Herb’s Blog, Herbdate 23082 – 1107
Here’s the haps:
When I was a boy my parents had quite an esoteric collection of music. Ranging from Sinatra to Nat King Cole to Elvis to movie soundtracks like this:
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(Does anyone know if what I think I just learned about the Capitol record label is true. The album cover says, “Capitol Stereo The full spectrum of sound” and the label on the record itself has the colors of the spectrum going around it. Is that supposed to coincide?)
This was one I listened to over and over. I never understood the whole concept of a territory becoming a state when I was little, I just knew it was cool, and when it came on TV my folks let me see it and I knew which characters were singing what.
Pore Jud is Daid and Kansas City are songs full of great lines. “They went and built a skyscraper, 7 stories high! About as high as a buildin’ ought to go.” The main theme song was great, of course also, and the Farmer and the Cowhand Should Be Friends, “One man ropes a cow with ease, the other one steals her butter and cheese, that’s no reason why they can’t be friends.” And then, since I am an obnoxious morning person there is this song, which I will sing loudly, in my own inimitable off-key style at 6 am any chance I think I won’t get pummeled or murdered:
Beware of trying it lest you be in great danger from those non-morning persons around you, however.
Our Bishop grew up in Oklahoma and is proud of his roots and mentions it in his preaching from time to time. One of the places that I want to see, for the sole but appropriate and acceptable reason of “just because,” is outside of a small town called Poteau, Oklahoma. It’s a place called Cavanal Hill. Apparently, to be considered a mountain, it would have to rise 2,000 feet or more over its surrounding terrain and it is only 1,999 feet high. It is the world’s highest hill. It didn’t show up on any lists of multiple things to do or see in Oklahoma which made it more fun. They do have a balloon fest in October, as well.
There is another place that didn’t show up on too many searches but has a very strange story nonetheless. Apparently, there is a hill in the area of a southern Oklahoma town called Spring, where, if you put your car in neutral, your car will roll uphill. There are several explanations but it seems to really work. Okay, I will admit that I am curious and I am a sucker because I want to try this even though I have this feeling in my gut that says there is a nack to it that is akin to snipe-hunting or cow tipping. The legends from the locals sound pretty good, though.
Likelihood of this happening within the next year: 0+%
Likelihood of this happening in my lifetime (Lord willing, of course): 70%
Likelihood of running into someone I know or met on the Internet: ??%
I have heard of the rolling uphill claim. Optical illusion? We need you to go check it out. We can trust what you report.
I will definitely report what happens to me. Optical illusion sounds the most reasonable although a bunch of locals getting together to see how may tourists they can get to try it might be entertaining as well.
I confess. I did not expect to find Oklahoma on anyone’s list of places they want to visit before they die. Haha. But I do have a special place in my heart for the musical. Besides seeing the movie and on stage several times, and listening to the soundtrack as you described, I had the privilege and delight to play Will Parker in my high school’s production of it. So I got to sing (and dance) Kansas City, and I got to sing All ‘er Nothin’ with Ado Annie! 🙂 Good stuff!
Now that sounds like it would have been cool!
If you go to Oklahoma and don’t go here, you’ve no been to Oklahoma.
https://www.facebook.com/MeersBurger/
I will take your advice if I can. When it gets closer to time to actually take the trip I will likely e-mail you about what it was you suggested. Oh, and Mississippi is on the list, as well.
Oh wow, do I remember that album from my youth. Always at the top of my mum’s LP pile along with ‘South Pacific’…
We had South Pacific as well! There ain’t nothin’ like a dame!
Still find myself singing it today…
I went to Oklahoma just me & the kids in 2019. My son had a Beta event there and my husband just couldn’t stand the thought of one more homeschool event (haha) He later regretted not going. We flew out west, just the three of us. It was very empowering. And since I wasn’t one of the main Beta moms my daughter and I ran all over Oklahoma City by ourselves. We ubered for the first time, too. We had over 20,000 steps on our solo day of adventure. When you go check out the zoo and the science museum. Pretty cool.
That sounds like a cool adventure. There’s a lot to that state, for sure.
I can answer your record trivia question. The picture is of Capitol’s first label after they introduced stereo in mid-1958, so clearly a tie-in. Subsequent variations with the color spectrum ring came in 1959, 1962, and 1968. It was finally phased out in 1969.
I have much less to say about the state of Oklahoma other than go for it.
Thanks for the info. I had an idea that you would know. Oklahoma is pretty likely, I think.
My aunt bought me that record and I played it endlessly. When traveling through Oklahoma on my motorcycle, I often sang that song. Yes, I sang songs in my head while riding. LOL!
It would be weird not to, I think.