Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk

Subject: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: CarlB
Date: 03 Jun 15 - 06:11 PM

A friend, who is thinking of buying a house in Maine, asked me to make a CD with Down East as the topic. I didn't think I had enough material to limit the CD to that subject, so I decided to expand it to include the rest of New England and the Maritime Provinces. I'll probably end up with 3 CDs and I'll call the series "Down East and Thereabouts"


Among my collection of LPs I found an album by Jud Strunk. The title song is "Downeast Viewpoint". That seemed like a perfect choice to be included. However, despite my hearing aids, I am unable to understand the lyrics to his song. My wife, whose hearing is much sharper than mine, also has trouble with the words.

I am hoping that some Mudcatter will remember the song and perhaps know the lyrics. The album is "Jud Strunk's Downeast Viewpoint" and is Columbia CS 9990. I think it was released in 1970. I have searched Amazon and Google and haven't been able to find any lyrics for the song.

Thank you,
CarlB

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jun 15 - 09:13 PM

Perhaps you need a native translator- Kendall?

Your friend might like to review the following article, just published yesterday in fact

http://midcoastmillennial.bangordailynews.com/2015/06/01/home/the-outta-statahs-guide-to-maine-slang/#.VW9YVWY9KIV.facebook

Of course, it's not so much the words and the pronounciation. Years ago we actually created a Berlitz style learning tape...

ayuh
Julia

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: maeve
Date: 03 Jun 15 - 10:33 PM

Some information about Jud Strunk- perhaps something here will lead to that which you seek: http://www.amazon.com/downeast-viewpoint-LP-JUD-STRUNK/dp/B00DM24IZQ

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: GUEST,#
Date: 03 Jun 15 - 10:50 PM

Does anyone know where 'Downeast Viewpoint' can be heard other than the recording? I've ever heard the song and Strunk is a great songwriter.

The song 'Downeast Viewpoint' is track A5 on the album entitled Jud Strunk's Downeast Viewpoint.

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: GUEST,Phil
Date: 04 Jun 15 - 02:13 AM

It's also track A4 on the compilation LP: "Mr. Bojangles And Other Favorites" Harmony – KH32344 (1973)

You can usually pick up a clean, sealed copy for under U$10 (less shipping.)

Never seen a songbook, sheet music, etc.

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: CarlB
Date: 04 Jun 15 - 05:25 AM

Thanks to all.

I don't think the problem is my copy of the recording. It was purchased new years ago and played only a few times. Also I just had my turntable overhauled and it has a new cartridge.

If Kendall, the suggested native translator, is Kendall Morse, I would be excited to have his input. I treasure his album "Seagulls and Summer People"' Years ago, Utah Phillips stayed at my house following a Silver Fiddle concert concert in St. Joseph, Michigan. I played some of the album for Utah and he loved it.

CarlB

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: CarlB
Date: 04 Jun 15 - 03:57 PM

I asked my law partner, Bill, whose ears are younger than mine, to listen to the recording. This is what he thinks he heard:
"Downeast Viewpoint" by Jud Strunk


When I woke up in the morning my city boots were gone
An' the dawn had sent and chased away the rain.
It was blowin' all around me knowin' it had found me
Blowin' out the fire in my brain.
I thought about the subway rollin' through its dark and dirty hole
An' I decided that it wasn't worth the pain.
Well, that you get from city livin'
With its takin' and its givin'
When it's shaken and it's driven you insane.
And then I thought about the good times
Walkin' down the tree lines (lawns?)
Lookin' for a [park of jule leaves?]
Early mornin' fish fry
Learning how to [lose friends?]
Tryin' to put the [flat out on the breeze?]
Well, you can have your dirty air
An' corporate leather chair
An' [marinated hair that you fear?]
Cabs that never show up
Tempers that can blow up
_________________________
People choke with worry
Always in a hurry
Busy goin' nowhere in a rush
Garbage in the gutter
Smelly buses [stutter?]
Tryin' to beat the quittin'-hour rush
Ghettos in a turmoil
You can hear the pot boil,
Little kids without any shoes
A million people sweatin'
Hatin' what they're getting'
Bettin' somethin' sooner [out of clothes?]
And then I thought about the good times
Walkin' down the tree lines (lawns?)
Lookin' for a [park of jule leaves?]
Early mornin' fish fry
Learning how to [lose friends?]
Tryin' to put the [flat out on the breeze?]
Someone tried to tell me
Others tried to sell me
Stories but it don't seem right
So many people wallow
Tryin' not to follow others who can't find themselves
So I asked myself ____________
If ____________ what it was that I had to lose
If I stuck my dirty thumb out set my boots to ____ out
Left behind the big city blues
I thought about the subway rollin' through its dark and dirty hole
An' I decided that it wasn't worth the pain.
Well, that you get from city livin'
With its takin' and its givin'
When it's shaken and it's driven you insane.
And then I thought about the good times
Walkin' down the tree lines (lawns?)
Lookin' for a [park of jule leaves?]
Early mornin' fish fry
Learning how to [lose friends?]
Tryin' to put the [flat out on the breeze?]


