superstitions: ubangi stomp

purchase [Ubangi Stomp ]



A confluence of auspicious days as I write/post. Today is Friday the 13th. Sunday is the Ides of March. Both of which go back a ways in history. One online source says Friday the 13th began being propagated in the 1300s, but is linked to the time of Jesus (the 13 disciples).

Personally, I am of two minds about superstitions - based on my experiences from a couple of decades in this world. No: I don't believe in them. On the other hand ... I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side if in fact one or more of them turns out to be "true".

I noted to the SMM team that there are some pretty weird superstitions in Turkish culture: spit on your new-born to ward off the evil? Again, I confess that my car sports the <de rigeur> blue bead/evil eye. I mean ... why not?

You've likely heard the term "Ubangi".  Maybe (like me in the days before politically correct took over) Ubangi Warriors, Maybe from  the "Bozo" (that's the clown) Travels the World recording? (Appears at about the 8 minute mark) Probably not in a positive light in these times, but it was perfectly acceptable when I was a kid: imitate the accent of a Ubangi warrior, imitate Ivan from Russia's limited English/accent. Aren't they the tribe that put plates in their lips to make them huge? Pretty wild, huhn? Did you know that they stomped on deformed babies to kill them? Welp... not so, but they had some such superstition that reverberated around the world.

Credited to Warren Smith, Ubangi Stomp is a [very classical] rock and roll piece that stems from the Ubangi stomping on deformed children superstition. Believe it or not.

 

Link to the source of the superstition mentioned here

Extras: Albums that came with extras

I veer from the standard "post a song with extra" because I just couldn't get into my original idea. It's not that Lou Reed's Claim to Fame has no claim to fame, but ... it *is* just one more of a few hundred songs that happen to have the word "extra" in the lyrics. I wanted something a little more entertaining at this time of year.

There must have been like a million albums produced since the invention of the phonograph, and it must be a perennial quandary for the artist and the producer to come up with something that makes yours stand out. Sometimes good music in and of itself isn't enough. I think of my copy of Dave Mason's Alone Together, which was pressed onto somewhat psychedelic multi colored swirling vinyl - kind of unique. I've seen albums with funky shapes.

One album with something "extra" that sticks in my mind is Sticky Fingers, with its actual zipper "sewn" into the album cover. You can't help but pull it down to see what's ...
And aside from this kind of attraction, lots of albums have included band-related posters.

But going to a more extreme additional form of entertainment for the fans ... (and these - for the most part - are generally verified hearsay. Sue me if I'm wrong)

Cheech and Chong's Big Bambu included a huge rolling paper. No surprise there.

Sgt. Pepper's included a a cardboard page of cutouts - epaulettes, moustache, badges ....

ELO's Out of the Blue included a cardboard cutout of their iconic spaceship.

Three Dog Nights' Seven Separate Fools album came with seven oversize playing cards.

Alice Cooper's Schools Out came with paper panties as a wrapper.

Any you care to add?

Call Me: Under My Wheels

Alice Cooper: Under My Wheels

[purchase]

Religions pray for a convert like me. Six months ago I was quite happy with my pre-paid, minimal-minutes phone plan...

Weird circumstance, twin'd with ability, decided that I ought own some Smart Phone...

Now I have trouble waking up without looking at the thing, first thing.

Mostly I use it as a consumer of information... Looking at news, blogs, etc.,... but sometimes I use it as a telephone. Sometimes I get incoming calls, too.

Which wierds me out.

Back when I was a kid, taking calls on our family line always made me nervous. I'd hear the phone down the hall ring... some short silence, then muffled voices. Soft steps getting louder. Knock on the door: "Matthew! Telephone!"

Who'd want to talk to me, I'd trepidate.

I'd have to lift the needle off whichever Cheap Trick or Alice Cooper record I was listening to.

Same way, nowadays, though the delivery is different... a buzzing in my pocket.

But with Caller ID!

Civics Lessons: Model Citizen

Alice Cooper: Model Citizen

[purchase]

"Civics is the study of citizenship and government with particular attention given to the role of citizens..."

But, which 'Model' to model yourself after?

Hell Week: Go To Hell

Alice Cooper: Go To Hell

[purchase]

Sort of a concept album- the concept being Alice sent to hell for the outrages he's been party to (and partying to!) up on Earth- 1976's Alice Cooper Goes To Hell is one of Alice's better works, in my opinion.

My favorite part of the song is a list of things Alice would do, since he is so depraved, and a perfect Paul Lynde voice suggests, "You'd gift-wrap a leper and mail it to your Aunt Jane."