There is an old funny story that I gonna present you in the form of a Japanese hokku. `THREE FOR TWO: A girl is crying in a new car,//She is in tears, mascara has spread all over her face, //There are three pedals//But only two legs`.
Now that I have done it I have to confess that this story does not correspond to the facts of real life. The women tamed the cars as soon as the cars had first appeared. They did it on all five continents, all of them, from the girl next door to Her Majesty.
PRINCESS ELIZABETH BEING TAUGHT TO DRIVE BY VIOLET WELLESLEY, MILITARY POLICE TRAINING CENTRE, CAMBERLEY, SURREY, BRITAIN
A car is `she` in English. Is it occasional? The utensils (see Collins: utensil - an implement, tool, or container for practical use) that would be of no special use for ladies would have hardly been termed in feminine gender. To burn rubbers is the greatest thrill for ladies too.
On the other hand, being Mr. Owie, I would like all drivers, both ladies and gentlemen, to be reasonable enough to cause no owie to one another and pedestrians. `Pain Is So Close to Pleasure?` (The Queen group). Tut-tut! One`s greatest thrill is not always another`s delight, if only it is not a pleasure of hurting oneself. An owie to one,however, often becomes an owie to all! Then follows a term at Her Majesty's pleasure...
Take care of yourselves and the pleasure will be all mine, Dr. Owie (simply Alex for you).
By Andrew Alexandre Owie THE BELLE OF THE ROAD
Once I was invited by my pal to go into fishing
We drove the oldest jeep, the oil was leaking,
The car had broken headlights, the doors were damaged
But on the whole she was a real tigress, though she was wretched,
We scorched down the road, my pal prayed: `Let her rip!`
But half-way up the hill, the engine stopped. Beep-beep!
Part of itinerary like slaves we pushed the car uphill!
When downhill she rolled ahead accelerating like a dream,
A blonde belle passed us soon while driving like the wind.
Our jeep abruptly started up, my pal got in behind the wheel,
We rushed after the beauty like the beasts, we were intrigued
With driving style of her. Not touching wheel at all,
One hand of her made up her pretty face, the other held the phone.
Not Necessary Comments
As a starting point, or even a jumping-off place of my poem I used an amateur poem from the Russian website created for the lovers of poetry and versification http://www.stihi.ru/2007/10/15/2228. I was against literal translation of that text in English because of its rather an oversexed implication that suddenly reveals itself, `blows up` in the final line. The Russian author implied that the girl had driven the car with the help of her ... and to do it she must have taken not very normal posture. It was to have been considered a very healthy male humour, not for ladies.
Раз пригласил меня дружок поехать на рыбалку.
Уселись в старенький «Москвич», закрыли дверь на палку.
«Москвич» четыреста седьмой, с одной разбитой фарой.
Вообще, машина эта – зверь, но зверь больной и старый.
Ползли по краешку шоссе, движенью не мешали,
Под горку шпарили под сто, а в горочку толкали.
Наш «Москвичонок» обошла спортивная машинка,
А за рулём сидела в ней шикарная блондинка:
Одною красилась рукой, другой рукой звонила…
И я подумал, чёрт возьми, а чем она рулила?!
The West women wouldn`t understand such type of humour, because that type of kidding, so natural and innocent one for Russia, is considered to be abusive for the women beyond its boundaries. The people in West use formal criteria, but the Russian are natural born dialecticians. Their criterion of abusiveness is often based on taking into account of the motivation of a kidding person. If there is no abusive motivation, even the most risky jokes are being interpreted as innocent ones and taken without any objections. The author of the above-mentioned Russian poem did not mean to abuse either the heroine of his poem or women in general. Moreover, he described her with admiration, the characters of the poem wanted to catch up with her, they simply wanted her ... but the beauty of the road escaped, vanished in the haze of heavy fuel and gasoil. The whole poem is an extended metaphor of love-hunting from the male view-point.
