The Zippo saga
Telekidd
awhile, and have thus heard the Zippo story ad nauseum. Plus there was the
not-to-be-overlooked issue of personal humiliation involved! I personally
think Doug Crowe's theory is far more entertaining than the story itself!
Nevertheless, gather round the hearth children! Everyone have their hot
chocolate and snuggled warm under their blankets? Good...let's begin the
story...
Once upon a time--a loooong time ago, there wasn't a newsgroup. Back in those
darkened days of unenlightenment, I was on Prodigy at the time. They had a
music bulletin board, with a sub-topic of "Folk." From then on, you were on
your own in terms of organization; to find messages related to GL, you pretty
much had to search on "Gordon" or "Lightfoot," and hope people had the good
sense to put one or the other (or both!) in the subject heading! As I recall,
there was a core group of maybe four or five of us--myself, Matthew Fifer (it
is he who created the first GL website), Judy Norris (now Ward--I had the
thrill of playing at her wedding...all GL selections, of course!), and a very
nice guy named Patrick Fleenor (who, as far as I can recall, never posted on
the NG--but if you're out there Patrick, drop in and say hey!). I am sorry if
I'm leaving anybody out--it's been awhile. But those were the names that
immediately spring to mind.
Believe it or not, I was considered one of the most knowedgeable GL fans there.
Granted it was a pretty small population, but hey--I'll take what I can get.
After awhile, I sorta felt like the senior class president in high school.
Then, along came the NG, started by Wayne Francis. Wayne doesn't post here
anymore, but he maintains a very informative GL website. Wayne's knowledge of
all things GL is, like Valerie's, encyclopedic. (Hey, Wayne--drop in and say
hey sometime too!)
Thus, instead of being the "top dog" senior class president, I quickly felt
like an utterly overwhelmed, incoming freshman! I didn't post much, because I
felt there was nothing of substance I could write about, apart from perhaps
song interpretations and the like. I was just slightly intimidated, to say the
least!
That's part one of the background to the Zippo story. Here is part two. Now
we go back in time to an age before the NG, before Prodigy, before personal
computers, modems and DSL, and certainly before CDs! Did such an age exist,
you ask? Ah yes, my child, it did--we are going back in time to 1971, and the
release of what is still one of my favorite GL albums.
When Summer Side of Life came out, I utterly loved that record...and at that
time, I thought I was the only GL fan in world (plus I was fairly solitary by
nature back in those early teen years). I listened to it over and over and
over again. "Miguel," "Love and Maple Syrup," "Same Old Loverman,"--I just
think it's a masterpiece. One of my favorite songs on it was (and still is)
"Cabaret."
As you all know (and forgive me for stating the obvious), the song is
essentially structured into two parts. In the transition between the two
sections of the song is, well, at this point, let's just call it a "noise."
I spent a great deal of time trying to figure out what it was. It sounded to
me rather like someone lighting up a cigarette and taking a drag, which, to me,
seemed to fit the idea of the guy roaming the highways, heading "east to Reno,
or north to Mendocino." But what was making the sound? Here, my
over-imaginative childhood memories overtook me. When I was very young, my dad
smoked, and I remember he had a Zippo lighter--you know, one of the big silver
ones. To a young child, those things seemed absolutely enormous, and the sound
they made when you "flicked" them was also correspondingly impressive.
So, years later (with my imagination embellishing the memory of that lighter
and the sound it made), listening to "Cabaret," I decided that HAD to have been
the sound--a Zippo lighter being "flicked" and the subsequent draw on the
cigarette.
And thus endeth background section number two!
Now, flash forward to those early NG days, with me feeling intimidated,
overwhelmed, and looking for some way to gain a toehold in the NG. I was
looking to be the senior class president; yet neither was I interested in being
a lowly freshman who gets beaten up by the big kids after school every day.
And lo and behold, it was then that someone (I honestly can't remember who)
posted, asking "What is that sound on 'Cabaret' between the first and second
verses?"
AHA! I thought to myself--"here's a chance for me to step up to the BIG
LEAGUES! I know the answer, and, once I post it, everyone's life will be that
much better, the secrets of the universe will be solved, we will achieve world
peace, and I will become the Dalai Lama of GL enlightenment! Muhahahahahaha!"
