Subject: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: GUEST Date: 21 May 13 - 09:56 AM Hello everyone How you doin' all? I'm new to this wonderful forum and this is my first thread. One of my favorite type of songs are those great 60's folk songs from all of those great singers, the songs that all had a 'Talkin' in the title. I'm gonna give you some examples: Talkin' New York Blues Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues Talkin' Candy Bar Blues Now I just want more! can you please tell me if there anything else? anything else by other singers, other than Dylan or Peter, Paul and Mary? Thanks in Advance |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: GUEST,Brad Sondahl Date: 21 May 13 - 11:16 AM Woody Guthrie did a few talking songs, one of which was the basis of Dylan's. See Talking Blues in Wikipedia for more information on the style... |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: Dave Hanson Date: 21 May 13 - 11:17 AM The Talking Blues is a long established tradition, Bob Dylan got it from his then hero Woody Guthrie, who you should check out, also Pete Seeger's ' Talkin Union ' Dave H |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: PHJim Date: 21 May 13 - 04:05 PM Chris Bouchillon, billed as is credited with creating the "talking blues" form used by Woody, Ramblin' Jack, Dylan... with the song "Talking Blues". Ain't no use in me workin' so hard, I got a gal in the (rich/white) folks yard. They kill a chicken, she brings me the head. She thinks I'm workin' but I'm layin' in bed, Dreamin' 'bout her...and three other women. Sing Out! magazine has had many contributions in their "Folk Process" column. There have been talkin' blues written about Richard Nixon, Playing the guitar, Jimmy Swaggart, unfair bosses, World War III, home renovation and going to folk festivals: Headed to Newport, we loaded the car With a banjo and two guitars, A dulcimer and a mandolin too, An old mouth harp and a new kazoo. You never know what you're gonna need At a folk festival. Though we were speedin' it wasn't a cop But a traffic jam that made us stop. They were goin' to Newport so we didn't mind Any friend of folk music's a friend of mine. Sons o' bitches... These all use Boucillon's original talking blues rhythm pattern and changes, but there are other "talking songs" with different patterns and changes. One example is "Life Get's Teejus". The sun comes up and the sun goes down, The hands on the clock go round and round. I just get up and it's time to lie down. Life gets teejus, don't it. My old hound dog sounds so forlorn. He's the laziest dog that ever was born. He's howlin' 'cause he's a-settin' on a thorn, But he's just too tired to move over. I once heard a disc jockey who was unfamiliar with this song, introduce it as "Life Get's To Jesus, Don't it?" |
Subject: ADD: Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues (Bob Dylan) From: Joe Offer Date: 21 May 13 - 04:50 PM Hi - be sure to take a look at the crosslinks I added at the top of this thread. It looks like we have all the songs listed in the first post except "Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues" by Bob Dylan. Guess we'd better fix that. TALKIN' JOHN BIRCH PARANOID BLUES (Bob Dylan) Well, I was feelin' sad and feelin' blue I didn't know what in the world I wus gonna do Them Communists they wus comin' around They wus in the air They wus on the ground They wouldn't gimme no peace . . . So I run down most hurriedly And joined up with the John Birch Society I got me a secret membership card And started off a-walkin' down the road Yee-hoo, I'm a real John Bircher now! Look out you Commies! Now we all agree with Hitler's views Although he killed six million Jews It don't matter too much that he was a Fascist At least you can't say he was a Communist! That's to say like if you got a cold you take a shot of malaria Well, I wus lookin' everywhere for them gol-darned Reds I got up in the mornin' 'n' looked under my bed Looked in the sink, behind the door Looked in the glove compartment of my car Couldn't find 'em . . . I wus lookin' high an' low for them Reds everywhere I wus lookin' in the sink an' underneath the chair I looked way up my chimney hole I even looked deep down inside my toilet bowl They got away . . . Well, I wus sittin' home alone an' started to sweat Figured they wus in my T.V. set Peeked behind the picture frame Got a shock from my