the mine have joined forces and have called the sheriff and accused him of the murder. He pulls a nifty bit of business to rescue Frog and they ride off to try and figure out how to sneak back into the party that night. Luckily, Lon Dillon and Hank the stable owner (part of the new partnership) are drafted into playing for the dance, <i>and </i>they happen to be just Gene and Frog's sizes! Gene and Frog take their places during a helpful distraction number, "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (song by a little boy in a monkey suit, seated on an organ grinder's music box!) so they can keep an eye on Joan.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v4vxgQ3XE90/TgXzsoroGRI/AAAAAAAABdg/DMfXPLq0jJE/s1600/35-sagebrush-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v4vxgQ3XE90/TgXzsoroGRI/AAAAAAAABdg/DMfXPLq0jJE/s1600/35-sagebrush-b.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Got 'em! Now to steal their clothes!</span></i> </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQrLGOb9ybM/TgXztM-8aDI/AAAAAAAABdk/-c4kQQm5CQw/s1600/35sagebrush-c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQrLGOb9ybM/TgXztM-8aDI/AAAAAAAABdk/-c4kQQm5CQw/s1600/35sagebrush-c.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Luckily, this insanely cute number was going on , so no-one noticed. </span></i></div><br />
When he sees someone sneaking around, Gene reveals his identity to Joan, then asks to dance with her so he can explain what's going on - seems that because old man Martin was practically blind, he needed the horse to know the way to the valuable gold mine he discovered; and now anyone that gets the horse can follow it to the mine, which has not yet been registered. She actually responds with the line, "Grandad depended so on that wise, old horse...."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Moc0fTZmz0M/TgX0JjZg_rI/AAAAAAAABdo/eYRn-tNKzr4/s1600/35sagebrush-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Moc0fTZmz0M/TgX0JjZg_rI/AAAAAAAABdo/eYRn-tNKzr4/s1600/35sagebrush-a.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">It's hat versus hat on the dance floor!</span></i></div><br />
Lawyer Nolan correctly observes "Hmm, I never saw Lon dance like <i>that </i>before!" Joan goes out for some fresh air and gets attacked by....well, once again the low budget makes this confusing, but I think you're supposed to think it's her Uncle John. Gene rescues her from the attempted strangulation (of course), but then needs rescuing himself -- when he goes back inside he's asked to sing and, well, Lon never <i>sang </i>like that before either!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mcr_jRfZ05o/TgX0kUYPufI/AAAAAAAABds/u4k5v8rlQ6g/s1600/35sagebrush-i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mcr_jRfZ05o/TgX0kUYPufI/AAAAAAAABds/u4k5v8rlQ6g/s1600/35sagebrush-i.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>An adoring Joan has mysteriously lost her strangulation marks and gained a huge bruise on her arm.</i></span></div><br />
Then the party is told to unmask; and then Hank and Lon show up and point them out. Yes, their identities are revealed three times, just in case you missed a reveal, I suppose. A guitar is smashed over Uncle John's head and Gene and Frog take off with the posse in hot pursuit, Uncle John and Pablo following the swayback horse to the mine, and Joan locked in the barn. Gene heads back to get evidence from the ranch and releases Joan but tells her to stay put. But remember that she drives wagons like a crazy person? So she follows him and lots of action ensues as everyone heads to the mine for a classic "now that we're all locked in here I'll tell you that one of you is....the...murderer!" moments.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ufqmuyMWs9s/TgX04UsfbZI/AAAAAAAABdw/Txodiawu8c8/s1600/35sagebrush-h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ufqmuyMWs9s/TgX04UsfbZI/AAAAAAAABdw/Txodiawu8c8/s1600/35sagebrush-h.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> "The killer is among us! And no-one is allowed to crack a smile at my outfit!"</i></span></div><br />
Gene reveals to our assembled suspects that he's a Ranger, assigned to the murder case - and that his fellow Ranger Frog is...a fingerprint expert! (He seems to actually have a little trouble getting that tidbit of news out). And not only that, but the murder weapon/guitar string shows signs of being played....with a pick! And this conclusively reveals that the murderer is...."You'll never take me alive!" shouts the murderer, attacking Gene and totally falling for Gene's bluff. The ensuing fisticuffs reveal the entrance to the actual gold mine, and the remaining suspects begin to fight over who will get to town first to register the claim. As the culprit is arrested, the rest of the gang races off to town to try and get the mine -- but the last laugh will be on them, as Gene has had the mine registered in Joan's name already!<br />
