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BS: Ever done it?
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Subject: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 21 Oct 01 - 12:14 AM When I was in high school I was part of a trio, (guitar, banjo/fiddle, accordian) and we called ourselves "The Bosque Country Trio." A friend's father worked at a Hatchery in Waco, Texas, and every Saturday night a fellow hawked medicine from a flatbed truck and had entertainers warm up the crowd before he made his pitch. My friend's father arranged for us to perform one Saturday. It was during WW2 and Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys had just released a new 78RPM record, "When the Yanks Raised the Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima Isle," with Tommy Duncan doing the vocal. We were a big hit, probably because the audience wanted to delay the medicine pitch as long as possible. We did "Oklahoma Hills," "Worried Mind," and other popular tunes of the day, but the folks wanted to hear the new Iwo Jima song. It was so new we hadn't had time to learn it before the gig. We finished our set and the audience members began throwing coins on the truck bed and kept wanting more music. The Medicine Man came out as we were picking up the coins and promised the crowd that if they would settle down and listen to his pitch, he would have us back the following Saturday night and guaranteed we would do, "Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima Isle." The crowd settled down and he launched his pitch selling a tonic that cured everything from stomach ache, to arthritis. Believe it or not, he sold a bunch of medicine. So. I realize most of you are too young to have ever played a medicine show, but maybe somebody has. Anybody? Oh, and we never heard from the guy again. DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Ebbie Date: 21 Oct 01 - 12:24 AM The guy was probably over in the next county by the next week. But what a kick! Got any more stories? Ebbie |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 21 Oct 01 - 01:31 AM I got a million of 'em, Ebbie! But you're probably right! DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: RangerSteve Date: 21 Oct 01 - 08:54 AM Great story, and I'm willing to hear the other 999,999. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Amos Date: 21 Oct 01 - 10:16 AM Yeehaw -- pure wildass Americana. A. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Ebbie Date: 21 Oct 01 - 01:34 PM I think a Permathread on the subject of Mudcatters' experiences would be a great one- not to mention an endless source of storytelling for everyone. In the meantime, DougR, how about some more? Ebbie |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Mark Clark Date: 21 Oct 01 - 02:06 PM Terrific story, Doug. No, I've never played a medicine show. Being a young whippersnapper myself, I didn't come along until the middle of 1942. I have shared the stage with a fire eater though. Does that count? - Mark |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 21 Oct 01 - 03:16 PM That's probably pretty close, Mark. I'm sure if the medicine hawker could have drummed up a fire eater, he would have. Ebbie, I guess I exaggerated a bit when I said a "million of 'em." I was just parroting Jimmy Durante. There is only one other story I have that might pluck you string. This same group was invited to play at a rodeo in Fort Worth Texas that same year and we were assured an audience with Gene Autry who was to be the featured star. I chose, instead, to go to the Houston Fat Stock show with my best buddy who was showing a steer that year. The accordian player/fiddle/banjo player never forgave me. They were sure, had Gene heard us, we would have been on our way to Hollywood! I didn't regret it though, because it was on that trip to Houston that I was introduced to oysters. But then that's a whole other story. DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Ebbie Date: 21 Oct 01 - 03:18 PM How does a musician share a stage with a fire eater? Other than staying up wind. Ebbie |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Ebbie Date: 21 Oct 01 - 03:20 PM Like they say, it was a brave man that first ate oysters. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 21 Oct 01 - 03:22 PM Mebbe so, Ebbie, but I sure am glad some brave man did! :>) DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Whistle Stop Date: 22 Oct 01 - 08:17 AM I'm 43 years young, Doug, so I never had the opportunity to play a medicine show (played a lot of shows while medicated, but that's different, I guess). It's a great story -- keep 'em coming! So, did you come back the next week and play the Bob Wills tune? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: M.Ted Date: 22 Oct 01 - 12:03 PM DougR, I just knew you had come here for more than just the pleasure of talking politics! You pulled an ace on us, too, a Texas trio, complete with accordian!! As a relative youngster, the medicine shows were long gone when I was coming up, though we often saw the pitchmen at the country fairs(as a boy, I was completely enthralled by the pitchmen, which later led me to a career in advertising) My question for you is, did you buy any of the medicine? It was not lost on me that the pitchmen sounded a lot like politicians--the difference? The pitchmen gave you something for your money! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 22 Oct 01 - 12:37 PM No, Whistle Stop, we were never heard from the medicine guy again. We did learn the song, of course. We went to the Corner Cafe and put nickels in the juke box and played that song until we had it down pat. Yep, MTed, I don't contribute a lot to music threads, but I read most of them. They are less taxing than the political threads and one must catch one's breath from time to time. No, we didn't (the three of us) buy any of the medicine. Maybe had we done so, we would have been invited back. I never thought about that! DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: AliUK Date: 22 Oct 01 - 06:57 PM Great story. Give us more Doug. Reminds me of the time the duo I was in opened for John Otway, now theres a medicine man. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 22 Oct 01 - 07:14 PM AliUK: If I gave you more, my friend, I'd have to make it up. I've lived a rather unexciting life other than my one foray into the Medicine Show business. DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: bill\sables Date: 22 Oct 01 - 07:41 PM I was once asked to play in a striptease show in a nightclub in Stockton on Tees Co. Durham. The regular guy was sick and they asked me to play some funny songs. There were five scrawny strippers, a porn film, and about 300 men in the audience steadily getting more and more pissed. The show started with 2 strippers accompanied by organ and drums, then I played about 20 minutes which went down reasonably well then they showed the porn film. Remember this was in the 60s and porn films were newish. Well this porn film turned out to be a sex education film introduced by some doctor and illustrated by animated diagrams with no naked bodies whatsoever. After a few minutes the audience started throwing bottles and beer glasses at the screen. This is when the M.C. suggested I go on again to calm them down a bit. "Bollocks" Now I am not very big and my father always said to me "Best be a coward for five minutes than a dead man all your life" so I suggested to the M.C. as politely as I could, that it would be a better idea to put the other strippers on instead of me. When the first girl got to the stage I gathered my guitar and buggered off as quickly as I could out the back door, into the car, and home. I never did get paid for that job. Cheers Bill |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Banjer Date: 22 Oct 01 - 09:38 PM But Bill, you had the oportunity to gaze upon that educational film for free!!! How can you say you never got paid for the job? Wasn't that bit of learning worth the songs you sang?? *BG* |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: GUEST Date: 22 Oct 01 - 11:03 PM Drove to Waco, on a dare, Went to a whore house, over there.
They wern't legal in New Mex
Swore by God as he rubbed the vaseline
"Ain't talkin Vegas, here, kids."
Arriving at the Coup of the Chicken.
Those so horny, they went for the shop
With sincere respect to J. Compton and the boys of Texas A&M. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: simon-pierre Date: 22 Oct 01 - 11:16 PM I'm in fact very surprised that medecine shows were still running in the mid-century, I thought it was a nineteenth century thing. Funny story Doug! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: ddw Date: 23 Oct 01 - 12:16 AM I remember medicine shows in small-town North Carolina in the late '40s and early '50s. I think they were fading pretty fast then, but I do recall a few. david |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 23 Oct 01 - 01:20 AM BillD; that's hilarious! As I read I got a mental picture of you trying to calm the boys down and probably how they would have reacted to it. Good story. DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Deckman Date: 23 Oct 01 - 05:09 AM Hi Doug ... great thread. I well remember when I was a kritter about 9 or so. That was in the late 40's ... 1940's, not 1840's. Every Summer, the "carney" (traveling carnival) came to town. They had the usual exciting (to a kid) rides, the girly peep shows, and the medicine show. My brother, lucky devil, was five years older than (he still is by the way) and he was able to sneak into the peep show. Then we'd talk all night about what he saw. I well remember when I found an empty bottle of "medicine" from the carney show in the trash. I asked Dad about it and he said that it was some of the best white lightning he's ever had ... and he and Mom were experts. By the way, I was raised in the Northwest corner of America, somewhat close to Seattle. CHEERS to you ... Bob(deckman)Nelson |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: M.Ted Date: 23 Oct 01 - 11:16 AM Bill, I am curious indeed to know if you remember the magical set list that "went over reasonably well" with three hundred men who were hungry for female nudity--You reminded me of a similar experience I had-- Many years ago in my home town, a strip club opened in an abandoned supermarket. The show featured "Go-Go" dancers and movies and they needed a "host". Mostly owing to the fact that I was well known for a vulgar parody of "Shakin' All Over" that I performed, I was encouraged by a number of friends to apply--I went to meet the manager, who liked me right away, and assured me that the pay was great,and that, though he had trouble finding steady work after he got out of prison, the owners didn't mind his record a bit, and practically treated him like family--he also told me not to worry about the monthly police raids, because the owners bailed you our right away, covered all the expenses, and even paid you for the time you were in court--Hard as it may seem to believe, I passed on the opportunity--
