Today’s post was written by Paul.
In the mid 90’s, I attended the University of North Carolina in Asheville to finish up my bachelor’s degree and earn my NC teaching license. I kept the little classical guitar you see in the video I’m sharing today under the bed in my dorm room, just so I had something to play every now and then. No case, just lying on the cold, hard, tile floor. I guess you could say that it was expendable but faithful. 🙂
I often had a lot of down time in between my classes. One day, I came back to the dorm after one of my education classes (meaning a class about teaching), and I took the guitar out from under the bed and started playing the tune in the video below.
As probably most guitar-playing Acorns have noticed, the unusual thing about this song is that it’s in B 7th, a chord that many songs pass through but few linger in. If I recall correctly, the class was ED310, or something like that.
The professor was well liked and respected, but she was also kind of legendary at UNCA for being very tough, especially at the beginning of the semester. On this particular day in class, I wound up having an extended conversation with a girl named Tonia. She was from Miami. I can’t remember what subject area she was learning to teach, possibly math. Throughout our conversation, she kept telling me that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be a teacher. I remember thinking that it was kind of late in the game to be unsure. She didn’t seem down or stressed about it, but I tried to encourage her a little. She mentioned a few things that wouldn’t be good about being a teacher. I reminded her that every job has things about it that are not good or desirable.
I was still thinking about our conversation back in my dorm room when I started picking this tune, so I originally named this tune “Tonia wasn’t Sure.” I quit calling it that because I thought the title was too open-ended and might be taken the wrong way somehow. I don’t think I ever saw Tonia again after the end of that semester, so she may have chosen a different career path. However, if she was studying math, it’s possible that our paths wouldn’t have crossed again anyway, since I was studying literature and language. The class we had together was about introductory teaching concepts that apply to all subject areas.
Back when Tipper, Pap, Ben, Mark, Corie, Katie and I used to all gather at my house on Sunday afternoons and play music, I would sometimes play this tune, and everyone would play along on their instruments. Since I featured an original instrumental last week on our YouTube channel, I thought I would share another one this week.
I stuck this “Blind Pig” title on the song, hoping that it might stir folks’ curiosity and encourage more Acorns to watch. The title does seem to fit it in a way. The song is kind of bouncing, and because of the way the notes start on the half-time beat, I kind of have to bounce a little when I pick it.
I appreciate Corie playing rhythm with me for this video. This is not a song that would sound good played on one instrument alone, especially because of the way the A part falls on a half-time beat and has that kind of delay. Without a rhythm instrument, it would just sound like you’re getting out of time or don’t know what you’re doing.
According to YouTube, only 47% of the people who watch the Blind Pig & The Acorn channel are actually subscribed. So if you’re reading this, and you haven’t subscribed, please subscribe. It doesn’t cost anything, and it won’t result in any unwanted emails or anything like that. The more subscribers a channel has, the more YouTube promotes the channel to new viewers on the platform.
If you like the sound of this little Japanese classical guitar, below are videos/recordings that feature it. Thank you for watching!
Paul
Original singles released on Spotify.
Shepherd of My Soul (Album released in 2016).
The Wilson Brothers Words of Life Album released in the 70s.
Love this!!!
Gonna play it during my workout this morning!!
Thanks for sharing!
I especially liked hearing Granny’s voice at the beginning. I enjoyed the song a lot too. It’s very spunky, fun and sweet. I want to share this from a devotional I’m reading…isn’t it wonderful we can count on God to walk with us in both the sunshine and the rain! May God bless you and your family. I am missing my momma a lot today but I’m trusting that through praise I can find joy. Your song helped and I will listen again.
Such a fun song ! Love it
Enjoyed this song from your college days. Not surprised that your major was education, teaching literature and language. Talent in music and writing. I think your entire family shares these talents.
One more thing, there are people of means who hesitate to make career decisions because they don’t have to. To them a job is just something to occupy their time between vacations.
The sound is fine but is the video is washed out. I wanted to see the name on the headstock. Maybe it’s just a setting in my PC. I’ll keep trying.
That’s quite the catchy lil tune Paul. I like it!
Very cool. I like the sound of that guitar.
I just loved this song, it put me in a happy mood for rhe rest of they day. I enjoyed it even more because you and Corie played together Thank so much Paul for the story behind it as well.
I watched you and Corie playing this peppy tune the other day on the blind pig channel. I just loved it…and I could tell you and Corie did too by the way you both were be-bopping your heads…and with your cool sunglasses on.
Enjoyed today’s post. Thanks Corie and Paul.
What a cherry, bouncy song. I hope Tonia eventually found a profession that she loved.
Thank you for this story and song, Paul! U enjoyed listening to this toe-tapping song as I made my morning cup of coffee!
Beautiful song and good story. I can not understand why people don’t subscribe to channels they watch all the time. Subscribing benefits both the subscriber and the content provider. Have a blessed weekend.
thank you Paul and Corie, God bless Papaw Tony, Lord give him deliverance from sickness and disease, heal his body and make him well in Jesus name
What a catchy tune! It just asks for words. Somehow – as Marilyn says – it does sound like “maybe/maybe not”. There are a few momentous decisions in life that set us on a path we really can’t see where it will end. We have an idea of how we think it will but what actually happens can turn out quite differently. I wonder how Tonia’s life has turned out. There comes a time , looking back, when those kind of questions from youth get revisited by some of us. I am not among the number who say, “If I had my life to live over, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Enjoyed the video. Someday I’ll know more about your description of the song as I’m learning to play the violin and just learning to read music lol.
Through your guitar I can hear Tania’s mind going back, forth, & around regarding what to do with her future. I really enjoyed it!
Hi Paul. I love the tune. I can still hear the original words you mention for the title in my head as you play.
I liked the tune. I feel sorry for the school teachers of today. I have a dear friend and have heard of others that have quit teaching because of the behavior of some of the students and then being blamed because of them not learning. She said she would have third grade students get in her face, cuss her and tell her you can’t do anything to me. They knew their parents didn’t care. In my day, a teacher was respected and a kid sure didn’t want their parents to find out they had been misbehaving at school. I get cold chills and goose bumps just thinking of what mine and many other parents would have done to us if we had done something like that.