My father would "roll over in his grave" to know that I had posted Gene Autry lyrics. He was absolutely contemptuous of the man. His favorite comment was that Autry was "wet".

When Autry's films became popular on kids TV in the 50's, I was his biggest fan and my Dad's acerbic comments increased. Having worked on real ranches with real "cowboys" in the B.C. Cariboo, my Dad had only contempt for the "likes of Autry". I figured, in my childs brain, that he must have known Autry personally, to feel such acrimony towards him and asked my Dad if maybe he had "gone to school" with Autry and his comment was "Yeah, Borstal". Excited that my Dad had gone to "school" with a famous cowboy, I promptly told all my friends and anyone else in the neighbourhood, that my Dad had "gone to Borstal" with Gene Autry, much to my mother's consternation.

Things heated up even more in our household, when Autry brought out "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeeer". My brother and I were forbidden to have the record or even sing it. By this time, I had reluctantly lost my belief in Santa Claus, so even I, had a hard time understanding my father's skewed logic for the ban on the song, his explanation being "Everyone knows that Santa Claus only has eight reindeer".

After almost fifty years, and as a result of posting Jimmie Rodgers lyrics, with Autry's dialogue, I am finally in agreement with my father. Autry was "wet". Although, I'll probably still find myself looking skyward for St. Nick's sleigh, guided by a red beacon, on foggy Christmas Eve's.