While a freshman in college, singer-songwriter Kenn Rowell wrote a song called "December 4, 1968". It was a date he had memorized since early childhood - having read it on the headstone for his paternal grandfather, Mervin Leroy Rowell (1889-1968). The elder Rowell had run away from home at age 11 from his native Iowa, travelling the country until he arrived in New York City during World War I. Scheduled to go overseas as part of the famous "Fighting 69th" Regiment, he took ill & was shipped up to nearby Rockland County, NY (20 miles from NYC) to recuperate, where he met his future wife Helen May Goldbach Phillips (1901-1971). They were married in 1919 on the front steps of the then-partially constructed Rockland County Courthouse in New City, NY. Kenn's father, Kenneth G. Rowell was their 7th of 8 children.
Never knowing his Grandfather, Kenn based the lyrics for this whimsical tune on stories told to him by his father. Included in these lyrics was a line which his Dad always said when helping his young son deal with the passing of relatives or friends: "life is a series of hellos & goodbyes".
Recorded on a Japanese Dokorder reel-to-reel 4-track machine he bought while in school in PA, the original reel-to-reel master has since been lost but a cassette copy of the tune was found in 2009 in a box of tapes that had remained untouched in the Rowell family basement for years.
Originally intended for home use only, this crude demo has been EQ'd & cleaned up enough so that it will appear on Kenn's upcoming solo CD: "Instant Solo Album". Recorded during a break from college in that same basement between 1989 & 1993, if you listen closely at the very end you can hear slight squeaking sounds; these being the floorboards, tread upon by Kenn's Dad, who was walking back & forth between the hallway stereo & their kitchen, while preparing Sunday dinner. Rowell recalls: "My 'Ol' Man' always had a stack of albums playing on the stereo in the hall - usually Ray Charles - & occasionally he'd have to go change the album", while also adding that he thought the haunting footstep sounds were an unintended "nice touch" at the end of the recording - so they were left in.
Kenn still performs this song "live", although not as often as in his college coffee house-playing days - which pre-dates the punk rock dynamo he currently fronts: The Baghdaddios.
The photo used for this YouTube video is taken from the Rowell family album - featuring Mervin & Helen Rowell with three of their children: Mervin Keith (aka "Uncle Bud", 1921-2002), Muriel (aka "Mim") & Virginia. Virginia is alive & well, living in Chickamauga, GA. Kenn's father would not be born for at least another 5 years. As was customary in the early 1900s, the head of the household proudly posed in the clothes they wore for their profession. Mervin Rowell was a mailman - in fact his son,Ken Sr., would later inherit this same mail route & would continue a tradition of uninterrupted service for parts of 7 decades. If you look closely at Mervin's hat you will notice a tin badge with his "number 9" route number in full view. This badge was passed to his son, who in turned allowed grandson Kenn to borrow it just long enough to have it tattooed onto HIS right forearm in the 1990s. A larger version of this photograph can be found on both Kenn's personal MySpace & Facebook profiles.
One last trivia note: Not only is December 4 the date of Mervin Rowell's passing but it also was the date of his wife's, as well (December 4, 1971). With this in mind, Kenn has made this recording available for the first time online on December 4, 2010 - the anniversary date - in their memory & dedicates it to all Rowell's still alive & dearly departed, past, present & future, known or unknown - no matter how distant - but most especially to his "Grandma & Grandpa Rowell".
Arlen Creedy, December 4, 2010
Lyrics:
December 4, 1968
This is the day when my Grandpa died
It's been several years & I'm still asking why
Why? Why? Why did Grandpa die?
This is the day when my Daddy cried
It hurt him so bad to tell his Dad goodbye
Oh my, Daddy please don't cry You said, yourself, that life is one long series of 'hellos' & 'goodbyes'
And while it might be painful take comfort in knowing
That the memories survive, long after all loved ones have died
And still I will be there by your side
This is the day when I look back & reflect
Of all those who've come & gone & what was their effect
Friends influence, whether strong or indirect And driving past where I grew up I see total strangers writing their own lives
So look around & enjoy it while it lasts
For the ravages of time will roll in like the tide
The only things that stand still are the earth & sky
This is the day when I dry my naive eyes
I won't forget, but it's time to live my life
Why? Why? Why did Grandpa die?
My, my, Daddy please don't cry
Bye-bye, time to say goodbye
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Joe Franklin Interviews Kenn Rowell (approx 1989)by Baghdaddio82 views
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