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ROD
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Photograph by Edward Habib McKuen, 2/1/2002.
© Stanyan Music Group. All rights reserved.
A Thought for Today
If you keep the heart alive a little
longer, love will come.
Lots of questions in today’s
e-mail. Here’s an answer or two.
LOVE’S BEEN GOOD TO ME
Hi, Did
you record LOVE'S BEEN GOOD TO ME yourself? If so, what year was it
please? Is it still available? Regards, Dean Jackson, Nottingham, England.
Dear Dean, I’ve recorded “Love’s Been Good to Me” several times one of the
most notable versions being on my 1969 SOLD OUT AT CARNEGIE HALL album.
The original version is currently available on the double CD THE PLATINUM
COLLECTION. Cheers, Rod.
WALTER BENTON / THIS IS MY BELOVED
What
gems the Internet yields! Surfing for sites with "Walter Benton" in them,
I found yours. It was a few years after I first encountered Benton that I
discovered your work and read volume after volume, recognizing the same
soul-baring honesty I'd admired so much in his.
Recently, I've published my first novel, Seasons of Forgetting, which is
the story of a love affair that spans 40 years and is dotted with excerpts
from the poetry of Walter Benton. In the process of obtaining permission
to use his words, I made the acquaintance (at least on the telephone and
via letter) of his niece, Jeannette, who now represents his estate. She
graciously gave permission for me to use the lines in my story.
At age 75, she was in ill health and may, for all I know, not have
survived the aftermath of the stroke she'd suffered just before I first
contacted her. Although I sent her the promised copy of my book as she'd
requested, I have not received acknowledgment that it was ever received.
I, too, wanted to know everything I could about Walter Benton. His poems
sent my imagination reeling, wondering about his Lillian, the life they
lived and the reason they parted. I wish Jeannette had been in better
health and could have spoken to me about her memories of her uncle or of
any other writings he might have left behind unpublished. He died in the
nursing home after she had kept him with her as long as she could ... that
much she told me, but I did not want to pry or bring up unnecessarily
painful memories so I didn't press for more information.
Thank you for the many times your poetry has brought me to tears or made
my heart sing. In my earlier days, I fancied myself a poet very much in
your style, but then the years stilled my pen and when I finally did
write, it was to fashion a story that had been waiting for a long time to
be told.
I hope you are in good health and still writing. Jeanne Rubba Smith
(Writing as Jeanne Howard)
Dear Jeanne: I’m pleased that looking for Walter Benton led you to me.
I’ve written of Benton before in this space and am proud to say that my
more romantic poetry was influenced by his two books “This is My Beloved”
and “Never a Greater Need.” Until I came to Random House Benton held the
record for selling the most books of poetry at that venerable publishing
establishment.
The height of Benton’s popularity occurred during and just after World War
II and I remember Bennett Cerf being stunned that lightning could strike
Random House twice within a 25-year span. As for me, even though his books
were almost out of print by the time I arrived at RH, I was more than a
bit thrilled at the fact that I had as my first national publisher
Benton’s old home base.
I have long wondered about the “Lillian” in his books – was it a childhood
love, a wartime romance or a brief passionate affair that went wrong. I
doubt Lillian was a work of fiction since his description is so real and
vivid. Still, as a writer I know that we embellish and combine
experiences.
I still have my first copy of
“This is My Beloved” an 11th printing made in 1945. I bought it for a
dollar in a used bookstore. ‘Beloved’s’ original publication date was
February 2nd 1943. The dust jacket is missing on my copy but it includes a
printed advertisement inside for titles by William Rose Benét, John
Malcolm Brinnin, Jeremy Ingalls, David Morton, Robert Nathan, E. J. Pratt,
John Crown Ransom and Jon Beck Shank. Proof positive there was a market
for poetry in the 1940’s.
Far more valuable to me however are copies of both of his books signed in
a shaky hand on a hospital bed. They arrived in the mail in 1971 with the
following hand-written letter. This is the first time I have shared its
contents with anyone.
6/4/71
Dear Rod,
This is
a belated birthday present to you from me. May you read them and enjoy
them. Think of me as you read them and realize they are sent with love and
respect for you as a person and a performer.
It took some thought to choose a gift that you didn’t already have. The
choice was these two autographed books by Walter Benton. As you can see
the writing is done with great effort on the part of Mr. Benton. He had a
stroke six years ago (a massive stroke). He has learned to write his name
only after much therapy, practice and patience. He tried to write your
name on one of the books but was unable to because he had never practiced
it.
He has much more control of his facilities than most people would after a
stroke of this severity, this is due to the fact that he was ambidextrous
about the majority of his actions except writing. This he only did right
handed but I knew you’d understand.
