Manny

[bbshriver]

I was reading this thread and it got me thinking of a relatively obscure song by Jerry Jeff Walker... Thought folks around here would appreciate it.
Sorry if this is the wrong forum to put it in, but since it's about hats I thought it would be the place to start.

I never noticed the John B reference until I read the lyrics here.

"Manny's Hat Song"

Manny was a maker of hats, Manny was much more than that
He was the kind of guy, you and I would want for a friend
Manny was a regular guy, with an old soul look in his eye
He was a man of word, and true to himself to the end

Chorus:
Manny liked to laugh and share a good story or two
If he's a making you a hat, he needs to know some things about you
He'd say, "Set yourself down, tell us what you're thinking about
Your hat says something about you, before you even open your mouth"

Manny had a funky hat shop, south of town where everyone stopped
To sit and chat, get a hat, and maybe get a new attitude
He loved to sit up front and greet folks
Take their measurements and laugh at their jokes

You couldn't stop by without staying there all afternoon
His wife Norma she sat in the back,
Sewing sweatbands in all of his hats
She listened to the radio, some times I'd sing her a tune

Chorus

He made hats for a lot of great men
But none were finer then he made for a friend
He made 'em the old way, steamed, and creased 'em by hand
He'd take your old hat and make her brand new
He'd shape it any way you wanted him too
He'd fix it up fine with a porcupine-beaded hatband

You know his hats were worn all over the world
By real cowboy, women’s and pearls
He even made one for me he jokingly called "the old friend"

Bridge:
Well when old friends disappear, I sometimes wonder where
I'd like to think maybe there just somewhere round the bend
But Manny's in heaven I bet, I'll go you one better yet
I'll bet money John B. and Manny are talking God into a hat

Old Manny used to take me aside,
He’d say Jerry Jeff you know how to write
Why don't you make up a hat song and do it just the way that you do
Well now that old Manny has gone,
I finally made him up Manny's hat song
'Cause it's the best way to keep your old friend alive in a room

Chorus

Manny was a maker of hats, Manny was much more than that
He was the kind of guy, you and I would want for a friend

 

[Tango Yankee]

Well, I like it! Now I'm going to have to find it and listen to it.

Thanks for posting it.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[frussell]

Manny from Texas Hatters

I'm sure he's talking about Manny Gammage, from Texas Hatters. When I lived in Austin, all the local cowboys and entertainers got their hats from Manny. I've still got one in my garage from 20 years ago. It was a cool place back in the day. I believe it's being complained about on another thread right now. He was a colorful guy, and would tell you what he thought about the hat you wanted, without sparing your delicate feelings. I used to see Jerry Jeff around town a lot back in those days, as well as Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Ray Benson from Asleep at the Wheel, who used to all shop at Manny's store. Good old days. Austin is not the same at all now. Frank

 

[jwalls]

Yes, sir, I knew Manny way back when. I had an old friend who Manny employed off and on for many years. Jimbo was a good hatter, not the most depenable fellow around. Manny was a good hearted soul and a fine gentleman.

 

[majormoore]

I also know Jimbo, and he did work on and off for Manny, back then, matter of fact Manny taught Jimbo the hat making secerts. Small world,

Major Moore

Yes, sir, I knew Manny way back when. I had an old friend who Manny employed off and on for many years. Jimbo was a good hatter, not the most depenable fellow around. Manny was a good hearted soul and a fine gentleman.

 

[Tango Yankee]

I'm sure he's talking about Manny Gammage, from Texas Hatters. (Much Snippage) Austin is not the same at all now. Frank

He is. I found it online, and he starts out the song by saying it's about Manny Gammage.

fftopic: As for Austin, I lived there from March 1987 to Dec 1990, stationed at Bergstrom AFB. I loved it! I was sent to the USAF's medical center in San Antonio in 2000 to see a doctor there and took advantage of the proximity to drive up to Austin to visit old friends. It had definitely changed quite a bit in 10 years! The base was gone, Lone Star BMW had moved to a bigger location (again), and it was spread out farther with more traffic. One of these days I'll get back down there to see my friends again. (Shameless plug: if you get the chance, go check out The Soulphonics at Quoffers Pub in Elgin on Tuesday, February 16. Tell my buddy Glen I said hello.)

