The Green Man

By mentioning this I'll probably just reinforce the impression that Reason's staff is a bunch of dope-smoking Islamophiles, but reader Yehoodi Aydt -- who also appears in my May piece "Inside the Spiritual Jacuzzi" -- informs me that today is the feast day of Khizr, Islam's patron saint of cannabis. Also, apparently, of luck. Celebrate it as you see fit.

Comments

[Jack S.]

I was celebrating already! Hoorrrahhh!

[Seth D. Michaels]

Wow, and only three days after 4/20...

[Sean]

I'm not sure about this, but I think he's actually the Islamic saint of water. His name however either means or is similar to the word for green. He therefore has been associated with "green water," also known as "cool water" or "bhang." This is a greenish tinted water that resulted from soaking cannabis for a long period. It's been popular in the Middle East for medicinal and celebratory/entertainment purpose for hundreds of years.

Dude, did he just say "bhang"?

[geophile]

Bhangwater? heh heh heh...

[James Merritt]

"Cool water," 'eh? I seem to remember an old C&W hit with that title. That song's story allegedly takes place in the desert southwest (where wild cannabis was so commonplace that it became known as "loco weed" or "skunk weed"). The narrative involves hallucinations (including that of a "big green tree, where the [cool] water's running free...", as well as the singer's fervent hope for the relief brought by "cool water..."

Now, of course, the song could be about its obvious meaning: the effects of thirst in an arid desert. Even Freud admitted that, sometimes, a fattie is only a fattie. But given that musicians of so many populist musical genres are notorious pot-smokers, and given the twinkle-in-the-eye attitude of the song itself, might there be a sophisticated double-entendre, hidden in that all-American classic? Even if not, it certainly suggests new and potent video imagery that might be welded to a modern remake of the song. Are you listening, Toyes?

[Douglas Fletcher]

James Merritt -- you must be drinking that bhang water again.

Bob Nolan, founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and composer of "Cool Water", might have smoked some ditchweed at some point, who knows, but I doubt he would have used a bong to do it. That seems to have been brought to the American pot scene by the hippies, in imitation of the old hooka from Arab lands.

Besides, any self-respecting cowboy would just roll his own.

Also, Roy Rogers was one of the singers on that record. Yeah, I know, he sang "Happy Trails" too, but I can't believe he'd knowingly croon about getting blasted on loco weed. Just doesn't seem to be in the universe of possibilities.

[James Merritt]

Douglas Fletcher - Ha ha!

Who knows whether "cool water" requires a "bhang" or not? But I have to tell you that even if there were no intended allusions to middle-eastern "cool water" in the C&W song "Cool Water," cosmic justice fairly seems to demand that there should have been -- or that there should still be, if some enterprising carribbean band gets hold of the song. I'll keep my ear t'th' ground, man!

[malory]

And while we're on the topic of obscure song references, isn't "Khizr" mentioned in the song "Double Dutch Bus". And we all know what passing the "Dutchie" is all about.

[Croesus]

Anyone see the National Review ad for the books concerning the evils of Islam? I dunno what is worse - that 'zines ads or its Rumsfeld worshipping.

[Douglas Fletcher]

Jimmy boy:

Cosmic justice? What courtroom do you go to for that?

You gotta cut back, man. Your ear isn't to the ground, you're just too stoned to sit up straight.

End of transmission.

[Anonymous]

And "Puff the Magic Dragon"...

[joe]

Please, please, please, please, please re-post the parody of National Review's "The Corner." Or do another one.

Please?

[malory]

Also reminded me of the Widespread Panic classic "Chilly Water". Where's my huka!?!