Woody's comin' up on 100

[johncorrigan]

"Woody is just Woody. Thousands of people do not know he has any other name. He is just a voice and a guitar. He sings the songs of a people and I suspect that he is, in a way, that people. Harsh voiced and nasal, his guitar hanging like a tire iron on a rusty rim, there is nothing sweet about Woody, and there is nothing sweet about the songs he sings. But there is something more important for those who will listen. There is the will of a people to endure and fight against oppression. I think we call this the American spirit." - JOHN STEINBECK

July 14, 1912 saw the birth of Woody Guthrie in Okemah, Oklahoma. I'm sure that R3 will be clearing the schedules on the 14th to celebrate the centenary of this giant, but in the meantime I thought we could get into the swing with a few favourites. Somehow this feels as appropriate today as it must have been when he first sang it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaI5IRuS2aE

[Lateralthinking1]

"Woody is just Woody. Thousands of people do not know he has any other name. He is just a voice and a guitar. He sings the songs of a people and I suspect that he is, in a way, that people. Harsh voiced and nasal, his guitar hanging like a tire iron on a rusty rim, there is nothing sweet about Woody, and there is nothing sweet about the songs he sings. But there is something more important for those who will listen. There is the will of a people to endure and fight against oppression. I think we call this the American spirit." - JOHN STEINBECK

July 14, 1912 saw the birth of Woody Guthrie in Okemah, Oklahoma. I'm sure that R3 will be clearing the schedules on the 14th to celebrate the centenary of this giant, but in the meantime I thought we could get into the swing with a few favourites. Somehow this feels as appropriate today as it must have been when he first sang it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaI5IRuS2aE

That one, John, is my favourite. I always think of it in the same context as The Abyssinians' 'This Land is for Everyone'. Another one I like a lot is 'All You Fascists' -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwcKwGS7OSQ

[johncorrigan]

That one, John, is my favourite. I always think of it in the same context as The Abyssinians' 'This Land is for Everyone'. Another one I like a lot is 'All You Fascists' -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwcKwGS7OSQ

Here's Bob Rappin' about Woody in '63.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0OdNY8Aybw

[johncorrigan]

Here's Bob Rappin' about Woody in '63.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0OdNY8Aybw

It must've been '76. I'd been looking forward to the Van Morrison gig at the Apollo for a good while - me and two of my flatmates headed off, excited. None of us had seen him before. Van kicked on for the first tune and then sulked behind the piano for the rest of the show - we were mightily disappointed, I'll tell you. Heading for home, too late for beer, we were passing the Fim Theatre and saw that David Carradine was playing in a film called Bound for Glory - we were all Kung Fun fans so we decided to go in. Of course the film was about Woody and mighty fine I remember it being - kind of sorted the night after grouchy Morrison. Not sure I've seen it since, though I did read the book which I enjoyed - must dig the movie out see if it stands up. Carradine sang the songs and did a fine job - though his Woody was a bit like Caine at times, I seem to recall.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNled6wh18c

[johncorrigan]

Here's a cracker - Woody with Leadbelly, Cisco Houston, Sonny Terry, Bess Hawes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHKvR...0&feature=plcp

[Lateralthinking1]

Here's a cracker - Woody with Leadbelly, Cisco Houston, Sonny Terry, Bess Hawes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHKvR...0&feature=plcp

Nice story John, although I'm sorry VTM was not all that on the night.

Have you seen him in a good performance? I have fortunately several times but much later - 80s/90s - always outdoors, often in sunshine which brings out the music more than his facial expression.

A good clip of Woody. That one in some respects reminds me of You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome etc on Blood on the Tracks.

[johncorrigan]

Have you seen him in a good performance?

Funnily enough I saw him in great form with the Chieftains and Georgie Fame also out of doors on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in late 80s, early 90s I think - it was freezin', the seats were set at 90 degrees to the stage and thus me bum was sore, one cheek at a time - think it was set for the Tattoo - the seats, that is, not me bum, you understand. But it was grand Lat and of course he did a few tunes from Irish Heartbeat which I love, though I think the Chieftains found VTM a bit tough as a taskmaster by all accounts. That there Georgie Fame was great, by the way.

A good clip of Woody. That one in some respects reminds me of You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome etc on Blood on the Tracks.

I love that Woody track and since it's 4th July today I thought we should have Woody 'celebrate' all things US, landscape, workers, engineering, rivers - what do you think Lat?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vLZOKshJPs

[Lateralthinking1]

Funnily enough I saw him in great form with the Chieftains and Georgie Fame also out of doors on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in late 80s, early 90s I think - it was freezin', the seats were set at 90 degrees to the stage and thus me bum was sore, one cheek at a time - think it was set for the Tattoo - the seats, that is, not me bum, you understand. But it was grand Lat and of course he did a few tunes from Irish Heartbeat which I love, though I think the Chieftains found VTM a bit tough as a taskmaster by all accounts. That there Georgie Fame was great, by the way.



I love that Woody track and since it's 4th July today I thought we should have Woody 'celebrate' all things US, landscape, workers, engineering, rivers - what do you think Lat?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vLZOKshJPs

What a coincidence. The last people in Scotland and England without a tattoo writing on the same forum.

I can cope easily with the concept of Van the Grump. It is the detail I have to avoid. As for his music at its best, there is very little else in 50 years that has chimed with me so precisely.

More than happy to do a version of the US. It is wide-ranging in what it includes and very robust on what it dismisses. There are a few not very credible elements in the former. Sadly, you probably won't thank me for a bit of Ventura Highway, even though it encapsulates one large slice of the place, so I will have to get my thinking cap on.

[johncorrigan]

What a coincidence. The last people in Scotland and England without a tattoo writing on the same forum.

One of our local young lads has taken to getting a tattooing machine and setting about himself - holds hands up in disbelief and raises eyes to the heavens

Sadly, you probably won't thank me for a bit of Ventura Highway, even though it encapsulates one large slice of the place, so I will have to get my thinking cap on.

I'm sure I once travelled down ventura Highway in Arizona - all saguaros and sand, but what a great state - saw America once in Glasgow Yoonie just when Horse with no name came out - they always sat a bit in the shadows of CSNY, I suppose, but I liked them.

[Globaltruth]

Saturday 14 July
8.00-9.00pm
BBC RADIO 4

Woody At 100
Joe Klein celebrates Woody Guthrie's centenary with a USA road trip.
Talking to voters about the 2012 election, he sets out to discover whether Woody still speaks to America.
Presenter/Joe Klein, Producer/Peter Everett

one for you JC - and hopefully others

and this may be interesting

Sunday 15 July
10.00-12.00pm
BBC RADIO 6 MUSIC

This week’s guest is 84-yea- old Tom Paley, a lost legend of folk music.
Originally from New York, Tom has lived in London’s Angel Islington since 1974 and plays a regular Sunday session at the Shakespeare's Head pub behind Sadler’s Wells Theatre. He has played a duo with Woody Guthrie and he was founder member of New Lost City Ramblers.

He taught blues guitar to Ry Cooder and banjo to Jerry Garcia and has influenced Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk and generations of folk musicians. His latest album features classic old-time folk, blues and country classics.

Tom joins Cerys to play a live session and to celebrate Woody Guthrie's centenary.