RIP Big Tex

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

For sixty years you welcomed us with your "Howdy folks, welcome to the great state fair of Texas"
Big Tex goes up in flames today, most likely sparked from a short in some wiring.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c01K2c5vD24


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7h6MKve6AU&feature=related


"What needs my Shakespear for his honour'd Bones,
The labour of an age in piled Stones,
Or that his hallow'd reliques should be hid
Under a Star-ypointing Pyramid?
Dear son of memory, great heir of Fame, [ 5 ]
What need'st thou such weak witnes of thy name?
Thou in our wonder and astonishment
Hast built thy self a live-long Monument.
For whilst to th' shame of slow-endeavouring art,
Thy easie numbers flow, and that each heart [ 10 ]
Hath from the leaves of thy unvalu'd Book,
Those Delphick lines with deep impression took,
Then thou our fancy of it self bereaving,
Dost make us Marble with too much conceaving;
And so Sepulcher'd in such pomp dost lie, [ 15 ]
That Kings for such a Tomb would wish to die."

Milton


It's okay, dry your eyes my friends...he's coming back next year with a new set of duds.

[qimissung]

Bill Bragg, the voice of Big Tex who read scripts from a nearby trailer while the giant cowboy’s mouth moved, said someone came in and told him the structure was on fire. He stepped outside the trailer and watched Big Tex burn.

‘‘It was a quick end,’’ said Bragg, who is a radio engineer outside the three weeks a year that he works at the fair.

:lol: This was from the first story I read when I heard about it. For some reason it struck me as very funny. Sorry, Big Tex.

[Hawkman]

Howdy folks.

Sorry you are going to be deprived of of your enormous, terrifying grinning doll. From the video clip of him actually working I was reminded of the ventriloquist's dummy from the 1945 film, Dead of Night! However, the compilation of stills taken when Big Tex was on fire took me to another horror film, The Wicker Man. I was half expecting to see Crisopher Lee leading a chorus of "Summer is a Commin' in" but instead we listen to the silken tones of (I think) Emmylou Harris, (or possibly Alison Krauss). Damned good voice whoever it was - lol.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

As previously mentioned, the likely cause of the fire was due to a short in electrical wiring, but why did he torch up so rapidly?
Last night while lying on crumbs, I arrived at a sound theory. You see, beyond Big Tex, the State Fair is also known for its deep fried culinary delights, some of which are yearly staples like Fletchers corny dog and funnel cake, but each year also introduces new deep fried items by way of competition among the food vendors. You name it, someone will try frying it.

In fact here are Big Tex’s top choices for 2012 fried food items:

http://www.bigtex.com/sft/nav/2012BTCAfinalists.asp


Back to my theory, with all the frying taking place around BT, you can imagine how much grease particulates were being dispersed into the air through the fryer exhaust fans. BT is a big target, and all that denim worked like a giant grease filter.
Grease and fire is nasty business.

In the meantime, Texas still mourns on this, the last weekend of the 2012 fair.

Oh and Hawkman I agree about Emmylou’s voice.
This may help ease the pain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G03Iw8qdBCk&feature=related

Away, Away, Ye Notes Of Woe!

“Away, away, ye notes of woe!
Be silent, thou once soothing strain,
Or I must flee from hence--for, oh!
I dare not trust those sounds again.
To me they speak of brighter days
But lull the chords, for now, alas!
I must not think, I may not gaze,
On what I am--on what I was.

The voice that made those sounds more sweet
Is hush'd, and all their charms are fled
And now their softest notes repeat
A dirge, an anthem o'er the dead!
Yes, Thyrza! yes, they breathe of thee,
Beloved dust! since dust thou art;
And all that once was harmony
Is worse than discord to my heart!

'Tis silent all!--but on my ear
The well remember'd echoes thrill;
I hear a voice I would not hear,
A voice that now might well be still:
Yet oft my doubting soul 'twill shake;
Even slumber owns its gentle tone,
Till consciousness will vainly wake
To listen, though the dream be flown.

Sweet Thyrza! waking as in sleep,
Thou art but now a lovely dream;
A star that trembled o'er the deep,
Then turn'd from earth its tender beam.
But he who through life's dreary way
Must pass, when heaven is veil'd in wrath,
Will long lament the vanish'd ray
That scatter'd gladness o'er his path.”

George Gordon Lord Byron

[Hawkman]

Now that was a treat! Mark Knopfler and Emmylou - cool! Real hands across the ocean stuff this, what with Milton, Byron and MK, but can't you find an American poet to quote to mourn the passing of Big Tex :D

Live and be well - H

[qimissung]

lol, Gilliatt. I think you may be on to something. I heard someone on the radio comment, "Well, they deep fry everything else at the fair."

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

Now that was a treat! Mark Knopfler and Emmylou - cool! Real hands across the ocean stuff this, what with Milton, Byron and MK, but can't you find an American poet to quote to mourn the passing of Big Tex :D
Live and be well - H



I started working on one myself, but the creative juices aren't flowing at the moment, so how about some Poe:

Spirits Of The Dead

Thy soul shall find itself alone
'Mid dark thoughts of the grey tomb-stone;
Not one, of all the crowd, to pry
Into thine hour of secrecy.

Be silent in that solitude,
Which is not loneliness- for then
The spirits of the dead, who stood
In life before thee, are again
In death around thee, and their will
Shall overshadow thee; be still.

The night, though clear, shall frown,
And the stars shall not look down
From their high thrones in the Heaven
With light like hope to mortals given,
But their red orbs, without beam,
To thy weariness shall seem
As a burning and a fever
Which would cling to thee for ever.

Now are thoughts thou shalt not banish,
Now are visions ne'er to vanish;
From thy spirit shall they pass
No more, like dew-drop from the grass.

The breeze, the breath of God, is still,
And the mist upon the hill
Shadowy, shadowy, yet unbroken,
Is a symbol and a token.
How it hangs upon the trees,
A mystery of mysteries! ... Edgar Allan Poe


Here's a farewell from Patsy Montana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VKxlDYC0X0&feature=related



lol, Gilliatt. I think you may be on to something. I heard someone on the radio comment, "Well, they deep fry everything else at the fair."

Haha- Now the recording of the communication between Fire Department responders and dispatch is on Youtube.
One fire fighter is heard saying "howdy folks, it's hot"

[Hawkman]

LOL! G2 good choices there GG. Always good to hear a cheer from the home crowd :D

Live long and prosper - H

[Revolte]

Poor Hank Hill.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

Revolte, thanks for your condolences.- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXOp-PT27rw


Well, I never would have imagined...hold on, yes I would at least here in the Republic, that a funeral would be held for BT.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Funeral-Home-Holds-Service-for-Big-Tex-175342881.html

God I love this place!