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 23 Oct 01 - 01:29 PM Great story, MTed! Yes, Deckman, those Carnivals came through my home town too, and all of us were warned by our parents to be careful because carnival workers were known to kidnap children to work at the Carnival. Yours and MTed's story reminded me of an event that happened when our family attended the Texas Centennial in 1936. We were on the midway and my dad and uncle disappeared leaving me and my brother with my mother and aunt. We asked where they had gone to, and were only supplied sullen answers. Later I found out they had gone into Mae West's exhibit to see her perform. It was a quiet trip driving back from Dallas to my hometown that evening. Mother and dad seemed to have little to say to one another. Dad seemed pretty pleased though. DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: CarolC Date: 23 Oct 01 - 02:23 PM Haven't ever seen a medicine show, or played music for one. But I was just trying to think of a contemporary equivalent of a medicine show. The closest thing I could come up with was Amway parties and people hawking strange and exciting cooking implements in department stores. I never saw any musicians playing at those things, though. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: M.Ted Date: 23 Oct 01 - 04:11 PM The closest thing to a medicine show is a TV info-mercial. at least pitchwise--after the medicine show circuits dried up, the medicine show pitchmen often went on to sell gizmos of various sorts at fairs and carnivals, and Ron Popeil, is pretty much the classic showman, both in presentation and in the products he sells--in terms of the use of music, strange as it may seem, a tent revival show is put together pretty much like an old time medicine show, even to the part where they have ringers planted in the crowd to "come down" to be saved, pretty much the way that, at about the same time in the medicine show, ringers were planted to buy the first few bottles of the "remedy"-- In case you wondered, Carol, as I remember, Jack Van Impe and his wife, Rexine(it has been years since I've seen them, so I may have misremembered some of this) used to play twin accordions at a critical point in their revival meeting--another highpoint of his show were the lurid and graphic descriptions of the activities of various and sundry sinners, and his shameful confession that he once played his accordion for dancing, but after he was saved, he played only for the grace of God-- Plenty of room on the gospel circuit for musicians and entertainers, even nowdays-- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: CarolC Date: 23 Oct 01 - 04:42 PM That's very interesting, M Ted. I didn't know any of that. I don't suppose I've got much of a future in the gospel circuit seeing as how I mostly play dance music on my accordion. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 23 Oct 01 - 09:29 PM Hey Carol! Welcome back! I think MTed is right. The TV pitchpeople are closely akin to the old "timey" medicine show hawkers. Those Medicine Show days are long gone forever though. DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Rick Fielding Date: 24 Oct 01 - 02:42 AM Great thread Doug! And yes, welcome back Carol, t'was a treat to see you in Maryland....and the glow on your face when you and Dick started playing your twin squeeze boxes was what I was staring at!! Never played a Medicine show, but I've done shows with strippers and hucksters. I think one of the modern equivalents is doing a "mall gig". Rick |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: M.Ted Date: 24 Oct 01 - 11:54 AM Carol, It doesn't really matter what you play, as long as you are playing for the Lord;-) Many of those old revival songs, particularly the Salvation Army songs, were lifted directly from the English music halls and other wanton and sinful places--Those strip club bands, which tended to be the "bottom of the barrel' jobs for musicians, have all been lost to DJ's-- Any one ever play for political fund raisers? When I played in "the saddest little country band in the world", our leader got us on at the top of the bill at a huge fundraiser at one of the automakers union halls--it was supposed to be "great exposure",(as you know, "great exposure" is another term for "no pay") and it was reported that the hall had in fact been sold out--well over a thousand tickets--We were so excited, we'd even chipped in to get the drum kit out of hock! We got their early and set up on the big stage, while a thousand folding chairs were set out, thousands of steamed hot dogs lined up next to tons of potato and macaroni salad, huge kegs of beer and mountains of potato salad and piles of chips and soda bottles.(sorry to tell you this, DougR, but as you may have guessed, it was a Democratic fundraiser) The doors were to open at 6, and we were to open, play while people ate, then the speeches, and then they'd clear the chairs and we'd play for dancing--As an added surprise, a couple of good friends had also been recruited to play, and the drummer and I would back them up, since they were concerned that their acoustic duet sound wouldn't fill the hall-- At six on the dot, we broke into our cover of "The Monkey that Ran for President", and the doors opened. At five after six, we realized that no one was coming( in Michigan, and, at least then, everyone had supper at 6 on the dot. since there was nothing to do but eat-- if they weren't there, they weren't going to be there). And we, along with the Political Volunteers, hit the hot dogs and beer(I was a vegetarian at the time, so you know how upset I was)-- Having nothing better to do, Dan and Nelson played all their New Riders, the Greatful Dead, and the Flying Burrito Brothers stuff(guess when this was) which none of which the guys in my band had never heard of before--and we played things like "Please Help Me I"m Falling" and "Pick Me Up on Your Way Down" and "Heartaches By the Number" which they had never heard--
