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R.I.P. Joe Hill

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It’s Labor Day Weekend. Apologies for the late post, baboons. I slept in. I was up and walking around, but my brain was not “online”.

Trail Baboon will take a brief hiatus for the holiday and return with a fresh post on Tuesday.

Here’s a song for Labor Day – the famous union activist rallying song, “Joe Hill”.
References to this tune usually mention Joan Baez, and there’s no doubt, she’s great.

But for my money, the quintessential version of Joe Hill is this one, done by the incomparable Paul Robeson.

Interesting that in this time of diminishing influence for organized labor, a new book is out about Joe Hill. William A. Adler’s biography of the Union icon has been reviewed favorably in the New York Times (pinkos!), and with cool reserve by the Wall Street Journal (fat cats!).

Invariably the headline that goes with any review is that this new book presents evidence that Hill, a labor activist executed for murdering a Utah grocer in a botched robbery, was framed.

Maybe. Maybe not. Why didn’t he use the evidence to exonerate himself? One argument is that he realized his fame as a martyr was more valuable to the union cause than his own life. Hill is said to have encouraged his executioners to “Aim” and “Fire”!

It’s hard to imagine anyone taking such a dispassionate view of a fatal choice, but if I knew that cueing the firing squad would eventually get Paul Robeson to sing an unforgettable song about me, I might understand.

Who would you choose to sing the heroic ballad about you?

76 thoughts on “R.I.P. Joe Hill”

  1. I’m not sure that there would be a heroic ballad…perhaps Peter Schickele or Tom Lehrer would be good choices for a more appropriate tune. If someone decides on a more serious tune, perhaps you could get Mavis Staples to sing for me – she’d put some grit and soul into it that I sometimes wish I had more of.

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  2. It’s hard to imagine a heroic ballad for me too. I like Mavis Staples a lot but I lean toward Bessie Smith or Lena Horne to really tell my story in a soulful way. Joan Baez too, especially if it has to be a ballad.

    Have a soulful day, baboons!

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  4. A heroic balad for me? Are you kidding? Ain’t gonna happen. So while I’m fantasizing, I might as well go for Paul Robeson himself to sing it. If I had to stick with a living performer, perhaps John Prine or Randy Newman would be good choices.

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  5. Morning all – I’d like Peter Mayer for my heroic ballad. I’m thinking he would be a good one to actualy make up something heroic about me!

    OT – since you all are always a good source of info. What do people who compost do in the winter? Where do you keep the compost post?

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    1. I’m not sure what the correct procedure is, but I always think that just leaving it in place and letting it freeze and thaw is a viable option.

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    2. vs, we just leave ours where it is year round. It actually generates enough heat that it doesn’t freeze. One of the considerations we gave to where we set it up in the first place, was to make sure it we could get to it during the winter after a lot of snow had fallen (so somewhere near where we shovel).

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    3. I just keep my pile going on and on, turning it with a pitchfork every so often. I add vegetable scraps and coffee grounds during the winter too, as long as I can get down there. There have been some winters in which I couldn’t get down there due to deep snow. When that is the case, I freeze the “post” for adding to the pile later.

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  6. Maybe Lou and Peter Berryman. Although my living room has not been painted in a couple of decades, so “Here lies a woman they’re saying of whom sure had a good looking living room” would not apply. But I’m sure they could come up with something.

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  7. i was thinking john prine but veered off to tom waits zippo over to to dr john, dylan was the first choice but he is likly to go lord knows where with it he is pretty unpredictable. i can see him doing my ballad in waltz time like winterlude. maybe joni mitchell lyle lovett greg brown would be fun , loudan wainwright may be called on to write it. perry como, bing, frank or tony of yesteryear or todays michael bublet, josh groban or andrea bocelli. gosh its enough to make me a little anxious to have a heroic ballad about my self

    tim is a blogging fool and hes ok
    he wakes up bloggin and he blogs all day
    hes a guy that really likes to blog
    he can do it about cats he can do it about dogs

    his comments are great and his posts are quite cleaver
    he really can blog with the best
    unless they are smart or witty or suave
    but other than those guys he can blog with the rest

    on the trail with tim and dale
    cept dales not here live any more
    he sits in a radio station downtown
    we were all happy to see him goooooooooo

    the rest of the baboons could post a link
    to his ballad get sung by ethel merman
    but maybe more likely would be that got sung
    by some body more along the lines of pee wee herman

    oh tim is a blogger and hes alright
    he blogs in the morn and blogs at night
    there is seldom anything of substance
    he seems to think thats alright

    i mean hes not out adressing the throngs and the masses
    like we had on the old morning show
    its more like he blogs with the guys that are here
    the group that weve all come to know

    we are nothing special or super or ultra
    we are all just who we’ve become
    it comfy and cozy just warm as toasty
    to be an old baboon alum

    so sing it out bing or joni or bob
    sing homage to a regular tim
    hey there dr john how bout you and lyle
    sing song being glad youre not him

    .

