24 Aug 06 - 06:34 PM (#1818202) Subject: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Dave the Gnome OK, I'm just back from an open mic and have had 4 pints of Stella but it doesn't make the question any less valid! During the course of the evening someone sang "They call the wind Mariah" from "Paint your wagon" if I remember rightly. The opening lines are "Away out here they have a name for rain and wind and fire. The rain is Tess, the fire's Joe and they call the wind Mariah." The question is why? Have you ever called the fire Joe? Or the rain Tess? Or, of course, the wind Mariah? On a serious note how do people justify such lyrics? Cheers DtG |
24 Aug 06 - 06:38 PM (#1818205) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: John MacKenzie It's from a musical, if you go to one of them, apart from needing your head examining, you also have to suspend your belief, along with all your critical faculties mate. Giok |
24 Aug 06 - 06:41 PM (#1818208) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Bill D When you can actually see the wind, it is usually a serious storm, and looks "black"...therefore, Black Mariah.... so?...let's see if you get better answers..*grin* |
24 Aug 06 - 06:45 PM (#1818212) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Janie Those nice big open vowel sounds that are easy to fade in and out. I mean, really! Can you imagine singing Sylve-------sterrrrrrrrr. Sylve---------sterrrrrrr. They call the wind, Sylvesterrrrr. |
24 Aug 06 - 06:49 PM (#1818215) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: catspaw49 All the good names were taken. Spaw |
24 Aug 06 - 06:57 PM (#1818219) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Don Firth The way I had it explained to me way back when everyone was doing the song (having learned it from the Kingston Trio, not knowing it was from a Broadway musical, and thinking it was actually a folk song) was that the fire, Joe, was associated with coffee (a cuppa Joe), which could be a great comfort. All over the internet, I find that the rain is called "Tess," but that seems to be from the KT's interpretation of it (everybody copied it off that and replicated it). I was told that the rain was "test," because the constant drizzle of cold rain down the back of the neck of your slicker could be a real test of your patience, endurance, and general sanity. As to why the wind is called Mariah, I don't know why she swallowed the fly— 'Scuse me. Wrong song. Don Firrh |
24 Aug 06 - 06:58 PM (#1818220) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: catspaw49 "Have you ever called the fire Joe? Or the rain Tess?" Sure ... We have Joe Offire here at the 'Cat and last time it rained a friend remarked, "Shur tess rainin' hard ain't it?" And I replied, "Yeah tess." So there ya go!!! Spaw |
24 Aug 06 - 07:03 PM (#1818226) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Sorcha I have also seen the rain called Tex |
24 Aug 06 - 07:11 PM (#1818231) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: number 6 I call the fog here in Saint JOhn Goddamned. Why is the wind called Mariah ... I dunno ... I remember a song by Circus Maximus (anyone remember them, (JJ Walker)).. were they called the wind Love. sIx |
24 Aug 06 - 07:15 PM (#1818235) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: dianavan Depending on which way the wind blows. If its from the S.W.(very rare and warm)its a Chinook. If its from the N.W. its called a Qualicum. |
24 Aug 06 - 07:20 PM (#1818239) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: John MacKenzie If it's from Ohio it's probably Spaw. G. |
24 Aug 06 - 07:26 PM (#1818241) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: SharonA Following Spaw's logic (hahahaha!) here, I suppose that his friend would have said about the wind, "Gol-dang! Ma riah'd hat done blowed off ma haiah'd 'n' allaway diahwn th' road!" |
24 Aug 06 - 07:43 PM (#1818263) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: GUEST Why not? Seems to me, winds get called a few things |
24 Aug 06 - 07:46 PM (#1818267) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Severn When Mel Blanc would call the wind Sylvester, it meant violent rainshowers for those downwind. Hmmmmmm....Now what were the others?..... The star was Blaze The moon was Mullins The sky was King (the niece was Penny) The snow was Ivory The hail was Caesar The earth was Kitt ....and I'd thought the rain was Tara, but, frankly, who gives a damn! |
24 Aug 06 - 07:55 PM (#1818274) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Rapparee "By gum, that Crystal joe has gone and burned over 210,000 acres! Sure hope we get some tess before it burns up INL!"* Nah. I live out in the Far West and I've never heard anyone call the wind anything except "that #@$%!!&*#@@!! peice of ##@$(!+!!" -- generally followed by a phrase like "blew my roof off" or "blew down the elm in the front yard." *The Crystal Fire was just brought under control, it HAS consumed over 210,000 acres (they're measuring it in square miles now!), and it DID nearly burn up Atomic City and the Idaho National Laboratory. |
