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The Marfa Jingles

by Nina Katchadourian

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1.
Big Bend and Texas Mountains Travel Guide 02:11
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Big Bend and Texas Mountain Guide Jingle (to the tune of “If I Needed You,” Townes Van Zandt) There are mountains here And they’re all so near There are hills and springs right at your door Has it been awhile Since you’ve been outside Since your heart has opened to the sky If you read our guide What you see inside Will make you crave the open road And when that road unfolds And the hills turn gold Then your heart can float in the Texas sky And our guide is free So take a look and see All the treasures there are yours to find Texas comes alive And it’s all inside The Big Bend and Texas Mountains Guide [voiceover]
2.
Food Shark 01:17
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Food Shark It’s a butter crust truck Reborn as a shark That’s one hell of a reincarnation New specials each day And a menu so good That your tongue will think you’re on vacation It’s the sharkiest truck With the tastiest eats Instead of swimming the ocean It’s rolling the streets The only shark full of food The only shark that can park The only shark that lives far from the sea Parked down by the tracks And when your hunger attacks It’s open Tuesday to Thursday Eleven-thirty ‘til three The only shark in the state that the people run to ‘Cause it will make you a meal Not make a meal out of you Food Shark Food Shark Food Shark Food Shark!
3.
Broom Shop 02:28
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Broom Shop When you’re feeling troubled When your world is full of gloom There’s no better antidote Than picking up a broom Because a broom will sweep the cobwebs From under the bed But meanwhile you’ll be sweeping out the cobwebs From your metaphorical head Tiny mites and lint Dead skin and hair Warn all the dust bunnies It’s time to say a prayer Collect the dirty matter Into a little heap Annihilate the grime Destroy it as you sweep Brush from your mind All your anxiety You know No matter what the mess Our brooms are best No matter what the mess Our brooms are the best Voice over: Our brooms are made on an authentic 1850s Shaker broom making machine and we can make all kinds. The one you hear sweeping right now is a Colonial Kitchen Broom, but we’ve got fireplace sweepers, utility brooms, cobwebbers and whisks, too. No matter what the mess, the Davis Mountain Broom shop has got the best broom for you.
4.
Farm Stand 01:46
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Farm Stand We might have grown it We might have raised it We might have foraged We might have baked it It grew on our land We made it by hand It's all at Marfa's own great Farm Stand Burritos, purses and empanadas Cheese boards and jewelry Crochet and crewelry There's fresh cut onions Honey and tamales Heirloom tomatoes, eggs, soap and pies If you need a duckling Or a daschund mailbox A doggie cookie Croissants or pet rocks If you want a pumpkin Or manure of llama A fireplace, salt scrubs, seedlings, scarves Come to Marfa's Farm Stand And you'll be with your friends Babies in strollers Cowgirls and policemen District attorneys Ranchers and librarians Hipsters and octogenarians It grew on our land We made it by hand You can only find it At Marfa's Farm Stand And every Saturday We're at South Highland Come by the farm stand Food and friends
5.
Get Go 02:09
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Get Go The Get Go isn’t just a store, it’s like ten stores in one And it’s been nearly just a year since the Get Go was begun “I can’t believe you have that!” Yeah we hear that every day Fresh and healthy things to eat Come shop the Get Go way And if we really like something then we give it a star We have stuff that’s really local And exotic, from afar And if we haven’t got it then we ask you not to fret ‘Cause it’s not that we don’t have it we just do not have it yet But we can Get it Get it Get it Get it Get it Get it Get! We’re open Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday “Saturday?” And Sunday too, every day from 9 ot 8 “9 to 8? Wow that’s great! Makes me wanna celebrate!” There ain’t nothing that we carry that you wish you hadn’t ate Diapers, soda, RC Cola, artisinal cheese and chili pods Benadryl and Tylenol, grass-fed beef, ends and odds When they ask you where you got it you can tell ‘em you can get it at the Get Go
6.
Marfa Public Library 02:14
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Marfa Public Library Jingle Books can take your mind to places That you’d rather be But books can cost a lot of money And libraries are free The library is cool when summer’s sun has burned your skin The library is warm when winter blows an icy wind Quiet, calm and organized Yes, we’re open, come right in We’re on par with libraries In larger towns than here Marfa’s little library Circulates thirty four thousand nine hundred ninety three Items per year Plus you can Xerox fax, or laminate Borrow videos, DVDs Open every business day And even Saturday If you cannot find a book Ask us anyway Don’t lose courage, there may be a way to borrow Interlibrary
7.
Ballroom Marfa 01:48
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Ballroom Marfa 2003 (that was the start) We started a space (to show some art) The Ballroom was born (co-founded by) Virginia Leberman (and Fairfax Dorn) We have quite a crew (Ali, JK, Jonathan, Vicente, Vance) We host music too (heavy metal from Japan, classical and trance) There’s nothing that Ballroom won’t do To put on great shows for you Painting,drawing and photography Sculpture, film and installation Theater, video, choreography Give your mind exercise and stimulation This fall we hit the ground With a show that features sound The Marfa Sessions are all throughout town To visit the show just take a walk around So walk out your door (go right outside) And start to explore (we’ve got a guide) The Marfa you know (and love so dear) Will soon start to grow (just fill your ears) ‘Cause what art can do Is alter your view And things you always ignore Can become things you adore
8.
Big Bend Sentinel 01:24
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Big Bend Sentinel The Express and the Guardian The Globe, The Daily News The Chronicle, The Beacon The Sun and The Review The Times, The Wall Street Journal The Tribune and The Post They always miss the kind of news that Marfa needs the most The Bulletin, Enquirer The Telegraph, The Register The Standard, The Examiner The Mercury, The Courier The Gazette, The Phoenix The Herald and The Bee But when a story breaks in Marfa they are never on the scene. But the Big Bend Sentinel is on the lookout for the leads We write the kind of story every Marfan wants to read And if you lived in a Metropolis as many people do You could achieve the greatest things and never make the news But in Marfa there’s a decent chance you’ll make the headlines too ‘Cause the Big Bend Sentinel is always watching out for you
9.
Rotary Club 02:45
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Rotary Club What drives a Marfan’s need for engagement with the Rotary? It’s not government, religion, or ideology "Service above self" we say, our most important creed And what goes around will come around It’s true in name and deed The powerless, the poor, the sick We lend a hand to all And just last year a scholarship Brought a Swedish student here for fall. Work together, build goodwill, be generous and candid Offer help when trouble calls, don’t leave your neighbor stranded Highways, gardens, literacy, and projects internationally Rotarians play a major role in eradicating polio Help those who have less than you Be fair and even-handed We’re Marfa’s leading service club Since the Lion’s Club disbanded A million members round the globe And twelve meet here in Marfa 5:30 Wednesday afternoons, tipi-kiva at Adobe Moon Care for your community Build a kind society The rewards are rich, the fun is free So come and join the Rotary
10.
Jingle for the Marfa Lights 01:22
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Jingle for the Marfa Lights No one writes jingles for us And most people doubt that we’re real When your very existence makes people laugh Now how do you think that makes you feel? In your oversized visitor’s center We can see you as you watch us from afar And we’ll still do our best to twinkle so beautifully Even though you say we’re just the headlights of a car And we’ll keep shining through Degrade us if you must ‘Cause we’ll believe in you Even if you don’t believe in us. [Voice over: The Marfa Lights. Have a little faith.]

