Utah Phillips Poetry

Subject: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: Len Wallace
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 11:13 PM

About six years ago Bruce Utah Phillips came out with a cassette of his stories and poetry. It was classic. Utah at his best.

Like a dunderhead I let someone borrow it who never returned it.

It's now out of print and I cannot remember the title of it.

So:

1) does anyone remember the title? 2) does anyone know where I can get another copy? 3) will anyone sell me there's?????

Len Wallace

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 12:28 AM

Len, I don't know if it is the one you are looking for, but if you go to the top of this page, to where it says "Shop" and click on it, then on the left, choose to search by artist's name, highlighting the "P", it will take you to listing, of which there is one for Utah Phillips. If you click on the title (sorry can't remember what it was) it will show you a listing of songs/poetry and the price and how to get it. I remember one of the listings was for Moose Turd Pie, definitely a classic!

Good luck!

kat

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: northfolk/al cholger
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 08:58 AM

Len, I have a copy of "GOOD THOUGH", ...may be what you are looking for...will toss it in my glove box, and we'll barter for recompense, next time we cross paths.

PS. finished the negotiations that I had going on when you were at O'malley's...fair deal but had to miss your sets. see ya, next time.

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: Len Wallace
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 08:09 PM

Thanks for the pie! But, I do have that one.

This was a different cassette, one side nothing but stories and the other nothing but poems. I guess it may have come out in a super limited edition. One of the stories mentions the great "Turtle Drive" of the old west. Another story of how Utah became a Buddhist.

Len

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: Frank ofToledo
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 08:28 PM

Utah has a kind a mail order business called: NO GUFF by U.Utah Phillips. You can write or call No Guff Records, PO Box 1235, Nevada City, Ca. 95959 - Tel [phone]. Have you heard the new Ani DeFranco and Utah Phillips "Fellow Workers" CD?

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 08:36 PM

I've got that tape; I'll try to remember to bring it to work tomorrow. MA

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 08:44 PM

The name of the one available here, is "Good Though!".

Our own Art Thieme did a great rendition of the "Turtle Drive" on one of his early KM records.

kat

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 26 Aug 99 - 09:06 PM

Argh! I know I have another one, but isthis the one you want:

I've Got to Know: stories, songs, and poems to stir up Peace

Produced by Dakota Sid Cliffors for the Brownell Library Press, POB 1235, Nevada City, CA 95959

copyright 1991 U. Utah phillips

I know I have another one with one side all Utah's poetry, which this one is not (all).

MAG

Subject: Lyr Add: THE TWO BUMS (from Utah Phillips)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 09:50 PM

Here's one that Utah often recites at concerts, although he didn't write it.

[The following poem and commentary are copied from http://www.utahphillips.org/songbook/thetwobums.html]

This is a poem from George Milburn's book, "The Hobo's Hornbook". You can also find it in a lot of old I. W. W. pamphlets and literature. It sums up a great deal of what I feel. It talks about the bum on the rod and the bum on the plush, which is just a simple way of saying that the kind of system we live in now demands that there be a poor people, demands that there be people out of work so that there will always be people willing to work for any wage.

Sure, a lot of railroad bums are parasites, but, like the poem says, they're just fleas who get an occasional bite, and you look at what those parasites at the top are chewing off. I know that there's a lot of talk these days about the welfare Cadillac; middle-class people talking about those welfare gobblers down on the bottom who are afraid to do an honest day's work, and they're all driving big Cadillacs. And you hear over and over again, "Nobody ought to get something for nothing." I've got to agree. You've got to work to eat.

I look at a factory. I see that everybody associated with that factory puts something in and they take something out. The workers put in their sweat and their skill, and they take out wages. The salesmen put in their skill and ability, and they take out commissions. The managers and foremen and people in the offices put in theirs, and take out salaries. But there's one group of people who take out more than they put in, and that more is called profit. I can't think of any other way to define it. That's a bunch of people who are getting something they didn't work for, and it's a whole lot.

