Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

100 Years of Woody


Mojorule

Recommended Posts

All right already. So it's two-and-a-half months late. But better late than never. I thought it might be a good idea to celebrate the Woody Guthrie centenary. By starting a thread of performances of songs written by him, covered by him, inspired by him. Please do post something if you can. This is my contribution. An old chestnut, but it's the only one I sort of know well enough to record it in haste. He didn't write it, and my memory has altered the lyrics again. But anyway. A song for Woody, played on a Woody.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KvdHNrhzps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's another.Deportee...aka Plane Wreck at Los Gatos...(Bobby used to do a nice version)..and being a man of peace I don't have "Kill the Fascists" on my guitar but " Vote out the Fascists in a democratically run multi party electoral process under UN monitors according to clause 1b.a3 of the Geneva Convention (Appendum 2).

Mind you I had to take off the pick guard to fit that on!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The sticker on Woody's guitar read "This Machine Kills Fascists." Pete Seeger had the same sentiment slapped on his banjo.

 

Anybody recall the Billy Bragg and Wilco LP of Woody Guthrie tunes called "Mermaind Avenue"

 

didn't they set to music some of his "lost" lyrics on that one?...or am i thinking of someone else

Link to comment
Share on other sites

there's somewhat of a mathamatical formula that proves what some folks are suggesting. Women+Gibson=Woody. Of course, I'm speaking of Guthrie and his obvious connection to folk music.
] MP, enthusiasm appreciated but the formula bears ammending: Women+ Gibson - cash flow deficit +/- pawn ticket stub +/- loose guitar at latest crash pad = Woody (guitar of the moment). Sometimes a Gibson, sometimes a Martin, or whatever he could get his hands on. Peace, R

 

ps another verse:

 

"Was a high wall there that tried to stop me

A sign was painted said: Private Property,

But on the back side it didn't say nothing —

God blessed America for me."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's another.Deportee...aka Plane Wreck at Los Gatos...(Bobby used to do a nice version)..and being a man of peace I don't have "Kill the Fascists" on my guitar but " Vote out the Fascists in a democratically run multi party electoral process under UN monitors according to clause 1b.a3 of the Geneva Convention (Appendum 2).

Mind you I had to take off the pick guard to fit that on!

 

 

Tip-top response here Flatters. Great choise and really well performed. Makes me want to record Ludlow Massacre, but that would take a good while to learn. In any case my next project was to be Car Song, even before BBG started offering liquid incentives...

 

Interesting to see that the Woody and the 45 have different nuts. Aptly enough, the Woody has a boner. Not sure it makes that much difference tonally, though these comments certainly lower the tone.

 

Glad to know that fascists in the jolly old land of Oz play and lose by Geneva rules.

 

I believe that there will be more Mermaid Avenue recordings, since apparently Woody's daughter gave all of his unset/unrecorded lyrics to Billy Bragg. There are reported to be over a thousand songs' worth of words in the package. Could keep BB and Wilco in work long after their own inspiration dries up: I was a miner, I was a soldier, I was a songwriter between the (Iraq) wars. Now I sing songs about soldiers and about miners, Written by another bloke between the wars?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cheers Mr Jo, I spent a good 30 minutes trying to locate my copy of Dustbowl Ballads...I finally found it inside the CD case for Jimi Hendrix Cornerstones 1967 -1970...haha...really do need to sort out my CD's.

I have that double BB "hits" album on vinyl, but since i don't have a working turntable I haven't heard it for a few years.

Hope it's not too late for some others to post some 3 chord ditties.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From Woody's hand written diary.....

 

woody1.jpg

 

Given his reputation, I have to grin at possible readings of numbers 15, 17, 23 and 31. Also not sure about no. 18. Is it a reference to somebody called Gladys?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...