MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WEEK: Memorial vote shelved

2/28/11

 a shiver runs through me

a spirit pulls soft at a strand of the web

he sighs with relief, and then whispers 

"shell game"

I dunno what it means, 

But let's keep a close eye on this one, folks.

Like I said...I continue to be haunted by this piece of music, and could not find rest until I posted the words to the song. 

I included as well all of the text on the page where I found the lyrics.

-- spydra

 * * * * * * *

Hustle or Magic Trick?  
The shell game can trace its roots back to the origin of magic, through Cups and Balls. 

Harry's version needs no patter, 
dialog can only spoil the splendid acapella take on Scott Joplin's "Solace."

Long ago in the wilderness lived a man whose journey was endless.

The wanderer came upon a village in Mexico.

His vision was blurred, he couldn't see quite which way to go.

The blades of the sun in the cloudless keep threw shadows on men under brims asleep.

The wanderer drank then rested under a shady tree.

All eyes upon him, who could this golden haired stranger be?

The children came and gathered close, while watching his every move.

He began to play, 
on a little bamboo piccolo pickin' out insects and bird-songs, calls of the wild.

And the children saw
many little creature kind of things walking around entranced by the sound of the music.

He then made the creatures disappear.

The people stood back inside in fear.

A saint, or a magician - who was he, and from where?

Strolling, the wanderer passed along the alleys and viewing halls

The crowd followed him, bewildered, on by the market stalls.

He came to a place where a beggar sat, with his wooden bowl on a threadbare mat.

The wanderer gave his piccolo to the beggar and

he spoke in a tongue that no-one knew or could understand.

The beggar blew upon the flute and he smiled like a child.

Come dance in the village and the people called him strange one.

The priest with golden hair [like the sun], the strange walk [who would care] for a man.

And soon they were showing without love and without knowing,

a change, very small, to each other, something like his way.

Then the carnival came and the candles would flame in the coconut sky.

And there was dancing and song, candles moving along, and we watched them go by.

Then the beggar man's flute led the band on its route by the cold village square.

And with the coming of dawning, with no-one to see, yes the wanderer left silently.

This song affected me deeply, it speaks to me about who I am, committing random acts of kindness, medicine of joy, dispensed like candy. For many years I sought a copy, and where to get one was the last question I had for Harry, but I don't think he would have any idea. But I knew the show in which it appeared, and one Christmas my wife surprised me with a VHS copy of "Hello Sucker!" excerpted above.

Here are more details of the arrangement ...Thanks to Charles A Hill for the lead.

The Wanderer (Solace)

Swingle II (The Second Incarnation of the Swingle Singers)

LP: Rags And All That Jazz (1975)

Composer: Scott Joplin (Solace - A Mexican Serenade, 1909)

Lyrics: Tony Vincent Isaacs

Arrangement: Ward Swingle

Singers: Olive Simpson, Catherine Bott (sopranos)

Carol Hall, Linda Hirst (mezzo sopranos)

John Potter, Ward Swingle (tenors)

John Lubbock, David Beavan (basses)

Players: Patrick Gowers, Allan Walley, Tony McVey

_______________________________________________________________________

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Name:Dr. Disney Wizard

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Beauty is all around us, one needs only to notice. Treasure each word of your children, they are inspirational jewels every one. Not one complete conversation one has with an adult can match the sparkle of a child's original thought.

You may notice many duplicate videos, indeed they are stereo pairs, and when played together, provide stereo sound. But most importantly, left and right pairs are 3D when viewed together (I won't do that for you, it's an intelligence test.)

About Me: I am the sea, all mighty rivers flow to me. I am the world's champion of humility. I am usually not in, but I know the answers to life's most challenging questions, if only I could take my own advice I might be more often in.

Hometown:Hollywood
Country:United States
Occupation:Ferroequinologist, Systems Programmer, Documentary videographer
Companies:Turner Computer Softwar
Schools:Conformity prison (they let me out to clean my cage.)

Interests:Railroad, Disneyland, Disneyland Railroad, Indiana Jones Adventure - Temple of the Forbidden Eye.Pinball! (for I am the wizard of the obsolete.)

Movies:I don't get out much. But when I do, I entertain myself quite successfully. On occasion I bring along a camera, so I can share myself entertaining myself with you. Now YouTube does all the work of hosting, I can finally let YOU know my favorite show, PLAYING WITH MYSELF!

Music:Ragtime, Bluegrass, Zydeco, pre-fifties jazz, but mostly the music I make for myself (whistle, 2 trumpets simultaneously, keyboard, percussion, violin, saw, saxophone, guitar, kazoo, squeeze box, jews harp, marimba, recorder...)

Books:Equipment Manuals... science journals, NOVA transcriptlizs, writing interactive novels.

liz

xo T3 xo