Subject: Lyr Add: SMALL VICTORY (Garnet Rogers) From: Metchosin Date: 10 Dec 99 - 06:02 PM Small Victory (Garnet Rogers) "You've no business buying a mare like that, but buy her if you must." He bit the end off his cigar and spat it in the dust. "She's old, she's lame, and barren too. She's not worth feeding hay, But I'll give her this," he blew smoke at me, "she was something in her day. "I recall her well ten years ago. She was a winner in her prime. She was fast and lean and willing, but they raced her past her time, And though she had the heart, her legs were gone, it wasn't see hard to see, But they kept her at it in the hopes of one more small victory. "She was shunted round from track to track from Kentucky up to Maine. They'd run her in cheap claimers, all doped up to mask her pain, And if it's my advice you want, I'd say the poor thing's had her day. You'd be throwing good cash after bad, its best." He turned away. Oh, they led her round the auction shed and bidding started low. "She'll go for dog food," someone said. "The market's been that slow." But she raised her head and pricked her ears and before the hammer fell, She was mine. My friend turned round to me: "You're softheaded, I can tell." "But she'd been shoved from pillar to post", said I, "and always done her best. They used her up. They wrung her dry. You'd think she earned her rest. So, if she does not bode out her day beneath some shady tree, I'll have saved her from the knacker's yard, and that's enough for me." Oh, that was near two years ago. She's filled out some since then, And more so; since she's been in foal, she eats enough for ten. And this morn as I crept to the barn around 'bout half past three, There stood nursing on still trembling legs one more "small victory". Obviously copyrighted, but since I took the time to transcribe it, I thought it might as well be posted, as I couldn't find it on the DT. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: emily rain Date: 10 Dec 99 - 06:07 PM thanks for posting this. someday i'll hear the melody and it will be a part of my repertoire. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: Metchosin Date: 10 Dec 99 - 07:15 PM It should be on one of his albums Emily but I am sorry, I don't know which one. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: hummer Date: 10 Dec 99 - 08:25 PM Such a good song I sent it to my sister!!! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: Stewie Date: 10 Dec 99 - 08:28 PM There's a song called 'Small Victories' on his album of the same name - is that the same song? His website is: http://www.bpm.on.ca/catalogue/rogers_g.html |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: Metchosin Date: 10 Dec 99 - 08:38 PM That's it Stewie, in which case I have given to wrong title to this thread. OH DAM!!! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: raredance Date: 10 Dec 99 - 09:36 PM Lovely lyrics. The run down, beat up horse theme reminds me of Ian Tyson's "Barney" except that this one has more of an uplifting conclusion. rich r |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 10 Dec 99 - 11:08 PM It seems to me to be about much more than a horse, but I tend to read a lot of my own opinions into lots of things (kind of like the Russian expatriat in Nabokov's Pale Fire. Not that I think the song is about me, of course. --seed |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 10 Dec 99 - 11:10 PM expatriate, that is. --seed |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: raredance Date: 10 Dec 99 - 11:18 PM Seed, you are of course correct and it behooves me to say that Barney is much more than just a song about a horse also, I just found some similarities in the way the horse imagery was used. rich r |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: Metchosin Date: 11 Dec 99 - 12:20 AM Well Seed, I blubber away at this one on more than one level when I hear it. I think the Rogers boys had a knack with rising again songs and being female I take this piece quite personally. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: Jeremiah McCaw Date: 11 Dec 99 - 02:57 AM Based on a true story as I remember hearing somewhere. And either Small Victory's foal, or her grandfoal (?) was a successful racer. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: bseed(charleskratz) Date: 11 Dec 99 - 02:58 AM For me, the song is of course about any being, equine, canine, human, whatever, who is exploited, then discarded or destroyed when it's no longer convenient to have him or her around--the dogs that are dumped on the SPCA when they have lost their puppy cuteness, the workers whose factory goes down at the hands of a corporate raider (or just a CEO interested in the bottom line) and whose company retirement plan is looted. The song, of course, is also about starting over--with a little help from friends. In that sense, it's also about me, in two post-retirement "careers"--the quotes because neither is likely to lead to any particular improvement in economic status--but both are important in giving meaning to my life. --seed |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: Metchosin Date: 11 Dec 99 - 05:09 AM I guess that's what makes it a good song Seed, anyone can identify with it and make it their own. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: Clinton Hammond2 Date: 11 Dec 99 - 09:07 PM The Song... Small Victory The Album... Small Victories 1990 Snow Goose Songs The foal was (and still is?) a successful racer... And there is a fellow from near Stratford Ontario who has a breed of roses called Small Victories, the proceeds of which, go toward rescuing old race horses... I've got a million miles out of this song so far, and I'm looking forward to another few million... it's one of those songs, I hope I never get tired of... Garnet is so cool, it's a wonder he doesn't give people frostbite... ;-) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: Metchosin Date: 11 Dec 99 - 10:44 PM C.Hammond, the info about the roses has me blubbering again, what an incredible thing to do, thank God for people like him. Thanks also for the information regarding the title, a relief to know I didn't get it wrong. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory From: GUEST,miterirish Date: 18 Apr 09 - 09:54 PM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0c3gA76uPQ I'd love the chords... |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory (Garnet Rogers) From: Beer Date: 18 Apr 09 - 11:02 PM One of my favorites. Garnet is a great singer and writer. Performed at our festival last year. Beer (adrien) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory (Garnet Rogers) From: Ref Date: 19 Apr 09 - 02:26 PM I have a couple of quibbles with your words, too small to even mention here, or to mention even here. This is based open a true story, as Garnet's beloved wife is a major horse lover and competition rider. He says their deal is that she can get a horse whenever he picks up a new guitar. Whether that's true or not, she did, in truth, ride that trembling-legged colt (now full grown) to a Canadian national championship. Beautiful song by a marvelous performer. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory (Garnet Rogers) From: GUEST,DonMeixner Date: 19 Apr 09 - 03:45 PM This is a common theme in literature as well as in life. I am constantly amazed when the old and run down, too young or too injured or infirm just do something remarkable. A beautiful song. Read a poem by Banjo Patterson(one T or two, not sure) about a horse auction and One of the Old Brigade. Don
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Small Victory (Garnet Rogers) From: Ref Date: 19 Apr 09 - 06:18 PM ...Or see "All Creatures Great And Small" for the episode about the very tough, mean, and wealthy old farmer who keeps his two ancient draft horses in a beautiful back field where they can enjoy a restful retirement! |
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