Season 450: Reprising Randy's Alphabet Week

Jon Boy I know you are an aficionado of short songs...so sorry for the longest song I've ever written. I don't write a lot of straight narrative songs. This is one though. About an Australian soldier in Paris after World War 1 who meets a French girl and.....lyrics are on youtube..can't seem to post them here.

Antoinette met Victor In the city of light
He’d fought in Fromelles There were scars out of sight
The romance was whirlwind A ring on her hand
She sailed with Victor To the Great Southern Land
The government gave them The soldier’s parcel of dirt
So now they were farmers Hard yakka that’s a cert
They ran a few cattle And planted barley and corn
And it wasn’t too long Before Justine was born
‘Alouette Alouette Annie would sing
Justine would giggle That was Vic’s favourite thing
The gas from the trenches Finally caught up
One day Vic’s lungs said “Sorry mate I think we’re both stuffed”
So now there was Annie Alone with a kid
On a struggling farm And short of a quid
But she was a tough one Paris gilt mixed with red dust
She knew life was for living And not meant for rust
She remembered something Vic cried In the throes of passionate love
“gees you’re a good cook Annie I reckon blokes would pay for your grub”

Down to the shed She painted three pieces of ply
“Antoinette’s Caf
 
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Hello, Jon ... very many thanks for a week of endless possibilities! As it is only Sunday, I might actually get past "A." I saw "Casablanca" for at least the tenth time the other weekend, so I was reminded of this song to start the alphabet. The still is from the airport scene at the end of the film when Ilse and her husband fly off for the greater good. Whilst researching, I found out that the plane used was actually a Lockheed Electra 12A (I'd always assumed it was a DC3.) Anyway, the aircraft noise at the beginning and end of the video is actually the authentic sound of an Electra 12A in flight. Interestingly - well, to me - I also found out that the plane used in that last famous scene was a cardboard model as there was not room for a real plane in the studio. Dwarfs were employed to crew the plane to give the illusion that the plane was full size and the whole scene was shrouded in fog to disguise the mock-up. And remember, "We'll always have Paris ......."

 
C is for Coney Island Washboard Roundelay, learned from the first Jim Kweskin Jug Band LP.

This is the third video sitting in the same place with the same shirt in the same 15 minute time span.
I should change something to relieve the boredom. (Whoops, I forgot to put the video in... fixed it.)



Jim Kweskin with his new Maple Leaf Champions Jug Band CD
Jim Kweskin with MLC CD.jpg

My attempt at Washboard luthiery. This washboard had holes worn through the zinc, so I used an old license plate that was on the wall of our basement when we moved in 37 years ago to repair it.
Washboard with NB license.jpg

The washboard's last gig.
Washboard last legs.jpg
 
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We think this one belongs under "C", not "t", and eagerly await the judge's ruling. With a nod to Limousin' Lil who played it so well a few weeks ago...

 
I looked, and it turns out I've covered most of Randy's originals that have titles beginning with the latter 'A', but not this one.

Dedicated to all of the Seasonistas who are no longer with us in person, but live on through the music they shared with all of us.

 
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