Not sure about the cigarette trees

I made sure to listen to "The Big Rock Candy Mountain" today in honor of Labor Day. I guess it is really about hobo life not unions, but I always associate it with Joe Hill, who has his own page on the AFL-CIO website.

Actually, for years I didn't associate it with hoboes or unions. For me and my siblings, too, I imagine, "Big Rock Candy Mountain" was the red 45 that had a small hole in the center like 33s.

For the younger set, I'll explain: 45s were records of singles. They generally had a 1 and a half-inch hole in them that required an adapter to fit on record players. They were usually black. Our copy of "Big Rock Candy Mountain" was a 45, which referred to the speed the records were played, but it was red and it had a small hole, so you would not need an adapter.

Not very bitter, huh? I am struggling with a bit of writer's block these days, but I am off tomorrow and will try to write again. Anyway, happy Labor Day.