Lyr Add: Songs of Joe Jencks

Subject: Lyr Add: Lady of the Harbor (Joe Jencks)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jul 17 - 02:44 AM

I'd like to know more about Joe Jencks. His recordings are great, and he's written a number of songs that show terrific insight. I heard this one this evening at a concert by the San Francisco area trio Yes MA'M.

LADY OF THE HARBOR
(Joe Jencks)

From far away, and distant lands –
The tempest-tossed with hopeful hearts and calloused hands
Reach toward the light, the torch held high –
And cast their gaze upon the lady of the harbor.

CHORUS:
And she welcomes them with open arms,
She says, "Let my children in".
Shine on, shine on
Oh you lady of the harbor.

And so it was, with my own kin.
They sailed from Sweden, and from France, and Ireland.
Their earthly cares packed in their bags
They cast their gaze upon the lady of the harbor.

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
Now we're locking down the borders and we're filling up the jails
And we say they don't belong.
How conveniently do we forget
That we've all come to sing the same sweet song?

But will the dream survive the strain,
Will huddled masses have a chance to learn its sweet refrain?
Or will we fall into our fears,
And turn our backs against the lady of the harbor?

CHORUS

Shine on, Shine on
Oh you lady of the harbor
Shine on, Shine on
Oh you lady of the harbor
Oh you lady of the harbor.


Recording by Brother Sun (Joe Jencks, Greg Greenway and Pat Wictor) from their CD Some Part of the Truth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3gOoySyNlI

Another recording - don't know who it's by: https://vimeo.com/120386065

Subject: Lyr Add: Rise Again (Joe Jencks)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jul 17 - 03:34 AM

RISE AS ONE
(Joe Jencks)
from Rise As One

I dedicate this recording of 'Rise As One' to my new niece Annika Jencks. "We will build a brand new future for our daughters and our sons…" …and our nieces & nephews! Thanks to Mike Tadsen and John & Judy Gallo for inviting me to meet some of the workers and for sharing the story with me. The workers of OAPSIE Local 419 are heroes in my book.

It is we who serve the lunches, we who sweep the floors
We who drive the busses with your children off to school
We keep the buildings warm in winter, and cool when it's hot
And we will not let you play us for the fool
When we ask for better healthcare, or an increase in our wage
You tell us that the township can't afford to pay the bill
But you found half a million dollars from within those very coffers
To try and break the union's back and break our will

And we will never give up, we will never give in
And we'll never, ever go away
We will build a brand new future for our daughters and our sons
We will work 'til all workers rise as one

We believe in education and the future of our town
And the children that we serve from day to day
Whenever there's a need we always go the extra mile
God knows we do it for the love, not for the pay
But we have worked as hard as any for every inch of ground
That we've gained in the struggle for our rights
And we will not stand by idly as you try to tear us down
If we have to we will organize a strike

Well we didn't have a penny in our strike fund, sad but true
That made us all a little bit afraid
But the call went out to every other union in the state
And somehow all the workers' bills were paid
You see this isn't just the schools within our town
When we dare to raise our voice in solidarity we stand
With every other worker all the world around

We held a rally at the fairgrounds, to show them our resolve
And to drum up some support for our campaign
A thousand people hit the street, and that's more than half our town
And after that, you know things couldn't be the same
Now whoever would've guessed it, when this whole thing began
We'd have the strength to hold out for so long
But three months have now gone by and the school board just gave in
On their demands, now we can sing our victory song


Source: http://www.joejencks.com/songs/f/Rise_As_One/111/

Joe Jencks recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A69eP-kiARk

This song is on page 259 of the Rise Again Songbook. I became aware of the songs of Joe Jencks when I was working on Rise Again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs of Joe Jencks
From: Jeri
Date: 07 Jul 17 - 09:55 AM

Joe, on your "another recording" link in your first message, where you say "don't know who it's by", the video says "This compelling video is underscored by a beautiful medley of 2 songs sung by Pat Surface - Lady Of The Harbor, written by Joe Jencks, and This Land is Your Land, the iconic song written by Woody Guthrie. It dramatically depicts how we are all from different lands - that is our common bond - coming to be a part of this great and beautiful country."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs of Joe Jencks
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jul 17 - 02:13 PM

Oh - it says "from Donna Surface" in big print, and it was a male voice singing. I missed the change of first names. Guess I blew that one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs of Joe Jencks
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jul 17 - 08:54 PM

ChanteyLass suggested a song that's parallel to Jenks' "Lady of the Harbor" - It's "The Prettiest Girl in New York," written by Jon Campbell for the 1976 Bicentennial.
Here's a recording by Stephen Snyder and Kate Katzberg from the 1980s: https://soundcloud.com/stephen_snyder-1/song-the-prettiest-girl-in-new-york

I do get a thrill every time I see the "Lady of the Harbor." I believe in the concept of open doors to all refugees, even though our government has betrayed that ideal time and time again.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs of Joe Jencks
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 09 Jul 17 - 09:28 PM

