I learned a lot of what I know about the world from Kenny Rogers. It's true; he was huge when I was a kid and it occurs to me that I can recite verbatim many of his nuggets of wisdom. Before his ill-considered plastic surgery (also see Burt Reynolds), he gave us the following:
From The Gambler: "You've got to know when to hold, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run/ You never count your money, while you're sitting at the table/ there'll be time enough for counting when then dealings done." I took this lyric to heart and never counted out my change in public except at the Brazos Theater in Mineral Wells where I often paid in pennies (it was only a dollar for a movie, even still this did not make me popular with the people at the counter). I only played Go Fish in terms of card games, even so. Know when to fold them. Indeed Kenny.
From Lucille: "I've known some bad times, been through some sad times, but this time the hurtings for real." I didn't have four hungry children or a crop in the field, but man, I knew pain. I knew when the hurting was for real. Thank you Kenny!
However, my favorite Kenny song was "Ruby" about a paraplegic Vietnam vet who begged his wife Ruby not to "take her love to town." This painful narrative informed much of my young life. The husband who had come back from "a crazy Asian war" had to watch his love get ready to "take her love to town" from his wheelchair. I promised I'd never be a Ruby. Rubies were evil.
Why Kenny let surgeons take to his face, I'll never know. But the tao of Kenny still holds true. I'm going to go fold them for today, but back tomorrow.
Movie suggestion: Cedar Rapids
Benedictions and Maledictions
Hi everyone! Obviously, the weekend has been horrific for much of the world --- much prayer and love to Japan.
6 comments:
I'd almost forgotten the he did Ruby. Love that song. But my favorite nugget from Kenny may be, "I just dropped in, to see what condition my condition was in."
Hi Honey, I loved those songs and also 'Islands in the Stream'. That is who we are! xo
What? Now you have to have Grouchie doing the old "hey man I just ran out of gas and we need a couple of dollars so I can get to Mt. Clemens" routine. That's the Tao of Detroit.
And yes I agree the weekend sucked ass for a whole shit load of people everywhere.
I always remember my mom playing "Through the Years" on my parents anniversary. I just read last week that Kenny is working on a gospel album, the very first in his long career. I agree, he hasn't been looking too good these day, and watching him sing Ruby is probably strange with that plastic perma-smile on his face.
Cheers.
Hiroshima Mon Amour!--G. Beck
Remember listening to all of those in my parents' station wagon as it sat in the carport. Another favorite, maybe the one that sticks with me most, is Coward of the County.
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