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Walmart Blues
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Subject: Walmart Blues From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 28 Jun 05 - 01:31 PM Oh, my aching back! A couple of years ago, I bought a hedge clipper at Walmart. I hadn't had much experience with the store, and the clipper was a recognizable brand name, and at a great price. What I've come to realize in the last couple of years is that when you get a "steal" at a Walmart, or Target, or even Home Depot or Lowes, you end up not being the one who did the stealing. Even though the brand names are familiar, the quality of the product is so poor that you have to buy another one in a couple of years (if you're lucky and it lasts that long.) Serial purchases. Yesterday, my hedge clipper had gotten so dull that I really racked up my back, leaning way over on a ladder to trim a tall hedge on our property. So, today I'm singing the Walmart Blues.. Here's a verse... Add another one if you share my feelings (although hopefully, not my aching back..) To the tune of Bay Rum Blues: I got the Walmart blues, I've had them times before My head is realing and my back is sore But any old time I can rake up a dime I'm going back and buy some more I got the Walll..maarrt Blues Some say that Walmart is good for the pocket But take it from me the stuff's too bad to hock it I keep trying but I just can't lose Those low down, mean old Walmart Blues (Yodel optional) Jerry |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 28 Jun 05 - 01:57 PM Love it, Jerry! Especially the rhyme of pocket and hock it. My worst Walmart memory is going into one about 9:30 at night (something I would usually not do) and hearing a number of crying little kids. Their parents had dragged them there for some dumb reason, even though they should have been snug in their beds. I guess the expression "Shop till you drop" should be changed to "Shop till THEY drop." |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: GUEST Date: 28 Jun 05 - 03:08 PM This is in extremely bad taste with the passing of John Walton yesterday. Give it a few days rest out of respect please. |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: GUEST Date: 28 Jun 05 - 03:48 PM It's the store, the organization, the walmart culture that is the topic of this thread. Not John Walton. |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 28 Jun 05 - 04:34 PM Thank you, first Guest: I didn't read the paper today because I threw my back at. I'll ask Joe to close this thread. It isn't about the family, and could just as easily be called K-Mart Blues, or Target Blues, as the second Guest pointed out. It's about the foolishness (mine) of thinking that I can actually save money buying stuff from chain stores. My condolences go out to the Walton family.. Jerry
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: An Englishman Abroad Date: 28 Jun 05 - 06:46 PM My condolences to the Walton family. Not good to have anyone die. But lets not be hipocritical. The whole family and company are a lot of money grabin bastards who treat their employees like slaves and cost the USA tax payers millions. all the best John |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: LilyFestre Date: 28 Jun 05 - 06:56 PM Jerry, You DO know that you can take those back to Walmart and get another set of clippers for free, right? Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 28 Jun 05 - 08:31 PM No, I don't know that, Michelle. I think they've outlived any warranty at this point... I went out and bought a good hedge clipper.. cost me twice as much, but has more power, a longer blade, and will most likely last several times longer. Until this thread closes (and I have no love for Walmart) I wanted to add a comment about country blues. One of the things that I like best about country blues is there is often a humorous criticism made of the singer, by the singer... "Serves us people, serves us fine, for thinking that a mill was a darned gold mine." If I was really trying to write this song and put any work into it, I'd like to have it be a laugh on me for being so gullible to think I could get something good on the cheap. I've cut way back on what I buy at Walmart/K-Mart/Target/Home Depot/Lowes/ etc. because I've come to realize that I can't afford to save money buying stuff from those stores. For example, Three years in a row I bought grass seed... first at Walmart, and then Home Depot. Again, the brand name was highly respected. In all three years, the grass hadn't been grown in for more than a few weeks when crabgrass took over and completely crowded out the new grass. This year, I spent ten or fifteen dollars more to buy grass seed at a nursery and even with the heat and dryness of the last few weeks, there is not a single blade of crabgrass in the long. Dumb me. Same with paint. If I went orgasmic painting, those stores are the place to go because you end up painting again every year... at least with their outdoor paint. I don't have to observe how dumb people are, trying to save money. I can just look in the mirror. My excuse is particularly weak because I can afford to but better quality stuff, and now I am doing what I can to keep the local hardware, nursery and paint stores going. This time, the laugh's on me.. Jerry |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: GUEST,khandu Date: 28 Jun 05 - 09:35 PM Jerry, my Brother...what is "orgasmic painting"? Ken |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 28 Jun 05 - 10:15 PM Now, if I tell you, Ken, you'll tell everyone else... Jerry |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Big Mick Date: 28 Jun 05 - 10:31 PM I will give John Walton and family the same respect they show for the children in the sweatshops, and the prison workers who make the product they sell. Mick |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 29 Jun 05 - 05:51 AM And the biggest irony of it all is that he got his plane on the cheap - he didn't get professional engineers to make it, he made it himself! |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Pete Peterson Date: 29 Jun 05 - 11:04 PM Hi Jerry, we can't go on not meeting like this! you know too many of the good songs. I didn't think anybody knew "Serves 'em Fine" by Dave & Howard. Don't know the tune for Bay Rum Blues (can you give a source?) when I realized a song was cpming I mentally started singing Milton Brown's "Wabash Blues" . . .suspect the tune you chose will be great! |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Jimmy C Date: 29 Jun 05 - 11:19 PM I always suspected that although the packaging, and the manufacturer was the same as fairly reliable brands, the merchandise from Walmart was inferior. I have had hose reels give up the ghost on a yearly basis, the same for shoes, drills, etc. Now when I shop I look for " Made in Canada" or "Made in U.S.A." but just last week a friend said that the carton may be made in Canada or the U.S. but the contents may actually be made somewhere else. Their treatment of employees borders on slavery and really should be exposed by some reliable source and printed for all to see. |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Blackcatter Date: 29 Jun 05 - 11:32 PM How 'bout so more lyrics? I'll try to come up with some soon. |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: harpgirl Date: 29 Jun 05 - 11:57 PM Joe, the correct answer is, "I choose not to close this thread." You can close the thread. You do not want to close the thread. Why is that? John didn't start Wal-Mart. He only inherited the stock. He served in Vietnam and won a silver star. He volunteered, BTW.