If these words ring a bell with any of you and you can supply the complete lyrics, I'll be much obliged.

Thanks,
CarlB

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: GUEST,Phil
Date: 04 Jun 15 - 05:01 PM

If you can upload that to the tube, I'll have a go at it. Memories of workin' the "button factory" in Waldoboro. Good times.

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 04 Jun 15 - 07:21 PM

Off topic- When did you work there, Phil?
Would love to hear your stories. We live nearby, in Round Pond and have mined the cast off buttons for mother-of pearl to use for inlay in the harps my husband Fred builds
cheers- julia

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: GUEST,Phil
Date: 05 Jun 15 - 03:36 PM

Julia:

With Carl's indulgence, "The Paragon Button Company" was the mother-of-pearl and high-top leather shoe-button era of my father's and uncle's day. Before my time. The place was ancient even then. The original power came from a water-wheel! The abandoned drive shaft trench down to the river and the millworks in the rafters were still there in the early '60s when I first saw the place. By then it was "Patrician Plastics" and we used polyester resin (Fiberglas® w/o the "fibers.") More than one Downeaster and Friendship boatwright learned their plastics there.

Last hitch was 1973-74 when Henry Scheel split off from Morgan and then relocated up to Rockland from Largo, FL. My wife worked in the varnish-paint shop of both.

Scariest lift I ever rode on. Listening to Strunk again sure would bring back a lot of memories.

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 05 Jun 15 - 10:59 PM

Thanks Phil- I was just a kid then but good to know th history of the place. As I said there are still shell blanks on the shore from the time when they brought the shells up from the west indies as ballast. Wonder if Strunk ever put out a songbook/
?

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: CarlB
Date: 06 Jun 15 - 06:18 AM

No indulgence needed. It's a pleasure to see that my question has aroused such nostalgia.

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: cnd
Date: 06 Jun 15 - 01:06 PM

Like Phil said, if you could upload a version of it to Youtube, I'll have a go at it. If you're unsure of how to do this, there are two easy ways:

1) just get a camera and video tape it playing and put it on Youtube. This would be the worse of the 2 alternatives

2) this one's a bit more invovled, but you could use a USB turntable (though many vinyl junkies trash them for poor sound quality), which would be easier, or find my comments from this page: thread.cfm?threadid=157348 Though it's for cassettes, the instructions are still the same.

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: GUEST,Arnold P.
Date: 22 Jun 15 - 09:51 AM

You can buy the LP cheap on ebay.

Subject: RE: Downeast Viewpoint by Jud Strunk
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jun 15 - 03:39 AM

Well, I came up with a bit more. I put my additions in italics. Doesn't sound very "downeast" to me.


"Downeast Viewpoint" by Jud Strunk

When I woke up in the morning my city boots were gone
An' the dawn had sent and chased away the rain.
It was blowin' all around me knowin' it had found me
Blowin' out the fire in my brain.
I thought about the subway rollin' through its dark and dirty hole
An' I decided that it wasn't worth the pain.
Well, that you get from city livin'
With its takin' and its givin'
When it's shaken and it's driven you insane.

And then I thought about the good times
Walkin' down the tree lines (lawns?)
Lookin' for a [park of jule leaves?]
Early mornin' fish fry
Learning how to [lose friends?]
Tryin' to put the [flat out on the breeze?]

Well, you can have your dirty air
An' corporate leather chair
An' [marinated hair that you fear?] [joe: marinated herring with your beer?]
Cabs that never show up
Tempers that can blow up
_________________________ [joe: tow-aways that take you to a pier?]
People choke with worry
Always in a hurry
Busy goin' nowhere in a rush
Garbage in the gutter
Smelly buses [stutter?]
Tryin' to beat the quittin'-hour rush [joe: crush]
Ghettos in a turmoil
You can hear the pot boil,
Little kids without any shoes
A million people sweatin'
Hatin' what they're getting'
Bettin' somethin' sooner [out of clothes?] [joe???]
And then I thought about the good times
Walkin' down the tree lines (lawns?)
Lookin' for a [park of jule leaves?]
Early mornin' fish fry
Learning how to [lose friends?] [joe: lonely-hearted ...]
Tryin' to put the [flat out on the breeze?]
Someone tried to tell me
Others tried to sell me
Stories but it don't seem right
So many people wallow
Tryin' not to follow others who can't find themselves [joe: Tryin' hard to follow others who can't find themselves at night]
So I asked myself ____________ [joe: myself point-blankly]
If ____________ what it was that I had to lose [joe: If I could answer frankly just what...]

If I stuck my dirty thumb out set my boots to ____ out [joe: boots to bum out]
Left behind the big city blues

I thought about the subway rollin' through its dark and dirty hole
An' I decided that it wasn't worth the pain.
Well, that you get from city livin'
With its takin' and its givin'
When it's shaken and it's driven you insane.

And then I thought about the good times
Walkin' down the tree lines (lawns?)
Lookin' for a [park of jule leaves?]
Early mornin' fish fry
Learning how to [lose friends?]
Tryin' to put the [flat out on the breeze?]