If we're really concerned about people getting just what they earn, if we're really concerned about people not getting something that they didn't put in time and sweat for, let's start with the major offenders, and get rid of them. Then we'll gradually work our way down to the petty chiselers. It just makes sense.

THE TWO BUMS

The bum on the rods is hunted down
As the enemy of mankind;
The other is driven around to his club
And feted, wined and dined.

And they who curse the bum on the rods
As the essence of all that is bad,
Will greet the other with a winning smile
And extend him the hand so glad.

The bum on the rods is a social flea
Who gets an occasional bite;
The bum on the plush is a social leech,
Blood-sucking day and night.

The bum on the rods is a load so light
That his weight we scarcely feel,
But it takes the labor of dozens of men
To furnish the other a meal.

As long as you sanction the bum on the plush,
The other will always be there,
But rid yourself of the bum on the plush
And the other will disappear.

Then make an intelligent, organized kick,
Get rid of the weights that crush;
Don't worry about the bum on the rods,
Get rid of the bum on the plush!

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: mg
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 10:21 PM

he has sure written some great songs. I didn't see Nevada Jane on the list but I am pretty sure he wrote it. I remember he said the tune was Gentle Annie but I can't hear Gentle Annie in it at all. mg

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: Art Thieme
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 11:56 PM

Utah pretty much got his TURTLE DRIVE story from me. I got the germ of it from Jack Thorp's book called PARDNER TO THE WIND. Then I refined it by telling it for thirty years. I recorded it two times.
Once on my first LP--OUTRIGHT BOLDFACED LIES --- Art Thieme Live At The Old Town School Of Folk Music------ I did that for Kicking Mule Records (KM-150) in California (now owned by Fantasy Records and way out of print.)   The second time I recorded it was the best telling of it. That was a cassette only release called Art Thieme--Live At Winfield (Kansas) It's out of print too. P.M. me and we can arrange my dubbing it for you.

There is a guy in Nevada City, California (not Utah--can't recall his name)who took my GREAT TURTLE DIVE story, wrote a kid's book around it, and never gave me credit. Yeah, I was pissed! And no, I didn't want money-----just a mention of my being the link in the chain where he got it. For us "collector / singers" (as opposed to singer/songwriters who get royalties) all we want is a credit line that shows we were a part of the folk process that IS the oral tradition. ---------- I told Utah the tale about the EGG SETTIN' HORSE too.

ARThur David THIEME

Art

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 12:21 AM

Art ....and...to give credit.... for credit's..or credit's for few

Where???? Did the postings from...

                                  .................................

!!!   YOU   !!!

....... Evolve ...along the "Trail Oral Tradition"


We all should bow in homage to all those who came before.

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 12:22 AM

I perceive some sour grapes in the vineyard

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: Art Thieme
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 05:45 PM

I'm not understanding the last 2 posts it seems. What is meant? No sour grapes here intended. Just the truth as some folks my age see it. ---------- Since the 60s, giving proper credit to our sources has always been the ethic of those who were trad song finders (catchers) rather than writers. The folk process was very important to us. I doubt times have changed all that much. Finding song gems was the main part of what I always tried to do. With our songs we were painting a historical picture of the adventure that populating the USA was until looking to the past for values became passe with those generationally separated ones who missed out on the pride and excitement involved with uncovering these vivid artifacts. Many of us had no desire to be writers of songs. Never ! We were portrayers of history, with all it's great sentimentality and drama, without ethical value judgments presented through the best versions of the best people's songs we could locate.

Sorry for the thread creep. But some may have misunderstood what I was saying. To old friend, Utah, if you are lurking (which I really doubt) I'm sorry for treading on your thread. You know what your influence on me has always been----and I thank you heartily for it.

Art

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: kendall
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 09:18 PM

Utah avoids the internet like the plague.

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Poetry
From: Art Thieme
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 09:41 PM

yes ! sometime I think I ought to, once again, follow his example.