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: GUEST, Banjoest Date: 30 Jun 05 - 01:08 AM For those who don't know... Tools that need a sharp edge, like hedge clippers, need to have their edges honed. The use of hedge trimmers that have never been sharpen in two years and can still trim is only testimony to the high quality of the trimmers. ;o) |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 30 Jun 05 - 01:32 AM The Hedge Clippers Song.. I hone, I hone, it's off to hone I go.... sorry...... |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: The Zen Banjoist Date: 05 Jul 05 - 03:08 AM Orville and Wilber built their own airplane. |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 05 Jul 05 - 09:59 AM My Walmart Hedge clipper is indeed only two or three years old. That said, I only have one long hedge to trim and I trim it once a year. That means that at most, I've used the stupid thing three times. No way should something need sharpening after you've used it three times.... Hey, Pete: Are you coming to NOMAD? If so, track me down and I'll play Bay Rum Blues for you. It's one of my favorites... along with When You'e Down and Out and Blues in the Bottle.. all great songs. Riley the Furniture Man is great too, as is Black Bottom Blues. Been playing that stuff for 40 years.. Jerry |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Ebbie Date: 05 Jul 05 - 02:04 PM The other night there was some kind of special on television (I didn't see the beginning). The host was Robert Redford; he introduced at least three different segments on the show, each dealing with a different subject. One was na inspiring one about a man in Africa whose goal is to eradicate child slavery. His name is Kylash, or something like that. I've googled the name but didn't come up with anything. It dealt with child slavery mostly in connection with carpet weaving, interviewing children who had escaped or been bought by someone who freed them. Some of the children had been as young as 7 when they were enslaved. They reported on an operation where orphans picked up off the street are brought to a place where they are given schooling, taught trades and counseled in facing the future. Most of the children were orphaned by AIDS and many of them are HIV positive themselves. Another segment was called something like "Last Chance'. It is based at DeLancey Street in New York (I believe) and teaches trades to newly released prisoners by formerly released prisoners. They are taught skills such as professional moving, and there is also a restaurant where all the waiters and cooks are former convicts. Their story is told on the back of each menu. I tell you, by the time I got to the end of the program I wanted to go out and help save the world. |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Ebbie Date: 05 Jul 05 - 02:08 PM Correction: DeLancey Street Foundation is in San Francisco. |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: The Zen Banjoist Date: 05 Jul 05 - 07:08 PM Quote: Sorry about the double post. My computer froze up on me and as far as I could tell, it didn't even make one post... Oh well... just that much closer to 100.... Jerry -------------------------------------------------------- That's what you get for buying your computer at Wal-Mart. |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 05 Jul 05 - 10:10 PM Well, I woke up this mornin'... Didn't have much to do... Went down to Walmart... .... |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: LilyFestre Date: 06 Jul 05 - 09:26 AM While it's nice that you have the cash to go buy things that are more expensive, some of us don't. It's not that we cherish Walmart but hey...you have to do what you have to do to get by. Walmart does have a VERY lienient return policy. My GF bought a floor display microwave there. A year later it got zapped by lightening. She had no warantees as it was a floor model and she got it at a rock bottom price. Walmart took the old microwave and gave her a brand new one...no questions asked. I have returned things there as well, again with no questions asked. If you have the receipt, you get cash, if not, you get a gift card. So..it's not the ritz, big deal. I've purchased name brand things from major retailers like Sears that have turned to crap withing a short amount of time. And as far as electronics go, I have never purchased a Sony item (from anywhere) that wasn't a useless piece of garbage within a year's time. The Walmart in our small community is open 24/7 which is nice for all those folks who work 2nd shift....Walmart also employs a great number of people. I know several folks who work at Walmart and they tell me it is a great working environment and a good place to work. The pay isn't the best but the moral is high and it's a place they look forward to going...sure beats unemployment. I don't shop Walmart exclusively because I find some of their items to be overpriced. I am the shopper in this household and it's my job to see that our dollar goes as far as it can. Every week the local grocery stores put out sale flyers...a good deal of the time, their prices are better...but only on the sale things. Despite all that I have written here....I don't like shopping there either. It's boring, usually crowded and it's always the same old stuff. I went to Walmart (ba ba da da dum) And what did I see The same things on the shelf Staring back at me LOL...if I had more time, I could have fun with this! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Pete Peterson Date: 06 Jul 05 - 10:04 AM Jerry-- seeing Mudcat for the first time in a couple days-- doubt we will be at Nomad but we'll be at Phila Folk Festival. I got Riley the Furniture Man (and his cousin Keno the Rent Man) as well as Black Bottom from the Cofer Bros, who added a 3rd guy & called themselves the Georgia Crackers. I'm getting the rest of our band to learn Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out. |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: GUEST,Hanrod at Hanrod1@aol.com Date: 06 Jul 05 - 02:19 PM CHRISTMAS TIME (At WalMart) ("Summertime", with apologies) _______ It's Christ-mas time, and you bas-tards are luck-y We've just e-nough mon-ey, and so lit-tle time; The car-ols are fine, the tin-sel's just duck-y, Your San-ta seems fun-ny … your tac-tics a crime. Your cus-tom-er's cheap, he'll save eve-ry nick-el And sal-vat-ions fick-le, but hope is hard-wired; Dis-count-ing too what the pot calls the ket-tle, We dig in our pock-et…black San-ta looks tired. He talks to the kid-dies, see how he as-sures them That their Christ-mas wish-es are safe if they tell; Wish-ing for Christ-mas that he owned your busi-ness, That he was in clo-ver … and you were in Hell. Fair-ness seems hope-less, and jus-tice a rid-dle, And eve-ry one's turn-ing to left or to right; May Christ-mas morn find us safe in the mid-dle, Full stock-ings for all and … for Wal-Mart, new light… …Hush, Mist-er Rea-gan, sleep tight… Lyrics © HANROD SYSTEMS, December, 2004 |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 06 Jul 05 - 06:23 PM Hey, Michelle: I understand where you are coming from. I spent my life working for a non-profit organization, so I am unpleasently familiar with not having much money. I also have several family members who think Walmart is the greatest. I shop there for a variety of things ... just bought my Mother a "box" with CD player from Walmart. Like everything else in life, Walmart is a mixed bag... not as simplistic as it is presented on Mudcat, or as wonderful as some customers think it is. Four years ago when we moved here, Walmart was a life saver because we had so many little things to repair on our house, and we couldn't have done it without Walmart. I have a couple of friends who work at Walmart and they were happy to get their jobs, too. The local Walmart had recently opened, and the employees were all enthusiastic and loyal to the company. The atmosphere was very positive.. noticeably different from the K-Mart a half a mile away. I hated going to the K-Mart because the employees were downright surly. In the last year, our local Walmart has changed radically. The employees are treated like garbage, and it almost seems like the management tries to make life so ugly that they'll quit. I could give many specific examples, but I don't think that's necessary. The other thing I've seen is that while the prices are low on most items, the quality is, too. I was talking to one of my friends at Walmart today. Like me, he's gotten fed-up with having to re-paint his house every year with Walmart paint, so he's paying the extra money to buy quality paint. In the long run, I think he'll save money because he won't have to re-paint every year. I've done the same thing... spent more money and because I haven't had to re-do things every year, ended up saving money. What you're talking about is the short-run. It's all well and good if in the long run, you're better off spending more money for some things, but if you don't have the money to do it, you do the best you can. I know that well.. it's kind of a catch-22. My Walmart friend, by the way, has had his work hours reduced from four days to one, and his co-worker, who is threatening to quit because they're giving him too many days has been given all the days that were taken away from my friend. They may both get so disgusted that they quit, as I've seen so many people there do. Maybe the Walmart near you is like our local Walmart was four years ago. If so, I'm glad for you. Walmart saved our neck when we moved here. I'm afraid that greed and a total lack of basic human respect for their employees is going to run our local store out of business. Target is considering moving into an adjacent shopping center, and from what I've seen in their stores, the atmosphere is much more positive than our local Walmart. I've seen many large chains go under because they did everything they could to maximize profit, at the expense of quality and service. Sooner or later, excessive greed catches up to you... I appreciate you expressing your perspective, Michelle. It's a valid one and provides some balance to the what I feel completely justified bashing of Walmart.. Jerry |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Big Mick Date: 06 Jul 05 - 06:31 PM Serving in Vietnam and being decorated means only that. It has nothing to do with the subject matter at hand. I'll make you a deal. I will show some sympathy for John Walton when he shows sympathy for the downtrodden who