Joe Jencks is one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. He lives in Northern Illinois, when he's not on the road. I know he's doing one of his last performances with Brother Sun Labor Day Weekend at the Fox Valley Folk Festival in the Chicago burbs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs of Joe Jencks
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 10 Jul 17 - 05:15 PM

I just saw Joe at the New Bedford (MA) Folk Festival. Of course he sang Lady of the Harbor. And another performer there, Bill Harley, used Jon Campbell's song (see Joe Offer's post above) during one of his sound checks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs of Joe Jencks
From: Elmore
Date: 11 Jul 17 - 07:33 AM

I really enjoyed Katzberg and Snyder. Although our folk music club was {and is] devoted to traditional music, I presented them in concert in the eighties. Good people. Hearing them on a recording Joe posted brought back a bunch of great memories for me. Thanks, Joe.

Subject: ADD: Lady of the Harbor (Joe Jencks)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Apr 20 - 11:39 PM

LADY OF THE HARBOR
(Joe Jencks)
from Some Part of The Truth

From far away, and distant lands
The tempest tossed with hopeful hearts and calloused hands
Reach for the light, the torch held high
And cast their gaze upon the Lady of the Harbor

And she welcomes them with open arms
she says let my children in
Shine on, Shine on
Oh you Lady of the Harbor

And so it was, with my own kin
They sailed from Sweden and from France, and Ireland
Their earthly cares, packed in their bags
They cast their gaze upon the Lady of the Harbor

And she welcomes them with open arms
she says let my children in
Shine on, Shine on
Oh you Lady of the Harbor

Now we're locking down the borders and we're filling up the jails
And we say they don't belong
How conveniently do we forget
That we've all come to sing the same sweet song

Will the dream, survive the strain
Will huddled masses have a chance to learn it's sweet refrain
Or will we fall, into our fears
And turn our backs against the Lady of the Harbor.

And she welcomes them with open arms
she says let my children in
Shine on, Shine on
Oh you Lady of the Harbor

By Joe Jencks
© Turtle Bear Music/ASCAP   

https://www.joejencks.com/songs/f/Some_Part_of_The_Truth

Subject: ADD: St. Christopher (Joe Jencks)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Aug 20 - 01:37 AM

St. Christopher (7:12)
from Some Part of The Truth

It's the back end of the season and the wind is bitter cold
It's just the sort of morning to make young bones feel old
The tanks are all topped off, we've got the permits free and clear
One more good haul could see us through until we start next year
Well it's my call alone to make and one I'd hate to blow
Six families now including mine dependent on the things I think I know.

I know the wind and water and I am not afraid
But living off the ocean is a complicated trade
I never get my profit margins or my pride confused
With the safety of this vessel or its good and hearty crew
But the time is now or never and the weather looks to hold
So I gather up the crew on deck, we bow our heads and pray before we go

St. Christopher protect us from the cold and stormy sea
Watch over all these fishermen who've put their trust in me
Never mind the salty spray or crashing of the waves
Bring us safely to our families and keep us from the grave
St. Christopher we call on you this day

I've fished in weather worse thatn this at least a hundred times
But I still can't shake the shivers that we are crawling up my spine
Eleven hours out the swells are getting deep
We can't put the nets out and it's too damn rough to sleep
If we stick it out 'til morning things may calm down with the light
But if it turns against us we'll be lucky if we see another night

St. Christopher protect us from the cold and stormy sea
Watch over all these fishermen who've put their trust in me
Never mind the salty spray or crashing of the waves
Bring us safely to our families and keep us from the grave
St. Christopher we call on you this day

Well it was on a night like this my father went away
Even though my mother begged and pleaded him to stay
I was standing there and waving as his trawler left the docks
Saw the pictures of the wreckage that they found upon the rocks
Seven men were rescued of the nine that left that day
The last they saw their captain he was on the bridge they swear they heard him say

"St. Christopher protect us from the cold and stormy sea
Watch over all these fishermen who've put their trust in me
Never mind the salty spray or crashing of the waves
Bring us safely to our families and keep us from the grave
St. Christopher we call on you this day"

Now the difference between bravery and foolishness is small
And a healthy sense of fear can bring perspective to us all
I know you men are hungry for the cash this catch could bring
And if we go back empty we'll be real tight come spring
But I've learned history's lesson and it isn't worth the pain
The things we stand to lose are so much greater than the things we have to gain

St. Christopher protect us from the cold and stormy sea
Watch over all these fishermen who've put their trust in me
Never mind the salty spray or crashing of the waves
Bring us safely to our families and keep us from the grave
St. Christopher we call on you this day

St. Christopher we call on you
Christopher we call on you
St. Christopher we thank you for this day.

By Joe Jencks
© Turtle Bear Music/ ASCAP

https://www.joejencks.com/songs/f/Some_Part_of_The_Truth/1317