Rare Dealership

[Norm's Coupe]

Don't remember ever seeing a dealer that handled the Terraplane. Found this old dealership in Deadwood, SD, now a VFW post.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Terraplane was a favorite of rodders in the mid to late 60's..used to see them all over the area back then..have not seen one in a good number of years now...Huppmobiles were also a favorite for the larger sedans...

[Norm's Coupe]

Tim,

Guess it was different in different areas. Most of the hot rods I saw in the 50's and 60's were Fords, Chevy's and Merc's. Those were usually from about 1950 cars to mid 50's. Didn't see many 20's and 30's hot rods running around Louisville then.

At any rate, regardless of what they made the hot rods out of, that dealership was the first one I've seen for Terraplane's. They stopped production on those in 1939, so that was before my time.

Hup's were before my time too. However, my brother in law did have one of those about 18 or 20 years ago. Was the coupe, think it was about a 37 or so.

[james curl]

If I rember correctly Hudson built the Terraplane.

[eric wissing]

Blues singer Robert Johnson wrote and sang the famous song "Terraplane Blues" in which the Terraplane becomes a metaphor for sex. In the lyrical narrative, the car will not start and Johnson suspects that his girlfriend let another man drive it when he was gone. In describing the various mechanical problems with his Terraplane, Johnson creates a setting of thinly-veiled sexual innuendo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terraplane

[Norm's Coupe]

If I rember correctly Hudson built the Terraplane.

You are correct, but they stopped building it in 1939.

[old woolie]

Blues singer Robert Johnson wrote and sang the famous song "Terraplane Blues" in which the Terraplane becomes a metaphor for sex. In the lyrical narrative, the car will not start and Johnson suspects that his girlfriend let another man drive it when he was gone. In describing the various mechanical problems with his Terraplane, Johnson creates a setting of thinly-veiled sexual innuendo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terraplane

Robert Johnson was a genius. Never has a songwrighter been covered by so many and been so revered as he has. [ Bob Dylan being the possible exception ]

[Ed Griffin]

You are correct' date=' but they stopped building it in 1939.[/quote']

You do mean the cars and not the trucks correct Norm? I know very little about the Hudson Terraplane but I saw one not too long ago that was a 47 Terraplane truck.

[BobT-47P15]

Hudson Terraplane.....maybe 1937.

[Uncle-Pekka]

Terraplane was the entry level Hudson brand all throught the 30's. "The small Hudson" if you like. Thus the dealer was for Hudson, actually.

Off topic: I have always loved the genious brand names used by US car makers, such as "The Roadmaster", "Speedwagon", "Powerglide", "Airflow", etc. "The Terraplane" is one of those legendary brand names which give the impression of ultimate speed and power...

[Don Coatney]

Terraplane Blues

And I feel so lonesome

you hear me when I moan

When I feel so lonesome

You hear me when I moan

Who been drivin' my Terraplane

for you since I been gone

I'd said I flash your lights, mama

your horn won't even blow

spoken: Somebody's been runnin' my batteries

down on this machine

I even flash my lights, mama

this horn won't even blow

Got a short in this connection

hoo-well, babe, it's way down below

I'm on'h'ist your hood, mama

I'm bound to check your oil

I'm on'h'ist your hood, mama-mmm

I'm bound to check your oil

I got a woman that I'm lovin'

way down in Arkansas

Now, you know the coils ain't even buzzin'

little generator won't get the spark

Motor's in a bad condition, you gotta have

these batteries charged

But I'm cryin', please

plea-hease don't do me wrong

Who been drivin' my Terraplane now for

you-hoo since I've been gone

Mr. Highway man

plea-hease don't block the road

Puh hee hee

plea-hease don't block the road

Cause she's re'ist'rin a cold one hundred

and I'm booked and I got to go

Mmm mmm

mmm mmm mmm

You ooo ooo ooo

You hear me weep and moan

Who been drivin' my Terraplane now for

you-hoo since I been gone

I'm on get deep down in this connection

keep tanglin' with your wires

I'm on get deep down in this connection

hoo-well, keep tanglin' with these wires

And when I mash down on your little starter

then your spark plug will give me fire

[John Burke]

how about the music for it Don? I'd like to learn this one...John

[Don Coatney]

how about the music for it Don? I'd like to learn this one...John

Might be on youtube but I cant get there on my work puter.