24 Aug 06 - 08:19 PM (#1818290) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Joe Offer I saw this somewhere, maybe here at Mudcat:
For wind and rain and fire The rain is "Rain," the fire's "Fire" And they call the wind "Wind" -Joe Offer- ...and it's the same names they call them in the Midwest, where I'm from - except that Midwesterners call the wind "Tornado." |
24 Aug 06 - 09:23 PM (#1818322) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: The Fooles Troupe Beans! |
24 Aug 06 - 09:58 PM (#1818343) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Bill D "It's the Great High Wind that blew the low post down" ..........from Bob Beers. |
24 Aug 06 - 09:59 PM (#1818345) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: number 6 Passat, Scirocco. sIx |
24 Aug 06 - 10:08 PM (#1818347) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Peace "Why DO they call the wind Mariah?" Mehitabel didn't scan. |
24 Aug 06 - 10:22 PM (#1818354) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: catspaw49 Geeziz Six! Do you mean they are now naming winds after Volkswagens? Spaw |
24 Aug 06 - 10:23 PM (#1818355) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: John on the Sunset Coast I want to know why they spell the wind Maria, but pronounce it Mariah. But then they also talk to the trees, but the trees are too smart to listen to them so no real conversation takes place. And they follow comets, instead of following the trail. No for the dirty little secret: They call the wind Mah-Rye-Er so that it will rhyme with Fire. Or is it Mariah to rhyme with Fi-ah. Anyway they're all from Brockton, Mass. and that's my final answer. |
24 Aug 06 - 10:58 PM (#1818373) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: GUEST,Joe_F "Maria" was the name of the storm in George R. Stewart's novel _Storm_ (1941), which reputedly was the origin of the meteorologists' custom of naming storms. In his introduction to the 1947 edition, he specifically advises us to "put the accent on the second syllable, and pronounce it `rye'". It is conceivable that the naming influenced Lerner (_Paint Your Wagon_, 1951). --- Joe Fineman joe_f@verizon.net ||: The wish to maximize the size of an audience is prima facie evidence of moral turpitude. :|| |
24 Aug 06 - 11:08 PM (#1818375) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Amos Obviously you have to find out, first of all, WHERE "away out here" is. The Australian outbacK? The high hills of Hindu Kush? More than likely, "way out here" is the same "out" as is used in the contemporaneous expression, "Faaaar out" -- a place reached by making a long trip off a short dose. You will find, when you get there, if you do, that the _names_ of the elementals is the least of your worries. You will be much more concerned trying to think of a reasonable reply to what they say to you. Especially when they all start talking at once. A |
25 Aug 06 - 01:33 AM (#1818419) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Seamus Kennedy Severn, I beg to differ. Tara is the first name of Ms. Raboomdeeay. Seamus |
25 Aug 06 - 01:58 AM (#1818423) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Joe Offer "Away out here" is exactly where I live, the Mother Lode of California. We realize that Paint Your Wagon may be flawed, but it's our musical (although we actually have no particular pet names for rain and wind and fire). -Joe Offer, Colfax, California- (next to the Transcontinental Railroad and Interstate 80, the Lincoln Highway) |
25 Aug 06 - 02:45 AM (#1818430) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Dave Hanson They call the wind Mariah cos he couldn't spell Arthur, or was it Brian ? eric |
25 Aug 06 - 03:21 AM (#1818444) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Paul Burke They call the wind My Rear? |
25 Aug 06 - 05:16 AM (#1818505) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: John MacKenzie In full highland dress I call the wind f**king cold. G. |
25 Aug 06 - 06:15 AM (#1818522) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Dave the Gnome In the words of the immortal Andy Stewart - I don't know where it's coming from but I sure know where it's blowing! |
25 Aug 06 - 06:34 AM (#1818528) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: catspaw49 WHERE is it blowing you ask? Why it's blowing from a lighthouse in Bar Harbor to a bridge called Golden Gate, from a trawler down in Shreveport, to the shore of one Great Lake. There's a star on the horizon and it's burning like a flare. It's lighting up this mighty wind that's blowing everywhere! Spaw |
25 Aug 06 - 07:29 AM (#1818566) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Peter T. Actually, they call the wind Moriah -- it is one of the names of the secret society of the Illuminati (part of all that Rosicrucian stuff) who called themselves the Moriah, the Strong Wind. I thought everyone knew it was a coded song. yours, Peter T. |
