Loading...
The Citizen, 1999-09-22, Page 5Arthur Black They don’t sing ‘era like they used to A reporter once asked Mel Torme, the silken-throated jazz singer, why he persisted in singing “the old songs’’ - the ones written in the 30s, 40s and 50s. “Because they’re better songs than anything written today,” Torme replied. He pointed out that “the old songs” were really poems, written by word masters at the top of their craft. Old time songwriters actually thought about what came out of singers mouths. “Beautiful melodies are lovely, but they’re just the icing. The lyrics are the cake.” The Velvet Fog knew whereof he crooned. Popular songs written by the greats - Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Hoagie Carmichael, Canada’s own Gene Lees - are elegant and beautiful and profound - themes and thoughts International Scene I didn’t say that History is filled with stories about people who said something that later became famous to the extent of being repeated endlessly. However, most of these statements were made in times when there were no tape recorders or other similar devices so the accuracy of the statement is not always what it is supposed to be. Let’s take a look at some of the quotations which are now generally believed to be incorrect or attributed incorrectly. We will start by looking at one of the best known. Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, reportedly said, if the peasants did not have bread, “Let them eat cake!” (“Qui ’ i Is mangent de la brioche” in the original). Well, good old Queen Marie did not even come close to saying such a thing. It was first heard even before she was bom and the person most likely to have said it during her lifetime was the famous philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Closer to our times, one of the most famous quotes of Winston Churchill was reportedly made in 1940, just before the Battle of Britain. He said he had nothing to offer (the British people) but blood, sweat and tears. What he actually said was “blood and toil, sweat and tears.” He liked this so much that he subsequently used it several times. It was only then that the newspapers got around to changing it to what they thought was a snappier version - blood, sweat and tears. Churchill stuck with the original. The Bible is frequently cited as the source of “Spare the rod and spoil the child.” However, it was the English writer, Samuel Butler, who in the 17th century was the first to use this expression. If you want to check your bible, there are two sources. He that spareth his rod hatest his son (Proverbs 13.24) and Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child: but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. (Proverbs 22.15). \ and verses so well-crafted they make you want to carry them around in your head, polishing them like the gems they are. Then there’s modern pop music -thd~ stuff written since the 50s. Oh, sure, some of it’s catchy and cute, but most modem pop lyrics are as flimsy and forgettable as used Kleenex. And much of it is downright atrocious. Remember Donovan? In his pop song / Love My Shirt he penned some of the dumbest song lyrics ever to violate an eardrum: Do you have a shirt that you really love One that you feel so groovy in You don't even mind if it starts to fray That only makes it nicer still In a song called Take The Money and Run, The Steve Miller band once burped out a narrative that included this verse: Billy Mac is a detective down in Texas You know he knows just exactly what the facts is He ain't gonna let those two escape justice He makes his living off other peoples taxes. Anybody who’d try to rhyme ‘taxes’ with By Raymond Canon I guess you might say that Barber paraphrased the Biblical quotations but the quote we use is still his. Where would we be without a quote from the movies? One of the best known is Humphrey Bogart’s “Play it again, Sam!” in the movie Casablanca. But Bogart never said that, nor did anybody else. Ingrid Bergman came closest when in the same movie she said, “Play it, Sam. Play” As Time Goes By. To add to the story, Sam didn’t play it. he sang it since he couldn’t play the piano. Maybe Bogart liked the thought that he said it because I do not recall hearing of him ever having corrected it. Josef Stalin would never have made a good Sunday School teacher, but even he is accused of creating statements he never made. One of the best known is, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs” referring to an attempt to justify his reign of terror in the 1930s. If he did indeed use it, he must have stolen it since it has been around ever since the days of Robespierre and the French Revolution. Even President William Taft of the U.S.A, is known to have used it at least once and long before Stalin’s time. Needless to say, nobody dared correct Stalin. Over the years, people have loved to attribute some sayings to Abraham Lincoln but many of them are spurious. One of the best known is, “God must have loved the common people; he made so many of them.” The quote came from a writer, James Morgan, whose book about U.S. presidents alleged that Lincoln made the statement in a dream. That is where it will have to remain. The largest single body of misquotes, A Final Thought Never walk away from failure. On the contrary, study it carefully - for its hidden assets. - Michael Korda ‘Texas’ ought to be sent directly to the Lubbock Elementary School of Songwriting. In the song Live and Let Die, Paul McCartney