Come Away Melinda

Come Away Melinda, written in 1963 by Fred Hellerman and Fran Minkoff of the Weavers, is one of the most powerful anti-war ballads ever written. The song has been performed by Harry Belafonte, Judy Collins, Mama Cass, Kenny Rankin, Tim Rose, Bobbie Gentry, and UFO. But in my opinion, the best cover by far is the haunting track on the album ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble by Uriah Heep and the plaintive vocals of front man David Byron.

There is some discussion as to whether the song was written about WWI, WWII, or possibly the aftermath of a future WWIII. To me, it is no matter. This sweet, sad song should be listened to by every parent, and every president before sending people off to war.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66L7xY7doPg

Daddy, daddy, come and look
See what I have found
A little ways away from here
While digging in the ground

Come away, Melinda
Come in and close the door
It's nothing, just a picture-book
They had before the war

Daddy, daddy, come and see
Daddy, come and look
Why there's four or five
Little Melinda girls
Inside my picture book

Come away, Melinda
Come in and close the door
There were lots of little girls like you
Before they had the war

Oh daddy, daddy, come and see
Daddy, hurry do
Why, there's someone in a pretty dress
She's all grown up like you
Won't you tell me, why?

Come away, Melinda
Come in and close the door
That someone is your mummy
You had before the war

Daddy, daddy, tell me if you can
Why can't things be
The way they were
Before the war began?

Come away, Melinda
Come in and close the door
The answer lies in yesterday
Before they had the war

[It perhaps should be noted that David Byron died of alcohol related complications, including liver disease and seizures, at his home in Reading, England, on Thursday, February 28, 1985. He was 38 years and 30 days old. His death was barely reported in the music press.]


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Before I went to college and became exposed to more groups and styles of music than I ever dreamed existed, Uriah Heep was my favorite band, right down to the Roger Dean album covers. The Demons and Wizards album featured such songs as, "The Wizard," "Traveler in Time," "Rainbow Demon," and "The Spell." Their follow up record, Magician's Birthday, continued the dungeons and dragons theme, before the phrase was even coined, and inspired a personal ritual I still look back on with fond memories.
I would turn on the blacklight, queue up the album, lie in my bed (Bunce and I shared a room, and I had the upper bunk), and fire up what I “reefered” to as a “Magician's Birthday Joint,” a fat, perfectly rolled doobie, usually in fruit flavored papers. My favorite blacklight poster was of a castle perched atop a rocky cliff, waves crashing against the rocks. A tall turret impaled the moon. (No, the symbolism is not lost on me.) My mind ranged over vast landscapes, carried by the music and the smoke.
Although the heavy metal music drew me to the band, there was much more to this versatile group. Such songs as “Come Away Melinda,” written in 1963 by Fred Hellerman and Fran Minkoff of the Weavers, is one of the most powerful anti-war ballads ever written. The song has been performed by Harry Belafonte, Judy Collins, Mama Cass, Kenny Rankin, Bobbie Gentry, and UFO. But in my opinion, the best cover by far is the haunting track on the album ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble by Uriah Heep. This song showcases the plaintive and powerful vocals of front man David Byron.
Uriah Heep still has a large and devoted cult following. They continue to tour and release new material. But my son, who grew up hearing and enjoying their music when I played it, recently pointed out they do not have a social media presence. In online discussions and threads that refer to 70s bands, Uriah Heep is not one of the names that comes up.
It should be mentioned that David Byron died of alcohol related complications at his home in Reading, England, on Thursday, February 28, 1985. He was 38 years old. His death was barely noted in the music press.

Citizens

September 11th is the one day of the year that I do not talk of conspiracies, questions left unanswered, and justice left unserved. Today is to remember the bravery of the first responders, the resilient people of New York, the grief of the families, and the sacrifice of those who lost their lives. They are citizens of eternity.

"If We Can Find Out What You're Afraid Of, We Can Label It."

Now it all becomes clear. I always thought my distrust of and resistance to authority was based on my observations of the unjust, hypocritical, overzealous, repressive, ignorant, self-serving, illogical, tyrannical, deceptive, abusive, and arbitrary actions of those in power. But as it turns out, what I really have is a disease called ODD - Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures.

This disorder is more common in boys than in girls. Some studies have shown that it affects 20% of school-age children. However, most experts believe this figure is continually changing according to definitions of normal childhood behavior, and possible racial, cultural, and gender biases.

