Willie Nelson: The Tao Of Willie.

Today I thought I would tell you about a book I have enjoyed reading this past weekend. The Tao Of Willie, by Willie Nelson and Turk Pipkin. A friend of mine gave me an excellent album by Willie Nelson a couple of years ago called A Beautiful Place, and listening to songs like Energy Follows Thought (See song below) and Live Every Day made me realise that Willie is a philosopher as well as being a great singer-songwriter. Willie was in his 70s when this book was published in 2006, and he is 91 now, so he must be doing something right. The Tao or Dao is the natural order of the universe according to East Asian philosophy and religion which has meanings including 'way', 'path', or 'road'. In order to have a happy and healthy life it is important to live in harmony with the Tao. The book is a very entertaining collection of Willie’s words of wisdom on living a happy life. To me his philosophy seems to be a mix of Buddhism, Cherokee, and cowboy wisdom. Willie understands that happiness isn’t an emotion, it is our natural state of being. It is the negative thoughts of our conditioned mind that makes us think otherwise. 

Laughter is a bi-product of happiness, so consequently Willie’s book is full of humour and jokes, even if I have heard most of his jokes before. There is one chapter on ‘The Golden Rule’ which is "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". That is a quote from the bible but is common to all the major religions. Willie practices meditation everyday and talks about the importance of being aware of our breathing. Most people go through life totally unaware of the fact that they are breathing. He says we should, ‘Sit, Listen, Breathe, Dream, Renew’.  The important thing is to live in the present moment, ‘Be’ happy, not ‘Been’ happy. Willie says that we should take time to slow down and smell the flowers, or in his case smoke the flowers 😊. 

Willie has plenty of practical advice for healthy living as well, such as the importance of drinking lots of water instead of alcohol and caffeine which dehydrate us. He says we should drink six to eight glasses of water a day. “Pee more and live longer”, is Willie’s motto on that subject. I don’t agree with everything that Willie comes out with. He seems to have been influenced by a Father Taliaferro, pastor of the non-denominational St Alcuin’s Community Church of Dallas Texas. I looked him up on the internet and found out that he was a Rosicrucian and a Freemason which all seems a bit dodgy to me. 

I don’t want to appear negative though, so I’ll concentrate on the things I do agree with. I like Willie’s political views. He is a close friend of Jimmy Carter who I think is the most well meaning and honourable US President of the last 50 years. I’m glad they have both lived long enough to vote for Kamala Harris in the coming election. Willie has a lot to say about the weaknesses in the American voting system, especially the Electoral College where a candidate can win the popular vote but lose the election. This has happened twice in recent times, so I am praying that doesn’t happen to Kamala Harris. There are also some nice anecdotes about his close friend and neighbour on Maui Kris Kristofferson who passed away recently. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book of the wit and wisdom of the one and only Willie Nelson who is an American national treasure.

 

Willie Nelson - Energy Follows Thought.

Van Morrison - It’s All In The Game/You Know What They’re Writing About ...

The Grave of Thomas Helliker

It was Sober October day 15 yesterday, and I was feeling a bit cooped-up indoors, so thought I would catch the bus over to Trowbridge and have a look at the shops. I bought a fur lined hoodie type thing in Next that might be warm in the winter, and then had a mooch around a couple of charity shops until I got bored. When I got back to the bus stop, I found it was half an hour until the next bus home. How could I wile away the next 30 minutes? I remembered that I had read about a 19th century poet called George Crabbe who was rector of St James Church from 1814 to his death in 1832. I had never heard of him before, but apparently, he was very influential in his day, and Benjamin Britten had even based an opera on one of his poems. There was a memorial to him in the church. 

Crabbe Memorial.

I thought I could add him to my list of famous graves I have visited. As you may know, in the last few years I have seen the graves of George Orwell, Thomas Hardy, Lawrence of Arabia, Laurie Lee, Seigfried Sassoon, Thomas Moore, C. Day Lewis and others. When I entered the church, I found there was some sort of service or event going on, with lots of people sitting in the pews. I didn’t want to disturb them and beat a hasty retreat. So, I didn’t get to see George’s memorial, but I can’t say I was exactly disappointed. I had a quick look in the churchyard instead. Most of the headstones were so old and faded you couldn’t read them. One tomb caught my eye though because it had obviously been well looked after. There was even a faded wreath on top of it. The inscription had been restored in recent years. It read-

                                                         Sacred to the memory of

                                                               Thomas Helliker

The thread of whose life was cut in the bloom of youth. He exchanged mortality for immortality March 22, 1803, in the 19th year of his age. The fatal catastrophe which led to this unfortunate event is too awful to describe. Suffice it say that he met his death with the greatest fortitude and resignation of mind. Considering his youth he may be said to have but few equals. He died a true penitent. Being very anxious in his last moments that others might take a timely warning and avoid evil company. This tomb was erected at his earnest request by the cloth making factories of the counties of York Wilts and Somerset as a token of their love to him and veneration of his memory.

A second inscription was added later:

                                      This tomb was formerly placed over the remains of

                                                               Thomas Helliker

At a time of great disturbance throughout the manufacturing towns of this county. He was condemned for an offence against the law of which he was afterwards believed to be innocent and determined to die rather than give testimony which would have saved his own life but forfeited the lives of others. Some of the cloth-workers of this town being so desirous to perpetuate the remembrance of such an heroic act of self-sacrifice have restored this memorial in the year of our lord 1876.

