I Hear America Singing-Bob Gibson/Shel Silverstein

Subject: I Hear America Singing - Bob & Shel
From: Chris in Portland
Date: 10 Apr 11 - 09:44 AM

What a great song - the written version I found somewhere is not quite right, so here's what I hear on the YouTube version.
Can anyone write some new verses? I think this song has potential for a group effort!
Note: chord changes vary. Where all the G7's go is up to you. Maybe it should be called, I Hear America Changing Chords!

Chris

I Hear America Singing - Bob Gibson, Shel Silverstein ( ¾ time) Key of A - Capo on 2

(C) I hear (D) America (G) singing,
(D) Lifting her voices so (G) sweet and so (G7) strong,
Like the (C) waves in the (D) wind,   
Rollin' (G) out, rollin' (Em) in,
(C) I hear (D) America (G) singing her (Em) song,
(C) I hear (D) America's (G) song.
------------------------------
The (G) lonesome young cowboy, he sits in his (G7) pickup,
And (C) sings to his (D) beat-up (G) guitar,
'Bout (D) truckers and trains, and (G) wrecks in the (Em) rain
And (A7) ladies with cold cheatin' (D) hearts, (D7)
And the (G) blushing young bride, Says "Drink with thine (G7) eyes,
And (C) I will (D) pledge with (G) mine," (G7)
While the (C) crowd in the backroom with (G) tears in their (Em) eyes
Harmo-(C)-nize to (D) "Old Lang (G) Syne." (G7) (chorus)
---------------------------
The (G) children all laugh, as the Itsy Bitsy (G7) Spider -- goes (C) up the (D) spout a-(G)-gain.
While (D) out on the stage that (G) wild-haired (Em) rocker,
Sings, "(A7) Lord Won't You Buy Me a (D) Mercedes (D7) Benz,"
And it's "(G) Take Me Out To The (D) Ball Game," And it's "(G) Oh Say, Can You (C) See?"
While the (C) Salvation Army Band (G) beats on their (Em) drums,
Singing "(C) Nearer My (D) God To (G) Thee." (G7) (chorus)
----------------------------
On a (G) dark Jersey street corner, under the (G7) light,
The (C) Boys sing "Sh-(D)-boom, Sh-(G)-boom,"
And a (D) million sweet mammas are (G) hummin' to-(Em)-night, a "(A7) Rock A Bye Lullaby" (D) tune,
(D7) -- And the (G) marching platoon, sounds off down the (G7) highway,
"(C) Jody Was (D) Here When You (G) Left, You're (G7) Right,"
And "(C) This Land Is Your Land, and (G) This Land is (Em) My Land,"
Rings (C) out through the (D) still of the (G) night. (G7) (chorus)
----------------------------
So "(G) Wake Up, Wake Up Little Susie," (G7)
"Three (C) Cheers for the (D) Red, White and (G) Blue."
"I'm (D) Goin' To - (G) Chicago - (Em) Girl, (A7) Sorry I Can't Take (D) You," (D7)
"You Can (G) Row, Row, Row Your (G7) Boat, (C) Gently (D) Down the (G) Stream." (G7)
And "(C) Let That (D) Midnight (G) Special, (Em) Shine Its (A7) Ever-Lovin' Light On (D) Me," (D7)
'Cause "I've Been (G) Workin' On the Railroad, (G7) - (C) All the (D) Live-Long (G) Day," (G7)
So "(C) You'll Be the (D) Prettiest (G) Lady – (Em) in the (A7) Easter Pa-(D)-rade." (D7)
"On the (G) East Side, (G7) West Side, - (C) All A-(D)-round the (G) Town." (Em)
Like that "(C) Bridge Over (G) Troubled (Em) Waters,
(C) I'm Gonna (D) Lay Me (G) Down." (G7) (chorus)

Subject: RE: I Hear America Singing - Bob & Shel
From: saulgoldie
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 07:59 PM

Bump.

