HAIR

The characters Pippi Longstocking, Rapunzel, Morticia Addams, Little Red Riding Hood, Little Orphan Annie and Princess Leia have one common element (aside from their feminity) that connects them. They are known for their hair. Troy Polamalu, strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Clay Matthews, linebacker for the Green Bay Packers reside in the same club. They are recognized by their hair...by the enormity of it...the color of it...the styling...the length. A lock of hair belonging to a pop musician is auctioned on the internet resulting in a profitable purchase beyond imagination. A sitcom character changes her hairstyle resulting in a global trend. An Olympic ice-skater sports a new haircut and "the Hamill" is born. There are songs, movies and Broadway musicals based on it. Such is the power of hair.
 

Products ranging from Dippity Do to Prell arrived on the market. Gels, sprays,straighteners, curlers, dryers,shampoos, relaxers, conditioners, mists, and irons followed. Irons? I don't even iron my clothes. Mousse ? Hair mousse? There is a joke in here somewhere. The hair care product industry is expected to reach $58 billion dollars by 2015. The joke, it appears, is on us. Remember the Breck girl ? Vidal Sassoon ? We associate hair with celebrities and strive to imitate their look. We want that current trend in every aspect of our lives including our hair. Keeping up with the Joneses. Tommy Lee, Catherine Zeta, Tom, Rashida, Quincy, James Earl, Shirley or Indiana? Indiana wore a hat for a reason. Never mind. Move on.
 

Cancer patients receiving chemo often lose their hair. Kick 'em while they are down. It might not be quite as devastating if hair loss was not a taboo subject. The military shaves the heads of soldiers. It is not typically followed by applause or a big HOORAH !

Scenes of head-shaven prisoners in concentration camps is not easily forgotten. But remember this: in many holy cultures heads are shaven as a sign of enlightenment. Haircuts symbolize a liberation from one's past in some cultures. Katharine Hepburn shaved her head every summer for years as a matter of practicality. Talk about enlightenment. It is what we make it. Perhaps the true power of hair is in letting it go.
 

Myths surrounding the power of hair have existed since Samson and on to the Beatles. (There is some viable argument relating to the Beatles). Afros were once considered a symbol of racial pride. The Chinese grew out their hair in the time of Confucius and tied it as a sign of respect for ancestors, parents and the elderly. Mullets can never be explained. Aliens have probably been more disturbed by mullet-sightings than any other earthly creation. If ever we needed to let go of something it was mullets. And bad comb-overs. There are no good comb-overs. Seriously.
 

Would Robin Williams be less funny without hair? Would Don King? Did the change in his hair affect Andre Agassi's tennis game? Would Lucy have any less "splaining" to do if she were a blonde? If you cut Cher's hair would she suddenly have a high voice? Can you take the Willie Nelson out of Willie Nelson by snipping his braids?  Would Patti La Belle be any less Patti without her hair ?  No. Hell no!!  Let me hear an amen. Let me hear a Hoorah! Neither a person's beauty nor talent hangs by a single strand.
 

The long and the short of it is that whether you are greeted by an individual with dreadlocks or no hair at all, show that person acceptance and respect and love. It is what it is. Hair today and gone tomorrow. It had to be said.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAIR

(James Rado/Gerone Ragni/Galt McDermot)1968 

 

She asks me why, I'm just a hairy guy
I'm hairy noon and night, hair that's a fright
I'm hairy high and low, don't ask me why, don't know
It's not for lack of bread, like the Greatful Dead, darlin'

Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there, hair, shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there, momma, everywhere, daddy, daddy

Hair, flow it, show it
Long as God can grow, my hair

Let it fly in the breeze and get caught in the trees
Give a home to the fleas, in my hair
A home for fleas, a hive for the buzzing bees
A nest for birds, there ain't no words
For the beauty, splendor, the wonder of my hair

Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow, my hair

I want long, straight, curly, fuzzy, snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty
Oily, greasy, fleecy, shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen
Knotted, polka dotted, twisted, beaded, braided
Powered, flowered and confettied
Bangled, tangled, spangled and spahettied

Oh say, can you see my eyes if you can
Then my hair's too short
Down with here, down to there
Down till there, down to where it's stuck by itself

They'll be ga-ga at the go-go, when they see me in my toga
My toga made of blond, brilliantined, biblical hair
My hair like Jesus wore it, Hallelujah I adore it
Hallelujah Mary loved her son, why don't my mother love me?

Hair, flow it, show it
Long as God can grow
My hair, flow it, show it
Long as God can grow
My hair, flow it, show it
Long as God can grow

My hair....