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  9. Janis Joplin

    summer time
    and the milking is easy
    she’s so patient
    and she’s clean and she’s strong

    she’s amilkin’
    and those goats are aeatin’
    so hush, little Juju
    hay’s comin’ ere long.

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  11. Jacque’s Summer in a Jar Tomato-Basil Soup

    (I will give people canning lessons if they would like them. My grandmother and mother taught me and they were masters at this. I feel privileged to have lived at a time when they could teach this. Grandma did not can tomato soup, I just took her techniques and made up a recipe I like.)

    This is what I use to can large amounts. This recipe usually makes 4-6 quarts. You can take it down to small sizes since all the amounts are “squishy” (meaning inexact and using what I have on hand).

    2 gallons of tomatoes skinned and quartered.
    1 gallon of tomatoes put through the colander and juiced (this means you quarter them and cook them with the skins on for 5 minutes, then juice them in the colander (that big metal cone shaped thing with a wooden pestle)
    zucchini or summer squash-2 or 3 of them sliced and quartered
    2-3 stalks of celery
    whatever amounts of peppers I get from the garden, red, green, yellow. If you like your soup a bit spicy then add a few spicy peppers, too
    1-2 onions chopped
    3 cloves garlic, sliced, minced, or pressed
    1/4 c. olive oil (or Olive Oyl if a Popeye fan)
    Salt and pepper to taste.
    basil
    enough water and flour for a roue to thicken (1 c. cold water, 1/4 c flour, shaken in jar)
    1 very large heavy bottomed soup pot or 2 Dutch ovens or pans with heavy bottoms. These need to be thick enough to withstand heat for sauteing vegetables and then cooking the soup without burning it.

    Add the olive oil, divided, to 1 or 2 pans with heavy bottoms. When olive oil is hot add the onions until limp and caramelized. Add the squash, celery, garlic, and peppers one ingredient at a time, divided between the two pans. Then add quartered tomatoes. and cook it at least 15 – 20 minutes until tomatoes are broken down. Add the juice and reheat and cook about an hour until flavors are blended. Add the water and flour roue and thicken the soup. Cook another 5-10 minutes.

    Pour into quart jars and process according to tomato canning instructions (40 min.)

    This is wonderful opened and heated in the winter. Sometimes I add feta cheese to it, or 1/2 and 1/2 for Cream of Tomato Soup. I make it for my 92 year old father-in-law’s Christmas present. He loves this.

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    1. I felt like this was familiar and thought, didn’t I post this last year? I did for a gallon amount under “Okie’s Tomato Soup”. Okie is the FIL who loes this.

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  12. Nice songs, people. For some reason, Odetta popped into my mind, but I have to say I’d also steal PJ’s Randy Newman or Linda’s The Berrymans. Something along the lines of
    “She came; she was codependent; she died.”

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  13. OT – sort of, but still about music for people – Facebook reminded me that two years ago today Daughter had her first day of kindergarten. And Dale played the Kindergarten song for her…makes me a little misty.

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  14. I listened to the recorded version of GK at the Fair. Not as good as being there and singing along while twilight falls over the Fair, but fun anyhoo. My favorite line, “Jesus hung out with the sinners and republicans.”

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  16. It is my weekend to celebrate with Joe Hill. The meditation music at church this morning was 2 men with beautiful voices singing about Joe in harmony. After the guest soloist was introduced, he added “and I’m a union member.”

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  17. I think tim is onto something with Ethel Merman, but it would have to be more of an anthem than a ballad. To the tune of “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”.

    Uh-oh. MERMAN ALERT!

    They’re online! On the Trail!
    They’re the ones who keep blogging with Dale!
    Just baboons, having fun
    Honey every babooner composes….

    Rise and Shine! Hear that call!
    And a gracious good morning to all!
    There’s a post every day
    Honey every babooner composes…

    There’s no tiring
    Of the cleaver exchange.
    Joy-inspiring goat pictures you’ll be admiring…

    It’s misspelled! lower case!
    The discussion’s all over the place!
    Snorting beer, snorting tea
    Blevins’ rear you may see
    They’re trashing Michele Bachmann through and throoooough…
    Honey every babooner composes for me and for yoooooooooou.

