Ron Pandy – William Ellsworth “Dummy” Hoy (Single Review)

It is always an interesting joy and a chance to perceive Ron Pandy’s artistry. If you’ve read my previous review of one of his singles here, I expanded on how listening to his art and genre opened me to a whole new world. The vast, and often overlooked genre of folk American music. The more I listen to his music, the more I feel like I’m in the storyline of the song itself- it doesn’t matter if I’ve never indulged myself in American folk culture before. His eye for interesting details, people as well as intersecting these nuggets of inspiration and historical novelty with a calm, charming soundscape supersedes musical biases for me, and I hope it will for you as well. His music feels like an auditory version of looking through historical records at a local American county library. These stories simply come alive. A good artist may take on any form, be it through their branding or their musicality, but the mark of a truly great artist is how they can tell their story universally.

In today’s forage into the Pandy-verse, we will be analysing the his latest release, ‘Wild Pitch’. In his signature style, he manages to capture you with a captivating tale of American history mixed with social commentary. His songs make me look beyond my personal scope of favouring instrumentation and production over lyricism and the meaning of lyrics, as I find that analysing music purely linguistically eviscerates the rest of the components available that can give light to a song. However, with his historical and ingenious slant, as with the writing traditions of folk music typically focusing on lyrics itself, this review makes me rethink the utility of lyrics as well. It simply isn’t enough to start and stop at analysing the instrumentation.

The instrumentation for this song starts off in a signature, warm folksy tone, but with an added quirky-ness to this. I find that the added quirky feeling to the instrumentation helps to accentuate the main character of the song, none other than William Ellsworth “Dummy” Hoy. Colloquially referred to as simply ‘Dummy’, Dummy Hoy was an established and stellar American center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 1890s to early 1990s. However, he was no ordinary baseball player- he accomplished all of that while being deaf and mute, leading to his nickname, ‘Dummy’.

Similarly, the quirkiness of the song pays homage to the juxtaposition of his nickname in a very subconscious, aural fashion. Be it intentional or not, I find it genius. Moreover, Dummy intended to own his nickname. He’d often reject anyone attempting to refer to him by his actual name, embracing his nickname.

I like the accent of the initial violin when the track starts. It gives a homely flair to the song, while the bass accompaniment oscillates in a virtual up-and-down syncopation. I’d like to think the bass was a stylistic way of also paying homage to Dummy Hoy’s tribes and tribulations, and ups and downs to get to where he was. Overcoming his struggles but also, accepting his struggles to overcome them in the first place.

Oddly enough, I find the acoustic guitar licks of this song very familiar to me. One may not bear the comparison quickly, but it does resemble some Melanesian and West African guitar licks too. Just thought that the comparison was quite cute, that it could work in a folk song but also a Wizkid song.

The call and response between the violin and the guitar shines in the bridge of the song, displaying the players’ agility. It also serves as a metaphorical crux to Dummy Hoy’s career, and a homage to glory in of itself. It reminds me of a musical version of an ice skater gliding through the hard exterior of ice. Quite beautiful, if you ask me.

Pandy’s voice’s wraps the song in his distinctive style, in a grandfatherly-like croon. His voice gives a whimsical yet intent feel in portraying Dummy’s story to the listener. The lyrics of the song go as such:

William Ellsworth Hoy was born in 1862
He went to school for the deaf and blind
Made a living repairing shoes
But his true love was baseball
Although he could not hear or speak
Against all odds that Ohio farm boy
Made it to the major leagues

Dummy Hoy stood only 5 feet 4
But he was fast as the wind
He was lightning in the outfield
Catch that ball twirl and spin
He was every pitcher’s nightmare
He’d steal second he’d steal third
And he played that way for 15 years
All alone in his own world

Now Dummy could not hear the umpire
Was he safe or was he out
So they started using hand signals
To tell him of the count
So the next time you see an umpire
Wave foul ball! Or that’s a hit!
You can thank William Ellsworth Hoy
That was all for his benefit

Now when Dummy made a great play
The crowd would stand in awe
They’d wildly wave their arms around
That was Dummy’s special applause
He threw out 3 runners at home plate
And that was all in the same game
Why that’s a major league record that stands today
He oughta be in the Hall of Fame

We all have a special gift
It’s there in us all
Dummy found his running all around
Chasing down a little white ball
Between the lines of sound and time
Foul ball or fair
When Dummy Hoy played baseball
There was magic in the air

Now some folks get down on life
Everyday it rains
They use excuses as reasons
That reason cannot explain
So whatever’s your particular ailment
Whatever’s going on in your head
Turn a deaf ear like Dummy Hoy
And never listen to what is said!

The lyrics of the song really put into perspective Dummy Hoy’s stories, achievements, tenacity as well as draw you in and compel you to find out more about who he was himself. I found myself reading more about Dummy Hoy himself after listening to this song, and I hadn’t the slightest clue on who he was before listening to this song.

Even besides the biographical and storytelling aspect of this song, it portrays sheer writing ingenuity with the way it rhymes and the message of the song itself displayed in the last few lines:

So whatever’s your particular ailment
Whatever’s going on in your head
Turn a deaf ear like Dummy Hoy
And never listen to what is said!

Tenacity overrides all.

Rating/Excellent  – ‘William Ellsworth “Dummy” Hoy‘ is a song with much more instrumentational variation and complexity than his previous releases, while also delivering the signature Ron Pandy charm in informing you of exceptional people, as well as mixing that with the lexicon of baseball as well as growing the charm of folk music in this day and age. I am glad to hear any of his releases at this point. I highly recommend this artist to broaden your horizons and knowledge.

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