Thus, I confidently posted my response. Of course the killer was that I didn't
post something like "Hmmm...well, I've always kinda thought it MIGHT be," or
"IMHO," or "Gosh, I could be way off here, but my guess is that could possibly
be..."
Oh no--nothing wishy-washy like that for me! I confidently (and, let's face
it) rather arrogantly posted my answer--it was something akin to Moses saying
"Hey, wait! There's an eleventh one on here! It sayeth that the mysterious
sound on "Cabaret," is..." Basically, instead of saying "it might be," I said
"it IS this! Case closed! Next!"
With a sense of confidence, coupled with the supreme serenity of smug
self-satisfaction (how's THAT for a bit of alliteration?), I clicked on the
"Send" button.
Then there was nothing for me to do but to sit back, and wait for the accolades
to roll in! People would send obscene amounts of money to me in an attempt to
express their thanks to me for making their lives suddenly infinitely better.
Thousands of rich, eligible women would offer to marry me and take me away to
enormous mansions where I would live a life of incomprehensible luxury. World
leaders would consult me on matters of the gravest importance, thanks to my
unparalleled genius, displayed on the newsgroup for the entire world to see.
In fact, the population of the planet would suddenly, at the same time, become
one with one another, joined by the emotion of pure, unadulterated envy at the
dizzying depths of my intelligence.
Instead, I was rather flabberghasted to find responses back saying that I was
wrong! Dead wrong! And not only dead wrong, but hilariously wrong at that!
Post after post pointed out it's the pull-tab from a beer can being pulled off,
and the subsequent swallow of beer! (Although you could make an argument for
Pepsi, couldn't you?)
I made some mild protests, which were probably pretty pathetic. Thus, someone
(I think it may have been the redoubtable Mr. Fifer, but I can't quite
remember) had to gently tell me (and the NG) that he had verified it with "the
source" some years before.
There was nothing much else I could do at that point, except to write a rather
sheepish post to the NG, whereupon, I retired back to my cave. Seriously, the
posts were very funny--I ended up keeping them, and all of mine. The whole
thing was, at the time, hysterical, though I'm afraid it might be one of those
"I guess you had to be there," stories, and I apologize if I've sent anyone to
sleep.
Since then, the story has taken on a life of its own. I have received more
little gifts and such related to the story than you can imagine. A smattering:
Sue Lemcke sent me a license plate frame, which is proudly on my car, which
says "Derek's Lighter--The Legend Lives On." For my 40th birthday a few years
ago (I'm not going to say how MANY years ago), the NGers did a collaborative
birthday present. It was a box, designed by my dearest friend Dawn Marie
Lynch, in Wisconsin. The box, which is on display in my home, is covered with
pull-tabs, little beer cans, lighters, part of the sheet music to Cabaret is
laquered on it, and it is also littered with question marks. lt has to be seen
to be believed. Several members contributed to a musical version of the saga,
to the tune of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"--fortunately Doug
(plumbguru2) has held on to it, and I still laugh when I read it. I have also
received a couple of those little refrigerator magnet beer cans which actually
make the noise of a beer being poured--I suppose to remind me what it's
supposed to sound like!
In the spring of last year, Jenney flew out here--she attended the Reno
concert, and then journeyed on to the bay area so that we could see the Santa
Rosa concert together. After the show, a certain Mr. Haynes took to calling
Jenney (Rivard) and I "Jenney and the Kidd," which continued for subsequent
shows. And thus, so it was that for Christmas this past year, Jenney sent me
an honest-to-gosh real genuine big silver Zippo lighter, with "The Kidd"
engraved on it.
And so, after all these years, I was finally able to "flick" a Zippo lighter
and hear the actual sound! My first thought was "What was I THINKING?!" In
order for a Zippo lighter to make a noise similar to the one in "Cabaret," I
think the wheel would have to be roughly the size of the space station in 2001:
A Space Odyssey.
Subsequent to that time, there would be an occasional post from someone asking
what the sound was in "Cabaret." Immediately, there would be about a half
dozen responses that basically said "For god's sake, don't ask Derek!" For my
part, I would usually answer "I know nothing! Nothing!"
