In our travels we have encountered the occassional intinerant harmonica player at our gigs. As far as I can tell they seem to roam the countryside, stopping in at the local cafes, looking for some respite, and a band to join. For us it has been fun. It can be a delight to hear another dimension to our sound. Since we play primarily originals it's not generally easy for someone to jam with us. It's unlikely that they know any of our songs. That's the life of the singer songwriter. It is a lonely road. Like the travelling hobos of old we are a solitary bunch. I suppose that is an oxymoron: solitary bunch. Anyways, we keep to ourselves. Separately that is. Not together. Kind of like hobos really. Except I play a guitar, not a harmonica. I had a harmonica once but I got food in the reeds. That's one of the things I have learned. Don't eat while playing a harmonica. I have also learned that it is difficult to rhyme anything with harmonica which is probably why I have not used the word in a song. And yet it is an iconic image. The hobo playing the harmonica around the burn barrell, trying to keep warm, wrapped in tattered clothing with those gloves that are missing the fingers. Though I suppose the gloves made it easier to play the harmonica. What I don't get is why the harmonica didn't stick to their lips. Wet lips on cold metal is dangerous. Why aren't hobos with harmonicas stuck to their lips an iconic image? It's just a question. And why is it always harmonicas? Why not tubas or xylophones or bassoons? All those harmonicas must make an awful racket around the rail yard. You'd think somebody would hear, call the cops, and the cops would come and take the harmonicas away. Maybe it's like natural selection. Hopping on a train with a harmonica in your pocket. That's pretty easy. But trying to catch the 9:30 bound for Tulsa with a Tuba on your neck? That's suicidal. I suspect the railyards of America are littered with the bent and twisted remains of the tubas that didn't make it. So all that survived to continue the hobo race are the harmonica players. And there still traveling about showing up at our gigs. Kind of a shame really. I'd love for someone to come with a tuba. That would be a jamfest.
-Scott
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