Misogyny and Respect in

Robert Johnson Songs

by: Anne Lemon

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robert Johnson displays two attitudes toward the women in his songs. In songs such as "Terraplane Blues," Johnson shows a misogynist attitude when he uses the sexual metaphor of a car as a woman' body. In other songs such as "When You Got a Good Friend," Johnson shows a high degree of respect for the woman about whom he is singing, by deferring to her judgment and appealing to her mercy.

In "Terraplane Blues," Robert Johnson has stripped a woman of her humanity and likened her to a machine for his sexual use. One of the differences between Johnson's treatment of the woman in "Terraplane Blues" and the woman in "When You've Got a Good Friend" is the degree of autonomy he acknowledges. In "Terraplane Blues" Johnson speaks of all the things he plans to do to this woman, even though it appears that she is not interested in doing anything with him. Even though Johnson acknowledges that "your horn won't even blow," that doesn't deter him in his plans: "I'm bound to check your oil"; "I'm 'on' get deep down in this connection, keep on tanglin' with these wires."

In "when You Got a Good Friend," Johnson grants this woman a high degree of autonomy. Even though she has left him, Johnson is not bound and determined to make her take him back. He is in fact hesitant about approaching her ("Wonder could I bear apologize / or would she sympathize with me") and acknowledges that it's her decision: ("babe, I may be right ay wrong / Baby it's yo'y opinion").

Another way in which Johnson's treatment of the two women differs is in his level of respect for them as evidenced by how he refers to them. In "Terraplane Blues" Johnson says "Somebody's been runnin' my batteries down on this machine" and then asks the woman, "Who been drivin' my Terraplane for you." He doesn't ask, "who have you been with," but instead, "who has been with my property." These lines evidence that, in Johnson's opinion, not only is this woman just a machine for his sexual pleasure, she is also merely his property.

In contrast, Johnson refers to the woman in the other song as a "good friend." Anyone familiar with Johnson's work will recognize the weight that the title "good friend" carries. This is probably the highest degree of respect Johnson has granted anyone in his songs. Indeed, "When You Got a Good Friend" is almost a statement of reverence. Johnson practically declares himself not worthy of this woman when he acknowledges how sweet, good and loyal she is ("just as sweet as a girl friend can be"; "a good friend that will stay right by your side"), and how he mistreated her ("I mistreated my baby / I can't see no reason why.")

Johnson's treatment of the woman in both of these songs is moving. Although "Terraplane Blues" may be dismissed as a harmless joke, a feminist analysis will recognize this song as a powerful, graphic, and terribly destructive, dehumanizing statement about women. When "You've Got a Good Friend" is equally powerful in an entirely different way. This song is one of Johnson's most open vulnerable statements about a love relationship, and I reveals a deep and genuine feeling about women that is not evidenced in so many of his misogynist songs.

One of the reasons these two songs are so fascinating in juxtaposition is that they seem to reveal the essential issue on which Johnson's alternately misogynist and loving attitudes toward women turn. The issue is loyalty. In his collected works Johnson sings about woman after woman treating him wrong and "doggin' him round"-cheating on him. These fickle relationships bring out Johnson's misogynist attitudes-he reveals in these songs that he is abusive, he treats these women equally badly, and he feels little emotion toward them beyond sexual attraction. "When You Got a Good Friend" is a good representative of the few songs in which Johnson reveals his sincere feelings of love for women. Johnson loves the woman in this song as a good friend precisely because she "will stay right by your side"-because she does not cheat him.

[Norm's Coupe]

how about the music for it Don? I'd like to learn this one...John

John,

I've looked up a lot of music and lyrics for various music on the internet. If you know the singer, artist and or name of the song you can usually find it by doing a search. Just type in his name, the name of the song, etc. into the search. If you want the sheet music, type in the words "sheet music" after the name of the song. If you want to listen to the actual song/music type in "record or CD". If you want the lyric's type in "lyric's" after the name of the piece. Sometimes, it will pop up as a ring tone for cell phones. Even on those you can sometimes download it from there. If it's an old piece like this, it usually you'll usually be able to download it free.

[eric wissing]

There should be a Clapton cover of this song on U Tube.

[PatS....]

Robert Johnson's version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0033iRJLuB8

Eric Clapton's version:

Both good as far as I'm concerned.

R.J. and a Terraplane, painting by Chris Osborne: