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From: nm34@sdcc12.UUCP (nm34)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: On \"Throwing Stones\"
Message-ID: <272@sdcc12.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Apr-85 11:18:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcc12.272
Posted: Mon Apr 29 11:18:03 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 1-May-85 07:20:13 EDT
References: <10156@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 29

In article <10156@brl-tgr.ARPA>, ll tell you later.)@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA> writes:
> 
>      Just a minor comment on the "political" nature of the Grateful Dead's
> song 'Throwing Stones' . . .
>      Several people have noted the key line "Ashes, ashes, all fall down" in
> the song, and have suggested various interpretations.  I suspect that most of
> them are aware of the line's origin in a nursery rhyme, viz.:
>             Ring around the rosie,
>             Pocket full of posies,
>             Ashes, ashes, all fall down.
> This rhyme, which has numerous versions with slight variations, is often coupled
> with a children's game in which the players move around in a circle while the
> first two lines are chanted or sung; when they reach the final line, they do,
> indeed, all fall down, usually in fits of childish laughter.
>      However, the original meaning of this verse is far less pleasant.  It dates
> back to the seventeenth century, when Europe was being ravaged by bubonic
> (Black) plague, mostly carried by rats from port to port and town to town.

     According to the "Oxford Book of Nursery Rhymes" which is
considered to be the final word in this field, the common interpretation
of this rhyme as you have described it is totally incorrect.  This is a
recent invention and has nothing to to with the origins of the rhyme.
Of course since this is a common interpretation of the rhyme, your
comments do hold water since the interpretation may be what the author
of the song intended.  My belief is that the line "Ashes ashes all fall
down " refers to nuclear destruction, the most simple interpretation of
these words.  

                                    - Andy Bindman