Formally, my poem in English is about the same, excluding the sexual implication. The same plot, the same car, the girl is present too. But both poems have got nothing to do with each other. How come, on earth? There is a literary secret. We must differentiate two things that are defined by a single word `a plot, a story`. Those things are, firstly, a story itself and, secondly, a subject, an inner meaning that is being expressed by means of a plot. Therefore there may be two similar stories with different meaning of each of them. Strictly speaking, all plots that has been used so far in the world literature, drama and cinema are quite the same, though the quantity and quality of the original books, performances and motion pictures do not diminish! They`ve got different inner contents, inner subjects. This has got a direct relation with a problem of plagiarism that is not as simple as it might seem. For me personally, this problem is just a problem of my personal honesty, honesty of an author. Every author knows exactly when he or she steals and when he or she does not. Some of my works I sign as an author, some I do as a translator no matter how strong, extremely strong might be my desire to (mis)appropriate somebody`s excellent text (an original).
BBy the way, translations are also able to change the original meaning of the works. It would not be a big exaggeration to declare that Shakespeare that had been almost all translated into Russian is not always Shakespeare well-known for the world`s English-speaking community. The Russian Shakespeare is often Jean-Baptiste Racine very much, he is from the XVII century. The Russian combed curls of Shakespeare, his tragedies and many sonnets had been severely doctorated. It is a longstanding literary tradition orginating from the beginning of the XIX century. On the contrary, Goethe remains Goethe in the Russian translations and he preserves all his improbable artistic might. By the way, Shakespeare and Goethe were often translated by the same authors (e.g., Pasternak). This is bedrock, the habit strength in action!
When I see or hear something that is regarded as not decent and allegedly abusive from the point of view the traditional or modern moral standards, I try to comprehend the inner subject, motivation, what is behind that phenomenon. A stranger comes into a temple, his or her behaviour seems to be not appropriate for parishers, but can this person be regarded as a mischievous one? If he or she came in with an obvious intention to abuse, then answer would be positive. If he or she was not just aware of some local rules, then the answer would be negative. The same relates as well to the behaviour of foreigners and immigrants in all countries. If this standard is not answered, well, then any political correctness loses its sense and does harm to all in any society.
`Folks! You gonna be angry with me, but I seem to have simply forgotten to press the button!`
When translating the above-mentioned Russian poem, I preserved its plot, but I had to change its subject and meaning due to my `gentlemanness` and under pressure of the political correctness. This is bedrock, the habit strength in action!
To be a lady and a gentleman is good, but rather unnatural ... for both sides.
But taken as is the Russian poem is not abusive by its motivation, it is kind, it`s innocent, it`s natural, it reveals the mutual interest of the sexes in one another. What is natural it is not hideous, after all, though, on the other hand, it may sometimes seem disgraceful, scandalous, outrageous and shocking in case of lack of culture.
When the natural is the sensibly cultural it is always to the point and very, very beautiful. The main thing is to never forget that sometimes the natural, sensible and cultural can make a girl, for example, be `dressed sensibly in a short skirt and thin sweater`.
Mind situation, place and time,
judge by motivation, try to be dialecticians, be `Russian` a little bit as I try to be.
FROM O MAXIXE TO LA MATTCHICHE THROUGH LA MACHICHA
For the first time `O maxixe` (matchich) became famous tune, dance and lyrics in 1905. It happened in France after the great French entertainer Mayol had done his number and in new elegant arrangement by Charles Borel-Clerc. The very melody of matchich as `La Mattchiche` was taken from the Spanish operetta known by the title `Los Inocentes` (`The Innocents`) where matchich was known as `La machicha`.
Maxixe - A folk dance. O maxixe was the first city dance of Brazil. It was performed for the first time in 1875 in the cabaret da Lapa, Rio de Janeiro. It had been prohibited for a long time as a vulgar and immoral dance. Church, police, schools, fathers of families united to struggle against it. The prohibition was actual in Brazil until 1914 despite the popularity of the dance all over the world. https://youtu.be/9RhdcgPZ-x0
In 1907 La Mattchiche was included in the Spanish operetta “Aventuras de don Procopio en Paris” (`Adventures of Don Procopio in Paris`) staged in Kursaal Central de Madrid.
Lyrics by Jose Juan Cadenas and Alvaro Retana La Machicha de Don Procopio (La Mattchiche)
Llevado por la fama de la Machicha
Don Procopio una noche se fue al Olimpia
El buen senor es un conquistador
El buen senor es un conquistador
Para gozar del baile fue Don Procopio
Armado de gemelos y telescopio
El buen senor es un conquistador
El buen senor es un conquistador
Al ver a las coristas tan melenudas
Decia don Procopio son pistonudas
Comprendo que esten locos, con la Machicha
Es el baile que ahora, esta de moda alla en Paris
Todo lo que veia le entusiasmaba
Y al compas del baile, palmoteaba.