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Happy ending all around, as Ranger Gene proposes to Joan in song and she accepts. Gene kisses Joan, Frog kisses the swayback horse, and we fade out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xDDoBflujEU/TgX1KeJlo9I/AAAAAAAABd8/f4NaWQ7uWq8/s1600/35sagebrush-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xDDoBflujEU/TgX1KeJlo9I/AAAAAAAABd8/f4NaWQ7uWq8/s1600/35sagebrush-l.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Gene proposes in song....</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m6RF7cmnrhg/TgX1J-1bzAI/AAAAAAAABd4/3lNmVJ1vPBE/s1600/35sagebrush-k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m6RF7cmnrhg/TgX1J-1bzAI/AAAAAAAABd4/3lNmVJ1vPBE/s1600/35sagebrush-k.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Joan accepts! And Gene gets his first screen kiss!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RvE2juphj4g/TgX1JS4TPHI/AAAAAAAABd0/JvRhpjf0V9k/s1600/35sagebrush-j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RvE2juphj4g/TgX1JS4TPHI/AAAAAAAABd0/JvRhpjf0V9k/s1600/35sagebrush-j.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>And so does the swayback horse.</i></span></div><br />
More than one source (including Gene himself) claims that he only had one screen kiss, and that it was with Ann Rutherford. But no, this is his first kiss, and he definitely had more than one.<br />
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You may be wondering if the reveal of the murderer's identity clears up the previous confusion cause by sloppy continuity....well the answer is no. I still could not figure out who on earth was supposed to have actually loosened that wagon wheel or attacked Joan. Presumably the villain had at least one confederate/henchman, but the movie doesn't bother to clear that up.<br />
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Barbara Pepper plays Joan Martin with a sort of low-rent Jean Harlow vibe, I thought she was okay here, but only okay. She is replaced with a double in a good bit of the movie, so that doesn't help. Her story is a sad one, she never really succeeded in films despite a bright start as a Follies Girl and favored ingenue. She had a less-than happy personal life and ends up running a laundromat by the 1950s. She did end up with one last major role - Doris Ziffel on Green Acres. The transformation from deco starlet to ravaged tv "hillbilly housewife" tells you all you need to know about how her life went, really.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3KSm39MxDU/TgX6pNkthBI/AAAAAAAABeA/T9c0BF0Uzw4/s1600/pepper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3KSm39MxDU/TgX6pNkthBI/AAAAAAAABeA/T9c0BF0Uzw4/s1600/pepper.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">She was truly stunning, wasn't she?</span></i></div><br />
The cute kid in the monkey suit is Tommy Gene Fairey, who sings a song written by Smiley Burnette. He was a 4-year old from Texas who made just this one film and then went back home. He didn't vanish though, and he had a very good life! I always wonder what happened to kids who pop up in just a film or two, but in this case I actually know - I've recently exchanged emails with Mr. Fairey and I hope he'll let me post some of the amazing photos he has of his days on set and after!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Difficult moments:</b> there is an offhand remark (by bad guy Hank the stable owner) that "the boys killed a chinaman the other day" but no more is said about it. And at the party, if you look closely (I didn't even see it the first time - he's always in the background and the scene is a little murky) one of the guests is in costume as Jolson. In blackface. Both of these moments are brief and went completely over the kid's head, but they did make us wince.</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-33894275030585603412011-06-20T08:05:00.046-04:002011-06-20T08:05:01.148-04:00Music on Monday: Ann Jones and her Western Sweethearts<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/1949-1954-Ann-Jones/dp/B000SQCZJK?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="1949-1954" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B000SQCZJK&tag=houseoffun-20" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000SQCZJK" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_4eHL8XjHUo/Tf4ynxteTrI/AAAAAAAABc0/ldC5_oUU8h0/s1600/annjones1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_4eHL8XjHUo/Tf4ynxteTrI/AAAAAAAABc0/ldC5_oUU8h0/s1600/annjones1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Ann Jones was a very popular (and prolific) Western vocalist (called the "Kate Smith of the West"!) who had a long career as a singer, bandleader and radio host - and apparently was a WWII-era softball star as well, returning to music in 1947. In the early 50s she formed an all-girl Western Swing band, her "Western Sweethearts" and toured with them through many lineup changes into the 1970s, releasing a few albums along the way. One reference says the band formed in 1955, but they were touring by July of 1954, as you can see by this ad which ran in Washington state on July 22nd of that year:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PBLDaix-tKk/Tf4yld4FJWI/AAAAAAAABcw/gH8xOT9rSU4/s1600/annjones2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PBLDaix-tKk/Tf4yld4FJWI/AAAAAAAABcw/gH8xOT9rSU4/s320/annjones2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">There is a CD available of her work, including this track which I would have been my theme song if I'd known it when I was babysitting age:</div><br />
