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13 May 04 - 12:45 PM (#1184854) Subject: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Deckman I just placed a dangerous book in the auction. Read it at your own peril! CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson |
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13 May 04 - 07:13 PM (#1185165) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Hollowfox Yup, it's a good 'un. |
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13 May 04 - 07:21 PM (#1185173) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: MAG So, are these songs truly erotic, or merely bawdy?? Enquiring minds want to know ... |
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13 May 04 - 09:39 PM (#1185267) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Joe Offer Oh, well, I guess you're right - it's more bawdy than erotic. I think you'd have to be a little twisted to find it erotic. But it's a lot of fun. Author Ed Cray just came out with a biography of Woody Guthrie. I've browsed through it, and it looks even better than the Joe Klein Woody biography I just finished reading. -Joe Offer- |
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13 May 04 - 09:51 PM (#1185276) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Deckman Bawdy ... Schmaddy! It's all erotic. (the twisted deckman) |
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13 May 04 - 10:27 PM (#1185307) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Malcolm Douglas First or second edition? (They are different). |
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13 May 04 - 10:51 PM (#1185311) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Gypsy Bawdy is good.....i'm in on this one! |
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13 May 04 - 11:09 PM (#1185319) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Bill D My copy doesn't say anything about 2nd edition...it says "copyright 1968".."special Pyramid edition 1972"...I have had it since about 1980 |
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13 May 04 - 11:24 PM (#1185324) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Malcolm Douglas You've got a reprint of the first edition, then. The second (1999, I think) is revised, and contains more material. |
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14 May 04 - 12:11 AM (#1185340) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Stilly River Sage I thought I'd test the bawdy/erotic threshold in this text. In the past I've looked at this book as more along the lines of "bawdy." Just now I randomly opened the book and am looking at page 57. The chorus to the song that is showed as version B of "My Husband's a Mason" goes: Chorus: Dance a little bit, fuck a little bit. Follow the band, follow the band With your balls in your hand, singing, Dance a little bit, fuck a little bit. Follow the band. Follow them all the way home. My father's a postman, A postman, a postman, A mighty fine postman is he! All day he licks stamps, He licks stamps, he licks stamps, And when he comes home, he licks me. My father's a baker, A baker, a baker, A mighty fine baker is he! All day he creams puffs, He creams puffs, he creams puffs, And when he comes home, he creams me. If I look back to page 55 where the series starts, I see the typical song with bad puns: "My husband's a mason, a mason, a mason, A very fine mason is he. All day he lays bricks, lays bricks, lays bricks. At night he comes home and lays me. ---Tra la la, ---At night he comes home and lays me." Okay, that's fine. The "my father" substituted for "my husband" or "lover" or whatever else might be used makes it a bit distasteful, but I get the puns. The song is more (pardon the pun) straightforward in the earliest version (bricklayer/husband). Bob, there is a difference between what MEN think is erotic and what WOMEN think is erotic. It has been my experience that men like the graphic give-it-a-name-and-visualize-it kind of poem. This poem appeared in the Paris Review in 1996 and got poet Scott Cairns "unhired" from Seattle Pacific University. Line scan might be off--I have a print copy in a file somewhere, but I found this online. You won't be surprised when I note that my Dad first called my attention to this poem! Interval with Erato That's what I like best about you, Erato sighed in bed, that's why you've become one of my favorites and why you will always be so. I grazed her ear with my tongue, held the salty lobe between my lips. I feel like singing when you do that, she said with more than a hint of music already in her voice. So sing, I said, and moved down to the tenderness at the edge of her jaw. Hmmm, she said, that's nice. Is there anything you don't like? I asked, genuinely meaning to please. I don't like poets in a hurry, she said, shifting so my lips might achieve the more dangerous divot of her throat. Ohhhh, she said, as I pressed a little harder there. She held my face in both hands. And I hate when they get careless, especially when employing second-person address. She sat up, and my mouth fell to the tip of one breast. Yes, she said, you know how it can be-- they're writing "you did this" and "you did that" and I always assume, at first, that they mean me! She slid one finger into my mouth to tease the nipple there. I mean it's disappointing enough to observe the lyric is addressed to someone else, and then, the poet spends half the poem spouting information that the you--if she or he were listening--would have known already, ostensibly as well as, or better than, the speaker. I stopped to meet her eyes. I know just what you mean, I said. She leaned down to take a turn, working my chest with her mouth and hands, then sat back in open invitation. Darling, she said as I returned to the underside of her breast, have you noticed how many poets talk to themselves, about themselves? I drew one finger down the middle of her back. Maybe they fear no one else will hear or care. I sucked her belly, cupped her sopping vulva with my hand. My that's delicious, she said, lifting into me. Are all poets these days so lonely? She wove her fingers with mine so we could caress her there