The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #59832 Message #955810
Posted By: Stewart
19-May-03 - 08:10 PM
Thread Name: Origins: I Don't Mind Failing (Malvina Reynolds)
Subject: RE: Origins: I don't mind failin' in this world,
In Malvina's own words, from The Muse Of Parker Street (Oak Pub., 1967):
"Reverend Stephen Fritchman, of the First Unitarian Church in Los Angeles, gave one of his great sermons, "The Fine Art of Failure", in January, 1964. Bud [Malvina's husband] has distributed hundreds of copies, and I have done what I can to spread the message in this song. The ideas are Fritchman's, the wording is mine. For those that are put out by cuss-words, I'm sorry about the phrase in this, but that is the way the song wanted to be."
I think it's one of Malvina's best songs. It describes her philosophy.