To thine own self be true

one-man, one-vote (Democrats) toward mindless one-man rule (Republicans, Trump).

Relevance for our troubled times from his best (1989) album Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World:

“One man, one vote–it’s the only way”

“Don’t let us slip back into the dark”

“You have to live with the crooked politician”

“Standing at the gates/This is Jericho”

“For we are the prisoners/Of the prisoners we have taken/And the prophets’ dreams are now forsaken”

“I think I know why the dog howls at the moon”

“It’s an illusion/Like polar bears in Berlin”

“I’m a foot without a shoe”

“He was haunted by a tragic dream/Of people in death machines”

“He’s tired of the lies/He’s tired of the truth/They never give him what they say”

“Nothing is clear to me anymore in this sad and strange landscape”

“Too many futures hanging in the balance/Too much owing, nothing left to pay”

“Some came to conquer/Some came to understand/Some came to live their lives as best they can”

“Women of salt and earth/They tell the same story/They saw you walking, wounded/Wearing rags of glory”

“He was taken in the night/They came without any warning”

“Will he break or will he defy?”

“I never betrayed you and I never betrayed the revolution”

“He turns before the bullet/And forgives a friend”

“My brother bothers me–I really don’t know what he’s up to”

(Clegg (2nd from right) with Savuka. His best lyrics were always right down at the edge, politically and philosophically.)

One of my extended musical love affairs began in 1990 when one of my English 30AC gave me this album for her poetic analysis of “One Man, One Vote”. I listened to the rest of it and fell into the world of South Africa’s Johnny Clegg and his band Savuka.

In 2004, my daughter and I made the trek to Banff to see him perform. At that point, we also discovered his remarkable back-up singer Mandisa Dlanga.

In 2012, Clegg performed at the Winspear here in town and we got to meet him and Mandisa after the show. He was very sweaty from all the Zulu kicks and dancing on his featured numbers. But never too tired to make time for his ardent fans. A truly nice, ‘real person’.

(Where else? Down at the edge as usual; picture signed in Edmonton, 2012)

Unfortunately he died at 66 in 2019 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. But his legend will live on in memory through photos, videos and CDs. A South African hero, Johnny Clegg lived life to the fullest and then some and always gave his utmost best in performances.

“Every man has to be his own saviour.”  –“Great Heart”

Turning a beach-bum life/style into a financial empire worth billions in booze, cannabis, stores, restaurants, casinos, resorts, retirement communities, baseball teams, and videogames, far exceeding Jay Gatsby’s limited power and influence.

Yet another rags-to-riches Horatio-Alger story, but with a Margarita twist.

(The movie that made Firth a star; the perfect Mr. Darcy)

(The illustrated companion book)

My own history with Austen goes back to grade 12, fall of 1966, when we read and studied Pride and Prejudice beginning in September. This classic opened up what was to be a memorable mind-blowing year for me which included Hamlet, Hardy’s moody, tragic, romantic Return of the Native, Shaw’s witty Arms and the Man, O’Casey’s political satire  Juno and the Paycock, and the classic poems of Wordsworth, Keats, and other English greats. All directed by a male (they had them back then) teacher who loved what he was sharing and even humorously read the parts of characters including the wry Mr. Bennet in P & P.

Later, in the mid-2000s, I briefly joined the local Jane Austen Society at the suggestion of U of A English prof Raymond McMaster and attended an Austen conference in Lake Louise with only a few males! Quite unique, memorable, and giving many insights into the Janeites as they strolled in costume around the lake waxing eloquent about the philosophy and psychology of Austen and her 5 books.

Anyway, this week I returned to P & P to watch the ultimately faithful and beautiful 2-part (originally 6 episodes) 5 hr. BBC production which is still keenly viewed around the world by women in many cultures, Austen being both an icon and heroine.

The Firth-Ehle version is definitive and this companion set with 1 extras DVD and a lovely book will satisfy the most ardent Austen fan.

In a nutshell, for me, P & P features the first strong, independent, intelligent woman protagonist in English lit and it illuminates the severely limited choices women of the day had. It deservedly remains the most influential women’s novel ever, both smartly and wittily penned. The insights into men, women and their relationships are plentiful and wide-ranging. *If a man wants to better understand women better through literature, I can think of no better place to start.

The video circulating of the Texan who cut out half of his car roof so that Hoody Doody, his massive steer with gigantic horns, could ride with him on the local freeway.

Hard to beat that image for iconic American and Wild West symbolism!

So much for that climate change ‘correction’.

Yes, indeedy-do, it seems like all the chickens are coming home to roost this summer like some kind of bad ancient Greek omen.

Plus smoke and heat.