El buen senor es un conquistador
El buen senor es un conquistador
Al ver dar esas vueltas tan en redondo
Don Proscopio decia, yo es que me mondo
El buen senor es un conquistador
El buen senor es un conquistador
Y cuando se colocan todas en fila
Parecen que le queman, con la badila
Comprendo que esten locos con la machicha
Es el baile que ahora esta de moda alla en Paris
As an popular dancing style in Europe and in the world the dance of matchich was established only in 1912-13. It had been widely danced since then only! And, of course, it had nothing to do with Felix Mayol `s La Mattchiche.
This dance had been called Castle Maxixe since 1910. A Tribute To Irene & Vernon Castle.Vernon and Irene Castle were a husband-and-wife team of ballroom dancers in the early 20th century. They are credited with invigorating the popularity of modern dancing. They were inventors of a number of dances, including the Castle Walk that bears their name, and they also helped to popularize dances such as the Foxtrot, the Hesitation Waltz, the Maxixe and the early ballroom form of the Tango.
`Russian Matchisch (Maxixe)` (Rare Russian Cartoon criticizing social mores of the 00-10s of the XX century). Матчиш я танцевала// С одним нахалом// В отдельном кабинете// Под одеялом... -`Matshish that I was dancing// With a commander//Transformed into love-in //Right in his parlor`.
Do you know that the melody of matchish was widely used in car horns and served as a source for the lambada dancing steps?
What a nice, sensual dance! It has charmed me a great deal! It has stolen my loving heart! A dance of seduction! As the press in the early XX century reported, matchish (like shimmy, charleston, foxtrot and etc. will have been later) had granted girls and ladies with a rare opportunity to sensually twist in public! Wow! (I wish I could dance matchish to ... a parlor. (Will you walk into my parlor, ms?)). Na serio, it is the first dance I`d like to prepare to perform! What for? For having got a rare opportunity to sensually, I would say, voluptuously twist with somebody else in view of other people!
OWIE: LADIES, LADIES, DO NOT GO THAT FAR! LADIES: WHY? OWIE: CUZ MR. OWIE TAKES CARE OF HOW SAFE YOU ALL ARE! (To audience: `I can imagine what ladies gonna answer me now...` !!!) OWIE: LADIES, DO NOT COME UP THAT NEAR. LADIES: WHY? OWIE: I AM AFRAID OF YOU, IT`S CLEAR!
LA MATTCHICHE (MATCHICH/MAXIXE)
Un Espagnol sévère
D'une Ombrienne
Au Moulin d'la Galette
Fit la conquête
Il dit à sa compagne
Comme en Espagne
Je m'en vais vous montrer
Un pas à la mode qui va vous charmer
Amoureusement
Laissez-vous conduire gentiment.
C'est la danse nouvelle
Mademoiselle
Prenez un air canaille
Cambrez la taille
Ça s'appelle la Matchiche
Prenez vos miches
Ainsi qu'une Espagnole
Joyeuse et folle!
Il amena la fillette
Dans sa chambrette
Avant de faire dodo
Cet hidalgo
Lui dit belle mignonne
Faut qu'je vous donne
Une deuxième leçon
Enlaçons-nous et recommençons
N'pressez pas l'mouvement
Afin qu'ça dure plus longtemps
C'est la danse nouvelle
Mademoiselle
Prenez un air canaille
Cambrez la taille
Ça s'appelle la Matchiche
Prenez vos miches
Ainsi qu'une Espagnole
Joyeuse et folle!
Depuis lors les p'tites femmes
Chaque soir se pâment
Pour cette danse excitante
Très entraînante
J'vous souhaite Messieurs Mesdames
Du fond de l'âme
De pouvoir la danser
Cinq ou six fois d'suite sans vous arrêter
C'est le bon moment
Quand on est vieux ce n'est plus temps
Félix Mayol (1872 - 1941) (Two disks issued in 1906 by the French recording company Odéon, № 36256 and № 36256-2)
The matchish melody came to Russia from Paris in 1906 as a ... famous Spanish march. Модный танец «Ля матчишъ» в исполнении оркестра лейб-гвардии Волынского полка. A popular dance La Matchishe performed by military brass band of the Volynsky regiment. Listen to the title music of this pos t. For comparison: "La Matchiche" - The London Military Band (Source : Jean-Yves Patte - Columbia Gramophone n° 25957)
see: http://www.dutempsdescerisesauxfeuillesmortes.net/...n_military_band_mattchiche.mp3
Lyrics was translated from French by A.W. Szabielski:
«Матчиш», музыка Ш. Бореля-Клерка, текст А. Бусина. Москва, С. Я. Ямбор, цена 10 копеек. `Matchish` Poster issued in Moscow by a price of 10 kopecks.
