2nd
& 3rd August, 2008
New concerts announced!
Click HERE for details.
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Photo by Jay Hagan,
7/12/08 Burbank, CA
A Thought for Today
Even age and time take on a sameness with
age and time.
TO BEGIN WITH
My server (the mighty AT&T) has been out of whack so I haven’t been on
line for several days. Luckily I have more than enough downloaded mail
to fill up a few columns. If your letter hasn’t been answered I’ll get
to it as soon as the server decides to cooperate or when I get fed up
enough to go through the hassle of investigating a new provider.
Some of today’s letters feel as if the writers have taken a trip down
memory lane and that’s fine with me. I enjoy being noticed or remembered
or even being glimpsed for the first time, otherwise I’d be off
somewhere licking my (or someone else’s) wounds.
.ASK
ROD
CHANGE?
Rod, Love reading your website. I met you in the
70s at a bookstore in Minneapolis and gave you my necklace that said
"War is not healthy for children and other living things."
Isn't it a shame we still have to think about that?
I have all your books and never tire of reading your poetry. Your books
are the only thing that can make me believe romance may still be alive
somewhere. But I do agree with you that 'age is better!" Take care and
live sweetly. Love and light, Gayle Godfrey
Dear Gayle, over the years (particularly during the 70’a) I must have
played nearly every theatre, concert hall, college and university in the
Minneapolis/St. Paul area. I have fond memories of Minneapolis and wrote
about some of them in a book called “Moment to Moment."
Despite the Vietnam War and its aftermath those times seemed to be
simpler and of course we were all younger. Wars go on, seemingly for no
good reason and unrest and misunderstandings about everything continues.
Still it’s a pretty good life and I continue to believe romance and
reason will always win out if enough of us want and need them. Age is
better unless you are very young and don’t know about it yet.
Keep on truckin’ Gayle and thanks for the kind words. Warmly, Rod.
ROD’S JUKE BOX
I downloaded a lot of the songs from your site to
my media player. Thank you Rod for allowing that. I do have one little
question about “Up.”
I was looking at my vinyl albums and on the double LP titled
"Grand Tour" I saw "Up.". It is slightly different then the one on the
website? I don't care because I haven't found anything of yours I don't
like but I was just curious. (Yeah I know curiosity killed the kitty.
I'll take that risk.)
Still loving my Grand Master Rod. Beverly.
Dear Beverly, You got me! What you downloaded from Rod’s Juke Box was
the original recording of “Up.” Since it was a new song I was singing it
in a studio and had the luxury of having the words on a music stand in
front of me. After I’ve lived with one of my songs for a while I often
change the words. However, though I haven’t heard it in decades, I’m
willing to bet that in the case of the ‘live’ version of “Up” in Grand
Tour it’s more likely that I forgot a line or two of the correct lyrics
and the audience heard whatever popped into my mind at the time.
As many an audience member familiar with my work can attest I’m no
different than many other singer-songwriters when it comes to stumbling
over my own words. The substitute lyrics aren’t always gems but with a
little practice when the mind goes temporarily blank a singer can become
quite adept at ad-libbing something that at least rhymes. Performing in
front of a crowd requires no little concentration and I’ve been known to
lock on a pair of eyes during a concert and forget more than just words.
After all these years the only time it really bothers me is when I’m
singing a song by another writer and I flub a line. That’s unforgivable.
I’m glad you like the downloads Beverly and Eric our Sound Guru is
always after me to provide more so there will be more downloads sooner
rather than later. Best Regards, Rod
(Webmaster’s Note: To download selections from Rod’s Juke Box and even
the complete book, “Caught in the Quiet” check out the
site map.)
HEART TO HEART
Mr. McKuen, I have written a book- the title is
above. I just wanted you to know that on the back cover I made reference
to you and I hope you don't mind. May I quote? "Began writing Poetry and
Prose and meanderings about events, people, places and things in the
early 80's. Understands that only Frost can write like Frost. McKuen
writes like McKuen, the same for all the other gifted and talented
Poets. My work is simply my work, whatever that might be Hopefully, many
will enjoy and relate to it. "
I started reading Stanyan Street and Other Sorrows and then all the work
by you that I could find. Needless to say, my book is in large part
because of the Rod McKuen style of which there is no equal. Thank you so
much for all your contributions in allowing all of us to see into your
heart and sharing that with us. A true Admirer, Charles Crisp
Dear Charles, Hard to imagine anyone –– poet or not –– being offended by
inclusion in a paragraph with Robert Frost. Good luck with your book and
congratulations on the hard work and follow thru that it must have taken
to shepherd it into print. Lots of people talk about writing books but
few get around to actually doing it.
