"That's just like a showoff from Tennessee..."

December 7, 2008 1:30 PM

"Looking For a City..." Johnny Cook and Vestal Goodman have a competition to see who can sing the highest. [SLYT]
posted by hermitosis (15 comments total)

No matter who wins, we loose.
posted by The Whelk at 1:49 PM on December 7, 2008

Well, Vestal may have waved the white flag on this one, but she can rest secure in the knowledge that Johnny's hair will never reach such epic heights.
posted by Help, I can't stop talking! at 2:07 PM on December 7, 2008

I am just amazed by Vestal's hair. If it's true that "The bigger the hair, the closer to God," then that woman is a saint.
posted by piratebowling at 2:12 PM on December 7, 2008

From the peer-reviewed Wikipedia entry on Vestal Goodman:

"Popular beleif [sic] amoung [sic] her fans is that she long [sic] so much for Howard that her heart gave up. But most believe that God longed to have his best singer at his side, so he went to the portals of heaven and called her home."
posted by The White Hat at 2:12 PM on December 7, 2008

FTFY

From the peer-reviewed Wikipedia entry on Vestal Goodman:

"Popular beleif [sic] amoung [sic] her fans is that she long [sic] so much for Howard that her heart gave up. But most believe that God longed to have his best singer at his side, so he went to the portals of heaven and called her home."
posted by The White Hat at 4:12 PM on December 7 [+] [!]
posted by davey_darling at 2:21 PM on December 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

Had Vestal revealed the secret second head she keeps concealed in her hair, she could have easily shattered Johnny's skull with a rendition of "Looking For a City" far above the auditory range of even the giant vampire bats that would subsequently erupt from her gaping maw to consume the audience.
posted by buriednexttoyou at 3:06 PM on December 7, 2008

Years ago when I was young I heard her sing in person. Gotta say, for that genre of music, she rocked.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 3:53 PM on December 7, 2008

I have a deep and irrational affection for this type of Southern Gospel. Intellectually, I consider it one of the biggest missteps in the history of sacred music. But I can't turn away.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 4:14 PM on December 7, 2008

Intellectually, I consider it one of the biggest missteps in the history of sacred music.

Why do you say that?

(Also, shouldn't the appeal of all sacred music be deep and irrational?)
posted by Bookhouse at 5:27 PM on December 7, 2008

She let him win, the ol' dear. Bet she cooked him up apple dumplings afterwards too.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:42 PM on December 7, 2008

Later in the show Mariah Carey took the stage and everybody's heads exploded.
posted by sdodd at 11:47 PM on December 7, 2008

I know what you're all thinking, and the answer is 'no', married with three kids.
posted by dgaicun at 11:45 AM on December 8, 2008

I know what you're all thinking, and the answer is 'no', married with three kids.

Like that's ever proven anything.
posted by The Whelk at 7:59 PM on December 8, 2008

I meant everyone was wondering if he died alone and childless.

What are you talking about?
posted by dgaicun at 11:23 AM on December 9, 2008

Cheating by eunuchry!
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 1:09 PM on December 9, 2008