«Матчишъ» я научилась
Плясать не скоро,
Одна, какъ ни трудилась,
Всё шло не споро
Но вотъ, испанецъ юный
Мнѣ далъ урокъ
Я сразу поняла его
Урокъ былъ въ прокъ.
Я такъ была готова
Понять испанца,
Что поняла въ два слова
Прiемы танца,
Онъ мощною рукою
Меня взялъ властно
За руку и порою
Шепталъ такъ страстно:
(Припѣвъ)
I learned to dance Matchish,
It troubled me a lot,
No matter how I wish,
I couldn`t hit the spot.
Young Spanish cavalier
Gave me the lesson, o!
At last all was so clear,
I was quick on the draw.
I was so eager then
To understand my Spaniard
That all steps he explained
I did with fire.
He touched me by the arm
With his mighty hand,
He whispered in due time
What I should apprehend. (Trans. Andrew Alexandre OWIE)
Слова русского матчиша 1917 г.: Матчиш прелестный танец,
Теперь он в моде,
Его привез испанец,
На пароходе.
Его я танцевала
С одним нахалом,
В отдельном кабинете
Под одеялом.
Была я белошвейка
И шила гладью.
Теперь служу в театре
И стала бля ... актрисой.
Russian Lyrics of La Matchish
(Revolution of 1917) Dance of Matchish ain`t hard
It`s all the go now!
Imported by a Spaniard
On shipboard! Wow!
Matchish that I was dancing
With a commander
Transformed into love-in
Right in his parlor.
I was a seamstress firstly,
Embroidered n`satin stitch.
Now I am an actress mostly,
So I am used as a bitch.
(Trans. Andrew Alexandre Owie)
Matchish replaced Cake Walk as a popular dance.
USA - Cake Walk, May 11, 1903
This time with music! Enjoy it!
Returning to la matchishe (maxixe) dance, its steps are being briefly explained and shown in the below video (appoximately from the 5th minute of 7,5 min. footage). While reading comments I cannot help joining the person who said: `God, how i wish the dances of today were as sophisticated as these`.
From series of the `Dances of the Ragtime Era 1910-1920 (2008)`
THE UNIVERSAL RESUME :
To avoid many problems in life people ought to be taught to express themselves in a correct, beautiful, exact form. Dances are just a mirror of social relations. Now that both dances and social relations are under pressure of standardization, people have to have got aggravating problems. Dances ouhgt to liberate people, the person who can express himself or herself by means of dancing will hardly ever need a rifle and a massacre to prove that he or she really exists. We need a great global cultural revolution, we must bridge the gap between amateur and professional art.
There was no such a tremendous gulf between skills of the ordinary people and professionals in this field in the XIX century. Besides it will only raise the level of the professional art in the world. The masses must be involved in the various form of artistic activities (painting, dancing, singing and what not) right from schools. The adults ought to be involved too. Or we hardly survive in the XXI century.
We shall simply kill one another even if all rifles and even axes and knives are prohibited for daily use. So I declare a slogan `Go ahead backwards from the unreasonable simplicity to the sensible sophistication!` The right to being taught a socially appropriate and not too primitive means of social self-expression through a variety of the amateur artistic and other creative activities is an integral part of human rights on the whole because the human beings are all creative beings. Deprivation and frustration of the inner creative might are not the best friends of the human race. The Universe (I mean Nature which is everywhere and we are part of it) knows it (I don`t say, `demands`, `requires` `cuz we can use free will for making unnatural things (though not artificial ones), we can violate Nature and our own nature). People as an instruments of self-discovery, self-knowledge, self-awareness and self-actualization of Nature (I mean ratio+ emotion+instinct+free will in human beings) should know it too and voluntarily follow the principle of harmony, discover and seek harmony in the world, outer space and in themselves, be in the incessant process of it, though not at the expense of life and health of other people.
