"Eat a lot of peaches" is my code phrase for "remember the good stuff." How do you remind yourself?
Spanish Pipedream (aka Blow Up Your TV)
lyrics by John Prine
She was a level-headed dancer on the road to alcohol
And I was just a soldier on my way to Montreal
Well she pressed her chest against me
About the time the juke box broke
Yeah, she gave me a peck on the back of the neck
And these are the words she spoke
Chorus:
Blow up your T.V. throw away your paper
Go to the country, build you a home
Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches
Try an' find Jesus on your own
All of it here
YouTube: Prine singing Spanish Pipedream in concert
Song notes (taken from the lyrics link above. I don't know if these are accurate.)
---"I wrote it for a Puerto Rican dishwasher in Chicago 'cause he liked Spanish songs." ~John Prine London, Aug 8, 1976
---"I used to keep a small bowl of real fine pebbles that I picked up on my mail route, and if somebody said something really stupid on TV, I'd throw some at the screen." ~John PrinePoetry Friday is hosted today by Two Writing Teachers
I eat gluten free pancakes with fig jam (from my fig tree)or fresh blueberries (in season) when I need to remember the good stuff. Or I just think about it.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I have to chuckle; this reminds me of a Presidents of the United States song from when I was in school called "Millions of Peaches." I have to say this song makes ...a little more sense. But I have to agree -- I definitely equate eating "millions of peaches, peaches for me" as having a mouthful of something wonderful, literally or figuratively.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm going to try to remember that -- to celebrate the good. Got my ARC's unexpectedly today for the next book, and my first reaction was to panic that I need to finish my WIP by the end of the month.
Going to eat a peach and admire the covers of the books...
For me: A fresh cup of coffee over good conversation with a friend = a reminder of the good things in life.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna try that pebbles bit.
Funny about the peaches. I equate peaches with the good stuff because of a story my mom told me about her childhood.
ReplyDeleteLast year, I bid on a snowflake by Yangsook Choi that had a Korean girl with peaches, because it reminded me of my mom's story. I won it and it hangs in my kitchen/office and every time I look at it, I smile.
This is one of my all time favorite songs! I saw John Prine in concert a few years ago with my dad . . . he's such a great lyricist!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone! Maybe I should start a peaches meme and have everyone share their song, story, memory, recipe, whatever. Consider yourself tagged. PEACHES!
ReplyDelete