As for my writing, I am unable to write even my name now. That is why my
letters have a variety of handwriting on them. I’m not a forger that
changes handwriting style constantly (smile.) Instead I have a group of
friends who do my writing, seeing and walking for me. Some day I feel I
will be able to do these things again for myself.
Friendship means a lot to most people but to someone like myself it makes
life worth living to have faithful friends such as these I “see” often and
those I’ve only “seen” once like yourself. I do consider you a friend and
you’ll never know how much it meant to me for you to stop and talk to me –
and later to send me an album.
Thank you for being you and for making my perception of the world
brighter.
Your friend, Pat Borlie
Thanks for writing me about our mutual love Walter Benton and for letting
me know a few of my poems struck a chord with you. I hope you will keep in
touch so I won’t have to wonder what has happened to you as I wonder today
what has become of Pat Borlie who gave me such a thoughtful gift and even
better, her friendship. With affection, Rod.
THE SEA
Hi Rod,
Over the past few months, I discovered your web site and began thinking of
the hours I spent in the 70s listening to your albums (THE SEA, THE SKY
and FOR LOVERS). I did order THE SEA (in French because it was not
available in English), not quite the same. I would love to be able to
obtain the English version I want to share it with some friends. Any
chance that it will be released on CD or cassette in English (or do you
know any other way that I could get my hands on it?) Thank you so much.
Jan
Dear Jan: Without fan fare or any publicity THE SEA came out on CD about a
dozen years ago. It is now out of the Warner Bros. Records catalogue and
they have no plans to re-release it in that format. Stanyan By Mail still
has a few boxes of the LP left for sale but like our supply of the
cassette and CD they will be gone before too long.
Here’s my suggestion: Buy the LP and get a friend to burn you a CD copy
from it. Better still, dig out your old turntable or acquire an
inexpensive new one. Though I must have well over a hundred thousand CD’s
in my collection I still listen to LP’s more often than I do their cute
little compact siblings. To these ears, despite an occasional click or
scratch, long-playing records are much easier on the ears. I find this to
be so especially if I’m playing music for a lengthy period. And my music
listening sessions nearly always go on for hours.
Don’t get me wrong, I love modern technology and CD’s take less space for
storage and filed properly are as easy to find as LP’s. Thanks to my
friend Eric Yeager nearly a tenth of the tracks I’ve produced on the 200
plus albums I’ve recorded over the years have been converted to the MP3
format. This means that before too long a single iPod will be able to hold
a hard copy of nearly my entire oeuvre.
The rights to all The San Sebastian Strings material is owned by three
entities; Warner Bros., Anita Kerr and myself. I have to admit that I
haven’t done much to move matters along as far as attempting to force
Warner Bros. to release the albums on CD or return their control to Anita
and to me.
There is a lot going on in my life and admittedly much of it doesn’t bring
in the royalty income that the CD release of THE SEA, THE EARTH, THE SKY
and all the other concept albums Anita and I put so much work and love
into, might conceivably generate. Perhaps it is time for me to realign my
priorities.
I’m completing work on a major boxed set containing everything I recorded
for RCA during my five years at the label – including about sixty
unreleased tracks (I keep coming across hidden treasures including sides
with Henry Mancini and Chet Atkins.) The hardback book to be issued with
the set promises to run to over 100 pages. Then there’s The Warner Bros.
Years. Which, not counting singles or San Sebastian Strings masters,
includes 18 albums and 5 double sets. And never mind all the albums issued
on the Stanyan Label and various other entities. With the exception of the
SSS sides, I own and control everything of mine released on WB.
Every day I get letters and E-mails asking why more of my classical
product isn’t available. I still write and I still record meaning there
are hundreds of unreleased tracks in the can. While the RCA Years Box has
been placed and the Warner Bros. Years series is close to finding a
distributor I haven’t looked for and thus haven’t found a major label
willing to sort out The Full Monty.
All the very best to you, Jan. Rod.
THE BBC SERIES
Hi Rod:
I live in the UK and remember with pleasure your BBC TV series of the
early 70s produced I believe by Stewart Morris. I particularly get goose
bumps when I think of your duet with Petula Clark on the beautiful Jake
Thackray song "Lah-Di-Dah."
What are your memories of those days and who were the other guests (I seem
to recall Peter, Paul and Mary). Another song from that show I recall you
singing is "Oh Me Oh My” by Jim Doris and those beautiful words: "We'll
blow a genie from a cigarette We'll take a magic carpet ride Let's tell
our smoky friend "Hey don't forget You've gotta keep us side by side." A
wonderful song wonderfully sung. Take care Rod. Alan Cardiff, South Wales.
