Thursday, May 30, 2013

Rock, Liz, and other oddments




Use-ta be, you had a junk drawer, or a bunch of old photos rattling around in a shoe box. They could be from any era, but usually all mixed up. Now we have files, but they are no less mysterious.




For obvious reasons, or reasons which should-all be obvious to you-all by now (just look up, stupid!), many of my junk-drawer/catchall photos are of Harold Lloyd. These have a magic that is surreal and dreamlike, in and of another era. What was it like to be there "in the flesh"?




A few aren't Harold. This must have been scanned out of a book. It's Bob Dylan and his first great love, Suze Rotolo, about whom he wrote "Girl from the North Country", "Boots of Spanish Leather" and "Ballad in Plain D". They seem to be made of pure mist. Hard to believe the dessicated old leather saddle that is Dylan ever looked like this.






A few blank greeting cards popped up. Since they were too pretty to send, I kept them.



To think you could once get a FREE (While They Last) Harold Lloyd doll at the Piggly Wiggly! 




These two, later to marry forever, remind me of salt 'n pepper. They just belong together. Both have a surreal, doll-like quality about them.




And speaking of misty surrealism. . . 




Where did I GET these things?



A splendid Wesley Dennis painting of Misty of Chincoteague (who was a real pony!)




Harold meets the Woman at the Well.




This charming French poster for an early Lloyd film (called, I think, I Do) is notable for the bracketed word after his name: "Lui", his nickname in Europe, loosely translated as "him" (you know who I mean, THAT guy!). Imagine such ready identification, closer than Chaplin.




Compare and contrast! I just found this a minute ago and had to include it. What's that strange thing behind Harold, an oven or something? Couldn't be a TV. Note how they left it out of the poster, but included his right hand which was out of sight in the photo (due to his prosthetic glove, which always looked sort of weird).




D'yall need to have this one explained to you?

Didn't think so.

Everybody says don't (Harold Lloyd-style)




Everybody says don't
Everybody says don't
Everybody says don't, it isn't right,
Don't, it isn't nice.




Everybody says don't
Everybody says don't
Everybody says don't walk on the grass,
Don't disturb the peace,
Don't skate on the ice.



Well I say do, I say,
Walk on the grass, it was meant to feel.
I say, sail, 
Tilt at the windmill
And if you fail you fail.




Everybody says don't
Everybody says don't
Everybody says don't get out of line
When they say that then, maybe it's a sign
Nine times out of ten,
Baby you're doing just fine.




Make just a ripple, come on be brave
This time a ripple, next time a wave
Sometimes you have to start small,
Climbing the tiniest wall -
Maybe you're going to fall
But it is better than not starting at all.




Everybody says no, stop,
Mustn't rock the boat, mustn't touch a thing




Everybody says don't
Everybody says wait
Everybody says can't fight city hall
Can't upset the cart
Can't laugh at the King.




Well, I say do, I say,
Laugh at the King, or he'll make you cry
Lose your poise
Fall if you have to, but come on, make a noise!





Yes!
Everybody says don't
Everybody says can't





Everybody says wait around for miracles
That's the way the world is made





I insist on miracles
If you do them, miracles, nothing to them
I say don't...


Don't be afraid!