Happy Lunar Year Of The Horse: Gallopin' To 2014 (马新年快乐)

      Mr. Ed The Talking Horse Theme: You Tube Video from Steven Duffrin.

My Chinese New Year 2014 Posting:

There are millions of stories about horses but this short posting will only focus on two aspects. The first discusses Chinese Zodiac signs and the horse's astrological compatibility with the dragon and the second Country n Western pops' love for this truly magnificent animal. 

In the East:
Taken from a Chinese Astrology site, here's an assessment about Horse and its great pal Dragon.  According to the horoscope they can have fun together and make a stimulating match. They can meet on both the social and psychological level since they share the same high energy and appreciate the high life.

Neither are restive for too long and the Horse, which seems confident altogether may suffer from insecurities, lose interest quickly and move on in a relationship.  Dragon will usually step in to help because he is stronger and more exciting.  So Horse will find things interesting and be dynamic enough to stick around. 

Dragon and Horse. Great Friends?

Don't forget though, not all Horses share the same characteristics because there are Metal Horses, Water Horses as there are Wood Dragons, Fire Dragons and so on.  I don't know to which Dragon category I belong (Paper probably)  but have doubts about the reliability of Chinese or any horror scope.

In the West:
On the other hand, there's the West or preferably Wild, Wild, West where cowboys sit around the campfire to yodel their C/W songs.  These melodies about horses are as plenty as the real ones that surround their masters who ride and write about them.

There are so many titles that the Internet is filled with lyrics and music compositions about our four legged steed. Actually the word steed itself describes the horse i.e. swift and spirited.  In fact one ghost tale about a mystical horse that the American native Indians talked about became so famous that it was the most prominent in the lore of the Southwest. Legendary horse Wildfire by Michael Murphey proved a hit in the 70s.

**Down from Yellow Mountain/On a dark land she rides/On a pony named, Wildfire/With a whirlwind by her side/On a cold Nebraska night/She died one winter/When there came a killing frost/And the pony she named, Wildfire/Busted down it's stall/In a blizzard he was lost/She ran callin', Wildfire... (edited).

In Singapore 60s, The Quests scored their first hit single with, Shanty. But the flip called, Gallopin' is appropriately titled and just as excellently composed with its thunder beats. 

Although it's not as well known, this piece by lead guitar Reggie Verghese shows his versatility on the steel strings. Where do we get such imaginative, speed-packing instrumentals of galloping hooves nowadays?  The quality of play and guitar tone remind me of Hank Marvin's version of, Ghost Riders In The Sky (i). Thanks to MrRainbow64 for uploading it on You Tube.

Do you believe in Chinese horoscope and do you know of any other song with a horse theme you heard in the past? Tell us. The stable of stallion hits below is only a fraction of others available on the Internet.

A Few Songs About Horses 

*Gallopin' - The Quests (on right bar)
Wildfire - Michael Martin Murphey
Mr. Ed The Talking Horse Theme - You Tube above.
Wild Horses - The Rolling Stones
A  Horse With No Name - America   



Campfire Songs?

Two White Horses - John L. Hooker  
Run for the Roses by Dan Fogelberg
Chestnut Mare - The Byrds
Crazy Horses - The Osmonds
Champion the Wonder Horse - Frankie Laine

Pony Time - Chubby Checker

The Four Horsemen - Metallica
Back in the Saddle Again - Gene Autry
Tennessee Stud - Johnny Cash
Three Horses - Joan Baez


I Ride An Old Paint - Arlo Guthrie
Wild Horses - Garth Brooks
One Trick Pony - Paul Simon 
Live Like Horses - Elton John
Beer For My Horses - Willie Nelson

Commanche The Brave Horse - Johnny Horton
Ghost Riders In The Sky - The Shadows
Silver Stallion - The Highwaymen - Johnny Cash Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.

Singapore Band: The Quests with EP vinyl GALLOPIN' with flip Shanty.

The list goes on cause there are hundreds of songs and stories about horses. They are man's best friend too aren't they. And I presume you know Mr Ed, the horse that talks?  But the children and grand-kids don't, so tell them about him.

A Happy Lunar New Year to all.

* I could not upload The Quests Gallopin' on this posting because it is a BlogSpot template problem but listeners can play it from the right side bar of this blog.

**Songwriter(s): Martin Murphey Michael, Larry Cansler
Copyright: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
(i) Ghost horses and thundering ghost herds.
Images: Google.
You Tube Videos.

(1) LATEST NEWS!!!

Grammy Awards 2014.
Hey, 60s musicians are still winning Grammys!

BEST ROCK SONG: Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear, Cut Me Some Slack

BEST ROCK ALBUM, Led Zeppelin, Celebration Day

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE: Black Sabbath, God Is Dead?

BEST MUSIC FILM: Paul McCartney, Love Kisses

BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE: Paul McCartney, Wings Over America

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM: Herb Alpert, Steppin’ Out

BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM: Cyndi Lauper, Kinky Boots

From Idolator, Music News:
http://www.idolator.com/7503015/grammy-awards-2014-list-of-winners

In His Youthfulness.

(2) LATEST NEWS!!!

Monday 27th January 2014:

Pete Seeger died on Monday in Manhattan. He was 94 and a singer, song-writer and collector of folk songs. 

Some of the songs that he wrote and co-authored included, Guantanamera, If I Had A Hammer, Kisses Sweeter Than Wine, Irene Goodnight, Last Train To Nuremberg, Where Have All The Flowers Gone, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, Wimoweh, Turn, Turn, Turn,

From the Internet, here and there.