Woody & Wally: Who Knew?

I first noticed this plaque a couple of weeks ago. It is not far from my apartment. It looks kind of new. My first reaction was that only in New York would somebody commemorate the 'fact' that Woody Guthrie lived there for all of 6 months. And then have us believe that on that on that very spot he “played music with such friends as Lead Belly, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee” and somehow imply that it was right here that he “wrote over 3000 songs.” Yeah, right.

Clearly, the landlord actually put this plaque up, figuring on attracting wealthy folkies who would pay a premium rental (in the already overpriced NYC market) to live there. Thats what I figure. If Woody actually did live there for those 6 months, then maybe he walked by my building once in a while. Marlan Brando and Wally Cox also lived in my building around that time. They were roommates. Wally played the fiddle. Maybe they knew each other? Maybe Wally and Lead Belly, Sonny, Brownie and Woody all jammed together? Legend has it that Brando did not like his roommate's fiddle playing and once filled his fiddle with horse shit. Maybe those sessions had something to do with that.

Anyway, on a whim I did a search for 'Woody Guthrie, 1943' and came up with this: Woody's New Year's Resolutions for 1943. I didn't find any reference to Wally Cox and Woody during 1943, but that could just be an error. I also don't know for sure it Woody really wrote these, but it said that they came from his journal and they kind of sound like something he might have written. If we are to believe that plaque on Charles Street and believe that he really wrote these, then chances are that Charles Street could be the place where they were actually written. They might also have come from a lost episode of 'Mr. Peepers' or the director's cut of 'On The Waterfront.' You can decide for yourself. Or not.

1. Work more and better
2. Work by a schedule
3. Wash teeth if any
4. Shave
5. Take bath
6. Eat good — fruit — vegetables — milk
7. Drink very scant if any
8. Write a song a day
9. Wear clean clothes — look good
10. Shine shoes
11. Change socks
12. Change bed cloths often
13. Read lots good books
14. Listen to radio a lot
15. Learn people better
16. Keep rancho clean
17. Don't get lonesome
18. Stay glad
19. Keep hoping machine running
20. Dream good
21. Bank all extra money
22. Save dough
23. Have company but don't waste time
24. Send Mary and kids money
25. Play and sing good
26. Dance better
27. Help win war — beat fascism
28. Love mama
29. Love papa
30. Love Pete
31. Love everybody
32. Make up your mind
33. Wake up and fight 

A dear friend in Guatemala sent me a bunch of insults. I am adding this one to this post for no reason.

A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease."

"That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "whether I embrace your policies or your mistress."

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