feet, hittin' right up in the brain Them Reds caused it! I know they did . . . them hard-core ones Well, I quit my job so I could work all alone Then I changed my name to Sherlock Holmes Followed some clues from my detective bag And discovered they wus red stripes on the American flag! That ol' Betsy Ross . . . Well, I investigated all the books in the library Ninety percent of 'em gotta be burned away I investigated all the people that I knowed Ninety-eight percent of them gotta go The other two percent are fellow Birchers . . . just like me Now Eisenhower, he's a Russian spy Lincoln, Jefferson and that Roosevelt guy To my knowledge there's just one man That's really a true American: George Lincoln Rockwell I know for a fact he hates Commies cus he picketed the movie Exodus Well, I fin'ly started thinkin' straight When I run outa things to investigate Couldn't imagine doin' anything else So now I'm sittin' home investigatin' myself! Hope I don't find out anything . . . hmm, great God! Copyright © 1970 by Special Rider Music; renewed 1998 by Special Rider Music Source: http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/talkin-john-birch-paranoid-blues#ixzz2TxiowvPW |
Subject: ADD: Oh, Mourner From: Joe Offer Date: 21 May 13 - 05:39 PM PHJim, I'd never heard of Chris Bouchillon (August 21, 1893 – September 18, 1968), so I went to Spotify and found a treasure trove of very entertaining songs. Thank you very much for the tip. We have a couple of songs in the Digital Tradition that are very close to Bouchillon's talking blues. One is Original Talking Blues as recorded by John Greenway. Another is Talking Blues, attributed in the DT to Woody Guthrie - but I haven't been able to find a Woody recording of this particular version to verify the lyrics or the attribution. The Chris Bouchillon song draws its lyrics from earlier sources. Take a look at Richard Matteson's Bluegrass Messengers page for a sample of related songs. Also take a look at Oh, Mourner in the Journal of American Folklore's article on "Songs and Rhymes from the South" (Volume XXVIII, No. 108, 1915 & 1916)- page 135: VII. SONGS OF THE PLANTATION I. OH, MOURNER (From Mississippi; negroes; MS. of F. R. Rubel; 1909.) Some folks say that a nigro (sic) won't steal; I caught two in my corn feild (sic). One had a shovel and the other had a hoe; If that ain't stealing, I don't know.
When the good Lord sets you free. I caught two in my smoke house. One had a middling, and the other had a ham; If that ain't stealing, I'll don't know. I went to a chicken coop on my knees; I thought I heard a chicken sneeze. Way down yonder on Punkin Creek Where those nigros grow leben feet, Heels stick out so far behind Chickens roost there most all the time. I had a wife and I fed her on grease; Every time I knocked her down she hollowed "police!" Ain't no use in me workin' so hard; I got a gal in the white folks yard. She fetch me meat and she fetch me lard. Ain't a bit of use in me workin' so hard. Yonder come Melinda. How do I know? Know her by her walk; I seen her walk before. Kill the chicken; save me the wing; Think I'm workin'; ain't doing a thing. Kill the turkey; save me the bones; Drink the beer; save me the foam. Kill the chickens; save me the breast; Think I'm workin', but I'm taking my rest. I like my coffee, I likes it strong; When I git to eatin', bring the corn-dodger along. I likes my lasses good and strong; When I git to eatin', bring the butter along. I likes my wife, I likes my baby; I likes my flap-jacks floating in gravy. Gimme chicken; gimme pie; Gimme some of everything the white folks buy. Some folks say that a nigro won't steal; I caught two in my water-melon feild, Preaching and praying all the time, And pulling the melons off the vine. I wouldn't marry a yaller gal; I'll tell you the reason why: She's all the time sitting in another man's lap And telling her husband lies. I wouldn't marry a black gal; I'll tell you the reason why: Her nose is always snotty, And her lips is never dry. Nigro was a sitting on the log; One eye on the trigger, the other on the hog. The gun said, "Boom!" the hog fell bip! The nigro jumped on him with all his grip. [Spoken] Gitting the chiddlings! I will dive in that pige pen a-fighting; I ought [to] been that hog-jaw bighting. With a hog head in my hand. Yonder come my uncle; axe heavy with lead, Throwed across my shoulder to kill that barrow dead. Spare ribs is