make his product in the sweatshops. Walmart Rag Sung to Joe McDonald's Fixin' to Die Rag words by Mick Lane Come along all you women and men, Sam Waltons kin are at it again, Gonna sell for less and give you more, By openin' up another big box store. So give up your benefits, and come on the run, We're gonna have a lot of fun CHORUS: And it's one-two-three, build another Walmart store Screw workers, but who gives a damn, It was good enough for ole Daddy Sam And it's five-six-seven, the little guy is no more Small business and workers accept your fate, When Walmart comes to your state Affordable health insurance, ain't for us. We're too busy driving that profits bus. We just hitch a ride on other folks plans, it's all just a part of the Walmart scam We pad the bottom line with our greed, and never mind our workers needs. Chorus Those Pension Plans are just a Commie ploy, designed to keep money from us good ole boys, Us Waltons, you know we need those bucks, so we don't have to drive Daddy's ole pickup truck So give us that money, now don't be tight, us being high on the hog is what's right. Chorus You say your wages ain't enough to do what's right, to have insurance, rent, food and electric lights. Quit talking that crap, son, you're out in space, it's our profits, not your kids that's important in this place So get on the wagon, join the Walmart cheer, or get your ass on outa here. Chorus And you small businesses, quit your damn whinin', just cause your lifes work is surely dyin', Your family legacy, it ain't important , son, we use predatory pricing, so we're the only one So quit your carpin, join the Walmart age, work at just above minimum wage Chorus All this talk about the folks who make our stuff, like political prisoners and kids who have it rough. Now you know that these folks, well, they work cheap, and we sell it full price, more money we keep. But what's the big deal, they don't live in the states, they're not us, so they don't rate Chorus Now folks, if you are hearing my song, open up your eyes and see what's wrong. Job's at any cost ain't such a deal, if they don't provide insurance and decent meals. What Sam's kin are sellin' is a bill of goods, it'll destroy your neighborhoods. Chorus Oh, and one last thing I ask of you, about the political prisoners and child labor, too. If it's wrong for us, why is it right for them, it's the ugly American, all over again. Let's don't be greedy, c'mon and do what's right, and give Sam's kin a helluva fight. Last chorus: And it's one-two three, organize a Walmart store, Show the workers that you do give damn, Do what's right for Uncle Sam And it's five-six-seven, show the them that you care, Come together with the workers to change their fate, and organize Walmart in your state |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 06 Jul 05 - 07:41 PM Great song, Mick! Greed ends up eating itself, like the odd animal in Yellow Submarine. But, if you want to find culprits, expand your search a little more broadly. If there weren't so many people living on the edge of financial extinction working for other companies (or not even being able to get a job) there wouldn't be a Walmart. They could afford to buy better quality products. Most people who shop at Walmart, I suspect, do so because they can't afford any more than they're spending. If you closed Walmart tomorrow, there are deeper, ingrained problems in this country that would still be there. Jerry |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: rich-joy Date: 13 Jul 05 - 08:27 PM I have just added some PARODIES in the thread "Is Our Community Losing to the Corporation" - regarding the greedy grocery giant, Woolworths, that is (as I write this) destroying the rare and ancient Platypus and their breeding burrows, to build an unwanted and unwarranted Big-Box supermarket in Maleny in SE Queensland, Australia. These bastards are bending and breaking every rule in the book, because they know that ultimately "might is right" in our sad society. R-J |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 13 Jul 05 - 11:04 PM Just for you rich-joy... Parodies |
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Subject: RE: Walmart Blues From: pitheris Date: 22 Jul 10 - 09:32 AM Walmart Blues: Walmart Blue at Archive.org Feel free to add to it. Walmart Blues I woke up this mornin didn't have much to do Went down to Walmart to buy some shoes But they didn't have my size in double wide Oh they didn't have my size in double wide And you know I nearly broke down and cried Old Sam Walton he was a fine old man Bringin honest values to the workin clan But he's gone, He's up and gone I got the Walmart blues I got the Walmart blues and I can't be satisfied I Dreamed I went to Heaven I was filled with joy But then Saint Peter said "I got somethin for you boy" Put on this apron and say "howdy how ya do" I got the Walmart blues I got the Walmart blues and I can't be satisfied They gave me a blue apron and told me what to do I stand inside the doorway sayin "howdy how ya do" To all the peo-ple passin through I got the Walmart blues I got the Walmart blues and I can't be satisfied If you want to get to heaven let me tell you what to do . . . . |
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