Convoy is the Greatest Song of All Time, Granby, East Granby Meetings

Good morning, Granby and East Granby! Today is Monday, Nov. 18, 2013; there are 43 days left in the year.

I’ve rediscovered the greatest song of all time: Convoy.

Kids, only in the 1970s could a ditty about truckers forming a line on a highway in protest of the 55 mph speed limit and tolls go straight to No. 1 on both the country and pop charts. Actually, only in the 1970s could a song be produced with a lyric describing a convoy of trucks as “a beautiful sight.”

Three years after C. W. McCall recorded this song, a movie based on the song was made, starring Kris Kristofferson and Ali MacGraw. It was directed by Sam Peckinpah. Yes, that Sam Peckinpah. The legendary Sam Peckinpah, who was in the throes of a massive cocaine addiction.

How did that come about? Welp, the only modern comparison I can come up with is the comedy song “What Does the Fox Say” is being made into a children’s book. But that sort of makes sense.

But, again, it was the 1970s, man, and stuff like that happened. (Yeah, yeah, Kenny Rogers made a number of TV movies based on “The Gambler.” Maybe it’s a country music thing.)

Anyhoo, I saw Convoy in the theater when I was 6 years old (there were a lot of negligent grownups in my life), and even then I knew it was terrible.

Then again, what could one expect with a protagonist with the CB handle “Rubber Duck”?

The irony is that the movie Convoy was the biggest commercial success for Peckinpah, who basically disappeared after that.

As for the song? Check this stuff out. It’s AMAZING.

Kind of makes me want to make a movie based on “Devil Went Down to Georgia.”

Here’s five things going on in the area this week:

1. The Granby Board of Selectmen meets Monday at 7:30 p.m.

2. The Granby Board of Education meets Wednesday at 7 p.m.

3. The East Granby Board of Finance meets Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

4. The Granby Memorial High football team takes on Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. The game is at Coventry High.