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Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs

31 May 02 - 04:14 PM (#720736)
Subject: Woody Guthrie songs
From: 2 in harmony

Would appreciate words for Worried Man Blues, also song with chorus "more pretty girls than one" and something I think is called Gypsy Davey. These may be approximate titles/lyrics but I know how knowledgeable & resourceful & helpful this membership is. Thanks so much for anything you can find.


31 May 02 - 04:32 PM (#720747)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs
From: GUEST,Philippa

For songs written by Woody, and lots of background info as well as lyrics, see http://www. geocities.com/Nashville/3448/guthrie.html or alternatively http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/parton/2/guthrie.html

But Guthrie also sang folk songs which he didn't author and you seek some of these. You are likely to find versions of these songs at the Mudcat pages if you use the title of key words in the search box. I tried Gypsy Davey and got a list of Digital Tradition archives songs and of other threads but I don't know if the version Guthrie sings is there. I can write out The Worried Man Blues and parts of the others from memory but I think we will find they are already to be found at Mudcat.


31 May 02 - 04:39 PM (#720748)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs
From: GUEST,Philippa

worried man blues in the DT
thread with More Pretty Girls verses


31 May 02 - 04:43 PM (#720755)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs
From: GUEST,Philippa

I'm surprised nobody else is replying. It's early yet but Guthre is popular. Maybe they think you should do archives searches yourself!

Look at these sites for Black Jack Davy
same lyrics from the Prof who sometimes joins us at Mudcat, I believe.


31 May 02 - 07:05 PM (#720797)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs
From: Mark Ross

If you can find a copy of THE NEARLY COMPLETE WOODY GUTHRIE, I think that the lyrics you are looking for are in there. It's been out of print for almost 40 years and the only copies available are selling for 75 to 100 dollars(!), but maybe you know someone who still has a copy that you can look at(I wish I still had mine)>

Mark Ross


31 May 02 - 07:14 PM (#720800)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs
From: greg stephens

Well , all three you ask for are on my old melodisc EP. Come round and you can write them out.


31 May 02 - 09:14 PM (#720849)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs
From: 2 in harmony

To explain my request...Earlier in the day Mudcat was down completely. Later I spent about 2 hours trying to find lyrics on the Digital Tradition archives. For unknown reasons this simple task which usually provides such valued and meaningful results was not working. It was important to find these lyrics today. Many of my friends who are ardent Guthrie fans are away. Also there are people like myself who are beginners at computer searches & computers in general. Thank you Philippa for 2nd site which I was able to bring up. This was helpful now & for future research. I was looking for songs essentially associated with Woody Guthrie for an upcoming concert. As I'm learning, and I'm sure you all know, Woody has not always written the lyrics or he sings his own lyrics to traditional tunes. I do now have all the information I need at this time. I sincerely apologize if I apparently overly "depended on the kindness" of members. Again thanks for your time & all the leads to additional info. And thanks to volunteers & Mudcat for being there almost all the time.


31 May 02 - 09:23 PM (#720855)
Subject: Lyr Add: GYPSY DAVEY (Arlo Guthrie)
From: catspaw49

I know you have what you need, but I thought you might be interested in Arlo's adaptation of Gypsy Davey:

GYPSY DAVEY
Traditional, arranged and adapted by Arlo Guthrie

It was late last night when the boss came home
Asking about his lady
The only answer that he got was
She's gone with the Gypsy Davey
Gone with the Gypsy Dave

Go saddle me up my buckskin home
And my hundred dollar saddle
Point out to me their wagon tracks
And after them I'll travel and after them l'll ride

Well I had not rode 'till the midnight moon
I saw their campfire gleaming
I heard the notes of the big guitar
And the voice of the Gypsies singing
That song of the Gypsy Dave

It was there in the light of the camping fire
I saw her fair face beaming
Her heart in tune to the big guitar
And the song of the gypsies singing
That song of the Gypsy Dave

Have you forsaken your house and home?
Have you forsaken your baby?
Have you forsaken your husband dear?
To go with the Gypsy Davey
And sing with the Gypsy Davey
The song of the Gypsy Dave?

