Vonlolly Ringing a Bell!
Dong! Dong! Dong!
"For whom the bell tolls."
Dong!
Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
The tolling in the quotation, as used by Ernest Hemingway,
was taken from a 16th century humanitarian meditation by John Dunne.
It refers to funeral bells and Donne seems to be saying that whatever affects one affects us all.
Or to put it more spiritually, we are all one and that when one dies, we all die a little.
I always wondered why 'Oh! Sweet Nuthin'' by the Velvet Underground
was so emotionally acute and I guess that it's that subconscious concern we have: for the
death wish junkies and dreamers, whose only respite is the self-induced
nothingness of their addictions.
Say a word for Jimmy Brown, he ain't got nuthin' at all
Not the shirt right off his back, he ain't got nuthin' at all
And say a word for Ginger Brown, who walks with his head down to the ground
Took the shoes right off his feet an' threw the poor boy right out in the street
An' this is what he said
Oh! sweet nuthin', she aint got nuthin' at all
Oh! sweet nuthin', she aint got nuthin' at all
An' say a word for Polly Mae , she can't tell the night from the day
They threw her out on the street an' just like a cat she landed on her feet
An' say a word for Joanie Love, she ain't got nuthin' at all
Every day she falls in love an' every night she falls
An' when she does, she says
Oh! sweet nuthin'. You know she ain't got nuthin' at all
Wo wo oh! sweet nuthin', she ain't got nuthin' at all'
Let me hear ya...
(guitar)
Sterling Morrison, the Velvets guitarist died in 1995. His fragile guitar
playing on the song is heart-rending and up-lifting, as it rises majestically out of
those New York gutters.
Lou Reed: "Sterl could do almost anything. His guitar style was unique and
mirrored the innate talents of this wondrous man. I loved him deeply, and the
nobility during his illness... I want to be as strong as he was when faced with the final
adversary. His massive strength and dignity will stay with me forever."
Tugboat captain and guitarist Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr.
His contribution to the Velvets music was enormous.
There are over three million millionaires in the USA at present.
Of the 4 Californian counties in the top 10, Los Angeles County has the most at over 300,000.
Defined as available net value assets not including lifestyle assets, (cars etc.) or principle residence.
But... who wants to be one?
The American Dream.
Is it freedom from the influence, control, or determination of another or others?
Jim Jones certainly thought so, up until his paranoia about US law enforcement got the better of him and
he fled the US with his 'Peoples Temple' followers to found 'Jonestown' in Gyana.
There, in 1978, Jones and 909 of his followers (including over 200 children) committed mass
suicide by drinking Kool Aid laced with poison.
It seems he was a great fan of Mao Tse Tung the Chinese Peoples leader, who was also responsible for the deaths of many.
Well, some while ago the Alabama 3 minced (or is it mashed?) up a little ditty using sound bites of Jones' rhetoric on Chairman Mao, accompanied by Millie, a young black disciple.
It's a great piece of musical imagining and an anthem of sorts for all those who see themselves as victims."
by the Alabama 3.
Jim Jones: "Martin Luther King died for his love. Kennedy died talking about something he couldn't even understand some kind of generalized love and he never even backed it up! He was shot down. Bullshit, Love isn't the only weapon with which I got to fight". I've got a hell of a lot of weapons to fight! I got my claws, I got cutlasses, I got guns, I got dynamite. I got a hell of a lot of fight! I'll fight! I'll fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight!
Let them hear it in the night! Yes, we'll fight! They're listening. Let the night roar! Let the night roar, because they can hear us, they know we mean it. We'll kill them if they come!"
Mao Tse Tung said change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun.
Not thru talkin' and not thru waitin'
and sittin' around just contemplatin' the facts
Cos we know what they are
So let Mao Tse Tung be your guidin' star
Pick up a gun and learn how to fight
All thru the day and all thru the night
'Til come the day when the last fight's won
I want you to listen son
Cos Mao Tse Tung said change must come
Thru the barrel of a gun
I want you to listen son
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun.
Jim Jones' epic rant is followed by the band's revolutionary rhetoric
and then Jones' cruel coercing of Millie.
Jones: "Okay, what was the basic premise of Mao?
Mao Tse Tung said there's only one way a revolution can come. Do you know, Millie? How did
Mao Tse Tung say the only way you can bring a revolution and keep it?"
Millie: "Where you.. onliest way I think you can it is by being at peace and being honorable.
Jones: "Oh, shit, I ain't.. no.. "being at peace"? Mao Tse Tung said that? Oh, no no no no. Wait a minute, oh. He's the head of China. He's the head of the revolution of China. No, I'm sorry. He marched 6000 people on the long march. I had my mind on something else. Okay then, wha wha what'd he say? There's only one way you can bring about a revolution for people."
Millie: " Only way you can.. only way you can bring it on, that by.. is by killing.
Jones: "Well, what.. yes, that's okay, I'm going to let you pass it, but what'd he say? He had a nice little phrase that everybody should know. "Change comes through..."
Millie: "through... by a barrel of a gun."
Jones: "That's right senoir. And that's good cos you by rights would have every reason to forget some things. "Change must come thru the barrel of a gun." said Mao Tse Tung. This place would be a paradise tomorrow if every department had a supervisor with a submachine gun.
Let them hear it in the night! Yes, we'll fight! Let the night roar, because they can hear us, they know we mean it. We'll kill them if they come!"
Mao Tse Tung Said
change must come
Mao Tse Tung Said
change must come
Mao Tse Tung Said
change must come.
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun.
Mao was so successful in his early years that people worshipped him and loved him.
After 1949, although Mao was a great thinker, he had no respect for existing laws. He destroyed traditional Chinese culture, the education system and despite giving women the same rights as men, he destroyed their traditional values.
On the other hand, Andy Warhol made him look just like any other celebrity.
To see more of Vonlolly's music-related meanderings, click on the links below.
