Uncle Jai has to “Ask Cynthia”

Jul 07, 2022 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Kaieteur News – There is a regular caller to the ‘Afternoon Request Show’. It is usually aired on NCN 560 Mhz from just after 4pm on some weekdays. The show is hosted at present by Uncle Jai.

There are quite a few regulars who make it their duty to call in religiously. One particular caller usually requests one of two tunes “Big Iron [on his Hip]” by Marty Robbins and “Ask Cynthia” by Sir Don.

For months on end, the caller used to call in and ask for the Marty Robbins hit. Then after the then host asked him if he could not request any other tune, he switched to the song made popular by Sir Don.

It is almost certain that once this caller gets through to the programme that he will ask for either one of these tunes. Yesterday, he called and initially seemed to be asking for the Marty Robbins tune to be played by requesting “Ask Cynthia.”

Then another person called in later and requested the tune “Big Iron”. Uncle Jai, the new host, told the caller that he was not going to do so. The caller protested and demanded to know why.

Jai did not give a reason except to say that a caller from Linden had called and told him that the song was inappropriate and having reviewed the video, he agreed.

The caller, who was requesting the song, demanded to know the reason. Uncle Jai urged him to go and listen to the tune. He also told the caller that the song’s message was not right and he would not play that tune and asked the caller to pick another one.

‘Big Iron” has been a popular country song. It relates the story of a duel between an outlaw called Texas Red and an Arizona Ranger. The Ranger rode into town with a .45 calibre Colt single action army revolver on his hip. The Ranger and his gun were intimidating because no one dared to ask a question.

“Big Iron” is a popular song which has been around since 1959. In the fictitious duel, which the song narrates, the outlaw Texas Red is shot down by the Ranger. Texas Red had been challenged before by 20 other gunmen but had killed all of them. So he was supremely confident that the Ranger would be his 21^st victim.

The “Big Iron” was really a big gun with a 12 inches barrel which Marty Robbins had seen in a gun store and which became the inspiration for the song. The owner of the store also had a personal gun which he nicknamed, “Big Iron.”

“Big Iron” was a hit for Robbins. He went on to become a highly popular country singer with hits on the charts right up to his death in 1982.

Uncle Jai, however, insisted that he was not playing that song on his programme because it sent the wrong message. This despite the imploring of another caller who told Uncle Jai that there was nothing suggestive about the “Big Iron” at least not biologically.

So it does seem as if, in so far as the Afternoon Request Show goes, that “Big Iron” the Marty Robbins hit will not be heard on the programme.

But certainly, “Ask Cynthia” can still be requested. No one has yet called in to complain about that particular tune.

I believe that Uncle Jai should have a second look at the lyrics of “Big Iron” and rethink his position on that song. For country lovers, “Big Iron” is a classic and has been covered ever since by many singers, including Johnny Cash.

There is nothing obscene, vulgar or tasteless about the message of the song. Indeed, the Ranger ends up being the ‘good’ guy who removes the presence of the bad outlaw.

And if he has any doubts, he can “Ask Cynthia”. She euphemistically knows everything, down to why the West Indies cricket selectors dropped David Holford.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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