What is “High John the Conqueroo” made famous by blues singers?
Cecil identified this celebrated mojo herb with St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum), but one of the top experts on African-American mojo says it’s jalap (Ipomoea jalapa). Her article is fascinating reading:
http://www.luckymojo.com/johntheconqueror.html
With all due respects to Cecil, I regard Cat Yronwode as a formidable master when it comes to all things mojo. Somehow Cecil’s article lacked any cite of any source. O Goddess, the balls I have! demanding of Cecil Himself the classic Straight Dope challenge: “Cite?”!
Memo to self: Never, ever, EVER put “high john” into Google.
http://www.sky.net/~emily/
[whimpers helplessly]
now i have to listen to that SONNNNNNNGGGGGGG all day…
somebody shoot me
please
<devilish grin>
Allow me to help refresh your memory:
*Sittin’ 'round the campfire
And everybody’s high (high, HIIIIIIGH)
Rocky Mountain high!
High in Colorado!
Rocky Mountain high!
High in Colorado!*
John Denver R.I.P.
My kid sister was a TOTAL J.D. freak during high school, played his records ennnnnnnndlessly on her little portable record player (this was before CDs, children).
As my mother put it one day in exasperation, “That reedy baritone follows us around the house ALL the TIME…”
And yes, Sis was devasted when he was killed, so we aren’t allowed to make fun of him for running out of gas–at least, not where she can hear us…
To continue getting as off-topic as possible:
Remember the movie Final Destination? Every time the mysterious death-force came to claim one of its victims, the song “Rocky Mountain High” was uncannily playing. Being a movie about an airplane disaster, their exploiting poor old John Denver was in dreadfully poor taste!
Estragon, sitting on a low mound, is trying to take off his boot. He pulls at it with both hands, panting. He gives up, exhausted, rests, tries again.
As before.
Enter Vladimir.
ESTRAGON:
(giving up again). Nothing to be done.
VLADIMIR:
(advancing with short, stiff strides, legs wide apart). I’m beginning to come round to that opinion. All my life I’ve tried to put it from me, saying Vladimir, be reasonable, you haven’t yet tried everything. And I resumed the struggle…
http://samuel-beckett.net/Waiting_for_Godot_Part1.html
In the post-mortem, it was discovered that Mr. Denver had excessive levels of sunshine on his shoulder areas. The medical examiner was stingy with the details, but he said it “made him happy.” Perhaps more than happy…Page two!