I have a vivid memory of being in the darkened basement at a neighbor's house, watching one of those flickering light bulbs and listening to "American Woman" by The Guess Who. I must have been around 11 or 12. That 7-Up commercial had a big influence on boys my age. We were all going into 6th grade and taking our first shop class. It seemed like everybody wanted to make a lamp out of an old can or bottle. I used an empty fifth of "Southern Comfort" which I retrieved from a dumpster at the famous Club Tavern. The instructor in shop class (we called it "industrial arts") taught us to safely drill holes through glass and also a bit of wiring. The light bulbs were available at places like the Moon Fun Shop on State St. (right next to the old Capitol Theater). I threw out my lamp long ago but wish I still had it.
And I was wrong about the song used in the commercial. I've looked in vain for a version of that commercial using "American Woman." This is how I/we misremember things: mixing our reality with commonality and then shaping a new memory.
24 comments:
The instructor in shop class (we called it "industrial arts") taught us to safely drill holes through glass and also a bit of wiring.
Industrial Arts. We need that again.
Now, no more shop class. Instead we get horrid teacher's unions and hippy ex-communists teaching our children to be victims and whiners.
This is how I/we misremember things: mixing our reality with commonality and then shaping a new memory.
You mean that's not History?
I was being facetious
I chose to do a coffee table in wood shop and a Mechanics tool box in Machine shop.
That could be Michael Sam's theme song.
Lem can be facetious as he is a man of many facets.
Industrial Arts. We need that again.
Boys also need Home Ec.
Coed Home Ec. was a blast.
Michael Haz said...
Lem can be facetious as he is a man of many facets.
At first glance I thought you were accusing Lem of being a spigot.
"I was being facetious."
With all due respect, you should leave that to us professionals.
Don't be silly, that would be faucetious.
Anybody else notice how Randy Bachman did not want to appear in the video. He was either takin' care of business.
I did not know that Tal Bachman was his son. I liked his hit song She's So High.
Boys also need Home Ec.
Agreed. Girls do too.
Shaun White coming up next.
With all due respect, you should leave that to us professionals.
I learn from the best.
Hey Hillary "What difference does it make?"
Creed on The Office was a guitar player w/ The Grass Roots.
Shaun White not the same since that injury...
"I've been here too long".
The thrill is gone.
White can now return to blowing weed and surfing. He'll be just fine.
My wife were walking down the boardwalk yesterday and Bill Walton blew by on his bike. I yelled "hello" and he smiled and waved. He had a helmet on but his red hair and 7 feet made him pretty easy to pick out. He has been to over 600 Grateful Dead concerts.
For a long time I misremembered, thinking American Woman was by The Doors. I like the Lenny Kravatz version a lot.
The Basic Skills were taught in Shop (Industrial Arts) and home ec. In middle (jr high) school we took both. Guys learned the basics of cooking. Girls learned how not to hold a hammer, and how to cut, sand, and drill things.
I don't think my kids had required shop and home ec in their school ... we had to teach them at home. Must have worked as the young stay at home mom took apart a vacuum cleaner a neighbor was throwing out the other week and discovered it just needed a heavy duty cleaning. And maybe a belt.
Survival skills.
Yes, "Industrial arts" and "Home Ec" for me in jr HS as well. Useful basics. Of course when I went to HS no "shop" (that what they called it circa fall 58-62)
for me as I was in "college prep." No typing, either. THAT was for future "secretaries" lol. (Which is unfortunately why I now still do a modified hunt & peck on the keyboards) Somehow my Father managed to get a liberal arts college degree in the 30s and learn not only typing but Gregg shorthand as well. (It served him well as a company-grade intelligence officer in WW II. He used to send messages back to HQ via runner coded in gregg shorthand in case the runner was captured or killed as the Germans did not teach gregg in their schools)
Don't be silly, that would be faucetious
Last night's bronze medal winner!
My favorite Guess Who song and one of the best songs ever recorded.
Post a Comment