Reply to this post | See parent post | Go Back

View Post [edit]

Poster:	AltheaRose	Date:	August 08, 2012 08:22:28am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: What's your latest ear worm?

Now, I'm having a hard time imagining that there was any thought going on about the 1923 Klan and Ryan White. Not very much in character to drop news references and socio-political interest into songs.

I'd assume it had to do with the sound; it's got a great sound, and "Kokomo" has a great Middle America, stuck-in-the-sticks feel that works with the KC whistle and the whinin' boy with nowhere to go. So poetically, that's what I get. But why underneath it? And THE Kokomo? The Kokomo what? The Kokomo Car Wash? Is he pearl diving in the Kokomo River?

Well, I can always go to Wikipedia, too:

>On October 6, 1886, natural gas was discovered in Kokomo, leading to a "boom" in business.

(Oh ho ho. Someome makes a joke on Wikipedia.)

So by that reading, what's underneath Kokomo is a bunch of gas. Um, OK, I think I'll go with a different reading ...

But here's something interesting from the Annotated Lyrics site:

>During the 4 month hiatus in 1986 (Aug-Dec) while Jerry was recovering from his Diabetic coma, Billy and Brent toured the East Coast in Sep. and Oct. using 2 different names for the band they had formed with some friends. The first swing through saw them call themsevles "KOKOMO"

So it's not the first use by the band.

Reply to this post

Reply [edit]

Poster:	elbow1126	Date:	August 08, 2012 08:55:30am
Forum:	GratefulDead	Subject:	Re: What's your latest ear worm?

I have no idea if they are even referring to Kokomo, IN. It is what i always think of because i lived in that area for 2 years that i can't even remember. I knew about the Ryan White thing but did not know about the KKK thing until i looked it up this morning.

There are other Kokomos in the US including one in MS that was established as part of a railroad crossing so that also fits with that KC whistle and being stuckin in the sticks. I have no idea what is under this town or if it even has a car wash etc.

More wikipedia:

Kokomo was organized by the Phillip Enoch family of Fernwood, Mississippi circa 1912. They planned to purchase timber to finance the existing Fernwood railroad that the family was purchasing. After they had secured a right-of-way, the Enochs began to construct and lay the track east of Tylertown. The first tracks were made of wood, but were later replaced with metal. When the tracks crossed a public road, they would give the crossing a name. The names came in the following order: Davo; Barto; Carto; Knoxo; and Kokomo. Kokomo was established approximately ten miles to the east of Tylertown.

Well if nothing else, it is kind of fun to say.