This behavior typically starts by age 8, but it may start as early as the preschool years. This disorder is thought to be caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. Symptoms of ODD include not following adults' requests, anger and resentment of authority figures, arguing and losing temper with adults, being spiteful and vengeful towards parents, teachers and police.

Children with symptoms of this disorder should be evaluated by a psychiatrist or psychologist. In children and adolescents, the following conditions can cause similar behavior problems and should be considered as possibilities:

Anxiety disorders
Attention-deficit /hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Bipolar disorder
Depression
Learning disorders
Substance abuse disorders

The best treatment for the child is to talk with a mental health professional in individual and possibly family therapy. Medications may also be helpful, especially if the behaviors occur as part of another condition (such as depression, childhood psychosis, or ADHD). Some children respond well to treatment, while others do not.

In many cases, children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder grow up to have conduct disorder as teenagers or adults. In some cases children may grow up to have antisocial personality disorder.

So, it would seem to me that in today's volunteer armed forces, applicants would undergo screening and tests that would reveal ODD or other such disorders before placing military assault rifles in their hands.

However, according to the Obama administration and the Department of Homeland Security, all returning veterans display symptoms of ODD, and any exercise of Constitutional freedoms to voice dissent or engage in protest, is cause for arrest and involuntary commitment to a mental health facility.

John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute said that he had been contacted by numerous veterans who had encountered problems with authorities attempting to have them declared mentally ill. Whitehead attributed the high number of cases involving veterans as a consequence of the Department of Homeland Security’s aggressive campaign to demonize former service members as domestic extremists. DHS chief Janet Napolitano said she stood by an April 2009 DHS intelligence assessment that listed returning vets as likely domestic terrorists.

The New York Times reported on how Boy Scout Explorers were being trained by the DHS to kill “disgruntled Iraq war veterans” in terrorist drills.

The FBI has also gone out of its way to characterize returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan as a major domestic terrorist threat. Whitehead pointed to efforts on behalf of health authorities in the United States to characterize distrust of authority as a mental illness under the label “Oppositional Defiant Disorder.” Veterans are being targeted in police raids to confiscate their firearms based on the pretext that they are “mentally defective.”

Critics have made comparisons to the infamous psychiatric prisons in the former Soviet Union where dissidents were sent to be isolated, brainwashed, and have their political ideas discredited.

An OpEd News article addressed a White House initiative titled "Operation Vigilant Eagle," that criminalizes free speech and targets our nation’s best — our vets. The article states:

Thanks to Operation Vigilant Eagle, a program launched by the Department of Homeland Security in 2009, military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are being characterized as extremists and potential domestic terrorist threats because they may be “disgruntled, disillusioned or suffering from the psychological effects of war.” As a result, these servicemen and women – many of whom are decorated – are finding themselves under surveillance, threatened with incarceration or involuntary commitment, or arrested, all for daring to voice their concerns about the alarming state of our union and the erosion of our freedoms.

All of this makes sense in light of the government's impending implementation of martial law. Veterans, those specifically trained in military weapons and combat tactics, would be the frontline commanders in the event of armed resistance. By labeling them as unfit, confiscating their weapons, and prohibiting them from gun ownership, the government is again showing its hand. As the battle lines are ever more clearly drawn, it now appears that our returning veterans are being put in a position where they will be forced to fire on their former brothers and sisters in arms.

A Father's Lament

"My little beautiful smart and sweet Alexa turned on the tv just now and the news was on. They were talking about Syria and showing some clips of fighting. She asked "are they fighting?" and I said "yes."

"Are people getting hurt? Why would they do that?" she continued. I didn't know what to say. I just hugged her tightly and cried.

How do I explain to my baby that big banks and special interests start conflicts to sell guns and take control of governments all over the planet...? What have we done to Earth...? What will my kids have when I'm gone...? Fuck the nwo, the Rothschilds, the Rockefellers, the Bilderberg group, the big bankers, the big government, and anyone else orchestrating this from behind the curtain!"

