Rambler Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Reading Rick Perlstein's excellent Before the Strom, I came across the Legend of the Goldwaters* , an ersatz-folk group from 1964, kind of a Conservative Limelighters (I say pre-fab because they were asembled, ala the Monkees). Anyway, not the greatest folk group of history (I could not get the downloads to play, but the lyrics are kind of .. ...of ... well, what you might expect). At least the rhythm man had the sense to grab a Gibson LG for the gig. Check the Legend link to read their story and a retrospective interview (oh, and yes, they did have groupies). *(after Barry Goldwater, the ill-fated Conservative standard bearer of 64, for those of our with shorter historical memories). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Have to admit I was completely unaware of their existence. Probably just as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted September 19, 2014 Author Share Posted September 19, 2014 Have to admit I was completely unaware of their existence. And none the worse for it. Nonetheless, a fascinating curio of the times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Ahhh, but think of how different it might have tuned out for these guys had Barry Goldwater won in '64. Supposedly this merry little band of troubadours were one of the inspirations for the film Bob Roberts ("The Times They Are A-Changin' Back"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 There were a lot of conservative folk musicians in the 60s -- they were called Appalachian, Country, Bluegrass, Old Time, Cajun, etc. As a 60s "folkie" myself, I only learned later in the mountains of Georgia what real folk music actually was -- before the word was appropriated by the "folk revival." They are two entirely different things -- both cool in their own way. It is just too bad they are so confused in today's culture. Let's pick, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 At the age of thirteen in '64, my ears were perked for anything veering towards the blues. Can't quite picture these fellows laying down a blues number! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Ahhh, but think of how different it might have tuned out for these guys had Barry Goldwater won in '64. Supposedly this merry little band of troubadours were one of the inspirations for the film Bob Roberts ("The Times They Are A-Changin' Back"). Bob Roberts was an amazing film. It should be required viewing before every election in this country. I'm surprised Ted Nugent wasn't in "The Goldwaters". I wonder how many of their fans understood what was on their sweaters in this photo. I'm pretty sure if they were around wearing those today, none of their fans would get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 At the age of thirteen in '64, my ears were perked for anything veering towards the blues. Can't quite picture these fellows laying down a blues number! You had the blues after listening to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 I think the Goldwaters attempted to reform in the mid-1990s as The Doles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 . Around 2008 they did a switcheroo and re-invented themselves as the Obamas. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 There were a lot of collegiate folk groups back then, all wanting to emulate The Kingston Trio's and Peter Paul and Mary's (and the Limelighters', Brothers Four's, chad Mitchell Trio's success by trying to create their own niche. Those were fun days and laid the groundwork for s lot of folk rock that followed. It got a lotta people interested in guitar playing, too. Jazzman Jeff aka QM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted September 19, 2014 Author Share Posted September 19, 2014 I think the Goldwaters attempted to reform in the mid-1990s as The Doles. Rawk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted September 19, 2014 Author Share Posted September 19, 2014 There were a lot of conservative folk musicians in the 60s -- they were called Appalachian, Country, Bluegrass, Old Time, Cajun, etc. As a 60s "folkie" myself, I only learned later in the mountains of Georgia what real folk music actually was -- before the word was appropriated by the "folk revival." They are two entirely different things -- both cool in their own way. It is just too bad they are so confused in today's culture. Let's pick,-Tom . Sure, but then weren't a lot of them were conservative with a small c? That is, musical traditonalists and nominal Christians. But come to voting, my understanding is that many a musican of the rural south admired Roosevelt and voted Democrat, at least through the mid-60s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8_4thesh0w Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 ...and I thought Goldwater was what's already been through the horse... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Anybody notice their shirts? Au is the on The Periodic Table and is abbreviation for Gold, and then of course H20. To make Goldwater. Funny you bunch of Conservative Radicals. From my post a ways up the rostrum… I'm surprised Ted Nugent wasn't in "The Goldwaters". I wonder how many of their fans understood what was on their sweaters in this photo. I'm pretty sure if they were around wearing those today, none of their fans would get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8_4thesh0w Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBR6ndAwJJs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Here Ya Go - about 10 seconds into the clip. http://vimeo.com/30645865 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Here Ya Go - about 10 seconds into the clip. http://vimeo.com/30645865 Ummmm, I think the original versions of the song were a bit better. But that's just me. Funny how the song picks on Harvard. Bloody elitist ivy league liberals! (oops, I think I resemble that remark.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 . Sure, but then weren't a lot of them were conservative with a small c? That is, musical traditonalists and nominal Christians. But come to voting, my understanding is that many a musican of the rural south admired Roosevelt and voted Democrat, at least through the mid-60s. Indeed. Both parties had liberal and conservative wings. Most of them would have been Democrats. Modern usages of words like liberal and conservative and Democrat and Republican obscure more than they illuminate. I wrote an article for BU that talks about all of this with regard to traditional Scots-Irish folk music. It was called Echoes of Ancient Tones: British Folkways and the Roots of Bluegrass Music. Best, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Indeed. Both parties had liberal and conservative wings. Most of them would have been Democrats. Modern usages of words like liberal and conservative and Democrat and Republican obscure more than they illuminate. I wrote an article for BU that talks about all of this with regard to traditional Scots-Irish folk music. It was called Echoes of Ancient Tones: British Folkways and the Roots of Bluegrass Music. Best, -Tom Tom, I think you are taking these guys a bit too seriously. By the way, I spent the better part of 1976 working with Hamish Henderson at the School of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University. He was an amazing guy. When I was not working, I spent whatever time I had at Sandy Belle's where I was hoping to pick up some stuff from the fiddlers who frequented the place. But it seems every night somebody threw a guitar in my hands wanting to hear some Memphis Minnie. You ain't lived till you heard Aly Bain joining in on "Conjur Man." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted September 20, 2014 Author Share Posted September 20, 2014 Here Ya Go - about 10 seconds into the clip. http://vimeo.com/30645865 Aha! They could play, but from what I could catch of the lyrics was kind of like Alan Sherman for the Faithful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 From my post a ways up the rostrum… I'm surprised Ted Nugent wasn't in "The Goldwaters". I wonder how many of their fans understood what was on their sweaters in this photo. I'm pretty sure if they were around wearing those today, none of their fans would get it. Actually the Au H2O thing was widespread and understood by both sides. I guess back then you had to be 21 to vote, so more people actually knew more about politics than what Saturday Night Live told them. (yes, I know - an anachronism - SNL thankfully didn't exist yet) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Hell, we were as politically led around by the nose as any generation. Remember the Daisy ad? It did not take much to convince us that Goldwater would do everything from end to Civil Rights to blowing up the world if elected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainpicker Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 zombywolf's got it right about being led around by the nose; probably more correctly, by the fear mongers. What passes for a liberal these days woulda been called a moderate conservative back then, methinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Sometimes I think I should change my political affiliation so I can become a legitimate musician. Just kidding. Not really interested in doing either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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