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 24 Oct 01 - 03:49 PM That's a funny story, M Ted! I got a good laugh out of nobody showing up. I guessed it was a Democratic fundraiser when you posted the menu. If it had been Republican, the menu would consisted of Oysters Rockefellow, Clam Chowder, Filet Minon, Twice Baked Potatos (some Republicans know how to spell plural potato), and Spinach Etouffee. :>) DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Fortunato Date: 24 Oct 01 - 04:07 PM Long about 1974 I was in a group called The Last Cowboy Band. Tex Rubinowitz, Ed Fambro, Dave Parker and a drummer whose name I can't remember and we were playing a joint called The Gold Rush on 14th St NW, Washington, DC. Well, The Gold Rush had a topless place on the first floor, Country Band (that was us) on the second floor and a strip joint on the third floor. Naturally when the dancers from the other two floors were on brake they'd come to our floor to smoke cigarettes and fool around. So one night one these scantily clad ladies who had had one Tequila Sunrise too many came up on stage and starting dancing around me while I was singing "The Wild Side of Life", (honest). Before I knew it she had unbuckled my pants and pulled them down. Fortunately, I had on my Ernest Tubb under shorts that the band had given me for Christmas, no they didn't have a picture of Ernest, but at the end of the song I turned to the crowd and showed them "Thanks, No Requests" embroidered on the seat of my shorts. regards, Chance. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 24 Oct 01 - 07:44 PM Chance, had this taken place a couple of years earlier, I might have been in your audience. I worked in an office building on 14th Street during 1971! That street had quite a reputation as I remember it. I've heard of Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Rex Allen and many other stars who had their names on lunch boxes, but I've never heard of Ernest Tubb underwear. That's a hoot! dougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: CarolC Date: 24 Oct 01 - 08:14 PM Thanks for the welcome back, DougR and Rick. I actually only just now got back. I was Mudcatting in PA in my previous posts.
And it was a treat to see you, too, Rick. I imagine I probably did have a glow on my face. What a terrific experience it was playing with another squeezebox player, and one as fine as Mr. Swaine (sp?) no less. Maybe I should start a Free Reed revival circuit to gather converts to Squeezeboxism. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 25 Oct 01 - 01:44 AM If you read my first post on this thread, CarolC, you will see that one of my first musical experiences was with an accordian player. She, too, was a beautiful lady (well at the time she was a beautiful young girl), and I saw her at my 50th High School reunion in 1998. She still has that little accordian she played with our group in the mid 1940's. And she is still a beautiful lady ...just a few years older! DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: M.Ted Date: 25 Oct 01 - 01:53 AM FYI DougR, The tickets were apparently sold in blocks to the various union groups and committees, who regarded it as just another contribution and apparently just handed over the money and stuck the tickets in the back of a drawer--Our singer had high hopes of getting a patronage job as as streetcleaner when the Democratic Mayoral candidate won--he didn't, amusingly enough, the incumbant was a close friend of our family, though I never mentioned it to the band--
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: MC Fat Date: 25 Oct 01 - 04:09 AM Two musician mates of mine once had a great gig at a 'Sauna and Massage Parlour' (to our U.S. mates a brothel or bordello) said it was really good fun. Bet the 'riders' in their contract were good re the 'extras'. 1 bottle of Jack Daniels, 2 x 45 minute spots plus an hour upstairs with a tart !! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: GUEST,Fortunato at home for a rest Date: 25 Oct 01 - 08:24 AM DougR. Well, DougR you couldn't buy those shorts at Sears and Roebuck. They were embroidered for me by Sadie Parker, wife of the great nylon string Flamenco and Country guitar player, Dave Parker. I forgot to mention that in addition to the message on the seat, Sadie embroidered a large carrot on the fly. I've never sung on a flatbed truck or in a medincine show (in this life), but my father did during the 30's at the opening of Western Auto Stores in LA...that's Lower Alabama. Cheers, Chance |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: GUEST,Les B Date: 25 Oct 01 - 01:11 PM Great stories! Doug R - can you post the lyrics for the song you learned -- "When the Yanks Raised the Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima Isle"? -- our group has been getting requests for "patriotic" songs with recent events. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 25 Oct 01 - 02:21 PM Les: Sorry I have never mastered the art of posting lyrics, so I hope you can figure them out. I never have been asked to post lyrics before and it took me a bit by surprise. As you can see, the song was pretty well "thrown together" and is a short piece. The music industry was pressed to come up with some patriotic songs very quickly in those days. The same lyrics were sung twice on the record as I remember it. Here they are: When the Yanks raised the stars and strips on Iwo Jima Isle, through the blood and tears they won through; Bless the heart of each Yankee there on Iwo Jima Isle, resting 'neith a blanket of blue. DougR High on the hill of Surabachi waves old Glory and she always will. When the Yanks raised the Stars and Strips on Iwo Jima Isle there were tears in their hearts and so they smiled.
