Halloween - 1

Halloween — Our yearly festival of Ghoulish Gaiety.  It’s beginnings are based in early North American Folklore that was blended with traditional Western European and Latin cultural traditions such as: All Saints Eve, Day of the Dead, All Souls Night and All Hallows Eve — from which it  derived its name.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:14

This is Acoustic Avenue. I'm Ted Crouch, your host in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, with co-producer Joe Little in Calgary, Alberta. On Acoustic Avenue, we recognize with respect and gratitude that these lands where we live, work, and make our music remain home to a number of indigenous nations and people. We acknowledge this land out of respect for the indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of Settler Peoples until this day. To begin the show, I'm going to ask Joe, our co-producer, to step up to the microphone and introduce today's program.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

Good evening. Now gather round while I elucidate on what happens outside when it gets late. Along about midnight, the ghost bandis get together for their nightly jamborees. There's things with horns and saucer eyes, and some with fangs about this size. Some short and fat, some tall and thin, and some don't even bother to wear their skin. Well, I'm telling you, brother, it's a frightful sight to see what goes on in the night. Halloween, our yearly festival of ghoulish gaiety. Its beginnings are based in early North American folklore that was blended with traditional Western European and Latin cultural traditions such as All Saints Eve, the Day of the Dead, All Souls Night, and All Hollows Eve, from which it derived its name. Those original traditions were dedicated to remembering the ancestral dead, the saints, known as Hollows, and the dearly departed. And those traditions evolved here in North America into a series of customs where we now celebrate the creatures of the night. The carving of countries into jack-o-and-decorating your house into a haunted whatever.

SPEAKER_02 3:13

I have never had a thought which I could not sit down in a word with even more distinctness than that which I can see. There is, however, a class of fancies, of exquisite delicacy, which are not thought, and to which as yet I have found it absolutely impossible to adapt to language. These fancies arise in the soul. Alas, how rarely, only at epochs of most intense tranquility, when the bodily and mental health are in perfection, and at those mere points of time, where the confines of the waking world blend with the world of dreams. And so I captured this fancy where all that we see or see is but a dream within a dream.

SPEAKER_05 9:25

No matter how much I implore. No words consult him, no prayer remove him. And I must live forever.

SPEAKER_04 11:30

Nothing matters anyway, and that's the hell of it. Winter comes and the winds blow colder. Well, some grow wiser, you just grew older. You never listened anyway, and that's the hell of it. Good for nothing, bad and bit. Nobody likes you, and you're better off dead. Goodbye, goodbye. We've all come to say Goodbye, goodbye.

SPEAKER_08 12:00

Goodbye, goodbye.

SPEAKER_04 12:01

Bon defeated, good and paint. Super destructive, you all don't paint. And though your music lingers on All of us are glad you gone. If I could live my life out as worthlessly as you I'm convinced that I wind up burning too Love yourself as you love no one, be no man's woman, be no man's brother. We're all born to die alone, you know that's the hell of it. Life's a game with a bound to beat you, and time's a trick that can turn to cheat you. We only wasted anyway. That's the hell of it. Good for nothing, bad and bad. Nobody likes you, better off dead. Goodbye, goodbye. We've all come to say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. Born defeated, dying pain. Stop with the stuff to be a hope don't paint. No, your music lingers on. Well, all of us are glad you're gone.

SPEAKER_01 14:55

This is Acoustic Avenue, and thank you very much to Joe Little for introducing today's program. Spooky, Don't Fear the Reaper, and Ghost Riders in the Sky are three distinctive songs from different genres. They share themes that capture a sense of intrigue and mystery. Explore mortality and the afterlife and supernatural phenomena. Spooky by the Atlanta rhythm section of the rock and rock song. Don't fear the reaper classic rock song from Blue Oyster as a touch of psychedelia. Wow, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Landis Root in Western and Country Music. Each of these songs has lyrics that evolves strong imagery and emotions. Existential themes are addressed in Don't Fear, the Reaper and Ghost Riders in the Sky, sung by Jeff Castle Luigi paints a vivid picture of a supernatural cowboy James. All three songs have left a lasting mark on music history and are considered classics in their respective genres, with Ghost Riders in the Sky becoming a well-known folk standard with numerous cover versions. While each song is distinct in terms of musical style and themes, they share common elements. Such is their exploration of the supernatural and the enduring impact that they have had on music culture, with lasting appeal to listeners across different generations.

SPEAKER_06 16:36

Here is Spooky, Don't Fear the Reaper, and Ghost Riders in the Sky In the cool of the eat when everything is getting kind of groovy. I call you up now if you'd like to go with me and see a movie. First you say no, not some plants for the mind. Then you stop and say Alright. Love it's kinda crazy. Well that's what I'm always getting, but never even know what we're doing. I get the feel I don't know where it's got. Oh girl like you're gonna go to the hospital.

SPEAKER_09 26:49

Upon the ridge, he rested as he went along his way. When all in once a mighty heard of red-eyed cowsy songs plowing through the ragged sky. Their friends were still on fire and their homes remained of steel. Their eyes were black and shiny, and their hunger they could feel. Their faces gone, their eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with swiss. These rats hard to catch that herd, but he ain't count them, yeah. No, yeah. They've got a rats forever on the range up in the sky. As the rattles don't come back, if you wanna save yourself from the rattles.

SPEAKER_03 32:05

Snakes hang thick from the cypress trees, like a sausage on a smokehouse wall, where the swamp is alive with a thousand eyes, and all I'm watching you stay off the track of Hattie Shack in the back of the black by you. Lock you in when the sun goes down. Rumors of what she'd done, rumors of what she do Kept folks off a track of Hattie Shack in the back of the black bayou. One day brought the rain, the rain stayed on, and the swamp water overflowed. Skeeters and the fever grabbed the town like a fist. Doc Jackson was the first to go. Some said the plague was brought by Hattie. There was talk of a hanging two. But the talk got shackled by the howls and the cackles from the bowels of the black bayou. Early one morn between dark and dawn, when shadows fill the sky. There came an unseen caller on a town where hope run dry. In the square that was found, a big black round, fat full of gurgling brood. Whispering sounds as the folks gathered round. It came from the black bayou. Ain't much pride when you're trapped inside a slowly sinking ship. Scooped up the liquid deep and green, and the whole town took a sip. Fever went away, and the very next day the skies again were blue. Let's thank old Hattie for saving our town. We'll fetch it from the black bayou. Said swamp witch magic was useful and good, and they're gon' bring Hattie back. Never found Hattie, and they never found a shack, and they never made a trip back in. To a stump said, Don't come looking again.

SPEAKER_08 36:30

That boy's so clear through broken walls that scream to be a problem Should be sister Blue Masking, strangers look up when we'll be slowly beats like a drone deep in your face. Why you mine? I need you to sit.

SPEAKER_01 44:18

Performed by a Brazilian singer Esa. Then come little children from the Hocus Hocus sound dragon hauntingly beautiful and sung by Sarah Sanderson. Evoking a sense of whimsy and wonder towards the finale. We welcome Alice Cooper with his powerful choice of Lord of the Show. We hope they create a memorable finale with a supernatural ending.

SPEAKER_07 46:04

Running around. I can stay because you bring me down. I put a spell on you. I love it. I love it. I love you anyhow. And I don't care if you don't want me. I'm yours right now. I put a shell on you.

SPEAKER_08 50:02

It must be this way to wear me up and to show you.

SPEAKER_01 57:42

This is Ted Crouch signing off. And on behalf of Joe Little, from our hearts to yours, stay safe and love the ones you're with. Peace.