MJJG: List-O-Mania: intertextual refs from pg 75 to 102

[Raphael Saltwood]

It’s possible, but certainly not certain, that Mr Waller was alluding to the song, “One Never Knows, Does One?,” isn’t it?

In which case, his purport might have been to play up the contrast between the humorous-hostile lyric of “Feet’s...,” and the wistful sweetness of “One....”

And of course that amazing punim!


But I still don’t get if Reed was using it to a purpose

- what has “One Never Knows, Do One?” to do with a submarine belonging to the Wallflower Order which they had dispatched to bring Hinckle von Vampton to “the Templars’ private, secluded estate on Long Island” —

Unless there is a sort of consonance between the way the effects clash in each case:

Viz:
After the rollicking, over the top & play-hostile lyrics of “Your Feet’s Too Big” Waller quotes a love song with a dialectal twist (“do one” instead of “does one”) to give the song an uplifting aftertaste?

And:
After describing the subversive, surreal submarine and its unlikely complement of unlovables, Reed uses the quote to shift gears into a description of the agreeable scene of the household staff - maids with hair blowing in the breeze - greeting Von Vampton?

Or --
Is Reed with the juxtaposition suggesting that “Feet’s Too Big” is coded reference to the large feet of the listed white oppressors - stamping on the rights and perceptions and lives of the Jes Grew contingent - synecdochically embodied in the person of Von Vampton, soon to bring his unlikely-to-be-benevolent despotism to the household staff?

In which case, the uncertainty indicated in the phrase is in fact nonexistent, making its use ironic.

Also - YouTube now has a lot of the Beatles fan club material that I think you, David, were referring to -

https://youtu.be/A8NjeREF3zg

Which looks like someone has tampered creatively with it, but has the interesting comment in the comments section that Al Capone had Fats Waller kidnapped in order to have him sing this song at his (Capone’s) birthday party!


BTW, happy Inauguration Day
to all and sundried tomatoes (-;



________________________________
From: Raphael Saltwood <PlainMrBotanyB at outlook.com>
Sent: Friday, January 15, 2021 8:21:13 PM
To: David Elliott <ellidavd at yahoo.com>; P-list List <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Subject: Re: MJJG: List-O-Mania: intertextual refs from pg 75 to 102


Even the album entitled “One Never Knows, Do One?” by Fats Waller and His Rhythm Five —-
doesn’t have that song on it.

So, apparently his interjection & the way he said it  - not the song - was the cultural reference.

Thanks for the better attribution!

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________________________________
From: David Elliott <ellidavd at yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, January 15, 2021 4:41:11 PM
To: Raphael Saltwood <PlainMrBotanyB at outlook.com>; P-list List <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Subject: Re: MJJG: List-O-Mania: intertextual refs from pg 75 to 102

I’m catching up on the read and replying to a comment from December. I’m ahead in the novel on this second time through but won’t be on the same page with the group read till tonight.
Did Fats Waller ever record “One Never Knows, Does One”? I am familiar with the Billie Holiday recording.

Fats ad libbed “One never knows, do one?” at the end of “Your Feet’s Too Big”

Who's that walkin' round here? Mercy
Sounds like baby patter, baby elephant patter, that's what I call it
Say up in Harlem at a table for two
There were four of us, me, your big feet and you
>From your ankles up, I'd say you sure look sweet
>From there down there's just too much feet
Yes, your feet's too big
Don't want ya 'cause ya feet's too big
Can't use ya 'cause ya feet's too big
I really hate ya 'cause ya feet's too big
Where did ya get 'em?
Your girl she likes you, she thinks you're nice
Got what it takes to be in paradise
She says she likes your face
She likes your race
Man oh man and things are too big
Oh your feet's too big
Don't wantcha 'cause ya feet's too big
Mad at you 'cause your feet's too big
I hate you 'cause your feet's too big
My goodness, [Incomprehensible], shiff shiff shiff
Oh your peddelic extremities are colossal
To me you look just like a fossil
You got me walkin', talkin' and squarkin'
'Cause your feet's too big, yeah
Come on and walk that thing
Oh I've never heard of such walkin', Mercy
Your, your peddelic extremities really are obnoxious
One never knows do one?


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=in1eK3x1PBI


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Your_Feet's_Too_Big


On Thursday, December 24, 2020, 01:40:26 AM EST, Raphael Saltwood <plainmrbotanyb at outlook.com> wrote:

pg 85 Fats Waller (actually a song) "one never knows, do one?"

obtuse detournement of the lyric (afaict) to apply after a list of Wallflower Order underlings, the restiveness of whom is somehow curbed by the Wallflower Order's WWI surplus submarine (its presence intimidates? it's used for extrajudicial extractions?)

"one never knows, does one?
When love will come along
Then so suddenly life turns out to be a song
One never knows, does one?
The moment or the place
Then right before your eyes
Someone occupies your embrace
Someday look and you'll find
Two hearts were blessed
Someday fate may be kind
Pray for the future, hope for the best
One never knows, does one?
That's just the way it goes
All at once you hear "Hold me, caress me" and then
Love may come but when, one never knows.