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 25 Oct 01 - 02:31 PM Les: Thread creep coming up warning! If you are interested in WWII "Country" songs, you might want to see if you can find the CD titled, "Star Spangled Country." It has the following WW2 Country hits: At Mail Call Today - Gene Autry Rosalita - Al Dexter Soldier's Last Letter - Ernest Tubb Smoke on the Water - Bob Wills with Tommy Duncan Shame on You - Spade Cooley with Tex Williams G.I. Blues - Floyd Tilman Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima Isle - Bob Wills/Tommy Duncan Pistol Packing Momma - Al Dexter Born to Lose - Ted Daffan Night Train to Memphis - Roy Acuff Sony Music Special Products P.O. Box 4450 New York, NY 10101-4450 DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: Whistle Stop Date: 25 Oct 01 - 02:36 PM And here I thought Smoke On The Water was by Deep Purple! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 25 Oct 01 - 02:50 PM And Born to Lose by Ray Charles, right? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DeanC Date: 25 Oct 01 - 03:01 PM When I was a teenager in the early 60's we used to go to the Gilbertsville Farmers Market on Saturday evenings. Among the things to do there was an old guy who performed feats of strength (like bending steel bars) and sold the elixir that made him strong enough to do it. He worked out of a trailer which was plastered with posters of him as a much younger guy doing the same kind of stuff. He looked to be as old as the hills at the time, and his pictures led me to believe that he had been doing it for 40 or 50 years. Then again maybe it was just too much elixir. Anyway, while not exactly a medicine show in the vain of the original post in this thread, this kind of stuff was still going on in the 60's. I was back to the farmers market about a year ago, and there was nothing like that anymore. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: GUEST,Les B Date: 25 Oct 01 - 03:22 PM Doug R - Thanks for the lyrics, and the heads-up on the CD- I'll look for it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 25 Oct 01 - 09:12 PM DeanC: Suppose the old guy drank one bottle of elixir more than he should have? I would say that experience qualifies as a Medicine Show one, the medicine hawker was just surrounded by vegetables instead of chickens (as was true in my case). :>) DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: CarolC Date: 25 Oct 01 - 10:09 PM Well, DougR, re: your 25-Oct-01 - 01:44 AM post... I can see I've got my work cut out for me if I'm going to get any converts to Squeezeboxism. How you could have been in such close proximity with that beautiful woman and her accordion, and not have been inspired to learn to play the instrument yourself is beyond my ability to comprehend. It may not be too late for you to be redeemed, however. Let the Free Reed spirit move within you. Get yourself down to a good music store and buy yourself an accordion. The Bellows moves in mysterious ways, it's wonders to behold. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: DougR Date: 25 Oct 01 - 10:18 PM Well, Carol, I certainly won't argue with you about that (surprise! surprise!)but I learned long ago that I am finger ignorant. My fingers have great difficulty following directions, and I saw my friend play accordian enough to know that I'd better stick to I-III-V chords on a geetar. Good to see you back posting. Surely we can find something to argue about if we put our minds to it! DougR |
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Subject: RE: BS: Ever done it? From: CarolC Date: 25 Oct 01 - 10:30 PM My mind is still a bit too tired to argue about much of anything at present. And I'm still feeling a bit warm and fuzzy from my adventures of the past few days. It might take me a little while to recover my edge. I did make a lukewarm and halfhearted attempt at argument with you about the Queen of England on another thread. It's about the best I can do right now. |