Community Corner
Convoy is the Greatest Song of All Time, South Windsor Town Council Meeting, Football Game Coming Up
Here's a look at the week ahead in South Windsor.
Good morning, South Windsor! Today is Monday, Nov. 18, 2013; there are 43 days left in the year.
I’ve rediscovered the greatest song of all time: Convoy.
Kids, only in the 1970s could a ditty about truckers forming a line on a highway in protest of the 55 mph speed limit and tolls go straight to No. 1 on both the country and pop charts. Actually, only in the 1970s could a song be produced with a lyric describing a convoy of trucks as “a beautiful sight.”
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Three years after C. W. McCall recorded this song, a movie based on the song was made, starring Kris Kristofferson and Ali MacGraw. It was directed by Sam Peckinpah. Yes, that Sam Peckinpah. The legendary Sam Peckinpah, who was in the throes of a massive cocaine addiction.
How did that come about? Welp, the only modern comparison I can come up with is the comedy song “What Does the Fox Say” is being made into a children’s book. But that sort of makes sense.
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But, again, it was the 1970s, man, and stuff like that happened. (Yeah, yeah, Kenny Rogers made a number of TV movies based on “The Gambler.” Maybe it’s a country music thing.)
Anyhoo, I saw Convoy in the theater when I was 6 years old (there were a lot of negligent grownups in my life), and even then I knew it was terrible.
Then again, what could one expect with a protagonist with the CB handle “Rubber Duck”?
The irony is that the movie Convoy was the biggest commercial success for Peckinpah, who basically disappeared after that.
As for the song? Check this stuff out. It’s AMAZING.
Kind of makes me want to make a movie based on “Devil Went Down to Georgia.”
Here’s five things going on in the area this week:
1. The Town Council meets Monday starting at 7 p.m.
2. Author Edie Clark returns to the South Windsor Public Library on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. with her latest book, a memoir of her parents’ lives during and after WWII.
3. The Economic Development Commission meets on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
4. On November 22 you can show your support of pancreatic cancer by wearing Purple With a Purpose! Learn more here.
5. The annual South Windsor High/Rockville High football game takes place on Nov. 28. For the uninitiated, Vernon LE Chris Dehnel and I have a running friendly wager on these games, dating all the way back to last year. As you recall, the Bobcats won that game, and Chris had to write 5 things that make South Windsor great. This year, I predict a similar result. So the question is: what do we make Chris do when the Bobcats win again? Please let me know.Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.