July 31, 2007

Country/Western Trivia (I forgot something Edition) (UPDATED)

Well I'll be hornswoggled

Ah searched and 'tweren't thar. I coulda sworn I used this question before in one of my generic "Country/Western Trivia" posts.

Yeah, so I'm home early from work today. The solar system for the swimming pool sprung a new leak (separate and distinct from the leak I patched a few weeks back). Oh well. I guess that's what happens when the system is like 15 years old. Grumble.

Anyway, I located the leak but can't fix it today. That's because I had to turn on the equipment to find it. Now I can't patch it because it's wet (insert that old leaky roof joke here). Also because it's late afternoon, it's over 100° in the shade, and the roof ain't in the feckin' shade. So I shut off the solar component and I'll fix it Saturday.

Meantime, while I was up on the roof frying, this song popped into my head and, for the life of me, I couldn't remember if anyone had answered my question about it correctly. No one had.

Not your fault, children, it was mine. Apparently I had totally forgotten to include this particular question. Ergo, hence, and therefore, I am including it here as the first question, since it's pretty much a gimme. Didn't want to disappoint, though, so I came up with another couple of questions. No need to thank me, it's what I do.

Once again, two gimmes and a toughie.

1) I was raised in a canebrake by an old mama lion. Who cain't do what, and what is my job? [Brian: Cain't no high tone woman make me walk the line, and I am a coal miner (at 16 tons a shot)]

2) If I was toting my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road, where have I been? [Angie: I've been everywhere, apparently including Australia and New Zealand]

And the toughie:

3) We come from West Virginia coal mines and the Rocky Mountains. Who are we and what can we do? [Lisa: Country boys and we can survive (and she upbraids me for thinking this was a tough question]

UPDATE: Well, just for Lisa, I'll add another one I think is tough. Perhaps it's not, we'll see:

4) Some people say that's a strange tattoo on the side of your head. What is it? [Thornharp: It's a coal tattoo]

Posted by Ken S at July 31, 2007 05:10 PM | TrackBack (0) | Category: Country/Western Trivia
Comments

If I was toting my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road, where have I been?

You've been everywhere, man.

Did you know that was originally an Australian song? It's been re-written with both American and New Zealand lyrics.

The solar system for the swimming pool...

Wow! A solar system for your swimming pool? Cool! How many planets does it have?

Posted by: Angie Schultz at August 1, 2007 05:16 AM

It's a minor system, only one small planet.

I had no idea it was originally Australian. It would be fun to hear the original and the NZ lyrics.

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at August 1, 2007 06:06 AM

3. Country boys and we can survive.

Dude. That wasn't EVEN tough.

Posted by: Lisa at August 1, 2007 06:47 AM

Hmm. Maybe #1 was the tough one...

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at August 1, 2007 07:00 AM

#4 - Coal tattoo ?

Posted by: thornharp at August 2, 2007 08:20 AM

Ken -- Some googling revealed the name of song #1. I love that song, but I didn't remember that line (though it sounded familiar). Apparently there are many variations on the song.

I was surprised to find that "I've Been Everywhere" was originally Australian. Here's the Wikipedia entry. I will point out that I've been on the dusty Oodnadatta road. At least, a foot or two. OK, I saw a sign for Oodnadatta. (I went to Coober Pedy.)

Posted by: Angie Schultz at August 2, 2007 08:27 AM

Coal tattoo, indeed, TH (the specific line I was thinking of is "I say that's a blueprint left by the coal").

Angie, odd little thing about that canebrake line. I thought of using the song for one of these posts, and all my life I could never understand exactly what that line was (and I've heard at least three different versions - TEF, Jimmy Dean, and someone else I don't remember). I thought I would have to google it.

Then I listened to it with earphones and the line was just as clear as could be.

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at August 2, 2007 09:13 AM

#1: Ain't no high tone woman make me walk the line. I load 16 tons (of coal, that is).

Posted by: Boy Named Sous at August 2, 2007 11:45 AM

To number 1, the answer also could be "I can't go" (to Heaven).

Posted by: Mike Dubost at August 3, 2007 03:20 PM

Mike's answer fits the question better, mine matches the hint.

Posted by: Boy Named Sous at August 3, 2007 05:20 PM