The Return Of Woody Guthrie

[poliphilo]

 THE RETURN OF WOODY GUTHRIE

 

Thanks to Billy Bragg and Wilco

 

I look past several historical epochs

To see Woody Guthrie walking his road,

With his famous machine for killing fascists

Slung from his shoulder, as jaunty as Chaplin

When at the end of a two reel movie

He toddles off not happy but free.

But Woody isn’t leaving us;

He’s coming back down the long straight road

That goes to the California hills

Through the orange groves. The songs he’s got

Are several historical epochs old,

But the music’s new. “Have the times changed?”

He asks,  and we answer “Well no, they haven’t.

We still have fascists. They’re in high places

And truth is no more popular now

Than it ever was, no more is justice

And men and women are just as good

And crappy at loving and still want to hear

Your songs about being not happy but free.”

Comments

[sovay]

I really like this one. Particularly since their "Ingrid Bergman" has been in my head on and off ever since I discovered it.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That's a great song isn't it? Utterly shameless.

I've been listening to Woody- original, scratchy, old recordings from the 30s and 40s, transferred to CD with none of the hiss taken out. I really love the guy.

[sovay]

I've been listening to Woody- original, scratchy, old recordings from the 30s and 40s, transferred to CD with none of the hiss taken out.

That's awesome. He's one of the people I grew up on.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I came to him late. In fact (apart from the odd classic or two) my first meeting with him was through Billy Bragg.

[happydog.livejournal.com]

this is pretty terrific.

[bob924.livejournal.com]

"And truth is no more popular now
Than it ever was, no more is justice ..."

- What a revealing commentary on humanity, past and present!

I'd say freedom is "kin" to happiness; although, it is the discovery of "truth" that sets us free! Maybe when truth becomes popular, we can experience freedom AND happiness.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Truth, freedom, happiness- these things are all related. There's happiness in walking down that dust road with a guitar slung at your back. Taken as a whole I don't think Woody had a happy life- There was too much suffering in it- and yet the music is always happy, affirmative, defiant.

[bob924.livejournal.com]

True! Music has a way of transforming "suffering" into the "happy, affirmative, defiant" ... beyond all odds. [Thanks for adding me as a friend. I think I will learn a lot from your writings.]

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I was reading your LJ this morning. I love your attitude to life.

[bob924.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Check out my "#1" tags in the right column for some laughs. I try to include some humor in my writings. [Sometime, I'd love to take a trip to the UK to research my Wiltshire and Swift ancestry.]