A Horse With No Name

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On the way back from a breakfast run to McDonald’s yesterday, the song “A Horse With No Name” by America was played on the terrestrial radio station we listen to since we let the Sirius/XM subscription lapse in the Cadillac. I was transfixed and transported back to 1972, the year the song was released. I guess I had forgotten how much I liked the song.

Those with nothing better to do have gone out of their way to criticize the lyrics as being both simplistic and drug-induced. While the band members deny the latter accusation, the lyrics are a bit strange in part, I admit. Still, “A Horse With No Name” was one of the songs that brought me back to music. (Actually, some US radio stations would not play the song because “Horse” is/was a slang term for heroin.)

Even spending 89 or 99 cents for a 45 was not easy for me in those days. However, I waited so long to buy “A Horse With No Name” that it was no longer available in local record stores when I finally decided to buy it. America’s next 45/single, “I Need You,” had already been released. He who hesitates is lost? I wound up buying their first album since “A Horse With No Name” was on it. I’m pretty sure I had to ask my father for a couple of dollars to augment my meager assets so I could buy the album. It was one of the first five albums I ever purchased.

Even though I have the song on a CD somewhere, I spent the $1.29 to buy it from iTunes this morning. After I finished typing the last sentence, I started playing the song on my iPhone. I have to admit to getting a little choked up while listening to it.

“O, call back yesterday, bid time return.”

– Shakespeare

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The first round of the NFL Draft was watched by 12.5 million people last Thursday. While that’s less than the nearly 16 million who watched the first round last year, this year’s first round had more viewers than the Oscars, more viewers than any game of last year’s NBA Finals, and more viewers than five of the six games of last year’s World Series. Oh, speaking of football, I have not yet decided if I am going to buy the most recent edition of the computer football game I have mentioned. Anyway, no one should doubt that the NFL is the emperor of American sports.

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One other thing my wonderful wife and I did yesterday was to go shopping at an antique store for the first time in over a year. We wore masks the entire time in the store and, happily, can report that virtually everyone else was doing the same.

Yesterday’s experience was like many we’ve had. I like going to these places, but not as much as my wonderful wife. I usually become antsy and want to leave before she does. However, just before I went outside I found these:

 

 

If I hadn’t already mentally prepared myself to leave, I probably would have purchased many more of these than I did. As is often the case, I wound up spending more in the store than my wonderful wife, even though these were sold for 20% off the listed price. The DeSoto ad showing the front of a 1942 model along with military equipment really makes me want one of those cars. The ad for the 1911 Packard does indeed show the famous slogan, “Ask The Man Who Owns One.”

We will return to that store and I will almost certainly buy more automobile ads. Who knows? I may even buy some for cars that are not defunct.

 

#AHorseWithNoName

#FootballIsKing

#DefunctAmericanCarMakes

#somanycarsjustonelife

#disaffectedmusings

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Published by rulesoflogic

Empiricism over ideology!

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13 thoughts on “A Horse With No Name”

  2. What are you going to do with the ads? Put a few together in a frame? Hang in in the garage? Big fun.

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    1. Different strokes for different folks, Doc. The ads give me the same joy as looking at the photo of the 1948 Cadillac convertible that led me to blog about cars.

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  3. Looks like an interesting score. Somewhere around here I have a factory issue repair manual for a 1961 Imperial that I found at a flea market (I think in Columbus, Ohio) that I scored for $5. I don’t currently OWN an Imperial, and probably never will, but it was too good of a deal to pass up. I had stopped at the table to look at some Zippo lighters (which I collect) and then noticed the manual. Ended up buying the 3 Zippos the couple had for $15 and the manual.

    I used to hit flea markets pretty regular when I traveled. I would usually skip the big booths/tables as those were “pro” sellers or dealers. I would look for the smaller tables/booths that were “mom and pop” sellers, just cleaning out their “stuff.” Made many other “interesting” finds over the years, but the one that stands out the most was an old wooden Kennedy machinist tool box that was in kind of rough condition at a flea market in Connecticut. About a year later I took the box apart to repair/refinish it. Looking at the smaller drawers, 2 of them seemed to be not as deep as the other 2. Started playing around and found that they had an additional wood bottom. I removed the “false” bottom and found US currency of various denominations totaling $757. The best part was that all were silver or gold certificates, many dating to the 1920’s and 30’s. If I had any clue as to who the seller was, I would have contacted them. However a year and 1100 miles away made that impossible. I chalked it up to something that was just meant to be.

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    1. Thanks, DDM. Great story about the tool box! My wonderful wife and I watched Antiques Roadshow for years (alas, we no longer have access to PBS) and used to dream of finding something at an antiques shop that was worth many multiples of what we paid. Maybe I shouldn’t complain so much when she wants to go to a garage/yard sale…

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      1. Yard sales can also offer great deals on “stuff.” I picked up a night vision monocular for $40 once. Seems there was a divorce with a pending sale of the house and the ex wife was cleaning out the place. I walked past the monocular and first thought, video camera. “Wait, that’s a REALLY big lens for a video camera.” Looked closer and discovered what it actually was. Lady was asking for $50, I offered $30, we settled at $40. This was complete with the original storage bag and the optional “amplifier.” At the time list price new was over $230.

        Over the years I also learned to go to yard sales in the “upscale” neighborhoods. Less chance of plastic junk and Chinese crap, better chance of “name” brands in good shape.

        As for not getting PBS; couldn’t you attach an indoor antenna to your TV to get the local PBS station? That’s all my dad uses for his TV viewing as “I’ll be damned if I’ll pay X amount of dollars for TV.”

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      2. Thanks again, DDM. I hadn’t thought about an old-fashioned antenna to get PBS. I think that would be the only channel we would watch with such a setup, though.

        I am not a big TV watcher. Even though my wonderful wife is still working and I don’t like to bother her during the workday, most weekdays the TV isn’t on until about 5:30 PM. I can keep up with the markets and news online. We watch a small fraction of the channels available through Hulu + Live TV. We’re just paying a lot less than we did with DirecTV. We could probably get by with 15 channels as opposed to the 70 or so we have.

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  4. My last excursion to an antique store was several years ago when my wife and I perused the various booths at a local store now defunct. I chanced upon a turquoise petite point squash blossom necklace. Very unusual Zuni Indian made set. Since my wife was with me, I did not purchase it as I wanted it for a gift for her. I returned the next day to purchase it and someone else had beaten me to the necklace. Bummed was I. Never again will I delay a purchase like that one. Maybe when I can drive again in about a month, I’ll make an excursion or two again. Long story as to why I’m not driving currently.

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  5. I’m okay, just had my second cataract surgery today, Tuesday. I haven’t been able to drive since I first saw the cataract surgeon. So two weeks for this second one to heal, then a new refraction, prescription and glasses and I’m back being a driver on the road.

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