My son posted this on Facebook about my granddaughter

The Call of the Wild

I just had an interesting and unexpected reaction from my cat. She was sleeping over on my wife's side of the bed and I was reading an online article about wolves, and there was a 2 minute video of wolves howling. I wasn't even thinking about it, but as soon as I started the video, she was instantly awake, sitting up on her front paws, ears totally erect, pretty, pink nose scenting the air, and head scanning from one window to the next. She didn't seem alarmed, just very focused until the video ended. She sat still for a few more minutes. Then she curled around, and went back to sleep in the same spot she was in. Very fascinating to see that look of concentration into a natural world we can never hope to understand.

http://www.whitewolfpack.com/2013/08/lonely-wolf-wolves-howl-when-they-miss.html

Try this on your pet!

"Whether it's hot, whether it's cool, oh what a spot for whistlin' like a fool"

I was channel surfing while we waited for our Labor Day dessert, homemade plum pie, to come out of the oven. I started getting into the upper channels, and stopped for a moment to sip some coffee. The familiar whistle (called "The Fishin' Hole") of The Andy Griffith Show came from the speakers. The episode was instantly recognizable as the classic, "Convicts At Large." They're all classics, but a few really stand out. I was totally suckered in and laughed out loud again at every word I knew by heart. It was actually a marathon, and I really wasn't planning on watching another episode, but it was "Barney and the Choir," and again I couldn't help myself.

The Andy Griffith Show, as American as mom and apple pie, was first televised on CBS on October 3, 1960, and ran through April 1, 1968.  Sheriff Andy Taylor, Deputy Barney Fife, Opie, Aunt Bee and all the denizens of Mayberry, North Carolina charmed their way into the fabric of cultural history.

In "Convicts at Large," Barney and Floyd are held hostage by a gang of escaped female convicts who have been hiding in O'Malley's cabin outside of town. Andy, who spots Floyd in town buying groceries (with one of the convicts), thinks they have a little party going on until O'Malley arrives back in town on the bus.

In my opinion, this is Floyd the Barber's best performance and showcases the comedic talent of Howard McNear to the fullest. Coincidentally, this was the last appearance of Howard McNear before the actor suffered a stroke and left the show. He would return in season three but his character would be very different, nearly immobile from the damage caused by the stroke. He would stay with the show until his death following the seventh season.

The original airdate of "Convicts at Large" was December 10, 1962, and the episode was written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum.

In "Barney and the Choir," Barney insinuates himself into lead tenor in the Mayberry choir. Desperate, John Masters, the choir director,  gives him the job, without hearing him sing first. At the first practice however, everyone in the choir realizes just how bad Barney sings good Ol' 14A. The only plan that Andy can come up with, as to not hurt Barney's feelings, is to give him his own solo. But of course, Andy has a trick up his sleeve.

This episode, that first aired on February 19, 1962, was written by Jack Elinson and Charles Stewart, and contains one of the best monologues in the entire series. When Thelma Lou (played by the incomparable Betty Lynn) hears that Barney is going to join the choir, she exclaims:

"Barney’s going to be in the choir? My Barney?"

Andy: That’s right.
Thelma Lou: But Barney can’t sing.
Andy: I know.
Thelma Lou: He’s a warm, wonderful person and I love him dearly; but he can’t sing.
Andy: That’s true.
Thelma Lou: He’s kind, considerate, good-hearted – the most gentle person I’ve ever known; but he can’t sing.
Andy: You’re right.
Thelma Lou: He’s the man I want to marry – the man I want to be the father of my children…
Andy: But he can’t sing.
Thelma Lou: Not a lick!

There are many reasons why 50 years after the show first premiered that it is still shown daily all across the country. The talent of the writers, directors, and actors came together to create a timeless place of gentle warmth and good cheer, and this was accomplished with love, humor, and music. Whether it was a folk song sung on the front porch by Andy while he strummed a guitar, Ellie singing a tear-jerking "Away in a Manger" in the series' only Christmas episode, or the Darlings introducing mainstream America to a peculiar style of music called bluegrass, music permeated the show. For years I said that there should have been a "Music from the Andy Griffith Show" album. Now, thanks to the wonder of the digital age, many of these pieces are available online, including a YouTube party mix, that can be found at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu77tX7uDvc&list=RD02RpKhWePGNPc

The lovely Maggie Peterson

as "Charlene Darling"

Happy listening!

The Isolation of Shared Experience

Video by Alan Watts 

http://www.trueactivist.com/gab_gallery/what-is-wrong-with-our-culture/