Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The Explorers' Club, № CCCXLVI

Ed Stafford (b. 1975), the first man to walk the length of the Amazon River.







Commentary: Though I've always intended "The Explorers' Club" to cast a spotlight on the world entire, including the worlds beyond the Earth, there is a special place in your curator's heart for actual explorers & adventurers. I became aware of Mr. Stafford thanks to the three-episode Discovery Channel series, Naked Castaway. Fascinating viewing, that.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Real Can of Yams, "A Man, a Plan, a Canal, Panama" from Good or Suck! (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: I am very proud of my lyrics to "A Man, a Plan, a Canal, Panama." My thanks to Leigh Mercer for devising the titular palindrome.

"All I know is digging all day,
Digging this canal for the U.S.A.,
All day long I dig, dig, dig,
This thing we're digging is really big,
We all have yellow fever, we're sick,
But we keep digging—our boss is a dick,
For some big rocks we use dynamite;
It's awful loud, but it's quite a sight!

"A man, a plan, a canal, Panama,
I miss my home and my dear old ma,
I like my job but I miss my bed,
I think a spider laid eggs in my head!
A man, a plan, a canal, Panama,
'I sure am proud of you, son,' wrote my ma.

"There's no place to go but my money's all spent,
Then we get a visit from the president.
Teddy Roosevelt charged up San Juan Hill,
He was the man the Spaniards could not kill.
Now he tells us to dig this canal,
He always says 'Bully,' I wish he was my pal.
Golly, I'm so happy digging all day,
Digging this canal for the U.S.A.!

"A man, a plan, a canal, Panama,
I miss my home and my dear old ma,
I like my job but I miss my bed,
I think a spider laid eggs in my head!
A man, a plan, a canal, Panama,
'I sure am proud of you, son,' wrote my ma."

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