Hey Jack Kerouac...

On the Road:  The Famous Scroll

Jack Kerouac, Beatnik, and Great 10,000 Maniacs Song

...I think of Dean Moriarty

Until 1992, I had no idea who Jack Kerouac was let alone Alan Ginsburg, William S. Burroughs, and the craziest of all the Beatniks, Neal Cassidy. In 1987 the 10,000 Maniacs with lead singer Natalie Merchant released the "In My Tribe" album, and the second song on the first side was titled "Hey Jack Kerouac".  

Living upstairs at the Sigma Pi house at Eastern Illinois University, this one guy would play the album over and over.  It's a great record.  From the repetitiveness I started memorizing lyrics, and ended up finding out about Jack Kerouac.  I read "On the Road", his magnum opus, which was originally typed on one continuous scroll of taped together paper.  

Sitting in I-294 traffic a few years ago I listened to the audio book, narrated by some breathy guy who seemed to give proper voice to the writing.  It was great, and I got it.  The movie that came out last year featuring a smokin' hot Kristen Stewart wasn't bad either and did its best to stay true to the pace of the book.  

It's an American Huckleberry Finn.  A story of a generational subculture.  Kerouac uses pseudonyms to use his friends Alan, William, and Neal in the story.  The most famous of which is the character Dean Moriarty modeled after Neal Cassidy.  

Most WWII veterans came home happy to be alive and decided to conquer the world through industry, politics, science, and labor.  But not the Beatniks.  They chose the more eclectic life, exploring poetry, questioning values, drinking, and popping bennies.   

Kerouac and Cassidy both died young as a result of their lifestyles.  You can see it coming in the book. 

Natalie Merchant singing a great rendition of the song below.