rottening; back-bones ain't but a few; Run and git the carvin' knife, and we'll have a barber cewe. I wouldn't marry a widow, For all the money in the land; It takes six men to feed her, Workin' with both hands. When you come home from work at night, It's "Hello! my pretty old gal!" And then she whispers softly, "There ain't no meal in the barrel." I went down to Malinda's house; Malinda she was gone; I sat down in Malinda's chair And rocked till she come home. She sat me in the parlor; She cooled me with her fan; She whispered in her mother's ear, "I'm fooling with a gambling man." -Joe- |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: Fossil Date: 21 May 13 - 06:09 PM Then there's always the wonderful talking blues made popular in the UK, at least, by Lonnie Donegan: "Talking Guitar Blues" "Bought me a gitar 'bout a year ago, Man said ah c'ld larn it in a week or so, Gave me a book, a pick or two, Said 'There y'are boy, now it's up ta you!' (dirty rat...)" Still in my open mic repertoire fifty years or so later. Still gets laughs, too! |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: PHJim Date: 21 May 13 - 06:43 PM I do a variation of that one too Fossil. I modified it to fit my life. I learned it from David Holt who told me that he learned it from a Cisco Houston record. It reminds me of a hit parade song called "The All American Boy" that was on the radio in the fifties when I was a kid. I think it was sung by Bobby Bare, but credited to someone else. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: PHJim Date: 21 May 13 - 06:50 PM I found it on Youtube. Apparently it was recorded by Bobby Bare, who thought it wasn't too good, so when his friend Bill Parsons needed a song for the flip side of another tune, Bobby said he could use The All American Boy. Now no one remembers what was on the A side. The All American Boy - Bobby Bare/Bill Parsons |
Subject: ADD: All American Boy From: Joe Offer Date: 21 May 13 - 06:56 PM ALL AMERICAN BOY (as recorded by Bobby Bare and Bill Parsons) Gather 'round, cats, and I'll tell you a story About how to become an All American Boy Buy you a gittar and put it in tune You'll be rockin' and rollin' soon. Impressin' the girls, pickin' hot licks, and all that jazz I-I bought me a gittar a year ago Learned how to play in a day or so And all around town it was well understood That I was knockin' 'em out like Johnny B. Goode Hot licks, showin' off, ah number one. Well, I 'd practice all day and up into the night My papa's hair was turnin' white Cause he didn't like rock'n'roll He said "You can stay, boy, but that's gotta go." He's a square, he just didn't dig me at all So I took my gittar, picks and all And bid farewell to my poor ole pa And I split for Memphis where they say all Them swingin' cats are havin' a ball Sessions, hot licks and all, they dig me I was rockin' and boppin' and I's a gettin' the breaks The girls all said that I had what it takes When up stepped a man with a big cigar He said "come here, cat--I'm gonnna make you a star." "I'll put you on Bandstand, buy ya a Cadillac, sign here, kid." I signed my name and became a star Havin' a ball with my gittar Driving a big long Cadillac and fightin' the girls off ma back They just kept a'comin', screamin', yeah-they like it So I'd pick my gittar with a great big grin And the money just kept on pourin' in But then one day my Uncle Sam He said (sound of 3 footsteps) "Here I am" "Uncle Sam needs you, boy I'm-a gonna cut your hair Ah-Take this rifle, kid Gimme that gittar" yeah. source: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/bill+parsons/all+american+boy_20237744.html |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: PHJim Date: 21 May 13 - 10:15 PM A very small difference, but I've always thought the third line in this verse: "So I took my gittar, picks and all And bid farewell to my poor ole pa And I split for Memphis where they say all Them swingin' cats are havin' a ball Sessions, hot licks and all, they dig me" was, "and I split for Memphis where they say,'Y'all'" |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: GUEST,Don Wise Date: 22 May 13 - 03:27 AM Back in the 1960's there was a guitar tutor called "Play in a day" by Bert Weedon. I seem to remember hearing versions of "Talking Guitar Blues" which included jibes about that book along the lines of 'play in a lifetime- if you're lucky'. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: GUEST,John from Kemsing Date: 22 May 13 - 09:30 AM For afficionados of "Talking Blues" may I recommend Folkways Records Album, FH 5232, "Talking Blues" by John Greenway. The introductory notes give excellent chapter and verse re Bouchillon, Ernie Tubb, Tom and Joe Glazer (no relationss), Guthrie and Vern Partlow as well as information about the songs. |
