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Writer's pictureThomas Tittmann

Labor Day-1: Marshal Law/Martial Law: Tales of Abuses of Power from the Wild West...and Today

This first of possibly several posts celebrating the hard-fought struggles of the American labor movement...


"The marshal came to town

His hat was pulled way down..."


This post began a long time ago in a land far, far away...


...actually, a couple of hours ago...in the West...of Hempstead...precisely, West Hempstead...


My saddle mate for many trail rides, Eileen, had selected "Silverado" for our evening's movie travels. She always picks amazing shows for our evening rituals and tonight's was no exception.


Unlike those sagebrush tales from Zane the Grey...




...this one's from an ol timer with the moniker "Tom the White."

"C'est moi, mon ami!" (more Franglais below)


To state that the opening movie scene was epic would be an understatement. The music, the scenery, the scope...Magnificent 7 comes to mind. The cast...it'd be easier to list who ISN'T included...Even John Cleese...I'll get to him...The director includes among his themes - racism, the role of women in the West and other abuses of power.



Heroes and villains...the line isn't always clear...which increases the suspense...


One of director Kasdan's themes is the coopting of the law by those in power...said another way, it's the creation of a police state to keep law and order so the power elite can run things as they wish. Sound familiar???




--powerful, haunting images of the damage done by our propensity for hate



"Some losing...some dying..." (See Bob Marley tune at end)


By the movie's end, vigilante justice prevails...and at the cost of many lives...some innocent...some not...and Boot Hill gets a few more residents...





Happy Trails...


Dirty Business - New Riders of the Purple Sage


This post's opening lyrics are from a song by the New Riders of the Purple Sage called "Dirty Business" and really captures the sense of Silverado.


Well the marshal came to town

And his hat was pulled way down

He looked like he had business on his mind

He didn't stop to say

He just rode along his way

'Til he stopped in at the office of the mine


Chorus:

Dirty business, dirty business

Dirty business down in Coal Creek

Dirty business down in Coal Creek

This morning


Well, I make two bucks a day

And that ain't a healthy pay

My kids are just beginning to get sick

There's talk been goin' round

How they're gonna shut it down

If the man don't come and fix things

Pretty quick


Chorus:

[Instrumental Break]


Pretty soon there was a crowd

It was getting' pretty loud

And the men all said there'd be no work today

But the owner wouldn't budge

He just sat there like a judge

And he wouldn't give a nickel more in pay


Chorus:

Just then they heard the sound

That rumbled from the ground

And everyone was rushing for the door

The dust came pouring out

And it finally left no doubt

That the mine was not at issue anymore


Chorus:

[Instrumental Break]


Chorus:

[Instrumental Break]


Spoken:

(?"And now)...house of wax"

... "and more"

..."thank you"






--featuring Sheriff Jerome Garcia on steel pedal guitar and some vocals


Back in my early concert years, NRPS would open for the Dead and the handoff from one band to the other wasn't abrupt...but rather meandering and transitional, like a river...one by one, the NRPS band members would float off the stage to be replaced by a Dead member...until the Grateful Dead were takin over the evening's fun and games...Cool...


In the movie, Danny Glover's character - Mal - mentions that he was once in Chicago. One of his compadres asked how it was, to which Mal says "Pretty bad - I worked in a slaughter house." Save that thought...for it'll come up again in another Labor Day-related post...




Big Boss Man - Grateful Dead


Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call? Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call? You ain't so big, you just tall, that's just about all.

You got me working boss man, a workin' around the clock, I want a little drink of whiskey, you sure won't let me stop. Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call? You ain't so big, you just tall, that's just about all.

I'm gonna get me a boss man, one gonna treat me right, I work hard in the daytime, sure get drunk at night.

You ain't so big, you just tall, that's just about all.



Extra-ordinary Features




From Holy Grail to Holy Cow...Beware of gifts bearing Greeks...or Englishmen...


Heroes and Villains (an imaginative version...I'm sure Brian would approve...)


The previous video called up this next song - I first heard it done by the Grateful Dead...


El Paso - Grateful Dead (live at Capitol Theater, Port Chester, NY)

--this venue was a favorite hang out of the band and led to the opening of a restaurant called "Garcia's". It's still goin strong as a live music/Dead music joint.

Here's the logo from their Facebook page.



Just found this photo of Jerry at Woodstock on their page:








"Got two reasons why I cry away each lonely night

The first one's named sweet Anne Marie and she's my hearts delight

The second one is prison, babe, the sheriff's on my trail

And if he catches up with me, I'll spend my life in jail"


Happy Trails







Desert Linguistics


What's the plural of cactus?






My favorite...





A Song for Unity to wrap this up...filmed in hotbeds of unrest around the globe..."We don't need no more trouble..."



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