History – Page 60 – Tacky Raccoons

D-Day – 6 June 1944

Pure balls, guts and subterfuge displaced the Nazis, saved Europe and brought down the Reichstadt. Here’s to those who fought to the death for freedom.

[Related posts here and here.]

Saturday Matinee – American Dialects, W.C. Clark & the Fabulous Thunderbirds

American regional dialects are curious, and when I hear one I haven’t heard in a while I try to identify where the speaker grew up. If you listen closely, you can hear the ancestral accents and phrasing as well: English to the north, Scottish and Irish to the south. As for me, I have no accent, but Mrs. Strutts says I do… I sound a lot like central Ohio mixed with some faint Texan stuff. (Here’s a simple online test if you’re curious what accent mix you have.)

W.C. Clark backed by The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and featuring Angela Strehli is an awesome mix of Texas blues. Never heard of W.C. Clark? Try this:

Yep, that’s Stevie Ray Vaughan with W.C. Clark. Next question?

Bertha Dlugi’s Contribution to the World

Bertha Dlugi’s invention, patented in 1959, was intended for parakeets and other birds that are allowed to fly freely about the house. “It is … a general object of the present invention to provide a garment to be worn by birds for receiving their excremental discharge to prevent it from being deposited on household furnishings when the bird is at liberty in the home and thereby avoid the consequent unsanitary condition.”

[Image and description from here. Crossposted here.]

Saturday Matinee – Hambone & Hoodlin’, John Mayall & Captain Beefheart

“Learn that you’ll be goodndave.” Now google “eefing.”

Although Jimmy Riddle was one of the last great Eeefers, the Nashville R&B TV show “Night Train” once featured Joe Perkins‘ “Little Eeefin’ Annie.” Jimmy Riddle was the background “eeefer,” and Perkins lip synched it.

Later on, Jimmy Riddle explained it. [Related post, featuring the Hambone Boys, here.] Now, let’s clear the air a tad, with this:

Yep, that’s the great John Mayall. He kicks it at about 1:50 in. Not exactly hambone or hoodlin’ but he’s got it down. Have a great weekend, folks, see you tomorrow.

_________________________

Whoa, hold the presses. Just found this excellent clip of Captain Beefheart’s venture into R&B. Now we’re rollin’. Dim the lights, last song, slow dance, ladies’ choice.