Well, there ya have it--if you're still awake, that is! I have had a couple of
folks who were actually concerned that I might be upset with all the joking
around on the NG about it, but, in fact, I was laughing right along with
everybody. Pride cometh before the fall! :)
Derek
Jen
Awake, and enthralled! I love the way you tell a story. Thank you for
clarifying-I have been curious for awhile.
Jen
Oksky
And I am sitting here smiling from ear to ear! Thanks for the memories, Derek.
Those were the days!
Shirley
Richard Harison
--
All the Best
Richard Harison
"Telekidd" <tele...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010125090051...@ng-cm1.aol.com...
| In all honesty, I really didn't want to bore the NGers who have been here
| awhile, and have thus heard the Zippo story ad nauseum. Plus there was
the
| not-to-be-overlooked issue of personal humiliation involved! I personally
| think Doug Crowe's theory is far more entertaining than the story itself!
Bill Mulrooney
Ed Mullen
You've outdone yourself. I've only been around here for a few years and I think
I've heard the story about eleventy-leven times. I never tire of it but this was
undoubtedly THE BEST! Just wonderful.
Ed
cathyc1
have been doing something more constructive, but once again I had the
crew fooled into thinking I was involved in some kind of business
related activity. Well, now that you've brought this zippo legend out
into the open, maybe you could shed some light on the sheep dong typo?
Cathy
give In article <20010125090051...@ng-cm1.aol.com>,
Sent via Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/
Telekidd
>into the open, maybe you could shed some light on the sheep dong typo?
>
Not me! I was merely an onlooker, and am now safely enrolled in a witness
protection program! :)
Derek
Ed Nealson
Man that was an absolutely FABULOUS story for us zippo virgins! Thanks man!
>
> And so, after all these years, I was finally able to "flick" a Zippo lighter
> and hear the actual sound! My first thought was "What was I THINKING?!"
And another verse for Christine Lavin to boot! Just too good!
> Well, there ya have it--if you're still awake, that is! I have had a couple of
> folks who were actually concerned that I might be upset with all the joking
> around on the NG about it, but, in fact, I was laughing right along with
> everybody. Pride cometh before the fall! :)
> Derek
<whew> I owe you a beer
Ed
Likes to fly stunt kites
I am proud to say I was one of only three involved in the sheep thingy. But
like Derek, my lips are sealed. After the naked kite exposé, I had to move to
Kosovo. If this sheep thing gets out, oh gawd no, Ecuadore here I come. I
dont think they sell guitar strings in Ecuadore.
.
__0__ ________
[] ::::::::::::\::... / "Balloons flying,
_/ \_ \ / Children Sighing,
JR Solomon \ / What a day to go kite flying."
member- / (the Moody Blues)
M2S2/AKA
Ed Nealson
> >maybe you could shed some light on the sheep dong typo?
>
> I am proud to say I was one of only three involved in the sheep thingy. But
> like Derek, my lips are sealed. After the naked kite exposé, I had to move to
> Kosovo. If this sheep thing gets out, oh gawd no, Ecuadore here I come. I
> dont think they sell guitar strings in Ecuadore.
>
No, no, no. Those of us who arrived late finally got the zippo story. Now we
NEED the naked sheep kite flying story! We want to know. We need to know. We
MUST know :-)
Ed
Ron @ biomed systems
Absolutely Great Story.
Ron
Lonesome 12 String Picker
North Carolina
Telekidd <tele...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010125090051...@ng-cm1.aol.com...
Robert Warner
legendary lighter story lives on! I was there at the time, and I loved the
byplay, and if anyone's wondering, that's exactly how it all happened.
I've missed you all. I'll be at Massey again in May, to hear Gord one more
time. Every time I hear IYCRMM I think to myself "this may be the last time
I ever hear it."
Sorry to have dropped off the planet. Hello to everyone, and see you from
the cheap seats at the Grand Old Lady of Shuter Street.
Bob in Kalamazoo
Telekidd
>the cheap seats at the Grand Old Lady of Shuter Street.
Heya Bob! Great to hear from you again! Don't be a stranger around the ol' NG
anymore, okay?
I'll see ya at Massey--looking forward to it!
Derek