# Folksinger Oscar Brand dead **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365 "2016-10-01T15:19:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/1 "2016-10-01T15:19:39Z")
The Washington Post obit is here: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/oscar-brand-folk-troubadour-and-radio-host-for-seven-decades-dies-at-96/2016/10/01/cd5a6100-87cf-11e6-a3ef-f35afb41797f\_story.html?postshare=8961475329124856&tid=ss\_tw](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/oscar-brand-folk-troubadour-and-radio-host-for-seven-decades-dies-at-96/2016/10/01/cd5a6100-87cf-11e6-a3ef-f35afb41797f_story.html?postshare=8961475329124856&tid=ss_tw) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/2 "2016-10-01T15:35:39Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > The Washington Post obit is here: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/oscar-brand-folk-troubadour-and-radio-host-for-seven-decades-dies-at-96/2016/10/01/cd5a6100-87cf-11e6-a3ef-f35afb41797f\_story.html?postshare=8961475329124856&tid=ss\_tw](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/oscar-brand-folk-troubadour-and-radio-host-for-seven-decades-dies-at-96/2016/10/01/cd5a6100-87cf-11e6-a3ef-f35afb41797f_story.html?postshare=8961475329124856&tid=ss_tw) I checked his Wikipedia page a month or so ago to see if he was still alive. My dad had _Wild Blue Yonder_, and I inherited the album from him. I bought the CD so I could have it on my iPod. Prior to that, I made a cassette tape from the vinyl. His songs often pop up on my iPod. In addition to the Air Force-oriented _Wild Blue Yonder_, he also had Navy, Army, and Marine Corps-themed albums. With my aviation background, I still enjoy _Wild Blue Yonder_ the most. There are a couple of things that bug me on that album. In [_The Wreck Of The Old 97_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLOcNOSBp9g) there’s a math error. ‘The first 46 are reserved for the majors, the captains have the next 49. There’s only one other ship at the end of the apron. Said the shavetail, “Then that one is mine.”’ That’s only 96. In [_I Wanted Wings_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC-8vPJo9OE) he sings, ‘I’d rather be a terrier, than a flyer on a carrier, with my hand around a bottle. You can keep your god-damned throttle, buster.’ This lyric doesn’t make sense, and I think he should have used the original lyrics ‘I’d rather be a bellhop, than a flyer on a flat-top, with my hand around a bottle…’ Nevertheless, Brand’s music takes me to a time before I existed, but have had an interest in all my life. For a pilot who is fond of military aviation history, Brand’s songs have brought much enjoyment. I really hoped he’d make it to 100. . ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/3 "2016-10-01T18:14:13Z")
I remember him for “Bawdy Briney Ballads”. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/4 "2016-10-01T18:22:57Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > In [_I Wanted Wings_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC-8vPJo9OE) he sings, ‘I’d rather be a terrier, than a flyer on a carrier, with my hand around a bottle. You can keep your god-damned throttle, buster.’ This lyric doesn’t make sense, I think the punctuation may be wrong. “I’d rather be a terrier than a flyer on a carrier. With my hand around a bottle you can keep your goddamned throttle, buster.” (I’d rather drink than fly.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/5 "2016-10-01T18:33:29Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I think the punctuation may be wrong. “I’d rather be a terrier than a flyer on a carrier. With my hand around a bottle you can keep your goddamned throttle, buster.” (I’d rather drink than fly.) A terrier doesn’t carry a bottle, nor do they drink alcohol. A bell-hop’s job is not to carry bottles, but it’s not out of the question that one would bring a bottle of alcohol to a hotel patron. The narrator _is_ saying he’d rather drink than fly [in a dangerous situation]. FWIW, here are the original lyrics: _Now, I’m too young to die in a god-damned PBY That’s for the eager, not for me I don’t trust my luck to be picked up by a Duck After I’ve crashed into the sea For I’d rather be a bellhop Than a flyer on a flattop With my hands around a bottle Not a god-damned throttle, Buster I wanted wings 'til I got the god-damned things Now I don’t want them anymore_ ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/6 "2016-10-01T18:54:16Z")
The terrier is not drinking; note that I placed a period after the phrase. As I see it, they are two distinct rejections of flying. ETA: In the lyrics you printed, I see 2 distinct statements as well. He doesn’t necessarily want to be a bellhop with his hands around a bottle. Each couplet is a statement in itself. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/7 "2016-10-01T19:06:32Z")
There are four lines discussing being picked up after being shot down, and there are four lines about rather drinking than flying. A terrier has nothing to do with flying. And ‘I’d rather be a bellhop with my hands around a bottle’ fits better with the sentence structure in the rest of the song than your interpretation. We’ll have to agree to disagree. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/8 "2016-10-01T19:25:52Z")
I had BAWDY SONGS AND BACKROOM BALLADS on vinyl as a teenager. I can still sing “The Chandler’s Wife” all the way through. “But nivver a one she give to me, she give to me instead/Just a little bit more of that (knock knock knock on your guitar) to light me way to bed.” ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/9 "2016-10-01T21:11:37Z")
\*"He let go the hat but the hat did not fall… A BLESSED MIRACLE!"\* I’ve got all those Air Force songs on a cassette out in the garage. I made it back in the early 80’s. I was surprised he was alive back then! ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/10 "2016-10-02T03:12:45Z")
Damn. One of my favorite CD’s is his collection of presidential campaign songs. His offering for John Adams was set to _The Star Spangled Banner_, and wow, he managed to make it a catchy tune. I wish they would always play the National Anthem at that tempo. ---
**Author:** ![GinoC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f4b2a3/32.png) [@GinoC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GinoC)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/11 "2016-10-05T15:23:41Z")
I was also surprised that he was still alive. My Mom used to have the LP of “The Drinking Man’s Songbook” and I would listen to it as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folksinger-oscar-brand-dead/767365/12 "2016-10-05T15:57:51Z")
I have welcomed the sun from a field in Saskatchewan and apparently so had he.