25 Aug 06 - 09:01 AM (#1818640) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Dave'sWife The dry and Hot Santa Ana winds we get here have a lot of folklore associated with them. I have collected stories from folks in certian mMxican-American neighborhoods that claim La llorona stalks the arroyos during the Santa Ana winds and that if you happen to see her, you will die within 3 days. Others have told me that the wind itself is an evil spirit that inspires violence and murder. The frequent appearance of small dust devils during Santa Ana conditions is said to be a manifestation of the demons that ride the wind. Wikipedia entry on Santa Ana Winds |
25 Aug 06 - 09:24 AM (#1818659) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: John MacKenzie The Föhn Wind This wind is also reputed to cause odd behaviour and sickness. Giok |
25 Aug 06 - 09:38 AM (#1818682) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Rapparee Mount Moriah is also known as The Temple Mount and it's in Jerusalem. Given the penchant of early USers to use biblical names I suspect that there are Mount Moriahs and Mariahs all over the US landscape, or at least a couple of them. Out here in Idaho we have Mount Borah (I think that's how it's spelled) but it was named for a politician and is known mostly for an earthquake and for being the highest mountain in the state. We do often call the wind a nuisance. Over in Wyoming, if the wind stops everyone and everything falls over. |
25 Aug 06 - 10:48 AM (#1818737) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Bill D aha! I remember reading about him.... they OUGHT to call the wind Borah (I suppose that sounds better than "Pepper" after Senator Claude Pepper, who was at least as windy!) |
25 Aug 06 - 10:56 AM (#1818742) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Sorcha That's just because Nebraska and Colorado suck, Rap. There's also El Nino |
25 Aug 06 - 11:18 AM (#1818750) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Bee-dubya-ell I heard an interview with the indy-rock band Guster on a public station the other day. One of the band members mentioned that in their song "Satellite" the word "satellite" was originally a "place-holder" word. They needed a three-syllable word ending in "ite" to fit the rhyme scheme and, so, plugged "satellite" in on a temporary basis. Then, after trying every other imaginable word or phrase that would have worked, they decided that satellite was, in fact, the word that worked best. I imagine the author of "They Call the Wind Mariah" auditioned a number of words that rhyme with "fire" before deciding that "Mariah" made more poetic and logical sense than "O'Dwyer", "McGuire", "Hair Dryer", "High Wire", or "Flat Tire". |
25 Aug 06 - 12:52 PM (#1818789) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: John MacKenzie El Nino is surely an ocean current and not a wind Sorcha? G. |
25 Aug 06 - 02:04 PM (#1818824) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Sorcha Nope....hot dry wind off the California deserts. Also the current, I think |
25 Aug 06 - 02:12 PM (#1818829) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: John MacKenzie This is all I could find Sorcha. G |
25 Aug 06 - 02:14 PM (#1818832) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Peter T. The reason the wind is called Moriah (among the Illuminati and others, especially Pentecostals) is, as Rapaire notes, that it is a mountain in Jerusalem (traditionally a very busy mountain, it is supposedly where Abraham almost sacrified Isaac, and various other events). It was associated with the Pentecostal wind (the descent of the Holy Spirit) to Peter and the Apostles -- a post-figuration of the appearance of God to Moses on Mount Sinai in the Old Testament. yours, Peter T. |
25 Aug 06 - 02:14 PM (#1818834) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Kaleea Golly gee, Amos, wouldn't the "way out here" be Broadway? Wow, Beedubbya--I can hear it now: . . .and they call they wind McGuire, Muuuh-Gwiiiiii-yuuuuuuuh, Muuuh-Gwiiiiii-yuuuuuuuh, They call the wind Muuuh-Gwiiiiii-yuuuuuuuh. |
25 Aug 06 - 04:26 PM (#1818915) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Charley Noble The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind; The answer is blowing in the wind! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
25 Aug 06 - 05:18 PM (#1818952) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Deckman SHEEEEEUHHHH! I think I'll have another cup a Joe ("kavi kuppa ... in Finn) and study this deep question some more. Actually, Don Firth's answer rang very true with me. CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson |
25 Aug 06 - 05:22 PM (#1818960) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Little Hawk Why does Woody Allen complain a lot? |
25 Aug 06 - 05:24 PM (#1818963) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Don Firth Hell, Bob, I think you were the one who explained to me back in prehistoric times. Don Firth |
25 Aug 06 - 09:03 PM (#1819084) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Peace "Names of the Wind." PS, Maria is in there, too. |
25 Aug 06 - 09:54 PM (#1819117) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Sorcha Ok, maybe it's called the El Nino wind....but it's damn hot and dry. NOT cooling at all. |
25 Aug 06 - 11:54 PM (#1819173) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Dave'sWife Sorcha - I believe you may be confusing the Santa Ana winds with the complex weather trend El Niño. I linked to the Santa Anas further up. U have experience with both. here in los Anegeles an El Niño condition results in anything BUT dry winds. The last time we had one it caused severe flodding, mudslides and very cold weather. Of course, in the Midwest, the effect of an El Niño condition is diffeerent - it causes drought conditions. The article linked to below explains it all. In summary, Hot Dry winds in southern Cali = Santa Anas. See here: El Niño ( what it really is) |
26 Aug 06 - 01:20 AM (#1819203) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Slag I live "way out west", California to be exact and we call the fire "fire" the rain "rain" and the wind, well you may have guessed it "wind". And even though we call the hot eastern wind the Santa Ana winds, it's still the winds. |
26 Aug 06 - 02:33 AM (#1819218) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Big Al Whittle Mariah Mariah I've just met a wind called Mariah its a name of wild romance - they were never going to call it Dorothy or Mavis or Elsie. Clint and Lee marvin - they live that sort of devil may care life. You wouldn't catch them in a place where the wind has a cissy name, like Algernon. |
26 Aug 06 - 03:38 AM (#1819231) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Joe Offer Names of winds fascinate me, as do the personalities ascribed to those winds. For a number of years, I've collected names of winds inside the cover of my dictionary. Yeah, I know I could google and find a longer list than what I've compiled, but I take the time to study the story of each new wind I learn about. I've seen the list that Peace linked to, but I refuse to use it to add to my own list. The winds on my list have to have personalities - they can't just be names on a list. Well, now that I look at, my list is pretty short:
I swear my list was longer.... "Maria" didn't make it on my list, by the way. -Joe- |
26 Aug 06 - 03:58 AM (#1819236) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Slag The Trades The Wandering The Wayward (Gogey [?] Grant ) The Westerlies (pick your direction) Break Wind The Winding Wind Whew, I'm getting winded! |
26 Aug 06 - 05:18 AM (#1819267) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Dave Hanson How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria ? blowed if I know. eric |
26 Aug 06 - 09:33 AM (#1819366) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Sorcha THANK you Dave's Wife...and yes I was......glad I got that settled! |
26 Aug 06 - 12:58 PM (#1819470) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Don Firth A Mighty Wind? Don Firth |
26 Aug 06 - 01:13 PM (#1819479) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Sorcha Joe, Tai Fun/typhoon |
26 Aug 06 - 01:23 PM (#1819492) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Charley Noble "Crepitation" as in "The Great Crepitation Contest"? If we're becalmed that would be a great sin, Away, Rio! But we'll fill all our sails by just breaking wind, We're bound for the Rio Grand! Cheerily, Charley Ignoble |
26 Aug 06 - 01:49 PM (#1819510) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: John MacKenzie The first mate's name was Carter By god he was a farter When the wind wouldn't blow And the ship didn't go They called upon Carter the Farter to start 'er. Paterson just doesn't fit the rhyme somehow! G. |
27 Aug 06 - 11:35 AM (#1819999) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: Charley Noble Very tasteful, Giok! We'll try that one some day while we're scudding up alongside the yacht club float. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
26 Sep 06 - 01:25 PM (#1843853) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: GUEST,Mariah' |
26 Sep 06 - 01:41 PM (#1843872) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: GUEST,Mariah's Mom We named our daughter after the song from Paint Your Wagon - I always assumed that they call the wind Mariah because Mariah means "bitter" - what I never understood was why Leaner spelled it Maria? I thought that would be too confusing so I used the -h spelling. |
29 Sep 06 - 05:20 AM (#1845785) Subject: RE: Why DO they call the wind Mariah? From: GUEST,Aitkiar Maria is a spanish name very popular when the film was shot. In Spain, was usual too use maria as a generic for woman or girl, because of that. It's a random thought but maybe the song is simply saiying that the wind is like a womman. |