Song Credits

The Humboldt Brothers are:

All songs written by one or more of the Humboldt Brothers except where noted.

Rain, Byrnin' Twang, and Floating recorded at Baker Street Studios. All other songs recorded at Thurin Studios.

Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico

At the pre-emptory request of a large majority of the citizens of these UnitedStates, I Joshua Norton, formerly of Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and now for the last nine years and ten months past of San Fransisco, California, declare and proclaim myself the Emperor of These United States.

September 17, 1859

Joshua Abraham Norton was born in London, England on February 14, 1819, and immigrated to South Africa in 1820 with his parents.

In 1849, Joshua Norton arrived in San Francisco with $40,000 in his pocket.

In 1854, Joshua Norton lost his vast fortune (over $250,000) in real estate speculation and by trying to corner the rice market in San Francisco.

In 1859, Joshua Norton made his first of many famous proclamations (quoted above).

Many of his proclamations were taken as foolish and were laughed at. Some of his proclamations call for:

• the building of a bridge between Oakland Point and Goat Island, and then on to San Francisco
• the other leaders of the world to join him in forming a League of Nations where disputes between nations could be resolved peacefully.
• parts of San Francisco Bay be filled in to make more room to build.
• no more bodies to be burried in San Francisco.

Interesting quirks about Norton I's personality include:

• when the Vigilantes decide to have a pogrom against the Chinese, and most men would have tried to stop them, Norton I did nothing but stand in the street, head bowed, praying. The Vigilantes dispersed.
• Emperor Norton was also apt to bequeath nobility on complete strangers who had never done anything for him, people he talked with, people who seemed to be having a bad day. The length of nobility ranged from a day (whence the phrase "queen for a day") to perpetuity. Although none of his nobles had the full range of privileges of Emperor Norton, for many who had fallen on hard times it was what they needed to get going again.

Perhaps the most unusual contribution of Emperor Norton to the city's history was the Modern Aires orchestra, an orchestra composed entirely of recently-invented instruments, such as the bailerophone, the saxophone, and the onmiphone. Although performances were almost painfully cacophonous, San Francisco's citizens flocked to them, laughing and holding their hands over their ears as necessary. Since many of these instruments were so new no one knew how they should sound, the orchestra was different for almost every performance; it was not an uncommon sight for musicians and audience to change places during the course of a program.

Joshua Norton died on January 8, 1880, on California St. On January 10, he was buried in the Masonic Cemetery. The funeral cortege was two miles long - Between 10,000 and 30,000 people were reported to have attended.

For more information about Norton I:

• http://www.discordia.org/~keeper/norton.html
• http://www.notfrisco.com/nortoniana/