Monday, July 9, 2018

Wagons Ho! ...


“Roll along Wagon Train

Rollin’ over prairie where there ain’t no grass,
Rollin’ over mountain where there ain’t no pass.
Sittin’ on a board, eyein’ the weather,
Prayin’ to the Lord, we stay together
Side by side on the Wagon Train.

Wagon Train, roll along.

Pickin up a passenger in every town,
Wonderin’ if he’s ever gonna shoot you down.
Lookin’ for a pal, ain’t it a pity,
Looking for a gal, needn’t be pretty
If she’ll ride on the Wagon Train.

Wagons Ho!

Gotta keep em on the run.
Time to go and follow the sun.
Roll along Wagon Train.

Never had a cabin near a general store,
Only had a wagon and a forty-four.
Sittin on a board, eyein’ the weather
Prayin’ to the Lord, we stay together
Side by side on the Wagon Train.”
            ~ Theme song from the television series “Wagon Train,” which used the instrumental version, but lyrics do exist, as sung by star Robert Horton.

“Wagons Ho!” as Ward Bond (1903-1960) said as wagon master Seth Adams on the western television series “Wagon Train,” which ran on NBC 1957-1962 and ABC 1962-1965. Ward Bond was the original star with Robert Horton (1924-2016), who portrayed frontier scout Flint McCullough.

My late grandfather loved Wagon Train, though I really never saw it, as the series ended before I was born, until I watched the reruns in recent years – and developed a mad crush on Robert Horton!

I thought it would be fun to take this covered wagon music box that was a gift to my grandfather out in the backyard to photograph with some artistic enhancements and sepia on a sunny summer day in late June.

The result is Wagons Ho!

Wagon Train chronicled the adventures of a wagon train as it makes its way from St. Joseph, Missouri to California and the trials and tribulations of the series regulars who conducted the train through the American West.

Episodes revolved around the stories of guest characters typically played by stars such as Bette Davis, Jane Wyman, Ronald Reagan, Lee Marvin and Joseph Cotton portraying various members of the massive wagon train or encountered by it. Episode titles routinely emphasized the guest characters with titles such as “The Willy Moran Story” and “The Echo Pass Story.”

So notable was the show that veteran film director John Ford came on board to direct a 1960 segment.

The series was inspired by the 1950 film “Wagon Master” directed by John Ford and starring Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr. and Ward Bond, and harkens back to the early widescreen wagon train epic “The Big Trail” (1930) starring John Wayne and featuring Ward Bond in his first major screen appearance, playing a supporting role. Robert Horton’s buckskin outfit as the scout in the first season of the television series resembles John Wayne’s, who also played the wagon train’s scout in the earlier film.

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Patriotism Rains Down ...


“This is my country! Land of my birth!
This is my country! Grandest on earth!
I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country to have and to hold. 


What diff'rence if I hail from North or South
Or from the East or West?
My heart is filled with love for all of these.
I only know I swell with pride and deep within my breast
I thrill to see Old Glory paint the breeze. 


With hand upon heart I thank the Lord for this my native land,
For all I love is here within her gates.
My soul is rooted deeply in the soil on which I stand,
For these are mine own United States. 


This is my country! Land of my choice!
This is my country! Hear my proud voice!
I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country! To have and to hold.” 


 ~ “This Is My Country” is an American patriotic song composed in 1940
  ~ Lyrics by Don Raye, music by Al Jacobs
~ The song was completed in 1940 and first recorded in 1942 by Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians. Among others who have recorded it are the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Patti LaBelle. Tennessee Ernie Ford’s version appeared on his America the Beautiful album, released in February 1970, which was later re-released and marketed as Capitol’s Bicentennial Album.

Rain didn’t stop the fireworks from “reigning” as gold rained down with the spirit of patriotism from the summer sky during the 2018 Fourth of July Fireworks set off from J. Birney Crum Stadium, Allentown, Pennsylvania.

How wonderful it would be to have fireworks – and the fire of patriotism – in our hearts every day!

Monday, July 2, 2018

The Lucky Robin ...


“I think we consider too much the luck of the early bird and not enough the bad luck of the early worm.”
                 ~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt
                           ~ 1882- 1945
  ~ 32nd President of the United States of America
                                    ~ 1933-1945
A beautiful robin catches a worm for supper on an early summer evening in late June at Trexler Memorial Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania.