What A Trip: Crystal Blue Persuasion
I had never seen this video before, but remember the song vividly from a morning in 1969 when I was in my Datsun Bluebird driving down a Saigon street and the music was interrupted with notice of a MPC exchange. I was living at 141 Tran Quy Cap, Saigon then.
I still just love that song. I just MAY, still have the original vinyl record around here somewhere.
ReplyDeleteMy brother and I both got one when it came out and the last time I saw it, I had his copy.
They had several good tunes back in the day.
Yes, but I imagine virtually all the artists are good little commies today. How depressing.
DeleteI remember listening to this at the swimming pool either on or near Ft. Benning Georgia. I am not sure if my father was deployed at the time, but the song was magical even to a little kid...
ReplyDeletethe song was magical even to a little kid.
DeleteThanks for the memories.
Hi - I'm back - what a beautiful place you lived in Saigon back in 1969!
ReplyDeleteI never saw this video either, but sure do love the song. As far as the tripped out kids go, it reminded me of Forest Gump's childhood love who joined the Haight/Ashbury scene and ended up dead with AIDS years later - oh dear.
So, is the song about sex & drugs, or something else? Here is an interview with Tommy who spells it out on the 700 Club (another Michigan boy!) - he doesn't tell what the song is about until the last minute of the interview - the rest was worth listening to if you like a good redemption story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR69fuo_Q3k
Hi - I'm back - what a beautiful place you lived in Saigon back in 1969!
Delete:) Hope your mom is well. The two links under the Tran Quy Cap post tell more, but the building was confiscated by the Communist government when the owners fled in '75 and they ruined it as they painted over all the old French hand painted murals that went around the top of the walls in the rooms and took off the outside covered porch that went all the way around the upstairs which was the area I rented for $100 a month. I visited there when they were in the midst of doing this in 1992, as I remember and I told them that they were crazy, but to no avail. There weren't any large buildings around it also and large trees went all the way around the inside perimeter of the property. Of course, I've never seen anything that the Communists didn't screw up. :)
Forest Gump's childhood love
Great movie.
Thanks for the video and I'll check it out now.
Here's what Wiki states:
"In a 1985 interview in Hitch magazine, James said the title of the song came to him while he was reading the Biblical Book of Revelation:
I took the title from the Book of Revelations [sic] in the Bible, reading about the New Jerusalem. The words jumped out at me, and they're not together; they're spread out over three or four verses. But it seemed to go together, it's my favorite of all my songs and one of our most requested.[1]
With an appropriate lighting scheme, the 2000s edition of Tommy James and the Shondells perform "Crystal Blue Persuasion"
However, according to James's manager, James was actually inspired by his readings of the Book of Ezekiel, which (he remembered as) speaking of a blue Shekhinah light that represented the presence of the Almighty God, and of the Book of Isaiah and Book of Revelation, which tell of a future age of brotherhood of mankind, living in peace and harmony.[2]
Many listeners thought "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was a drug song advocating the use of "crystal meth" (Methamphetamine), while on the West Coast. At the time of the song's release there were several popular types of high quality blue-colored LSD tablets in circulation--some listeners generally assumed James was referring to "acid". In 1979, noted music writer Dave Marsh described it as "a transparent allegory about James' involvement with amphetamines."[3]
After listening to the whole interview, Tommy may have found God, but it took him a lot longer to give up the drugs. I am thinking it might have been a drug-inspired revelation about our dear (forgiving) Lord.) After I read 'Ezekiel,' I thought the same thing as Tommy- Man, that is a UFO if I ever saw one - and I was stone sober... )
ReplyDeleteI will check out the other links - when was the last time you went to Vietnam, Brock? I know some business people who have been trying to do business there, but it is very difficult.
2005. 3 months then, before that 5 months in 1999 and then much of the time from 1992 to 1995. http://www.namsouth.com/viewtopic.php?t=18 I would liked to have gone back already, but the TSA and I won't get along, I'm afraid. The Communist government makes the Thieu administration look lily white as they are corrupt beyond imagination. If I had taken a chance in 1999, I would have made about 300K on a place in Saigon, but at that time you had to put the name in a Vietnamese citizen only, though that has changed now. You need an honest Vietnamese family member to do business there and then payoffs are required, but in the long run cheaper than doing business here legally.
Delete"in the long run cheaper than doing business here legally"
ReplyDeleteSo true - I believe that the payoff aspect is getting to be universal - just the price of doing business. I have thought about it since I retired to do something different regarding a small business - the juice just ain't worth the squeeze & I would end up killing someone with my Princess Xena saber...and then be in prison for the rest of my ornery life. (
be in prison for the rest of my ornery life.
DeleteOrnery or not I hope that it is a long one. :)
Actually I am one of the sweetest Yankees out there - it's cuz I am from SOUTHERN Michigan. I wouldn't hurt a fly (as long as it's outside).....I'll race you (virtual, of course) Brock, for a long life! )
ReplyDelete:) I have a friend from Southern Illinois who says that area was pro-Confederate during the Late Unpleasantness and If you look at the map, that area is actually slightly further South than Richmond. :)
Deletelots of Southerners moved to SE Michigan (aka, Detroit) for the jobs. We're not all bad up here....honest ;) Was talking to my uncle the other day about that very thing. He mentioned how the atrocities at Andersonville were no different than what happened at the POW camps up North. Unpleasant, indeed! War is hell and should be avoided at all costs, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteAgreed and Elmira: Death Camp of the North is a good read.
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