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And here's something for the grownups:<br />
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To be honest, I'm not sure if any of her "Western Sweethearts" are actually on these tracks; they are recorded from 1949-1954 and she was a solo act for several of those years; additionally, she apparently used studio guys when making records. The Sweethearts may have been a touring band only at this time. But whether or not the musicians on these recordings are wearing heart-motif cowgirl outfits, they are still worth a listen!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A note: I had to take an internet break due to <a href="http://evandorkin.livejournal.com/252293.html">the loss of our eldest cat</a> this past week; this post was the only one I'd pre-written and scheduled before everything happened. I'll be back before next Monday, I promise!</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4125003098781194725.post-43960228721807912832011-06-13T10:00:00.002-04:002011-06-13T10:14:34.822-04:00Music On Monday: Wall of Voodoo<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Continent-Call-West-Voodoo/dp/B002QF32BG?ie=UTF8&tag=houseoffun-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Dark Continent / Call of the West" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B002QF32BG&tag=houseoffun-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=houseoffun-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002QF32BG" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The Stan Ridgway era Wall of Voodoo was an amazing band, which unfortunately is remembered by most people as a one-hit-wonder for the (semi) hit "Mexican Radio", which, well, okay, let's just get this over with:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9bQd55eGjCg?rel=0" width="425"></iframe></div><br />
You know it, everyone knows it, and truth be told it's pretty great. But MTV played it to death and it has totally overshadowed the rest of their work. Not that there's all that much of it - just two album's worth before the band broke up in 1983 (although two members immediately re-formed with a different line-up and continued to work under the name Wall of Voodoo*). A favorite track of mine was their cover of "Ring of Fire" -- I still have the 7"! You can <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv9HerpyF28%0A">hear the shortened single version here</a>, but here's a great live version of the whole thing -- warning, the full version can make some people go crazy. Bail out anytime after about 3:15 if it's getting on your nerves.<br />
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Finally, what was probably my favorite song of theirs, "Call of the West". For me, this song totally sums up everything about Wall of Voodoo that I loved, the creepiness, the Morricone influence, the not-exactly-nostalgic feel for the West, and of course, Stan Ridgway's weird narration/vocal style.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Kvnin-u75qY?rel=0" width="425"></iframe></div><br />
Just about everyone in the band did lots more after they broke up (for the first time) in 1983, but I don't know that anything ever lived up to this handful of recordings that they made.<br />
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A funny bit of trivia: according to legend (i.e. Wikipedia), the band got their name when Stan Ridgway was playing some tracks for a friend (Joe Berardi of The Fibonaccis)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"></sup>. Stan joked that the music had so many layers of organ and drum-machine it was like a "wall of sound", and Berardi countered that it sounded more like a "wall of voodoo". Stan, being no dummy, obviously realized that was a brilliant name and used it for the band. The funny part? The drum machine was a gift from voice actor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daws_Butler">Daws Butler</a>. I say, "?!?"<br />
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<i>*Personally, I was never a fan of of Wall of Voodoo 2.0 -- I know there are people who feel the exact opposite though, so feel free to check them out. Marc Moreland, the guitarist, was in both versions, and he was fantastic. So I thought maybe I should give them another chance, and I checked out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6_YsP7u-JY">their hit</a>. Nope, still don't like them...but you may feel different!</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0