Subject: ADD: Have Another Espresso (Shel Silverstein) From: Bettynh Date: 22 May 13 - 01:00 PM In a different direction, Shel Silverstein talked most of his numbers, frequently with a jazz background. This one works with anything: "Have Another Espresso" W&M by Shel Silverstein HAVE ANOTHER ESPRESSO (Shel Silverstein) Now whenever life is looking dark and mean I have myself an espresso. And then I kinda sit back and like dig the scene And maybe have myself another espresso. And there's a chick in the coffee shop who's caught my eye But she never talks to me when I walk by So I sit there and I cool it and I'm oh so sly And I have myself another espresso. Well last night I decided to do the thing As I had myself another espresso. So I asked that chick, would she care to swing As I had myself another espresso. And she said, "Baby, that's uh cool with me But like I can't split until half past three So why don't you just sit there and cool it and like wait for me And maybe have yourself another espresso." Well I never cared much for formal dates, I just sit and have myself an espresso. Man ya know but when a chick is a groove like baby you've gotta wait And maybe have yourself another espresso. So I took off my coat and I hung up my hat And for the next five hours right there I sat. You know that chick went home with some other cat, And so I had myself another espresso. The moral of the story I will tell you then As I have myself another espresso, Is always follow the ways of Zen And maybe have yourself another espresso. And whenever the world has got you way uptight Why baby you just sit there and cool it until everything's right 'Cause you know I met another chick that very night And we -- uh -- we -- Well we just sat around and had us an espresso. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: Ron Davies Date: 23 May 13 - 10:20 AM Excellent, Betty. Never heard of that one--it's great. For my money, Dylan was at his best when he did talkin' blues. Before he lost his sense of humor and started getting so full of himself--and turgid. Maybe they go together. One of the best things about talkin' blues is that they seem to always have a sense of humor--can't think of one that doesn't. A relatively recent addition to the literature is "Talkin' Song Repair Blues", sung by Alan Jackson. Even throws in a bit of music theory. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: Bettynh Date: 23 May 13 - 01:25 PM More from Shel Silveerstein: Beans Taste Fine A Boy Named Sue It Does Not Pay to be Hip Lyrics are in the DT or can be found by searching Mudcat threads. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: Art Thieme Date: 23 May 13 - 03:32 PM I used to do several of these through the years of my participation on the folk scene. I found their tunes to be elusive and was rarely able to sing them. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: PHJim Date: 23 May 13 - 08:15 PM Todd Snider's Talkin' Seattle Grung Blues |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: Bettynh Date: 24 May 13 - 01:08 PM Fred Small's "Talking Wheelchair Blues" |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: Ron Davies Date: 24 May 13 - 07:33 PM Art-- I'd say bits like "The Lock Moss Nesters" with your guitar in the background come pretty close to "Talkin' Songs"--not blues, exactly, but they sure are great. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: autoharper Date: 25 May 13 - 12:58 AM Christopher Allen Bouchillon (1893-1968)was often billed as "The Talking Comedian of the South." He is credited with recording the first "talking blues" form for Columbia Records in Atlanta in 1926, from which the style gets its name. The song was released in 1927: Chris Bouchillon - "Talking Blues" (1926) |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Talkin' Songs (Bob Dylan, PP&M and...) From: GUEST Date: 07 Feb 14 - 06:46 PM Heard amusing stories of hotels, ships, and preachers. |
Share Thread: |
Subject: | Help |
From: | |
Preview Automatic Linebreaks Make a link ("blue clicky") |