Re: Join Together --> Who's Next

[Lev Polinsky <polinsky@husc.harvard.edu>]

On Sun, 19 Nov 1995, Gary Maiullo wrote:

> -----------------------  Begin Original Message  ----------------------
> > P.S.  Leave it to Pete to create a landmark song (Join Together)
> >       where the main instruments are the jaw harp and harmonica.
> 
> What's a jaw harp?  Blowing through the holes between your teeth?
> ------------------------  End Original Message  -----------------------
> Lev -- 
>         Please excuse the description, but a Jaws Harp, or Jews Harp 
> (that's what we called it when we were growing up.... no anti-semetic
> sentiment intended....) is a funny-shaped-piece-of-a-metal thing, that 
> has a thin piece of metal in the middle.  You are supposed to hold the
> thing up to your mouth, so the thin metal piece is over your mouth, and 
> then you "stroke" the metal piece so that it vibrates.  You change the sound
> by opening/closing your throat, and chging the shape of the inside of your
> mouth.  THAT is what is being played at the beginning of Join Together.
> (Forgive me my lame description...!)
> 
Actually it's called a Jew's Harp, or a Jews' Harp.  Your description 
mirrors the Webster's; the only thing I could add is that CC thinks it is 
possibly Pete on a synthesizer reproducing the sound of a Jew's Harp.

I guess I should have added a smiley to my original comment.

---I won't get fooled again.--L-e-v-