about

The Marfa Jingles were commissioned by the contemporary art space Ballroom Marfa as part of an exhibition called The Marfa Sessions. The show featured sound projects embedded within the public spaces and private corners of the town of Marfa, Texas.

Marfa (pop. 2120) is three hours southeast of El Paso. It is remote and quiet, but full of life and visitors year round. Some come to see the works of Donald Judd, the Minimalist sculptor who came to Marfa in the early 70s and created several permanent works there. Others come to see the remarkable landscape of the area. Big Bend National Park, the McDonald observatory, and the mysterious optical phenomenon known as the Marfa Lights are a few of its best known natural attractions.

I came to Marfa as a complete outsider. I knew nothing about this part of the country, had no family connections or friends there, and I had never experienced the vast West Texas landscape. I conceived the Marfa Jingles as a way of getting to know the town, and as a vehicle for meeting and collaborating with the people who lived there.

I began by offering to write a free jingle for anyone who wanted one. I corresponded with my “customers,” we spoke on the phone, I asked what to emphasize, took into account musical preferences when I could. I made a point of writing some jingles for things that don’t usually get jingles, which meant departing the song form from its role as pure advertising. The songs impart real information, but I hope they have a life as songs, too. In July 2008 the bulk of the songs were recorded at the Marfa Recording Company with local musicians, and from September until February the jingles were aired on Marfa Public Radio (KRTS 93.5 FM). The project is a musical portrait by an outsider, but I hope perhaps these songs will reintroduce Marfa to itself as well.

-Nina Katchadourian

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released September 22, 2008

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Nina Katchadourian Brooklyn, New York

Based in Brooklyn, NY and Berlin, Germany. Visual artist, intermittent musician.

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