Cheers,
Tom

 

[AlterEgo]

Well, I'll be darned; the things you learn on Fedora Lounge never cease to amaze me--Jerry Jeff Walker's Manny is (was) an actual person. Does anyone know which album this song is on? I have several JJW vinyl records in storage and would make the effort to dig them out if I recognized the name of the one this tune is on.

I am lucky to have seen Walker numerous times in live performances and heard him sing this song at one of them. He often opened for bigger-name acts touring the country but for some reason never elevated to the big time despite his immense talent and huge crossover hit.

Perhaps the best show was the time I saw him with Willie Nelson, John Prine, and Emmy Lou Harris in a small venue with an inexplicably sparse crowd of mostly young folks like me. When the band broke into "Don't Bogart That Joint," someone near the front bearing an uncanny resemblance to me fired up a spliff and handed it off to Jerry Jeff. He took a toke and, of course, passed it on until everyone playing took a hit, when it was handed back down into the audience.

It was pretty much spent by then, but, you know, it's the principle of the thing.

DISCLAIMER: Marijuana's being not only illegal in most parts of the world but also potentially deleterious to health, its use and possession is not recommended.

 

[RBH]

I have a hat made by Manny over 30 years ago. It had shrunk down and I had Mike Moore re-work it.

As to Jerry Jeff.
I quote one of his songs often
'The man in the big hat is buying"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nocBPuMYYbo

By the way this song about Manny is on the album 'Scamp".

 

[frussell]

Jerry Jeff

Maybe the reason Jerry Jeff never made it as big nationally was his occasional over-indulgence. I remember seeing him many times in the 80s when he could barely get through a song. Funny thing was, they were still great shows. I never saw a band have so much fun on stage. I talked to him once at a local drug store about 1985, and he had just come out of cocaine rehab. He described in great detail the painful procedure to get the residue out of his nose. In usual Jerry Jeff style, I almost peed my pants laughing at his tragic story, because he told it with such humor and charm. One of the first things I disliked after moving to Southern California in 1990 was that you could not find a Jerry Jeff CD in any of the stores out here. I had a friend in Austin send me a care package full of them, since that was before iTunes. He's still one of my favorites, and I've introduced many Californians to his music. Jerry Jeff Walker and Gruene Hall are two of the things I miss most about the Lone Star State. Frank

 

[bbshriver]

I came to know of Jerry Jeff through a friend of mine from West Texas. Along with other lesser known Texas Greats like Pat Green, Gary P Nunn, Aaron Watson, Ray Wylie Hubbard, etc.

Intersting thing is, we went to college in Flint Michigan, and could easily find cd's from all of the above at the local borders/barnes and noble.

I bought 2 JJW and 2 David Allen Coe cd's from local stores in Flint.

Maybe the reason Jerry Jeff never made it as big nationally was his occasional over-indulgence. I remember seeing him many times in the 80s when he could barely get through a song. Funny thing was, they were still great shows. I never saw a band have so much fun on stage. I talked to him once at a local drug store about 1985, and he had just come out of cocaine rehab. He described in great detail the painful procedure to get the residue out of his nose. In usual Jerry Jeff style, I almost peed my pants laughing at his tragic story, because he told it with such humor and charm. One of the first things I disliked after moving to Southern California in 1990 was that you could not find a Jerry Jeff CD in any of the stores out here. I had a friend in Austin send me a care package full of them, since that was before iTunes. He's still one of my favorites, and I've introduced many Californians to his music. Jerry Jeff Walker and Gruene Hall are two of the things I miss most about the Lone Star State. Frank

 

[majormoore]

The summer of 1973, I was in Lukenbach, Tx when he recorded "Via Terlinqua" it was alot of fun down there those few days, with him, the band and "Ole Hondo", who bought the little town of Lukenbach, Texas.

That summer will be in my mind for many more years.

" I would rather spend 3 seconds in the arena that a life time in the stands" that is the way I look at things, I never want to be old and some day say, I wish I had done that or this, I want to say Boy that was fun

Major Moore