So I'm sitting here at my desk trying to eat Hunan chicken with a spoon (this is so, so, so much harder than it looks) and thinking about folk heroes. Namely because I've been listening to this new Springsteen album (the one of Pete Seeger covers) and just getting blown away by the sound and content of it. Here's a man who, according to himself and pretty much evryone else, is a complete perfectionist, just sitting around with 12 others in the same room, playing live and just winging the chord changes/solos as they go along. Not only that, but they sound great. It's the kind of record that really makes me wish I could play even rudimentary guitar. In addition to having the sort of large, accoustic arrangement that would totally mask the fuckups I would make, it's also just such a communal thing. It's not just that it's so many people playing (I doubt Godspeed! You Black Emperor has these moments) but maybe the style of the music (strumming the shit out of something always connects people in my eyes), and the actual lyrical content, which always have these mythological characteristics . It's no surprise that John Henry was such a popular figure in these songs. I also had no idea that John Henry is more than likely based on a true story. Which is awesome.
Anyway, it got me thinking about how these characters/legends helped to galvanize whole sections of society into communities, how these were stories that could make people proud of themselves, or give them strength to oppose an indomitable force. I mean, I guess we have folk heroes of sorts today (off the top of my head, Jack Nicholson and Keith Richards are the two that come to mind), but they're brought to us in totally different light. It's not the recorded escapades of these 2 men that are exaggerated and passed on through word of mouth and storytelling, it's the behind-the-scenes, hushed stuff that you almost have to be deemed cool enough to be told before anyone tells you. I remember being like 10 and my brother telling me that Jimi Hendrix used to make tiny cuts into his forehead before playing and keep tabs of acid in his headband. or the infamous Led Zeppelin "Mudfish" story. One is probably true, the other probably isn't, but the point is that these were the coolest thing to hear at that age. and I'm sur I told all of my friends those stories the nest time I saw them.
But is that what our folk heroes are known for? Heroic consumption and sexual conquest? Is that the best we can do? I don't know, it just seems like there are more noble (or at least impressively symbolic) feats we could celebrate. I don't know, this is mostly me just talking out my ass but it merits thinking. Anyways, this album is great, and reminds me that sitting around a fire getting drunk and singing isn't just for hippies. It's also for hobos and small children. and me, I guess.
I'm calling hollywood out on this, though. I love that asian cinema has Wong Fei-Hung appearing in a wealth of stories and escapades, and it actually works for the screen. I'm saying there should be a fucking Pecos Bill movie or Paul Bunyan. Shit, I'll take Davey Crockett. Comic book superheroes don't cound, although they're a good start. Please stop remaking fucking TV shows and use a real story for once.
Anyways, I'm gona include "John Henry" from the Springsteen album, though any of them could probably be used here.
"John Henry" - Bruce Springsteen (YSI Link)
Buy We Shall Overcome
and the other song is "The Man Who Was Too Loud", which is about not a folk hero, but a guy who prbably should be. I've passed this song on to countless people, and I can only say it fucking rocks so hard it's kinda scary. and it is bulletproof testament that Teenage Fanclub is one of the greatest live bands on the planet, in addition to being a really swell bunch of guys. GodDAMN this song rocks.
"The Man Who Was Too Loud" - Frank Black & Teenage Fanclub (YSI link)
Buy Frank Black & the Catholics
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