I found this fascinating, and much more interesting than George Crabbe. When I got home, I immediately looked on Wikipedia to find out more about Thomas Helliker. I discovered 'Thomas Helliker (23 March 1784 – 22 March 1803), known as The Trowbridge Martyr, was a figure in early English trade union history who was hanged, aged 19, for his alleged role in machine-breaking at a Wiltshire woollen mill. His conviction has been challenged as controversial and faulty, and he is now regarded as a victim of anti-Luddite sentiment'. He was a shearman’s apprentice, a highly skilled cutter or finisher of cloth. He worked at Littleton Mill, Semington, around 3 miles from Trowbridge. On July 22nd, 1802, a riot was organised by workers unhappy with the new machinery which threatened their livelihoods. They attacked the mill, and it was destroyed by fire. Thomas was identified as a main culprit by a man called Heath who collected £500 reward money for his dubious evidence. A man called Warren had earlier claimed he had been drinking with Thomas on the night in question, but this evidence of an alibi was not heard in court. The jury took only ten minutes to find him guilty and he was publicly hanged outside Fisherton Jail in Salisbury on March 23^rd, 1803. 

Last Letter.

His friends claimed his body and carried him across Salisbury Plain for burial in Trowbridge. There is an annual wreath laying ceremony on his anniversary organised by trade unionists. The last letter he wrote to his family is on display in Trowbridge Museum which I’ll try and visit the next time I’m in Trowbridge. I’m very pleased that I accidentally came across the grave of Thomas Helliker. It is a reminder of the terrible conditions and harsh laws that prevailed before the advent of trade unions which fought for the workers’ rights which we enjoy today, but take for granted at our peril.

Annual Memorial.

Indoor Safari by Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets.

I thought today I would tell you about an album I have been enjoying for the past ten days or so. It is Indoor Safari by Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets. Nick has written some great songs in the past which have been covered by other singers, such as (What’s So Funny ‘bout) Peace Love And Understanding which Elvis Costello recorded, The Beast In Me for Johnny Cash, and I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock And Roll) for Dave Edmunds. I first realised how good Nick was when a neighbour friend gave me a copy of his The Impossible Bird album, and later I bought Dig My Mood. I rate this new collection of songs as being at least as good as any work of Nick’s long career. I have seen him perform several times, usually as a solo act, but in 2019 I saw him perform with Los Straitjackets at Glastonbury. It was the same night that The Mavericks also played on the Acoustic Stage. 

What a great night that was. Los Straitjackets were amazing, they wore suits, but also Aztec medallions and hid their faces behind Mexican wrestling masks. They might be the best guitar band I’ve ever seen. They are Eddie Angel and Greg Townson on guitars, Pete Curry on bass, and Chris Sprague on drums. You could describe their sound as retro rockabilly surf guitar music. They were founded in Nashville in 1988 and have released about 20 instrumental albums. I think they must have met Nick in 2017 when they recorded a tribute album of Nick’s songs. Nick has said of them, "Apart from being a fantastic rock ‘n’ roll band, they know how to play tons of different styles really well. They can knock you out a version of Bacharach and David's "The Look of Love" with no trouble at all”. Their sound is the perfect accompaniment to Nick’s songs which have always had a retro feel to them. Nick has never worried about trying to sound fashionable or modern. 

Nick is 75 now. When a lot of his contemporaries in music are just recycling past glories it is refreshing to hear Nick come up with a collection of brand new songs with intelligent, often humorous lyrics, even if it is his first new album in about ten years. Nick wrote all but two of the songs here. The album’s title comes from the first track Went To A Party where Nick goes to a crazy party and gets mistaken for Robin Hitchcock. Love Starvation follows a familiar theme in Nick’s songs, namely lack of love in his life. I love the driving beat of Crying Inside which could be said to be a Nick Lowe style answer to Tears Of A Clown by Smokey Robinson.  A Quiet Place begins with a lady shouting “Hey Eddie, Eddie Angel”. It is a sad, but funny tale of someone who can’t get any sleep with cats meowing, neighbours fighting, and drunks singing Sweet Caroline. It was originally a hit, with slightly different words in 1963 for Garnet Mimms (still alive aged 90) and has also been recorded by many reggae bands. Blue On Blue is a poignant ballad sung as only Nick knows how. Jet Pac Boomerang is a lively song of good love gone bad where Nick quotes The Beatles, “Last night I said these words to my girl”. Tokyo Bay is a short and sweet rockabilly romp on a nautical theme. Trombone is the longest track and ironically there is no trombone to be heard. 

Different Kind Of Blue is another sad ballad of lost love set in the cold grey light of dawn. I have shared this song below if you want to hear it. If I had to choose a favourite track, I think it might be that one. Raincoat In The River is an obscure song originally recorded by Rick Nelson in 1965. Lay It On Me Baby is a jaunty optimistic song of love without a cloud in the sky, for a change. The mood doesn’t last though because the final song is Don’t Be Nice To Me which is pessimistic in mood, but that doesn’t matter because it’s only a song, many of Nick’s songs are tongue in cheek and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. I highly recommend this collection of songs by the great Nick Lowe and the amazing Los Straitjackets. 

Nick Lowe, Los Straitjackets - Different Kind of Blue

Van Morrison Autumn Song