together. Not me, I said, and ran my slick hands back up to her breasts. I tongued her thighs. I said, I'm not lonely now. She rubbed my neck, No, dear, and you shouldn't be. She clenched, Oh! a little early bonus, she said; I like surprises. Then, So few poets appreciate surprises, so many prefer to speak only what they, clearly, already know, or think they know. If I were a poet ... well, I wouldn't be one at all if I hadn't found a way to get a little something for myself--something new from every outing, no? Me neither, I said, if somewhat indistinctly. Oh! she said. Yes! she said, and tightened so I felt her pulse against my lips. She lay quietly for a moment, obviously thinking. Sweetie, she said, that's what I like best about you--you pay attention, and you know how to listen when a girl feels like a little song. Let's see if we can't find a little something now, especially for you. Of course, you realise that this really doesn't have to do with sex at all. . . SRS |
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14 May 04 - 12:16 AM (#1185347) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Stilly River Sage Er--the point of that last post was that the subtitle of this book, called The Erotic Muse: American Bawdy Songs should be considered by it's subtitle. The last poem I listed above was simply an example I consider more erotic than bawdy, but it isn't in the book. Sorry for any confusion! (I do like any excuse I can find to post good poetry!) SRS |
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14 May 04 - 01:06 AM (#1185368) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: MAG er, what book was THAT from ... |
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14 May 04 - 09:07 AM (#1185632) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Deckman My copy says it is a "A Pyramid Special", published by special arrangement with Oak Publications 1969, Pyramid Published in 1972. Bob |
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14 May 04 - 12:00 PM (#1185732) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Bill D SRS...indeed, as with many words, 'erotic' has been watered down and used carelessly to mean anything to do with sex. The English language, after many centuries, is rich and expressive---but the trend is to find a convenient word and lump lots of vaguely related concepts under it, and perhaps convey meaning with tone of voice and expression when talking. ('gross' comes to mind) erotic, naughty, dirty, smarmy, sexy, 'adult', lascivious, lustful etc., all should convey different ideas, but who bothers?...(besides you & me, that is..*grin*) very few of the songs in "The Erotic Muse" shold be considered erotic...some are shocking, some are clever & cute and/or naughty....but I guess he had to call it something other than "Dirty Songs You Wouldn't Dare Let Your Mother Hear" in order to get it published! |
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14 May 04 - 05:53 PM (#1185818) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Q (Frank Staplin) Ed Cray Bibliography: The Erotic Muse: 1968 1st Oak ed.; Pyramid Ed. 1969, 1972; 2nd edition revised and enlarged, 40 more songs, more melodies, 1992, Univ. Illinois; paperback ed Univ. Illinois, 1999; Ed Cray, coll., "Songs From the Ash Grove, an outstanding collection of songs, ditties, hymns, rhymes, spirituals, ballads and sundry pieces as sung at that emporium of cultured entertainment, the Ash Grove, together with informative notes on the history and background of all songs with the music to which has been added a variety of guitar chords and a selected discography," 1959, paperback, 47 pp. English edition, The Erotic Muse: Anthony Blond, London, 1970, 1st ed. "Words and music from well over 100 songs from the English and American classical repertoire from Bang Away Lulu to Charlotte the Harlot. Other titles by Ed Cray: Chrome Colossus: General Motors and its Times. Burden of Proof - The Case of Juan Corona. The Failing Health: The Medical Crisis and the AMA. Levis: The Shrink-to-Fit Business that stretched to cover the world. The Enemy in the Streets: Police Malpractice in America. Chief Justice- A Biography of Earl Warren. The Big Blue Line: Police Power vs. Human Rights. (with others) American Datelines: Major News Stories from Colonial Times to the Present. General of the Army: George C. Marshall, Soldier and Statesman. Any more? |
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14 May 04 - 06:21 PM (#1185834) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Deckman PLease excuse my ignorance, but, is this the same person that recently committed suicide? Bob |
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14 May 04 - 06:43 PM (#1185857) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Q (Frank Staplin) Forgot the more recent "Life and Times of Woody Guthrie," mentioned above by Joe. |
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14 May 04 - 09:56 PM (#1185954) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Malcolm Douglas Ed Cray is still very much alive. |
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14 May 04 - 10:08 PM (#1185960) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Deckman Thank you. Bob |
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15 May 04 - 02:57 PM (#1186335) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: Deckman I've screwed up on the bid board. I intended ONLY to make a couple fo comments, but each time I did so, I RAISED the bid. Stupid me. I've called for help to set the bid back to $14.50. I didn't want anyone to think that I was bidding for my own book. I mean, that would be kinda like chasing a women when I'm already married ... right! Who needs two books ... or wimmen!!! CHEERS, Bob |
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15 May 04 - 05:48 PM (#1186426) Subject: RE: Auction ... A dangerous book! From: paddymac Your point is well made SRS. An amazing bit of work. The price paid by the poet is, I think, a poetic example of how utterly blind to beauty and unchristian some christians can be. (Not to imply, of course, that christians have a lock on unchrisitan (or any other kind of ungodly) behavior.) |