Archive for the ‘Sing Songery’ Category

Huckleberry Hound Tells the Uncle Remus Stories

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Lately we’ve been showing you all manner of greatness influenced by Brer Rabbit and Uncle Remus (1,2,3).  Eventually, we were bound to run out of impressive, possibly life-changing material.

Luckily, now is the opposite of that time.

(Thanks to Gasoline Alley Antiques for the picture)

Allow me to introduce you to “Huckleberry Hound Tells Stories of Uncle Remus.”  First, a primer on Uncle Remus himself:

Uncle Remus

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Just lays it right out there, doesn’t it?  If there’s anything Huckleberry Hound hates, it’s ambiguity.

Next, a story with language so rich, all I can do to prepare you is to say that the phrase “snitchin’ my goobers!” is featured. Strengthening my point?  Someone is “caught red-headed” in this tale.  This guy knows what I’m talking about.

Dollar a Minute

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HI-sterical!

I think this last one sounds like The Rascals’ never-released surf jam:

Brer Rabbit

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And this is just the tip of the iceberg.  It seemed a little excessive to post the entire album, but after listening further — well, it may just have to be done.  We owe it to Huckleberry.

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Wax n’ Facts for giving us a copy of this album and piquing our interest.  It took us a while to track down the, uh, tracks, but man alive am I glad we did.

Vic Chesnutt, Singer and Songwriter, Passed Away Yesterday

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Yesterday Vic Chesnutt died in Athens, GA at the age of 45.

Chesnutt was a prolific, influential songwriter and musician who collaborated with a whole mess of folks over a twenty year career — from Michael Stipe to Widespread Panic to our friend Van Dyke Parks.

This Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross from earlier this month discusses his music, his life, the accident that left him a quadriplegic, and his flirtation with suicide.

I mention his passing because in 2003 Chesnutt wrote and recorded a song called “Wren’s Nest” that also refers to plenty of other Georgia heritage sites.

Erin McKeown, The Rascal, and the Briar Patch

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I know we talk about the influence of Brer Rabbit all the time.  And all the time you guys are like, “Okay, crazy.  I’m sure he’s all over the place, just like I’m sure the groundhog’s winter predictions are 100% reliable.  Idiots.”

But!  Today we have (more) proof.  Behold Erin McKeown’s song “The Rascal”–

Lain and I had the privilege of seeing Erin the other night at Eddie’s Attic, and she was absolutely terrific.  When she played “The Rascal” — hey!  That’s similar in meaning to “trickster!” — there was some firm under-the-table kicking.  Yay for references!

I Can Justify Writing About Paste’s Indie Rock Alphabet Book Release

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Technically, the release of the delightful An Indie Rock Alphabet Book has nothing to do with the Wren’s Nest.   But there are plenty of reasons this space should be devoted to it, many with undeniable connections to the Nest.

Need proof?  Game on.

1. Rachael Maddux, author of “Dummies in the Attic,” our feature in the July ’08 Paste Magazine, is also an author of An Indie Rock Alphabet.  Easy.

2. The release party was at Little Shop of Stories in Decatur.  Wait, do I mean the store managed by Duck and Herring Co. editor and Wren’s Nest volunteer Terra McVoy?  The very place we held half of the meetings for the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company?  I do!  How convenient!

3. The entire administrative staff of the Wren’s Nest was there.  Sure, that’s only two people, but they’re the two people who write this blog.

4. The party was totally awesome.  The Wren’s Nest is totally awesome!  Maybe that should have been #1.

5.  The book was released by Paste Magazine, which we toured with the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company.  Ta da!

6. There was beer, complete and total rocking out, and every hip baby this side of the Ole Mississip’.   There were even toddlers sitting in a semi-circle while Judi Chicago jammed like no one has jammed (in front of a stroller while using a keytar) before.

(Thanks to Josh Jackson at Paste for letting me steal this photo.)

Why were the kids sitting like that?  Because that’s all they know how to do.  So maybe this one wasn’t a connection, per se, but did I mention beer and funny babies?!

In short, we asked Rachael if she could publish another book by next Sunday so that we could all do this again.  It was great.  Buy the book at Little Shop of Stories and check out more pictures over at Paste.

Six Flags Over Georgia — Tales From the Okefenokee

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Yesterday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution featured an article about Six Flags updating their darkwater ride, “Monster Plantation.”

Come 2009, the ride will be known as “Monster Mansion.”

Before Monster Plantation, however, there was “Tales from the Okefenokee.”  The ride was based on Joel Chandler Harris’ critter stories.  Here’s what it looked like when it debuted in 1967–

I do not know what is up with the child is that explains the ride, but it did scare me the first time I heard it.

