Lyr Add: The New So Long It's Been Good to Know...

Subject: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: Suffet
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 05:49 PM

THE NEW SO LONG IT'S BEEN GOOD TO KNOW YOU

Original words and music by Woody Guthrie
© 1940 Folkways Music Publishing, Inc.
New words by Joel Landy & Stephen L. Suffet © 2001


I'll sing you a song, you've heard it before,
Of the big and the small, the rich and the poor,
The power elite can smirk for a while,
But the day will soon come when we folks will smile,
And sing:

Chorus:
So long, it's been good to know you,
So long, it's been good to know you,
So long, it's been good to know you,
If Woody were here he'd be singing this song,
So why don't we all sing along!


The Pentagon boys want their weapons in space,
One miscue and we'll all be erased,
To the boys in their bunkers it don't mean a thing,
'Til the day that they hear the rest of us sing:

[chorus]

Nuclear reactors can melt down and boil,
They poison the air, the water, and soil,
The owners are only out for a buck,
And frankly, my dear, they don't give a...damn!
Singing...

[chorus]

Your Social Security could be gone in a flash,
Along with the dot coms in the next market crash,
It won't be much fun when you're aging and poor,
And your landlord is shoving you out of the door.
Singing...

[chorus]

When the petroleum moguls call us to die,
In the Gulf once again so their profits stay high,
You'll find us in D.C. shouting "Hell no!"
And telling those bastards just where they can go.
Singing...

[chorus]

Mr. Giuliani, it's time to step down,
You're no longer welcome around New York town,
Take your hate and your distasteful vengeance away,
New Yorkers will thank you and here's what they'll say:

[giving the arm and finger, chorus]



THE NEW SO LONG IT'S BEEN GOOD TO KNOW YOU was Joel's idea, and most of the words are his. So this isn't a 50:50 collaboration. It's more like a 75:25.

If you will be in or around the New York metropolitan area, please come and hear this song in person at the WOODY GUTHRIE BIRTHDAY BASH, a two-hour round robin songfest. Sunday, July 15, 2001. 7 to 9 PM at CB's 313 Gallery, 313 Bowery in New York City. $5 cover lets you stay all night and hear other acts as well. Drink purchase expected.


--- Steve

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 06:31 PM

Here too?

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: Suffet
Date: 30 Jun 01 - 01:33 PM

Refresh. This song deserves to be kept in view at least another day or two.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Jun 01 - 01:42 PM

Thanks, Steve. Well-done, wish I could be there to hear you all sing it! You're right, if Woody were here, he would sing it!

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: Suffet
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 12:01 AM

You can hear both authors of the foregoing song at the First Annual Midwinter Hoot, a two-hour round robin songfest that will take place a CB's 313 Gallery in New York City on Sunday, February 2, 2003, starting at 7 PM sharp. Other performers include Jane Babits, Toby Fagenson, Jessica Feinbloom, Eric Levine, Anne Price, and Gina Tlamsa. The cover charge is only $5, and for that small fee you can stay all night and hear other acts as well.

CB's 313 Gallery is located at 313 Bowery in the NOHO/East Village section of Lower Manhattan.

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 12:18 AM

Well done, Suffet!! Would you mind terribly if I started singing it?

Stephen Lee

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: Suffet
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 10:56 AM

Go right ahead. Joel and I would both be honored and delighted, because our purpose in writing this song was to have it sung. You might want to take note of the following changes:

First, we made a small revision in the first stanza, so it now goes as follows:

I'll sing you a song, you've heard it before,
Of the mighty, the meek, the rich and the poor,
The power elite can smirk for a while,
But the day will soon come when the people will smile,
And sing...

Second, instead of the final verse about Giuliani, we've substituted this:

Mr. John Ashcroft, you've shackled this land,
Our great Constitution you've worked to have banned,
One day you'll be gone, but democracy will stay,
And on that bright morning, here's what we'll say...

[Additional new words by Joel Landy & Stephen L. Suffet © 2002]

Please let us know how the song is received. Thanks.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: Hippie Chick
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 11:11 AM

I like it.   You should send it on to Arlo at Rising Son Records; he'd get a kick out of it.

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 04:44 PM

Words are fine. But..."..music by Woody Guthrie?" C'mon fellers.

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: Suffet
Date: 24 Dec 02 - 04:45 PM

We've already posted on the alt.music.guthrie newsgroup, which ADG regularly visits.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: Suffet
Date: 26 Dec 02 - 10:10 PM

Dick,

Woody used the traditional tune of Billy the Kid for the stanzas of So Long, It's Been Good to Know You, but as far as I know he composed the tune he used for the refrain. I guess I should have written this instead:

Original words by Woody Guthrie.
Music adapted from the traditional Billy the Kid by Woody Guthrie.
© 1940 Folkways Music Publishing, Inc.
New words by Joel Landy & Stephen L. Suffet © 2001.

Please forgive me. :-)

--- Steve

Subject: So Long, It's Been Good To Know You (2002)
From: Genie
Date: 27 Dec 02 - 02:05 AM

Thanks, guys. I've been meaning to write some new verses for this old gem for some time. You beat me to it, and more power to ya!

Subject: RE: The New So Long It's Been Good...
From: Suffet
Date: 27 Dec 02 - 10:09 AM

Genie,

Thank you. But feel free to make up your own verses as you go along. Woody himself wrote at least four different versions of So Long....

By the way, here's a new verse that I sing next to last:

Those crafty Bush brothers, an election they stole,
Now the nation keeps sinking down in the hole,
But like kidney stones, they, too, shall pass,
May the voters soon toss those boys out on their ass,
Singing...

I then end with the verse about Ashcroft. Joel, on the other hand, sings the Ashcroft verse next to last, and then ends with this new verse of his own:

George W. Bush, it's time to step down,
You stole the election, now get out of town,
Take your guns and your friends and your family away,
The country will thank you and here's what we'll say . . .

Come back in a few years and you may find the song has evolved into two totally different versions.

--- Steve