takes the Preposterous Prepositioning Prize with his line But in this ever-changing world in which we live in But for flat-out pretension, nothing I've heard can touch the lyrics of the flatulent melodrama MacArthur Park in which Richard Harris, to his everlasting shame, warbles Between the parted pages and were pressed In love's hot, fevered iron Like a striped pair of pants If that one doesn’t shatter the Gagometer nothing will. Puts me in mind of something a famous lyricist by the name of Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais once said: “Today, if something is not worth saying, people sing it.” Pierre made that observation apropos a performance of the opera The Barber of Seville. In 1775. Plus ca change. however, have to be statements that students the world over have taken home from teachers and passed off as ultimate truth. Things such as “We don’t have any homework. I got everything right.” You probably know them as well as I do. Letters Letters to the editor are a forum for public opinion and comment. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of this publication. THE EDITOR, I would like to extend greetings from Ontario Command and the Senior Elected Officers. May I take this opportunity to express my personal thanks to all Legion Members and Members of the Ladies Auxiliary for the time and effort that they have contributed to maintaining the Legion tradition of service. Legion Week is upon us and offers a great opportunity to tell and show the public what the Legion is and what it does, not only for veterans and their dependents, but also for many communities in the province. The extent and effectiveness of such programs as Seniors, Youth Education and the work of the Charitable Foundation and Ladies Auxiliary are goals attained by few organizations. The Legion has a great history of community involvement and the efforts of all members to improve the quality of life for veterans and citizens of Ontario is most commendable. We wish members much success in Legion Week activities and trust that when it is over, the public will be much better informed about accomplishments of The Royal Canadian Legion. Jack Frost, President Ontario Command. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1999. PAGE 5. The Short of it _____By Bonnie Gropp_____ Why so angry? A friend got mad at me once, really angry. That I hate you, never want to see you again, boiling rage that surges with intensity, then eventually simmers itself dry. It was a gorgeous summer day, a time of camaraderie and fun. Playing ball on a neighbouring piece of land, I was admittedly behaving in a less than exemplary manner to a school friend who had a tendency to be a little self-absorbed, rather spoiled to my point of view. Earlier in the day, her bossiness had annoyed me so much that I had become rude and unkind. Add to this the fact she discovered no one was picking her for their team because I essentially convinced them to boycott her and she exploded. And I was unnerved. I guess it was seeing a full-blown temper tantrum from the other side that was terrifying. The fact that what I had done had incited such irrational, ugly spewing, that I was the target of someone’s venom, left a lasting impression. It was not that I hadn’t seen people upset before. Certainly we all get exasperated from time to time and lose our temper. But growing up, as my memories serve me, it was rare to see someone so under the spell of their frustration that it controlled reason, common sense and self-control. I’m not sure the same can be said today. Is it just me, or does there seem to be an inordinate amount of rage out there? From Littleton where children shot children, to our own doorsteps, people seem so angry, so ready to assume the worst, to jump all over people for presumed injustices or slights. And what really puzzles me is that the anger is so often taken to the extreme over nothing more than inconsequentials. To prove my point, because it is an area with which I’m familiar, I would draw your attention to letters to the editor. This section of the newspaper is a forum, to speak your mind and express opinion. I have often received letters from opposing writers whom I applaud for their ability to disagree without contentiousness. It is a talent. Intelligent debate means having an open mind and respect for the other side. It means letting someone know you disagree without making them feel demeaned. However, the need to lash out unkindly seems all to familiar. Road rage is another example of the pervading mood I seem to be noticing in society lately. We’re all in a hurry, we’re all so impatient. Putting myself on the hot seat, I admit I have become frustrated, have turned the air in my car blue, because of someone crawling in front of me or some jerk with his bright lights sitting on my back bumper. But I don’t take it personally. After all, the slow guy in front is probably annoyed by me tailing him while we know what the guy with the lights is saying about the crawler in front of him. Wouldn’t we do well to fall back on some faithful adages — take a deep breath, think before you speak. I know when someone particularly upset phones to ask about writing a letter, I typically suggest they do so. It is good to vent, it is good to air your feelings. But once written, I recommend they wait a day or so before sending. They agree and often I never get the letter. Pfoceeding with caution, after all, is sound advice when dealing with volatile material.