Saul

Subject: RE: I Hear America Singing - Bob & Shel
From: pdq
Date: 11 Apr 11 - 09:44 PM

Background singers on this song are Glenn Yarbrough, Odetta and Dave Van Ronk. Not bad, eh?

This whole record is a masterpiece, with geat songs and perfect backing from the Nashville pros.

Subject: ADD: I Hear America Singing (Walt Whitman)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 May 23 - 04:16 PM

I Hear America Singing
BY WALT WHITMAN

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.



Source: Selected Poems (1991)

Subject: RE: I Hear America Singing-Bob Gibson&Shel Silverstein
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 17 May 23 - 05:28 PM

Is this from the Bob Gibson Sings Shel Silverstein,
1995 Asylum album ???

any other recordings ??

Thanks, Thomas.

Subject: RE: I Hear America Singing-Bob Gibson&Shel Silverstein
From: The Og
Date: 24 May 23 - 12:01 PM

Depressing, but, a start...edit to your heart's content!


Light-colored extremists all chant for their cause,
Nobody will replace me,
Gun-toting patriots strap on their gear,
“Cause killing will set the world free.
Stop the elections, foul up the courts,
Bring on the bright new regime
Death to all criminals, right to all life,
Forget the American Dream,

Wake up, wake up, little Susie,
Got to carry that fetus to term,
Never mind health care, never mind health,
Yours is the right to confirm.
Tear down the libraries, raise up the walls,
All hail to the US of A,
The new world is coming, the right will be right,
With never a thought to say nay.

Subject: ADD: I Hear America Singing (Silverstein & Gibson)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 May 23 - 01:08 AM

I HEAR AMERICA SINGING
(Bob Gibson & Shel Silverstein)

CHORUS:
I hear America singing
Lifting her voices so sweet and so strong
Like the waves in the wind
Rollin' out, rollin' in
I hear America singing her song
I hear America's song.

Now, the lonesome young cowboy
He sits in his pickup
And sings to his beat up guitar
'Bout truckers and trains and wrecks in the rain
And ladies with cold cheatin' hearts.

And that blushing young bride
Says Drink With Thine Eyes
And I will pledge with mine
While the crowd in the backroom with tears in their eyes
Harmonize to Old Lang Syne.

CHORUS

Now, the children all laugh
As the Itsy Bitsy Spider goes up the spout again
While out on that stage that wild-haired rocker
Sings Lord Won't You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz
And it's Take Me Out To The Ball Game,
And it's Oh Say Can You See
While The Salvation Army Band beats on their drums
Singin' Nearer My God To Thee.

CHORUS

On a dark Jersey street corner under the light
The Boys sing Shboom Shboom
While a million sweet mammas are hummin' tonight
A Rock A Bye Lullaby Tune
And the marchin' platoon sounds off down the highway
Jody Was Here When You Left Your Right
And This Land Is Your Land, This Land is My Land
Rings out through the still of the night.

CHORUS

So Wake Up Wake Up Little Susie
Three Cheers For The Red White and Blue
I'm Goin' To Chicago Girl, Sorry I Can't Take You
You Can Row Row Row Your Boat, Gently Down the Stream
And Let That Midnight Special, Shine Its Light On Me
'Cause I've Been Workin' On the Railroad, All the Live Long Day
So You'll Be the Prettiest Lady in the Easter Parade
On the East Side West Side All Around the Town
Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water I Will Lay Me Down.

CHORUS

Songwriters:
Publisher:
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Verified with the Bob Gibson recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mFQ38r5cwg
From the album Makin' a Mess: Bob Gibson Sings Shel Silverstein

Subject: ADD: I, Too (Langston Hughes)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 May 23 - 01:21 AM

I, Too
BY LANGSTON HUGHES


I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—

I, too, am America.


Langston Hughes, "I, Too" from The Collected Works of Langston Hughes. Copyright © 2002 by Langston Hughes. Reprinted by permission of Harold Ober Associates, Inc.
Source: 2004