Six Flags updated the ride in 1968 to something much, much trippier–

What just happened!?!

Of note:

1.  This article will give you more information than you ever needed about Tales from the Okefenokee.

2.  The first time I kissed a girl was on Monster Plantation.  I was 24.

3.  Since we’ve worked so hard to put on our concert fundraiser tonight, Amelia and I are skipping work on Tuesday to go to Six Flags.  We’ll return with a full report, annotated and footnoted.

4.  No really, #2 is true.  Mostly.

Disney’s 1956 Joel Chandler Harris Tribute

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This tribute to Joel Chandler Harris aired on the television show “Disneyland” on January 18, 1956 to coincide with the theatrical re-release of Song of the South.  Walt Disney himself hosted the program.

The video concludes with the Song of the South version of “The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story” (37:45).

Items of note–

1.  Young Joel Chandler Harris is played by David Stollery, who went on to design the Toyota Celica A40 series in 1978.  Thank you, David.

2.  Joseph Addison Turner is depicted as Colonel Sanders himself.  In reality he was probably 35 or so when he hired Harris.

See what I mean?

3.  My apologies if this video gets taken down.  If I go to jail for posting this, please call my mom.

Brer Rabbit and Friends at the Center for Puppetry Arts

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Thirty years ago, the Center for Puppetry Arts opened its doors and became the first puppetry center in the United States.  Brer Rabbit and Friends was the very first show.

This month the Center is celebrating their 30th season with — you guessed it — Brer Rabbit and Friends.  Pretty neat.

We invited the puppeteers over for a photo shoot at the Wren’s Nest to promote the show.  It opens September 30th.  You should go.

Note the Wren’s Nest admission sign from circa 1938: Adults, 26¢ and Children, 10¢.

Was a quarter not enough?  Two bits weren’t going to get the job done?  Greedy.

It’s cool that the puppeteers chose to take pictures on this part of the porch.

Joel Chandler Harris penned many of the Brer Rabbit stories in the exact same spot.

Close enough.

Since I’m on a deal making kick — if you see Brer Rabbit and Friends at the Center for Puppetry Arts, hang on to your ticket stub, bring it to the Wren’s Nest, and get a tour of the house for a mere 26¢ one dollar.

For tickets, check out Brer Rabbit and Friends at the Center for Puppetry Arts.

Duck and Herring Company Podcast, Sponsored by the Wren’s Nest

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I got an email yesterday from the good folks at the Duck and Herring Company regarding their warm weather podcast.

You may recall that the Duck and Herring Company:

1. helped out with the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company last summer
2. recorded our theme song

Regarding the latter, I failed to ask them why exactly they recorded our theme song.

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I mean, why wouldn’t they record our theme song? Or anyone, for that matter! In fact, I’m kinda surprised we don’t have more people sending us theme songs.

Anyway, turns out that the Wren’s Nest is the official sponsor of the Duck and Herring Company Podcast. Unrelated, turns out that the Duck and Herring Company Podcast is awesome.

What a coincidence!

Check out the entire podcast here: Duck and Herring Company Podcast.

Annual Wren’s Nest Concert — The Commodores?

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Yesterday my advanced palate and I were interviewed about hot dogs for a column in Atlanta Intown, a monthly newspaper.

Weird? Maybe, but after I had my professional say about ice cream last month (third column, fifth row), I can see why they wanted me back.

Anyway, while we were grilling hot dogs in Piedmont Park, who strolls up but none other than Mr. William King, guitarist and trumpet guy for the Commodores.

This got me thinking.

Who should headline our annual fundraising concert?

Last year we had the League of Decency, a legendary Atlanta cover band that can really boogie. Near the end of the evening, the covered “Brick House” and things went, well, bananas. Was this some sort of sign that we should have the Commodores play “Brick House” the next year?

I can’t say.

Either way, if you’ve got requests for who should headline our concert, fire away.

Factors include–(a) how much it costs; (b) if the neighborhood can get down with it; (c) will folks drive here to see it; (d) if I like them or not; (e) do they bring the funk?

New, Polished Version of the Wren’s Nest Theme Song

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The braintrust that is the Duck and Herring Company has done three important things recently–

1. Released their brand-spankin’-new Warm Weather Pocket Field Guide.
2. Recorded a soon-to-be-released podcast for said Field Guide.
3. Recorded an updated, polished version of the Wren’s Nest Theme Song for said podcast.

The staff of the Wren’s Nest recommends that you buy the Warm Weather Pocket Field Guide while supplies last, then listen to the new version of our theme song below.

We’ll keep you posted on the podcast.

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Previously–the live version.