Dear Alan, I think of ‘The Beeb” often and not just my TV series but all
the guest shots I did on the Morecombe & Wise, Shirley Bassey, Rolf
Harris, Stars on Sunday, Tom Jones and various other shows of the time.
Not long ago I ran into Stephanie Beachamp and she reminded me that I had
a guest shot on a series hosted by a magician (who’s name escapes me).
Anyway, Stephanie who became a star in The States on “Dynasty”, was the
magicians assistant – you know, the tall statuesque number in the brief
tights and net stockings whose principal duties are to point to the top
hat the rabbit jumps out of before she crawls in a box and is sawed in
half. What a gorgeous, funny, lovely woman Stephanie is.
The guests for my series included Dusty Springfield, Laine Kazan, The
Young Generation, Marianne Segal and, of course, Petula. Next month I have
a reunion with the wonderful Miss C. and another famous canary here in Los
Angeles for The Johnny Mercer “Dream” benefit. It runs for three
performances and is being recorded.
In addition to our solo numbers the three of us {I’m keeping the other
lady’s name secret so as not to spoil the surprise) are harmonizing on
another Mercer song. That same week Petula and I will be in a Hollywood
studio recording some more duets.
I’m so glad you mentioned my version of Jim Dine’s “Oh Me, Oh My” it’s a
song I’ve always liked. The recording I made of it was only released in GB
on THE ROD MCKUEN SHOW LP so I’ll be sure to include it as a bonus track
on one of The Warner Bros. Years CD’s.
As for the TV series I own all the auxiliary rights to them and producer
Jim Pierson & I are looking at the episodes with a thought of turning the
shows into DVD’s. The problem of course is time since whenever possible I
like to have a hand in everything that involves my voice or likeness. So,
if there is world and time enough.
Everyone who knows me is aware of how much I enjoy life in the British
Isles and so I’m still trying to bet back to GB for a concert tour. I hope
this time it will include a stop off in Wales.
Thanks for writing Alan. Warmly, Rod.
ROSE
Dear
Rod, I last heard these lyrics in 1960, and for decades have been racking
my brain to remember the rest of the song. In desperation, I've been
writing to groups on the web for info. Someone finally told me that it was
your song.
The lyrics go like this: "That's okay, Rose would say, don't you
worry none. We'll have good times by and by, next fall when the work's all
done."
Is there any way to find the name of this song and the rest of the lyrics?
I'd love to hear it again after forty years. Thank you for any help.
Bernice
Dear Bernice: The song is entitled ROSE and it was written in the 1950’s
during my ‘Folk Period.’ It’s currently available on the CD EARLY HARVEST,
a once over lightly retrospective of my record career thru the
mid-nineties. Without the accompanying music ROSE might sound a bit like
doggerel but it helps to think of it in the tradition of ‘story songs'. I
modelled it after an actual family I knew as a kid while living in Alamo,
Nevada. Here are the lyrics:
ROSE
I married ROSE in Twenty-One
We got a little farm.
The first year out
The barn burned down
And I broke my good right arm.
From then on in, things got bad
I guess they could have been worse
But seeing ROSE in rags all day
Made me wanna curse.
That’s okay ROSE‘ed say
Don’t you worry none
We’ll have good times by and by
Next fall when the works all done.
I watched her hands grow rough and red
From pickin in the fields
And putting up in Mason Jars
What, what little crops they’d yield.
I’d find what jobs there were in town
Most times there were none
But ROSE‘ed still have supper a waitin
At night when the work was done.
That’s okay ROSE‘ed say
Don’t you worry none
We’ll have good times by and by
Next fall when the works all done.
Our first-born had a face like ROSE
And I guess a temper like mine
She’d sleep all day and cry all night
But she grew up and married fine.
Our only son went off to fight
In Nineteen Forty and Four
A year went by and a telegram said
He ain’t comin home no more.
One winter night in Fifty-Nine
ROSE took a terrible chill
She went to sleep and she didn’t wake up
I guess she’s sleeping still.
But sometimes when the wind is singing
High up in the Chinaberry tree
It seems it not the wind at all
But Rose a singing to me.
That’s okay ROSE‘ll say
Don’t you worry none
We’ll have good times by and by
Next fall when the works all done.
That’s okay ROSE‘ll say
Don’t you worry none
We’ll have good times by and by
Next fall when the works all done.
Words & Music by Rod McKuen
© 1961, 1974 by Stanyan Music Group.
Webmaster Ken returns tomorrow
with his weekly feature This One Does It For Me. I’ll be here to see what
he’s up to and I hope you’ll join me.
RM 2/4/2002 Previously
unpublished.
Catch Rod McKuen Live!
The
Songs of Johnny Mercer - Luckman Arts Center, LA
An Evening with
Rod McKuen - B.B. King's Blues Club, NYC
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