Cop a Load of This

hapin turned the story into a poem, then later put it to music. The song became a crowd favorite at his concerts. But it also brought him criticism.The accident occurred on March 18, 1965. Eugene Sesky was hauling 30,000 pounds of bananas from Newark, New Jersey. He lost control of his truck as it barreled down a hill at 90 miles an hour. He was sideswiping cars and heading toward a busy Scranton intersection.Apparently, the clutch had broken. Witnesses said he stood on the sideboard warning people to get out of the way. Some even think that he deliberately overturned the truck before it could hit a gas station. Instead, Sesky struck a house and died instantly. He was considered a hero.Harry Chapin recorded the Song of the Day, “30,000 Pounds of Bananas,” for his 1974 album “Verities and Balderdash.” He wrote the song to protest the pressures faced by American workers. At concerts, though, it turned into a light-hearted song where the audience chose from four endings. Chapin was criticized for not taking the topic of the song more seriously.In addition to 30,000 smashed bananas, the runaway truck damaged 90 cars and injured fifteen people. The accident resulted in Scranton changing a law where trucks weighing more than 20,000 pounds could no longer use the hilly route.In an unfortunate coincidence, Chapin died in a traffic accident in 1981. He was hit by a tractor trailer on a New York highway. He was 39\\

True story TV interview.

www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawan...01-bd00-b8b914717854
 

I thought HC ran into the back of a truck, whilst under the influence.
A sad loss of a wonderful story teller, regardless of the circumstances.

Looks good to me Southbound, send it driver

Paul

Zuffen wrote:

Brocky,

You're correct it was about an actual accident in Scranton Pennsylvania.

Google will confirm it.

I've loved that song since the 70's. Just too silly to not like it.

Yep Me Too, that and Cats in the cradle....

V8 it is the old "don't speak ill of the dead" no matter how much of a low-life scumbag they were in life. 90% of people shot by police are claimed by their friends and family to be "good boys" and "lovable rebels" just making a bad decision. Fair enough too as it is better to remember them as you would have wished.

HC accident of course massaged to being hit rather than hitting and our banana driver's family totally convinced he was a hero with a failed clutch. A sad end for both of them.

Human nature is a strange thing.

The odd thing is Harry Chapin died in a car crash. VW Beetle.
 

Lang wrote:

V8 it is the old "don't speak ill of the dead" no matter how much of a low-life scumbag they were in life. 90% of people shot by police are claimed by their friends and family to be "good boys" and "lovable rebels" just making a bad decision. Fair enough too as it is better to remember them as you would have wished.

HC accident of course massaged to being hit rather than hitting and our banana driver's family totally convinced he was a hero with a failed clutch. A sad end for both of them.

Human nature is a strange thing.

Not in my world Lang, a prick in life is still a prick in death. Not that I was casting any aspersions on Harry.

Only in recent years, did I twig to what the "OLD" stood for in his song WOLD. Of course, I am a bit slow with that sort of thing.

Jarrod.

 

I saved this photo a long time ago before Facebook existed, saddle I have no idea who the original poster was
It was on the "Classic Machinery Forum" in the U.K. 

so full credit to who ever owns it

now at first your gunna say, "good on yah Paul, a crappyold Foden with a digger"

 

but if you look closer you can see the truck behind has bucket

 

nect truck has either the boom or the dipper
Thats the yellow cat with the boom sticking over the top of body
 

I seam to recall the photo been much clearer 

no matter I found it and I still reckon it's a pretty good photo that has a lot more going on than first meets the eye 

Paul