May 16, 2006
Fly's In The Buttermilk...
Posted by Larry Karnowski at May 16, 2006 7:00 AMIn computer programming, there's a concept called the "Hello World program." When you learn a new programming language, the first program you write, or read an example of, is always a little one-liner that just prints out "Hello World!" on the screen. I think I've learned around fifteen computer languages in my thirty years, or probably more, and I've always started with "Hello World!" in each of them. It's a cheerful little tradition of bravely shouting to the planet that you're here, and that you're bidding everyone welcome.
Similarly, a friend of mine is just starting to play the guitar and learning the classic "Hello World" of music... that's right, you guessed it, "Skip To My Lou." I think I've learned "Skip To My Lou" on every blessin' instrument I've ever picked up. And that, ladies and gentlemen, due to my freakin' instrument ADD, is not a small number. Piano, trumpet, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and hell, I think I even learned it on the tuba at some point.
And you know what? I can't for the life of me remember the tune to "Skip To My Lou" right now. I'm considering putting the computer down and digging up some intro to fiddle or guitar book I've got buried in my bookshelf to remember it. And what the hell is my "Lou?" And why and how would I skip to it? Or have my darlin' skip to it? (Hmmm, the ideas there are just endless....)
What are the other classic starter songs? "My Darlin' Clementine?" "On Top Of Old Smokey?" Man, Stephen Foster is getting ripped off.
"Camptown Races" is another one, right?
Posted by: larry at May 16, 2006 7:06 AM"Rocky Top"
Posted by: Jim Pipkin at May 16, 2006 8:17 AMJim, it's definitely part of the canon, but "Rocky Top" is *not* a starter song. It's got some funny chords in it, to be honest. I've been in several beginner jams where it was too difficult a song to play.
Posted by: larry at May 16, 2006 9:20 AMYeah, nothing like a co-worker humming "Skip to My Lou" while I substitute every name that starts with an L for Lou!!!!!
Posted by: Aging Hipster at May 16, 2006 4:26 PM"It's not a tuba!...it's a sousaphone!"
Posted by: Waylon at May 16, 2006 4:26 PMHave you considered picking up the 'Flaming Tuba'?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nd_gvR06j6s&search=fire%20tuba
Instrument ADD. I was wondering if there was a name for this affliction. Is there also a support group?
Posted by: christine at May 16, 2006 5:15 PMIt was a starter song around our place, Larry. That, "Arkansas Sheik", and "Foggy Mountain Breakdown". It's hell when you have fiddle players in the family. I've probably been damaged for life.
Posted by: Jim Pipkin at May 16, 2006 5:46 PM.....does anyone remember Pee-Wee Herman and the old hobo singing "Skip to My Lou" in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure?
Is "Arkansas Shreik" akin to "Arkansas Traveler?" Otherwise, I've never heard that one, JIm. And yes, woe be to my future family since I'm starting to call myself "a fiddle player."
Hipster, you know, I'm embarassed to admit it, but I never saw the Pee-Wee movie. I've always heard it was a classic, though.
Posted by: larry at May 17, 2006 7:22 AMIt's "Arkansas Sheik" or "Sheikh" - a bit like "Arkansas Traveler" but faster. You know how these tunes wind in and out of each other.
Of course, now it could just as well be "Arkansas Sikhs", a song about a string of family-owned mini-marts along I-40.
Posted by: Jim Pipkin at May 17, 2006 12:44 PMWhoa, whoa -- wasn't it "Jimmy Crack Corn" that Pee-Wee and his hobo buddy bonded over? Dammit, now I'm going to have to go back and watch it. Which I won't secretly love at all. At all.
Posted by: stacy at May 20, 2006 6:52 AMI've found "The Old Grey Mare" to be the starter song that follows me through my instrument ADD.
Posted by: stacy at May 20, 2006 6:53 AMStacy -- and "Mare" ties in great with the grandpa on the Simpons... dropping his pants for free. (Funny if you've seen it, damn odd-sounding if you haven't.)
Posted by: larry at May 20, 2006 12:20 PMTo Stacy: Yeah, Pee-Wee and the hobo "sing" that classic tune too before he jumps off the train. Perhaps it should be released as "The Pee-Wee Sessions"?
