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Who or what is a "remittance man"? I know what the definition of "remittance" is but I'm embarrassed to say that I don't understand how that applies to the song. Can anyone help? Any thoughts or theories?

I believe it's from Following the Equator by Mark Twain.
Basically an outcast whose family pays them to stay away.....or something along those lines.

sonofabeach wrote:I believe it's from Following the Equator by Mark Twain.
Basically an outcast whose family pays them to stay away.....or something along those lines.

Hmmmm....interesting theory.

It's quite an old concept. The British colonies had lots of them!
Wikipedia says: In 19th century British usage, a remittance man is an emigrant, often to a British colony, supported or assisted by payment of money from their paternal home. As a general term remittance man or remittance woman could mean anyone living away from home supported mainly by their family in a different house, neighborhood, city, or country regardless of their reason for being there. Such a person may be seeking business fortune, education, extended vacation, a new place for the family to move, employment, or safety from personal, family, or legal troubles.

It's quite an old concept. The British colonies had lots of them!
Wikipedia says: In 19th century British usage, a remittance man is an emigrant, often to a British colony, supported or assisted by payment of money from their paternal home. As a general term remittance man or remittance woman could mean anyone living away from home supported mainly by their family in a different house, neighborhood, city, or country regardless of their reason for being there. Such a person may be seeking business fortune, education, extended vacation, a new place for the family to move, employment, or safety from personal, family, or legal troubles.

It's quite an old concept. The British colonies had lots of them!
Wikipedia says: In 19th century British usage, a remittance man is an emigrant, often to a British colony, supported or assisted by payment of money from their paternal home. As a general term remittance man or remittance woman could mean anyone living away from home supported mainly by their family in a different house, neighborhood, city, or country regardless of their reason for being there. Such a person may be seeking business fortune, education, extended vacation, a new place for the family to move, employment, or safety from personal, family, or legal troubles.

Google "Remittance Man". A lot of background info out there.
sonofabeach is spot on as to the definition
and its being a crucial element of Twain's Following the Equator,
a book I'm ashamed to say I've never been able to complete.

From the liner notes of Barometer Soup:

One of my favorite stories in Mark Twain's classic book "Following The Equator", the remittance man was an
unforgettable fictitious character who had to circle the globe, going from port to port to collect his remittance.
It seemed a sad but intriguing voyage. I guess growing up in a water front town and watching the big ships sail up and down Mobile Bay
was enough to put my imagination to work. So far so good.

Wow guys! Great info. I don't know why I didn't just Google it. Actually, I'm glad I came here first. I knew I could count on y'all for the best info anyways... Thanks!

bananaman wrote:Wow guys! Great info. I don't know why I didn't just Google it. Actually, I'm glad I came here first. I knew I could count on y'all for the best info anyways... Thanks!

also what Snow parrot did not cover. they were usually asked to leave for a reason
gambling, girls, women, drinking. or a combo of the list, anything that might embarrass the Family
they were most often ( in my research for an upcoming book) the youngest male in the Family

also sonofabeach is correct in the context of the song

ragtopW wrote:

bananaman wrote:Wow guys! Great info. I don't know why I didn't just Google it. Actually, I'm glad I came here first. I knew I could count on y'all for the best info anyways... Thanks!

also what Snow parrot did not cover. they were usually asked to leave for a reason
gambling, girls, women, drinking. or a combo of the list, anything that might embarrass the Family
they were most often ( in my research for an upcoming book) the youngest male in the Family

also sonofabeach is correct in the context of the song

Imagine if they still did that today.... I know a few families that wish they could send off their "problem child".

surfpirate wrote:Google "Remittance Man". A lot of background info out there.
sonofabeach is spot on as to the definition
and its being a crucial element of Twain's Following the Equator,
a book I'm ashamed to say I've never been able to complete.

I had to skip large chunks of it, but still feel that I got the gist of it. I got one of my phavorite quotes of all time phrom that book: "dolphins are like the kittens of the sea."

bananaman wrote:

ragtopW wrote:

bananaman wrote:Wow guys! Great info. I don't know why I didn't just Google it. Actually, I'm glad I came here first. I knew I could count on y'all for the best info anyways... Thanks!

also what Snow parrot did not cover. they were usually asked to leave for a reason
gambling, girls, women, drinking. or a combo of the list, anything that might embarrass the Family
they were most often ( in my research for an upcoming book) the youngest male in the Family

also sonofabeach is correct in the context of the song

Imagine if they still did that today.... I know a few families that wish they could send off their "problem child".

I wouldn't say it isn't possible it doesn't go on today. Think trustfund babies. at one time between the first and second world war, Paris was filled with expat folks living on remittances from families back home. It let them engage in the "Lost Generation" life in the City of Light, stay out of trouble at home, and it kept the American Express office busy.

phjrsaunt wrote:

surfpirate wrote:Google "Remittance Man". A lot of background info out there.
sonofabeach is spot on as to the definition
and its being a crucial element of Twain's Following the Equator,
a book I'm ashamed to say I've never been able to complete.

I had to skip large chunks of it, but still feel that I got the gist of it. I got one of my phavorite quotes of all time phrom that book:
"dolphins are like the kittens of the sea."

Both are served in Chinese restaurants.

bananaman wrote:Wow guys! Great info. I don't know why I didn't just Google it. Actually, I'm glad I came here first. I knew I could count on y'all for the best info anyways... Thanks!

It's always best to ask here! Therefore the interesting information is shared with the class, whom enjoy reading it, but many of which wouldn't have necessarily pondered the question that bothered you so!

In other words... thanks for asking!

Tiki Bar wrote:

bananaman wrote:Wow guys! Great info. I don't know why I didn't just Google it. Actually, I'm glad I came here first. I knew I could count on y'all for the best info anyways... Thanks!

It's always best to ask here! Therefore the interesting information is shared with the class, whom enjoy reading it, but many of which wouldn't have necessarily pondered the question that bothered you so!

In other words... thanks for asking!

There are no stupid questions. But there are a LOT of.... wait! never mind ... not in THIS case. Ignore my signature.

Following the Equator is just too big and too boring for me. I am also going to admit that I do not understand the quote in the beginning. "Be good and you will be lonesome." What the heck does that mean?

jbfins wrote:Following the Equator is just too big and too boring for me. I am also going to admit that I do not understand the quote in the beginning. "Be good and you will be lonesome." What the heck does that mean?

I think it means if you follow all the rules you won't have any fun or
meet any really interesting people. Some of my fondest memories
are from when I was doing stuff I really shouldn't have.

jbfins wrote:Following the Equator is just too big and too boring for me.

Same here. I made it about 200 pages in and it just got way too slow for me.
I like Jimmy's version better.

Grab a copy of Tales from Margaritaville, Jimmy's written a short story about one.