The truth behind The Green Door -
I've been taking my share of photographs where the subject is a door, a doorway or an entry of some sort. While working on this one an old, old hit song - circa 1956 - began to crawl out of ... :O ... the closet! It was a rock-a-billy song that went to #1 in the US by Jim Lowe while concurrently climbing to #2 in the British Charts by Frankie Vaughan. Another Brit, Shakin' Stevens, covered the song during the rock-a-billy revival of the late 70's and early 80's, keeping it on Top of the Pops for more than 4 weeks! Not unlike the ever controversially misunderstood lyrics to The Kingsmen's version of "Louie, Louie", this song has harbored its secret for decades. It's an interesting read even if you're not into the music. Hey! Kiki! You out there? :D
Labels: "Louie Louie", $50 unframed - LUCAS GALLERY, an Artwork a Day by Mick Mather, digitally manipulated photograph, Frankie Vaughan, Jim Lowe, rock-a-billy, Shakin' Stevens, The Kingsmen, Top of the Pops
posted by Mick at 4:13 PM
10 Comments:
The thuth behind the green door is that the door was yellow.
Must confess that this record was new to me, although I'm secretly proud of my knowledge of all kind of music... I listened to the Shakin Stevens' version in the show Top of the pops via youtube, great choreography, ha ha! Quite charming:)
So, now the green door has been opened, not bad.
Your pic reminds me of doors I took photos of when I was in Tallinn, Estonia, last year: beautiful, colourful surfaces, with the touch of age and use.
hpy:
LOL ... as in Yellow Silk Journal I should imagine? :)
susupetal:
I'm pleased that I was able to add another song and a few more artists to your knowledge base. As you may or may not know, this image from my Selfportrait Series is based in reality. I grew up in the 1950's and remember the rock-a-billy craze very well. Later, during the 70's-80's revival of that musical style, I actually had a band called Mick and the Rockers. Shakin' Stevens was one of the cats I liked best at that time. So, thanks - as always and with a blush! - for your comments.
WOW! You got some great new stuff here! I love it! This is wonderful and so are the others! Love the textures and hues!
mary:
I was just thinking the same about your new posts earlier this evening. I only had time to comment on the one but surely the others were also terrific. Thanks for stopping at my place and for these comments. Since I know you're away next week, I'll attempt to have my SCR stuff completed and at your in box before you return.
Rockabilly has never hit me. There was a rockabilly wave in Finland at the late 70’s and early 80’s, same time as punk became popular, but neither was my thing, I was for black music, especially the 50’s rhythm ’n blues, especially women singers, Etta James, Wynona Carr, Annasteen Allen etc. At the same time, as now, I listened to musicals and used to sit in the film archive and look at the endless lines of chorus girls in Busby Berkeley-black and whites:)
So, you’ve had a band! Interesting. And that image of yours in Flickr is just cool! Did you record any, go on gigs? (The Rolling Stones still do, ha!)
susupetal:
Mick and the Rockers performed live about a half dozen times and we recorded one EP. To be fair, the 5 songs were not strictly in the rock-a-billy style, neither was the set list. In any case, I was becoming a bit long in the tooth at the time, the group was short-lived and the EP was never released. I still listen to the songs once in a while and they do hold up fairly well. (Sigh!) :)
It is still an effort for me to read and understand the lines, I'll be back later. The door can be a very mysterious symbol, this is an intersting treatment
I love these doors. I see possibles in them. You can leave them behind or step in. Green is only one colour, only one symbol in that door.
griesmail:
I know how you feel since I navigate a number of blogs in Europe, South America and Asia. Do stop back. :)
elegia:
Thanks, with a blush, for this comment. I didn't feel the need to say it before, but the original photograph is of the motel room door where I stayed for a night during my vacation. It seemed to lend itself well to my usual treatments and I had a lot of fun creating this one so soon after taking the shot. :)
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