In 2009, on the night of President Obama’s inauguration as President I posted a Top Comments diary featuring a song by our favorite folk artist, Kate Campbell. The song I wrote about that night, Crazy in Alabama, is one of my two top favorite Kate songs. It was a song about her history with racial segregation in the Southeastern US as she grew up. Perhaps her most political and powerful song, her story of the passionate marchers seeking freedom resonated particularly on the night we elected a brilliant black man to be our President.
Tonight I am writing about a song she first released on her Rosaryville album in 1999. I found the music posted on YouTube. It is music only, no video. We’ve seen her perform it live two or three times (one of those times at my request, so I’m pretty sure she thinks of me as the ‘Rosa’s Coronas guy’). It isn’t usually found in her concert lists anymore, but it lives within me.
More below.
Top Comments recognizes the previous day's Top Mojo and strives to promote each day's outstanding comments through nominations made by Kossacks like you. Please send comments (before 9:30pm ET) by email to topcomments@gmail.com or by our KosMail message board.
The version posted on YouTube was recorded for a compilation album (The Portable Kate Campbell) she released in 2004. It is shorter than the Rosaryville version, cutting out two (of my all-time favorite) guitar riffs (that an accompanying artist performed. She told me the guitarist’s name but I have forgotten it and couldn’t track it down in the short time I was writing this diary. Note: I believe it was Kenny Vaughan.) sandwiched around an additional chorus. I do wish I could share those riffs with you, but alas, I cannot.
Text at songfacts (credited to ‘Helen’ of South Shields, England) reveals:
Kate was inspired to write this song after watching a program about Cuban cigar makers. She had often wondered how to write a song about them, and suddenly she had a face for these people, especially for Rosa. Kate wanted it to be in first person so it was Rosa's story - or rather the story of such people told through Rosa.
Though I have spoken with her about her song, she never told me that.
Here is that YouTube recording of Rosa’s Coronas.
Here are the lyrics to Rosa’s Coronas.
Como estas?
My name is Rosa and like my mother before me
Everyday I roll cigars and they're the finest in the world
To pass the time the reader reads about the violence in America
And I pray for my daughter and her baby girl
Late one night they took a boat ninety miles from Havana
To escape the only life I've ever known
She could have been just like me, a well-respected working woman
Who believes in her country and her home
(Chorus) And I wonder as I roll where will each one go
Will they land in the hands of kings and presidents
It's an art, it's a skill, and some would even kill
Just for one of Rosa's coronas
It's everywhere in the news that John Paul is on his way
And for years I've longed to see the Holy Father's parade
We've been told not to go or production falls behind
But I know the quota won't be made that day
(Chorus repeated)
(Lyrics from Google Play.)
Rosa’s Coronas, to me, is about four (!) generations of Cuban women, focusing on Rosa, herself, gainfully employed in her home land by a cigar maker. Rosa speaks of spending her days rolling cigars, noting quite matter-of-factly that they are the finest in the world.
Then she tells of her daughter’s exodus to America with her baby daughter, into the terrifying nearby land of violence and difference.
The chorus focuses on her speculation about the end destination of her creative output. Will they go to kings and presidents? Some inevitably must. And they are so treasured that people have actually killed other people for them. (Not that that is a recommendation for them.)
Then, finally, Pope John Paul schedules a trip to the little island nation. So one of her great dreams - to personally see the Pope - will come true, on a workday, no less, when the country would prefer they continue to work. But ‘the quota won’t be met that day,’ Rosa knows.
I have thought a lot about why the song appealed to me so much. As a cyclist, my interest in and appreciation for tobacco products is not great. But there is something compelling about her commitment, her caring for her creative output, her skill, her art. Mostly I think I have a fascination with her interest in the ripples her creativity generate in the larger world outside. Who will they touch? Who will they affect?
Don’t we all wonder how our output affects others? Even when those effects often fall outside our perception? On to tonight’s comments!
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
Note: Especially during this passionate primary season, please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig.
From blue aardvark:
I nominate this clever comment by ht dave focusing on Trump’s megalomania.
From gharlane:
I thought this comment by growingMajorityMN was one of the funniest comments I have read! (What do you know about ‘Article 12’ of the Bible?!)
From ???:
Is this comment by slksfca with a delightful screen capture of a fine tweet! (To Clint Eastwood’s detriment.)
Highlighted by Permanent Republican Minority:
Is this awesome comment by Just Some Guy on the REAL problem for Republicans about the Trump candidacy.
Highlighted by libera nos:
Is this punny comment by Olds88 on the dubious return of a diarist after a 10 year absence from Daily Kos. The highlighting comment by libera nos is also worth a look!
Highlighted by grover:
Is this comment by Smeagel4T on the broader intelligence behind the professionalism of the US Secret Service presidential detail.
Highlighted by ExpatGirl:
Is this comment by StarbucksGirl51 on a shopping mall experience in which FOX did not come off well!
For Thursday, August 4, 2016, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on the subject.
1) Holy shit, that was a brilliant pivot! And what … by meebee +321
2) probably. … by Tamar +243
3) The Constitution is rigged……. by Jack from Sebring +223
4) Wow. It’s about time these morons start actually … by dlh77489 +197
5) Basically, we've built one hell of a thing here. … by Black Max +183
6) because they know damn well that the Republicans … by Tamar +179
7) It really was! My heart start racing just watchi … by igualdad +167
8) Exactly! And I’m very glad Hillary mentioned tha … by igualdad +158
9) Spit all over my laptop from the title alone. by kiwiheart +145
10) Holy crap! We could win back the House with numb … by rigcath +144
11) You tell em’ Sean — if the GOP has been taken ov … by We Shall Overcome +135
12) “… No, wait … and then he says ‘Donald doesn’t d … by dmhlt 66 +133
13) Awesome protest! Kicked out for the mere act of … by MadScientist +121
14) These polls are excellent news. May they continu … by broths +118
15) points for accuracy by ssmt +117
16) No. Thanks, Obama! by Joan McCarter +115
17) They are probably smart enough to know that if t … by cazcee +111
18) Fitting to have copies of the Constitution remov … by ratador +110
19) Huh…I’ll need to go back and check but I DISTINC … by Wisper +108
20) I do not get these people. There are effective w … by The Katwoman +105
20) The *one* story though, that part makes me chuck … by Torta +105
22) And he has a 54% approval rating to boot. As of … by smoothnmellow +104
23) Congratulations to Markos and the people at DKOS! by stuhunter3 +103
24) But I bet all these people running away from Don … by madgranny +102
24) Well of course the system keeps bringing him dow … by Mark Sumner +102
26) I certainly took a couple breaks during the unen … by ssmt +101
26) [embed] by ericlewis0 +101
28) This is especially hilarious: … by LiberalCanuck +100
29) the worm that is the media appears to beginning … by ccotenj +98
30) Oh sweet jebus… the cuteness … by lmcclatchie +97
30) VA was locked down the moment Kaine was named to … by gf120581 +97
30) This Virginian will be wearing out her sneakers … by noweasels +97
30) I have come to understand the deep desire for a … by Bindle +97
Top Pictures
2016-08-05, courtesy of jotter!
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