Why
does the moon in Nude on the Moon (a stiff of a film released in 1961)
look like the mysterious "outsider art" construction of the eccentric
Ed Leedskalnin known as Coral Castle? It was used as the set! Ed's odd
visionary pile of concrete and conch shells became the playground for
the nudie cutie filmed by Equally eccentric director Raymond Phelan and
the insane Doris Wishman.
Just
how Ed created his massive tonnage of odd is unknown, as there are
chunks too big for a mere mortal to move. Leedskalnin literally did
create a moonscape near Miami, but little did he know one day it would
be filled with nubile moon nudes emoting (well..really just bouncing)
for the big screen!
The official Coral Gables Environment website is HERE,
but unfortunately it appears they have missed the connection between
their mysterious tourist attraction and the producer of "Bad Girls Go To
Hell" and "Blaze Starr Goes Nudist."
Entire books have been
written which speculate how a small, old man could create such a
monstrosity down in Florida. Today, the whole thing would be digitally
created by Pixar, and the naked moon women would cavort against a green
screen backdrop like weathermen. But the set was there, it was
available (not yet having been appreciated by art aficionados) and
furthermore it was right down where the magnificent Bunny Yeager could
be the film's publicity photographer (True)
See
that big goony crescent shaped thing? Take your pic of pictures…one
with tourists, or the other with extra-nude nudists paid for the day!
The female of the species wear "Deely Bobbers" on their heads like
antennae. They relax in the tropical Coral Gable sun while two astronaut
actors sweat out their performances in tights and helmets.
Here
is a picture of the creator Ed patiently waiting for the day the nudes
will arrive. Ed Leedskalnin has been the subject of books and
discussion on the junk science radio show Coast to Coast, but I do not
believe anyone has yet discussed the environment being used by a bunch
of volleyball playing fake nudists creating a film for 42nd Street in
the 1960s.
One
CAN rent the place for special events today, so I guess a sequel could
be made. I'm sure it could be done in one day, like the original.
Aieee! Three dead animals stapled to wood decorate the yard of a woman! I'm not sure if they were just dropped off by the taxidermist or she IS the taxidermist! For my thoughts and additional pictures of stuffed creatures, see my article HERE in Paraphilia.
Prominent examples of faked press photographs abound. What most don't realize is how many times over the years we have been tricked. Shown here is an original press photograph dated 1921 in which a nascent photograph editor decided the "fat man" in the world's largest swivel chair was too small. An insert of the man enlarged was pasted into the chair before publication. Was the desired effect to make the chair smaller? The man fatter? Either way, just one out of millions of examples of press deceit. Note the chair was cropped with paint as well. This most insignificant example is but one of many. Exactly how many were NOT insignificant is hard to say. Did you know the famous Kent State photograph once had a pole behind the head of the grieving woman kneeling over the murdered body of a protester?
Original Press photograph with enlarged fat man overlay. Collection Jim Linderman Dull Tool Dim Bulb.
An add-em-up dart board from Ray Oakes. Below it, Ray proudly stands before some of his other scams! Mr. Oakes and his sons (one who took over the business when the old man died) sold carnival and sideshow games designed to remove quarters from one person and put them into the heavy pockets of others.
The Add Em Up dart game is an example of a razzle-dazzle. The vocal delivery of the carny is as important as where the darts actually land. During the 1950s, any game involving math was a pretty safe bet in rural America. Often the boards had numbers printed so small, they could not be read from the dart throwing spot. "NO LEANING". Some had numbers which would be subtracted from the total, so a player really never knew where he stood. Along with some confusing patter designed to bring the "total points" to a meaningless (and prize-less) number, the frustrated mark would leave and try the next game. Move along, or look even more stupid when you try to logic it out.
Oakes worked from Tampa Florida and Illinois during the mid 20th century. They sold carnival punks (the rack of cats shown here) and other sketchy sideshow games to operators all over the country.
ADDEMUP
Add-em-Up game cardboard sign or dartboard circa 1950 Thanks to our friends at BOX LOTS on Facebook.
I got ALL FOUR SPEEDS baby. Bring on the Vinyl. Zenith HP-6VA Record Player 1950s Collection Jim Linderman SEE ALSO THE BIRTH OF ROCK AND ROLL from Dust to Digital
Aah yes. For once, I can say this isn't something I lived through. Like a pigeon, I was born fully grown! (My urban friends will understand that, as no one in the world has seen a baby pigeon.) Digress. DUNCE was a tasteful game produced by the Schaper company. It's what plastic was invented for! Johnny comes home from a humiliating long day at school, and his parents want to make him play school MORE. I would guess a third of my nightmares go back to school. Brain wrinkles store up the most horrendous memories. Schaper make a load of toys you might remember. Cootie (that thing you put plastic legs into) and DELUXE Cootie, Skunk, Lil Stinker, Tumble Bug, Snap-eze and Tiddle Tac Toe among them. Maybe letting your kids play video games isn't so bad after all. W. H. Schaper Mfg. Company Minneapolis, MN. 1956
Odd. A group of soldiers round up the boots of opposing troops? This one is a mystery. I have heard of taking boots and marking the ground with them going the other direction to confuse trackers, but I am really not quite sure what is going on here. Nonetheless, an antique folk art drawing depicting the spoils of war in SOME manner, if whimsical. Collection Jim Linderman See also ECCENTRIC FOLK ART DRAWINGS
Bloom Photography studio was active in Chicago in the 1920s and 1930s. They took photographs of celebrities and burlesque performers. This letter opener was likely given to customers to stimulate business. You may also enjoy the site TRUE BURLESQUE No date Collection Jim Linderman
Are flea circus acts real? Mimi Garneu's was. Here Mimi makes her tiny troupe run through the act on her desk. The world's smallest slave labor! The film shows a competing group, but you get the idea. I once tied a fly to a piece of thread and he few around in circles, but I felt it cruel and let him go. Fleas, however, get no pass. Creepy little chiggers. At least Mimi knew how to control her infestation. Mimi was a sword swallower too. To see more information about the Amazing Mimi Garneau, see the book project on her HERE
The Yogi predicts Lenticular Love for Valentine's Day! Gazing into the crystal Ball reveals the prophetic picture change. "Moving" postcard published by the Yogi Company, Wheeling, WV.
Everyone needs a hobby. I collect snapshots of Scarecrows. Hard-working ephemeral folk art figures now replaced by poison insecticides and factory agriculture. An easier, more simple time here? No. The times were never easy and they never will be. See MORE at the link HERE
Can any blues song, or blues performance be called the best? There are many one could nominate, and you are welcome to suggest yours as a comment here. This is the story of a song which combines infidelity, deception, sex, humor, fear, impending violence, escape, neighborhood gossip and more in a few short lines. Who wrote it? Let's try to find out. This is the story of One Way Out.
One Way Out isn't even a traditional blues song, except for the first stanza.
Ain't but one way out baby, Lord I just can't go out the door Ain't but one way out baby, and Lord I just can't go out the door 'Cause there's a man down there, might be your man I don't know
Lord you got me trapped a woman, up on the second floor If I get by this time I won't be trapped no more So raise your window baby, I can ease out soft and slow And Lord, your neighbors, no they won't be Talking that stuff that they don't know
Lord, I'm foolish to be here in the first place I know some man gonna walk in and take my place Ain't no way in the world, I'm going out that front door 'Cause there's a man down there, might be your man I don't know 'Cause there's a man down there, might be your man I don't know The most familiar version is, of course, the Allman Brothers. Recorded and released numerous times, and a stalwart of the brother's live performances for 40 years. Likely brought to the band by Duane "Skydog" Allman. The track here comes from the last night of a four night stand recorded for their Live at the Fillmore Lp in June 1971 with Tom Dowd at the controls (?) This version is selected as Duane was alive, though not to be for long…and the interplay with co-lead guitarist Dickey Betts is outstanding. Duane regularly appears on "top ten greatest guitar player" lists, but on each one he should be bumped up a few notches.
Duane's brother Gregg Allman once said the phrase "southern rock" is redundant." He is right, and it is one of my favorite rock and roll quotes. Mr. Allman often says a great, great deal with few words.
On the Allman Brothers releases, One Way Out is credited to Marshall Sehorn and Elmore James. Sehorn was a musician who became southern promotion man for the Fire and Fury labels. He put his name on Elmore's recording.
Common practice then…and theft. Sehorn would eventually receive songwriting credit (and the royalty payments) for over 350 songs recorded in the 1960s. He went on to form a company with Allen Toussaint, helping the the Neville Brothers obtain a recording contract and recording numerous New Orleans legendary musicians. As this story is aimed at blues listeners…he also claimed writing credits with Lightnin Hopkins. Here is Sehorn, a fellow who LOOKS like an adulterer who might skulk out a second floor window, but not really a bluesman. He didn't write it. By the way, Dickie Betts, who had to take the place of a very young Duane Allman at a very young age....is no slouch either.
The Elmore James version of One Way Out is a screech with a fingered solo…no slide (!!!) and a saxophone. He recorded it in 1961 but it didn't get released until two years after Elmore passed away. I believe it first appeared on The Sky is Crying Lp, and it was also released the same year as a single.
I believe it is most likely Sonny Boy Wiliamson who should be credited with the song. It is a clever lyric, and Sonny boy was clever. He recorded two versions, the first in 1961 and again in 1965. Sonny was also not bound by tradition. If he wanted his blues song to read like a poem, a sonnet or a speech it was his right, and he is usually considered one of the most poetic writers of blues songs. Here, it is Chess Records house-writer Willie Dixon who sneaks his name onto the label.
G. L. Crockett's version of the song in 1965 gives it a primitive, swampy sound. A little King Bee, a little Jimmy Reed. G.L. Crockett was Chicago-based, and his real initials were G. T. Crockett. Why the change? Typo? The label didn't care much. He also recorded as "G. Davy Crockett (!) He claims authorship!
Likewise, Duster Bennett recorded as It's a Man Down There, He credits the song to Crockett and speaks a bit of the song. Duster was a British blues singer, so we might say he apes his way through the song. Needless to say he didn't write it. Duster Passed away in 1978 when his Ford van collided with a truck after doing a gig with Memphis Slim.
Jimmy Reed recorded an ANSWER SONG(!) titled I'm the Man Down There in which he dares the man upstairs to use the stairs! Jimmy wants to kick your ass, but in real life his wife was tougher than he was…and she's upstairs busy.
"I'm the man down there, boy
Don't you come down those stairs".
I am willing to bet there were some 1960s garage band versions and many African-American Chitlin Circuit versions of the song too.
There was truly only one way out, at least for Elmore…and Stefan Wirz shows it on his Elmore James discography HERE.