Yes I've forsaken my husband dear
To go with the Gypsy Davey
And I've forsaken my mansion high
But not my blue eyed baby
Not my blue eyed babe

She smiled to leave her husband dear
To go with the Gypsy Davey
But the tears come a-trickling down her cheeks
To think about her blue eyed baby
To think about her blue eyed babe

Take off take off those buckskin gloves
Made of Spanish leather
Come give to me your lily-white hand
And we'll ride home together
And home again we'll ride

No I won't take off my buckskin gloves
Made of Spanish leather
I'll go my way from day to day
And sing with the Gypsy Davey
The song of the Gypsy Davey
The song of the Gypsy Dave


©1961 TRO-Ludlow Music, Inc (ASCAP)

Spaw


01 Jun 02 - 12:33 AM (#720926)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs
From: Genie

There is a version of Blackjack Davey that I have heard sung by Woody Guthrie and seen printed in "The Woody Guthrie Songbook." It is pretty much the same lyric as THIS ONE in the DT. In the songbook, it says "Words and music by Woody Guthrie," which is pretty much nonsense, since the verses were virtually indistinguishable from much older, traditional verses (and Woody did not usually compose original tunes).

Genie


01 Jun 02 - 02:54 AM (#720972)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs
From: greg stephens

Difficult to see how Arlo adapted that version, looks like Woody's to me.


01 Jun 02 - 11:02 AM (#721085)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Woody Guthrie songs
From: GUEST,1913 Tripper

The version of "Gypsy Davey" (also commonoly spelled as "Davy")that Spaw presents above is Woody's adaptation of the traditional British ballad known as "Gypsy Laddie," "Black Jack Davy," etc.

Woody recorded "Gypsy Davy" for the Library of Congress on January 4, 1941 and for Asch Records (the forerunner to Folkways) in April 1944. Both recordings predate the birth of Arlo Guthrie in 1947 or the copyrighting of the arrangement in 1961 (when Arlo was all of 14).

Trivia note: Arlo's middle name, Davy, was in honor of Gypsy Davy.


26 Sep 15 - 07:03 PM (#3739996)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE JOLLY BANKER (from Woody Guthrie)
From: Jim Dixon

THE JOLLY BANKER
As recorded by Woody Guthrie on "Woody at 100"

My name is Tom Cranker and I'm a jolly banker.
    I'm a jolly banker, jolly banker am I.
I safeguard the farmers and widows and orphans,
    Singin' I'm a jolly banker, jolly banker am I.

When dust storms are sailin' and the crops they are failin',
    I'm a jolly banker, jolly banker am I.
I check up your shortage and bring down your mortgage,
    Singin' I'm a jolly banker, jolly banker am I.

[Similarly:]

When money you're needing and mouths you are feeding,
I'll plaster your home with a furniture loan.

If you show me you need it, I'll let you have credit.
Just bring me back two for the one I lend you.

When your car you're a-losin' and sadly you're cruisin',
I'll come and foreclose, get your car and your clothes.

When the bugs get your cotton, times they are rotten,
I'll come down and help you; I'll rape you; I'll scalp you.

When the landlords abuse you or sadly misuse you,
I'll send down the police to keep you from mischief.


12 Jul 20 - 05:33 PM (#4063909)
Subject: ADD: Peace Call (Woody Guthrie)
From: Joe Offer

Peace Call (Woody Guthrie)

"Peace Call"

Open your hearts to the paradise,
To the peace of the heavenly angels,
Taken away that woeful shadow dancing on your wall;
Take to the skies of peace, oh friends,
Peace of the one Great Spirit;
Get ready for my bugle call of peace.

Peace, peace, peace,
I can hear the bugle sounding,
Roaming around my land, my city and my town
Peace, peace, peace,
I can hear the voices ringing louder,
While my bugle calls for peace

Thick war clouds will throw their shadows,
Darken the world around you,
But in my life of peace your dark illusions fall
Think and pray along the way,
Embrace the ones around you;
Get ready for my bugle call of peace

Peace, peace, peace,
I can hear the bugle sounding,
Roaming 'round my land, my city and my town;
Peace, peace, peace,
I can hear the voices ringing louder,
While my bugle calls for peace.

If these war storms fill your heart
With a thousand kinds of worry,
Keep to my road of peace, you'll never have to fear
Keep in the sun and look around
In the face of peace and plenty
Get ready for my bugle call of peace.

I'll clear my house of the weeds of fear
And turn to the friends around me,
With my smile of peace, I'll greet you one and all
I'll work, I'll fight, I'll dance and sing
Of peace of the youthful spirit;
Get ready for my bugle call of peace.

Peace, peace, peace,
I can hear the bugle sounding,
Roaming around my land, my city and my town;
Peace, peace, peace,
I can hear the voices ringing louder,
While my bugle calls for peace.
Get ready for my bugle call of peace

Writer(s): WOODY GUTHRIE
Music by Eliza Gilkyson