If I have influenced your writing that pleases me a lot and now it’s
your turn to be of use to the next poet. Much has happened in my life
since Stanyan Street & Other Sorrows was first published but not so much
that I don’t still identify with every memory set down in its pages. I
still write every day and I’m sure the same can be said for you. I don’t
publish or show as much of my work as I once did because the more I
write the more I worry about getting it right.
Thanks for your thoughtful note. With Affection, Rod
CLASS OF 68 REUNION
Rod: You were a very important part of our high
school and college careers. We are having our 40th class reunion next
weekend. I am doing a tribute to our classmates who have died. I would
like to end the slide show with a poem. Do you have one of your poems in
mind that would be a perfect finale? Thanks in advance for your help.
Connie
Dear Connie, Thanks for the honor. Off hand I'd say "Old Friend" might
work. If you don't have the words you can go to the bottom of this page
and click on Flight Plan Archive. We have a built in Goggle & if you
type in "Old Friend" a list of places where the poem has been used will
come up, click on any one of them for the words. I know it has been
reprinted twice this year so it should be easy to find.
Happy, Happy reunion & give your schoolmates my regards.
Warmly, Rod
UNDER THE TABLE WITH JUDY & FRIENDS
Greetings Rod, When I was a young child, geeze 40
plus years ago…. my mother Judy and her best friend Meridee would spend
“HOURS” listening to your albums, drinking wine, with candles burning,
which of course meant – I also would listen to you for hours! My mother
passed away a few years ago, last week Meridee and I were sharing our
memories of her, and in Meridee's email she wrote,
“ We went to concerts together, took our kids to movies together, sat
under the dining room table on top of her vacuum cleaner listening to
Rod McKuen records together and crying. I forget exactly why it was
necessary that we sat under her table, except that she had a very small
living room.”
That brought back many memories of your music and those memories made me
wonder…. Whatever happened to you!! So, I am delighted to see that you
are alive and well. I forwarded your website link on to Meridee and
mostly I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for sharing
yourself with us. THANK YOU! Jody - Judy’s middle daughter
Dear Jody, Yep, I’m still here and it is nice to know that even after
ten years of being on the web people are still discovering my site. Hope
you’ll make a habit of dropping by from time to time.
Thanks for sharing your memories and those of Meridee’s and her times
under the table with your mom. I have a special place in my heart for
moms who turned their kids on to my work. Under the table seems like as
good a place as any to hear my stuff and I’ll have to try it some time.
The cats occasionally perk up from under or behind something or other
when I play a test pressing of a new disc, otherwise they only pay
attention to me at feeding time or when it suits them. And, of course
nearly everything goes better with candlelight and wine. I certainly
don’t mind being used as the occasion for a little refreshment.
Let me be the one to say Thanks, Jody, because I love being Googled or
Jeeved or browsed however. So I appreciate you taking the time to look
up what I hope is an old friend. Cheers and more, Rod.
INFORMATION PLEASE
Hello: The poem I am trying to find is titled
"Information". It is a poem about war. The first line is "How will we
tell those dead soldiers and these men dying now that the war's been
won?"
Is it in a book that I could purchase? Can it be found on Google? I have
not been able to find it even using the Google Advanced Search option.
Thank you for any data you can tell me about how to purchase the poem or
find it on the Internet.Thelma McCoy
Dear Thelma, Though I wrote “Information” several wars ago (in Korea in
1953) it was finally published in "And to Each Season" issued by Simon &
Schuster in 1972. A few copies of the book are still available from
Stanyanhouse.com
Looking at it again I felt it might be apt for now so I have selected it
as today’s poem. You’ll find it below. Thanks for reminding me of it
Thelma. All my best, Rod
RM 8/1/2008
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