Spitball Army

Card is titled: “Famous Sinking Farm, Salmon Canyon, Southern Idaho.”

Printed on back of postcard:

THE SINKING FARM
About 14 acres of a farm, near Buhl, Idaho, dropped 100 to 200 feet during the summer of 1937, evidently filling undiscovered subterranean caves.  Unexpected movements still occur at intervals.

Publishing information:  Photo by Wesley Andrews.  Card number 7A-H3949.  “C.T. Art-Colortone” Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. – Wesley Andrews Co., Portland, Ore.

Card circa 1943.

Approximate playing time: 79 minutes.

1. Mouse on Mars  “Mykologics”  (1999)
2. Dawn Landes  “Young Girl”  (2009)
3. Free  “All Right Now”  (1970)
4. Mick Jagger  “Put Me in the Trash”  (1993)
5. Mazzy Star  “Rhymes of an Hour”  (1996)
6. Scott McKenzie  “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)”  (1967)
7. The Clash  “Broadway (Guns of Brixton coda)”  (1980)
8. The Church  “Texas Moon”  (1988)
9. Bob Dylan  “Corrina, Corrina”  (1963)
10. The Fleetwoods  “He’s the Great Imposter”  (1959)
11. Bob Dylan  “Visions of Johanna”  (live/1966)
12. Chico Marx  “Everyone Says I Love You”  (1932)
13. Josh Rouse  “Lemon Tree”  (2010)
14. Beck  “Qué Onda Guero”  (2005)
15. Opotopo  “Belema”  (1976)
16. Elvis Costello  “Tear Off Your Own Head (It’s a Doll Revolution)”  (2002)
17. Elton John  “Sails”  (1969)
18. R.E.M.  “You’re in the Air”  (1998)
19. Donovan  “Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)”  (1965)
20. Neko Case  “Poor Ellen Smith”  (2001)
21. Van Morrison  “Alan Watts Blues”  (1987)

[audio:Fred_FM_playlist_061310.mp3]
Fred FM playlist (13 June 2010)

Some notes on the songs:

• I could listen to that Mouse on Mars track repeatedly ad infinitum over and over, and a whole lot of times in a row.  It’s hard to believe that it comes completely out of a computer, and the groove it creates is really infectious.
• The first 45 RPM single I ever owned was Scott McKenzie’s “San Francisco.”  Mom brought it home one day from the store.  I don’t know what the occasion was, but I do remember being given it.  At the same time, she gave my sisters a copy of the Monkees’ Headquarters LP, which eventually ended up in my collection (see: upcoming playlist).
• Dawn Landes (wife of Josh Ritter) didn’t show up this past Friday night at Josh’s show at Workplay.  Bad, bad Dawn Landes.  We missed you.  (And thank you for suggesting I listen to Golden Age of Radio many years ago.  You were right on, as you knew.)
• re. “Rhymes of an Hour” and that particular version of “Visions of Johanna:” I just realized that the Top 10 Songs notion is next to impossible.  This revelation occurred when I began to type that those two songs were in my Top 10 Songs list.  That’s about as easy as naming my Top 3 Simon & Garfunkel songs.  Ahem.
• Dig the electric piano part that Elton John is playing on “Sails,” from his first album Empty Sky.  It kinda rocks, but is definitely taking a back seat to the electric guitars.
• “Everyone says I love you:
  The great big mosquito when-a he sting you,
  The fly when he get stuck on the flypaper, too,
  Says ‘I love you!'”

[audio:Groucho_Marx___Everyone_Says_I_Love_You.mp3]
“Everyone Says I Love You” (1932), by Groucho Marx

[Written to Alice in Frankfort, Indiana.  Return addressed: Richard, Co. G, 2nd Bn., 1st Mar., c/o F.P.O., San Francisco, Calif.  Postmarked at U.S. Navy, on 10 Jan 1945.  Envelope stamped on front, “Passed by Naval Censor,” and initialed by the Censor.]

Jan. 9, 1945

Hello Sweetheart,

     I love you with all my heart.  —  That’s about all I can think of to say.  I guess maybe I must be storing up all the news for a future letter.  Anyway, I can’t think of anything I can tell you now.

     I received your Christmas card.  It was a little late but the tardiness didn’t change any of the words of the meaning.  It was a swell card, Sweetheart.  For some reason, the postmaster sent it 3¢ mail in stead of Air Mail.  It seems to me that they would have returned it to you for more postage, but they didn’t.  I got it though, that’s all that matters.

     Well, I was wishing for something to write about and I got it.  I went to take a shower and when I got back, the wind had blown the tent down.  It didn’t do much damage though.  The only trouble was that it took 6 of us to put it back up.  We just got it back up and here I am again.

    Sweetheart, I’m glad that you are saving money.  I know it will be needed in another year or two, but don’t overdo it.  You tell me that you would like to have or need some dresses or new clothes; but then you say you’d rather save the money.  I can’t say that I would like yo for you to every penny you get on clothes, but I don’t want you to do without when you need something.  When you go someplace, I want you to be dressed just as nice and nicer than anybody else.  I know you will look nicer and I want you to be dressed nicer also.  There are two extremes and people love to talk on either one.  You won’t be able to hit the happy medium, I know.  Some people will just talk regardless of what you do.  You can try though.  I want you to have some good, new clothes.  I’m afraid I couldn’t quite see a new fur coat right at the present, but you know what I mean.

     You keep asking me what I you can send me.  Well, I think there are two things I would appreciate more than anything else (except letters, of course).   They are home-made cookies and some kind of fruit.  I doubt if free fruit would get here, but I’m hungry for any kind – just so it is fruit.

     Thank your folks for the Christmas present for me.  I know it will sure come in handy and it will be put to good use.  How are Uncle R______ and Aunt D—–?  Tell them hello for me when you write them.  I wish I could find time to write but I haven’t been able to as yet.  How’s the farm coming along?  Are your folks still as busy as usual?  Seems like they were always busy doing something whether there was any work to do or not?  How are they?  Tell your mother I would like to hear from her and your dad.  The last letter I got from her wasn’t so pleasant.  That’s all over now, though.

     You might tell Marty that there are quite a few thousand guys out here that would like to be shipped back C.O.D.  I’m afraid the package wouldn’t pass the censor though.  You might also tell her not to use that kind of language.  The censor can’t help it.

     There was one sentence in your Dec. 27th letter that was very pleasant in an ironical way.  At the time I thought it was rather humorous.  The letter came in the afternoon while I was taking a shower.  It was waiting for me when I got back so I just squatted down in front of my tent and read your letter.  All I had on was my shoes and glasses, that’s why your statement struck me as being funny.  Your statement was, “I can almost see you now.”  Well, what do you think?

     Well, Sweetheart, the mail just came in and I got 1 letter.  It wasn’t the one I wanted but one part was rather interesting.  Dad sold the convertible.  With the money he received, which was all cash, he bought $1300 worth of Bonds.  The bonds are in my and his name.

     That’s about all I can think of for now.  It’s time for mail collection and I want this to go out tomorrow.  I love you Sweetheart.

     Goodnight Sweetheart
          I love you with all my heart
               Pleasant Dreams
                    ‘Nite Sweetheart

Under a spigot, he washes the earth off, carries the bunch inside, presents them to her on one knee. Radish red, not rosy.

From a box of things, the long-sleever fits. I wear it to work, musing that I’d rather have Dad present than his perfect shirt.

[Written to Alice in Frankfort, Indiana.  Return addressed: Richard, Co. G, 2nd Bn., 1st Mar., c/o F.P.O., San Francisco, Calif.  Postmarked at U.S. Navy, on 8 Jan 1945.  Envelope stamped on front, “Passed by Naval Censor,” and initialed by the Censor.]

Jan. 5, 1945

Hello Sweetheart,

     It’s going to be difficult to write I know.  I can’t seem to keep my mind on it.  I guess the easiest way is to write from your letters.  I’ll try it anyway.  I received 2 from you yesterday and was I ever glad to get them.  I almost missed chow last night trying to finish them.  One was postmarked Dec. 19 (5 pages) and the other Dec. 25 (4 pages).

     What do you say, shall we start out with talk of “Sack-time?”  It’s as good a topic as any I can think of at the pressent.  I’m afraid you’ll have to think up another reason for his action in the next tent.  It so happens that we only keep one dog in the company area.  There wasn’t another dog around at the time.

     Well, Sweetheart, I’m afraid I didn’t get very far yesterday.  I got down to this point then I had to do some work.  I’ll try to finish this time.

     There sure was a lot of mail this afternoon.  I can’t say that I liked it though.  I received 6 letters: Christmas cards from Grandma, the Methodist Church in Beech Grove (Grandma’s church) and Jude’s sister, Jo Ann.  I got a letter from Grandma that was almost 2 months old and one from Mom and Dad.  That was it.  Oh yes, they sent me a subscription to Readers Digest.  I also got some clippings and a P.U.-I.U. program.  What I wanted to see, just wasn’t there.  Yours are the only letters I am interested in, Sweetheart.  I love you.  One of these days maybe I can prove it to you.  I hope I can try soon.

     We got some more replacements 2 or 3 days ago.  3 of them were 2nd Lt.  When I had finished reading my mail this afternoon, I left it on the table.  One of the Lt. saw the program.  It turned out that he spent 2 semisters at Purdue in the V-12 while I was there.  It also happened that we got a new buglar that knew George C—- back at Diego.  Do you remember him?

     I can’t figure it out.  Out of a clear blue sky to-night, each man was given 12 bottles of bear.  I guess it was free.  Anyhow, they have not collected for it yet.  Everybody is having a big time now.  I can hardly hear myself think.  That’s not my excuse for my writting though.  The safest place I could find was in bed, so here I am.  —  Boy, what a smell.  I just got to close to the candle and singed my hair but good.  No damage done though.

     I hope that flash-light you sent me gets here soon.  I just tried to use this one and it wouldn’t work.  I know the batteries and bulb are O.K.  The light is just shot.

     The drunks are drifting in and I might as well sign off.  I won’t be able to write with them all over me.

     Goodnight Sweetheart
          I love you with all my heart
               Pleasant Dreams
                    ‘Nite

Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Schumann, artist and musician, but, above all, composer.  Here is a performance of the second movement from his Piano Quintet in E flat major, written in 1842.

Vintage postcards from antique malls and yard sales get scanned as blog entries, annotated, then used as bookmarks in his library.

Card is titled: “Crookedest Street in the World.”

Printed on back of postcard:

Lombard Street, San Francisco, between Leavenworth and Hyde, popularly known as “The Crookedest Street in the World.”

Publishing information: E.F. Clements, 85 Bluxome St., San Francisco, Calif. 94107.  Natural Color by Mike Roberts, Berkeley 2, Calif.  Card number C16625.

Here’s more Lombard Street ephemera via YouTube:

Doug ‘Wheelie King’ Domokos tackles Lombard Street on his motorbike:

The 2006 Big Wheel Race:

Skateboarders:

More Spalding Gray, again from Swimming to Cambodia.  And though I hate feeling I need to say such things, there is a colorful-language alert at 2:30 (though the moment is crucial to the point of the story).