My shoes are wet and I have soot in my hair. Champing has a pretty decent fireworks display for the 4th. This year K and I sat bundled in blankets in the wind and the rain for the fireworks. The wind brought the fireworks in very close. They were exploding right over our heads and even with my glasses fogging up and spattered with rain, it was rockin'. They were larger than my field of view. I have a neck cramp.
To describe them is silly. But there was one where a thousand bright lights exploded out and then squiggled around like they were alive.
There was a particularly nice segment when they were playing "America" from West Side Story where the squeal of the rockets and the crackle were timed perfectly with the music.
As for the rest of it. Something must be done about the state of country music today. Hank Williams must be rolling in his grave. I wish the Dixie Chicks had not apologized for expressing their feelings about the war. It would make me feel like country music was still a healthy, diverse, and viable art form and not a jingoistic, shmaltzy caricature of music.
I realize that I grew up before the days of political correctness. In grade school once a week a music teacher came to visit us. We got songbooks and sang along to a record player. This is where I learned the words to the Battle Hymn Republic, God Bless America, Anchors Away, Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder, America the Beautiful, and all those other beautiful nationalistic songs of proganda. They did not use Columbia the gem of the ocean, My country tis of thee, Grand old flag, or Yankee Doodle Dandy.
They did however play Dixie, Camptown Races, and Old Black Joe. When did traditional songs of the south become part of our national celebration? Especially songs of nostalgia for plantation days. I mean, 'cmon!
Gershwin and Ray Charles were butchered and there was a particularly painful segment of Tchaikovsky's March Slav. (Yes, Mom, those years you forced me to play in the orchestra have allowed me to identify and mock fireworks music.)
Before everything got started they were playing old Elvis Costello on the PA. I very much hoped that they would play "What's So Funny 'bout Peace, Love, and Understanding."
5 comments:
wow look at you, listing off all the music. Your mom would be so proud. you go girl. i'm too tired for caps.
Oh, I *missed* you guys for the Fourth!! It was a bit lonely this year. *pout*
Oh, and JC, you should see how the girls at my workplace strike a pose for the firemen. Everytime the fire alarm goes off, there's all this primping as girls run down the stairs to the exit... ;)
Yes we missed BBFK too!
Johnny crash: Way to live on the wild side, lighting snakes huh ;)
You were just doing it because all the girls gathered round, weren't ya. Too bad the firemen ruined your evil plan to get all the ladies attention.
The secret about firemen are: Usually good shape, cute, buff, and there in uniform. There is just something about a uniform.
SFMD: My mom would be prouder if I had a degree from Harvard or had married a nice Korean Doctor. =)
Jcrash: We were pretty durn close.
firemen word association - clean cut, uniformed, heroic, strong, red suspenders, cool hats, big (uh) hoses, and well, you see how it is ...
BBFK: We missed ya fierce. And Noel as well.
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