Rooster Year: (Translated): xióng jī nian (雄鸡 年) Zodiac Sign n Rolling Stones

The Eastern Rooster

When Traditions Meet: Rooster Year 2017 (translated) 雄 鸡 年 2017

I was checking out a song to complement the year of the Rooster 2017, not a commercialised Chinese New Year song, but for a change, an English pop hit.  It must be suitable for believers of the Chinese Almanac and zodiac signs.

It was quite a challenge finding one. I found one, a popular song deep in tradition and derived from folklore and it's from the West.

Let's take a look the Chinese Rooster first. In the Chinese Almanac, the theory is that a person's character is decided by his or her zodiac sign including the element of either wood, fire, earth, gold or water.  And 2017 is a Fire Rooster Year.  

Here's the hitch, your own year of birth is not your lucky one in the 12 year Chinese astrological cycle. So if you believe in this theory at all and if you are a Rooster, just be a bit careful in 2017 😊.

Whatever your belief system is, here's a song that should be suitable for our Fire Rooster this year.  Our male chicken crows about himself:

I am the little red rooster
Too lazy to crow for day
I am the little red rooster
Too lazy to crow for day
Keep everything in the farmyard
Upset in every way.

Now that's defiance and he is in a fighting stance and ready to have it out with any of the farmyard domesticates. Sounds like a fiery one here. 

From what I understand about this traditional song, a Chicago Blues number, it's only to explain that a rooster brings about some kind of barnyard peace:

Dogs begin to bark now
And hounds begin to howl
Dogs begin to bark now
And hounds begin to howl

Watch out stray cat

The little rooster's on the prowl.

Looks like our cock means business. And he's going for the stray cat which could be a feline. But the zodiac character for a 2017 Rooster is: trustworthy, with a strong sense of time keeping and responsibility at work.

                                   The Western Rooster

It is possible then, if we interpret what a Rooster symbolises, both from an Eastern viewpoint and a Western one, that it is a reliable and trustworthy creature that could lead the barnyard responsibly and peacefully. And the farmer needs him home:

If you see my little red rooster
Please drive him home
If you see my little red rooster
Please drive him home
Ain't had no peace in the farmyard
Since my little red rooster's been gone

From my personal viewpoint, Mick Jagger's rendition of the song is all appropriate with his natural swagger on stage, rooster-neck movements, flapping arms, calculated tip-toed prance and sexy, pouting mouth, with all the nuances of a very strong, proud and cocky but successful personality. A true rock cock.

                                        
Thanks to songwriter Willie Dixon, and all the other lyricists before him, for the inspirational words that would make this 2017 Rooster Year a more positive one for all, especially with Chinese astrology believers and Western folklore enthusiasts. 

Welcome to the year of the cock. A local musician told me yesterday during a jam session, "Now all monkey business 🙉 will end and everybody will start to talk cock...🐓"

Did you read the Telephone Booth story with Rolling Stones' Off The Hook (Side B of their Single?) Click below.

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2017/01/when-phones-were-in-booths-not-pockets.html

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR EVERYONE.

Little Red Rooster 小小的红公鸡 (The Red Rooster - first titled) is a blues standard, credited to songwriter Willie Dixon. It was recorded in 1961 by US musician Howlin' Wolf. Slide guitar playing rooted in Delta Blues style with theme derived from folklore.

Images: Google. 
An original article by Andy Lim.
Don't copy. Be original.