    If you’re reading
    Blevins’ book club is great.
    What you’re needing might be a good potluck feeding…

    Rise and Shine! Hear that call!
    And a gracious good morning to all!
    Repartee with panache
    Clear the way, Ogden Nash.
    They’re posting YouTube videos for yoooooooou…

    Renee, Jacque and Anna and Beth-Ann and sherrilee…
    PJ and Krista and Barbara in Robbinsdale…
    Steve and tim, Donna and Ben and madislandgirl…
    Crow Girl and Edith and Joanne and Jim and Clyde…
    TGITH and Aaron and Blackhoof Barb…
    Holly and Linda and thyrkas and cynthia…
    Every babooner composes for me and for yoooooooooou!

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    7. Oooh! I made the list! Great lyrics, Linda. My husband and I were just talking at dinner this evening about Ethel Merman and how she used her voice. She needed to belt it out back in the day to be heard in the theaters. I use the same kind of vocal technique to sing bluegrass (only it doesn’t measure up to the Merman).

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    8. This needs to be our anthem. Krista can you record this? Then we can do a little embed YouTube of you right here.

      As I reported Saturday, I picked up a pin at the DFL booth which I wear and enjoy every day now:

      Loon + A + Tick
      and a picture of MB beneath it.

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      1. Hm. In the style of Merman? Um, oh dear. I can’t help thinking that it might be better if it continues to exist just as it is….

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    9. Nicely done, Linda. Irving Berlin wrote for Merman, and the lyrics to “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” were by Stephen Sondheim. Great company to keep!

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  18. OT: here’s a recipe for what my stepson Mario made for us the day before he left. He’d spent time in Brazil and saw it being made by a maid in a large house of a friend – this is his version:

    Mario’s Feijoada (traditional black bean, pork & sausage stew)

    (If using dried black beans, soak 1 to 1-1/2 cups beans in plenty of water overnight, then cook with some onion and garlic, a few slices of bacon chopped up, and a few cups of water or stock. This can be done in a crock pot on low for 8-9 hours.)

    rice, cooked separately
    1 onion, coarsely chopped
    4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (or more to taste)
    1 large link of chorizo or other sausage
    1-2 # pork shoulder, cut into chunks (or a ham steak)
    1 tsp. cumin, some paprika
    Spike seasoning or salt to taste
    1 large (28 oz) can of black beans, drained (or the beans cooked as above)
    oil
    if using the canned (drained) beans, you’ll need to add some stock for more liquid.

    Cut the pork and the chorizo into medium sized pieces. Sauté the garlic and the onion in a large heavy pot that heats evenly (like cast iron). Add the chorizo and brown; add pork and seasonings.
    Add black beans, and the stock, if using. Simmer until mixture thickens.

    Traditionally served over rice topped with:
    farofa, http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/saladssidedishes/r/farofa.htm
    and on the side:
    collard greens – http://www.maria-brazil.org/couve_a_mineira.htm
    orange (peeled and sliced, served on a separate plate).

    Have a fine rest of weekend, all!

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  19. Imogene Coca.
    or
    Tiny Tim. I mean the Dickens one. No, the modern guy. Well, either one.
    or
    Howling coyotes.
    or
    Kiri Te Kanawa.
    or
    Carlie Chaplin, in a silent movie.
    or
    Mr. Rodgers. (Wouldn’t you like to be my neighbor?)
    or
    Clint Eastwood, as in Paint Your Wagon
    or
    The wind through dry corn stalks.
    or
    One hummingbird hovering over one big past-its-prime peony blossom.
    or
    Moderate-size Lake Superior waves on the rock shore line in front of our North Shore house.
    or
    Mrs. Miller
    or
    Hyacinth Bucket.
    or
    Navajo flute music.
    or
    A Plainsong chant.
    or

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    3. This is poetry all in itself. And Hyacinth speaks for herself. I always thought Hyacinth, Daisy, Rose, and Violet could make a quartet with the slutty sister doing a striptease to please Auslow or however you spell that.

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  20. Rise and Shine Baboons!

    I LOVE this cool weather. I feel good. I feel really good without the heat and humidity to sap every bit of energy my body has. Happy Autumn. This is my time of the year.

    I have been home on vacation catching up on my life after the last three years of chaos. So far I have cleaned my art studio and sorted and tossed many “Artist’s Treasures” (meaning junk you might use someday and never really use), vacuumed spider webs, and mopped the floor which was embarrassingly dirty. Then I moved my sewing machine back in there and set up a work table so I can sort through the remainders of my mom’s stuff that still lives in a closet. Next my son gets his legos and Brio train set back for his own storage. And my husband has promised to drop off the pile of junk that is growing as I sort.

    I feel free of this stuff. Wahoooooooooo

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    1. Labor Day! Maybe I should inaugurate it by cleaning out some closets, heaven only knows they need it. Thanks for the inspiration Jacque.

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    2. Whoa! You are setting a bad example. I don’t think you are setting a good example. I thought we were free from labor on Labor Day!

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    3. Congrats on purging the legos and Brio! (I’ve been keeping some here for when the little kids come… but that sounds so tempting!) And you gotta love having a place to keep your sewing machine set up.

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  21. I love this cool weather too, Jacque! It is so refreshing and invigorating and it doesn’t hurt to be able to breathe. It makes me feel alive. Unfortunately, my poor little Pippin is suffering from some kind of allergic dermatitis and is scratching and biting himself constantly. He’s been scratching incessantly for 30 hours now. Benadryl has not helped him. He’s working so hard on scratching that he’s panting – clearly stressed. I might have to visit the vet.

    And, I sprained my ankle yesterday. I stepped on one of those hidden walnuts on the hill and down I went. It’s not too bad though. My remedy for mild sprains is a little different – I got up and took Pippin for a walk: 2 miles. Then I went shopping for more stuff for Rock Bend – hard to push in the clutch with my left foot, but oh well. Then I took my friend’s dog Misty for another walk: 2 more miles. By this time my right foot was feeling like it was compensating a lot for the left one so I sat down with both feet up and crocheted. It was a good thing to do. I think it’s a little better today. Today is the day for baking!

    I’m cooking for Rock Bend now and will be doing Rock Bend stuff all week. Here’s what I’ll produce this week:
    10 loaves (one complete batch) of Amish Friendship bread (thanks, Ben)
    3 batches of oatmeal-raisin bars – all baking is today.
    3 batches of vegetarian chili to be made on Thursday
    5 gallons of baked beans, embellished with sauteed onions, brown sugar and pulled pork – ongoing, starting Wednesday
    2 pasta salads will be made on Friday
    3-4 dozen brats in beer and sauerkraut in a roaster for Wednesday night set-up (volunteers converge on the Park and build both stages and some of the booths. I’m the cook.)

    Don’t work too hard today, baboons!

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    1. Have you tried an oatmeal bath for Pippin? My prior basset was prone to dermatitis (I now wonder if it was some form of grain allergy), and would “worry” at especially itchy spots until they got infected. Oatmeal baths seemed to help at least temporarily. Current basset gets bathed with shampoo that has both colloidal oatmeal and tea tree oil, which has helped when he has been itchy. Good luck to Pippin, and to you and your ankle.

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      1. Thanks, Anna. I just gave him an oatmeal bath. He’s still scratching. I’ve already eliminated Science Diet and changed him to a limited ingredient diet (Sweet Potatoes & Venison). It’s been 3 weeks. There was slight improvement for awhile, when it was hot and humid. Now that it’s dry and cool, he’s scratching again. I’m suspicious of pollens or molds like powdery mildew. I’m also suspicious of his Frontline, but I really don’t know what is triggering it.

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      2. I’d suspect the Frontline – a friend’s dog reacted very poorly to it and she hasn’t used it since. I have avoided it with my pooch because of that. Pollens and mold seems possible, too, but the Frontline seems a stronger candidate from my non-veterinary perspective. 🙂

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  22. I shared the “Joe Hill” video and got this response:
    I love Paul Robeson. His story is inspiring to me. The story of Joe Hill (other than the song bearing his name) is less well known but still important, especially on Labor Day. In the latest edition of Sing Out! (a magazine started by Pete Seeger and others of his community-focused ilk) there is an announcement of an American Fold Opera coming out in 2012 called: “For the People: Woody.” It states in the announcement: “Coming in 2012…A full traditional opera about Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Paul Robeson performed in theaters around the country, broadcast on public TV, public radio, online, in schools and movie theaters.” http://www.WoodyGuthrieOpera.com

    Woody said of Sing Out in 1951: “One little issue of Sing Out! Is worth more to the humanly (sic) race than any thousand tons of other dreamy, dopey junk… I don’t know a magazine big or little that comes within a thousand million miles of Sing Out! When it comes to doing good in this world.” http://www.singout.org

    So, on this Labor Day, sing out with gusto

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  23. Cool and beautiful here today, too. No wind, which is a gift. I aim to make apple bread and clean the basement. Happy Labor Day, Baboons!

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      1. I used James Beard on Bread.. It’s simple and easy

        1/2 c. butter
        1c. white sugar
        2 eggs
        2 c. all purpose flour
        1/2 t. salt
        1/2 t. baking soda
        1 t. baking powder
        2 T. buttermilk
        1 c. coarsely chopped unpeeled apples
        1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
        1 t. vanilla

        Cream butter. Add sugar slowly. Beat until lemon colored. Beat in the eggs. Add flour sifted with all the other dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in the apples, nuts, and vanilla.

        Put in a buttered 9X5 loaf tin.Bake for at 350 for 50-60 at 350 ’til done. Cool for 5 minutes in pan, then loosen from pan and cool on rack. Best after 24 hours. I doubled this with really nice results.

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