My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???

Subject: Can't find any reference or lyrics!
From:
Date: 05 Nov 97 - 02:45 PM

"My name is Juan Halos de Castro I'm the son of a Spanish Grandi And I won my wife in a card game To hell with the lords of the sea.

Now the west coast is a wild coast and lonely .... But a lion still rules the Barankas And a man there is never alone"

Those are all the fragments I have ... a good friend in College sang this (Eli Marcus, Toronto) but I've lost touch with him and have never been able to track down the rest of this song or the story of what it is about. If anyone knows more, please send me email to [e-mail]

Subject: RE: South Coast
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Nov 97 - 03:48 PM

Hi, Gary - I think the song you want is "South Coast." Search the database under [south coast]. I suppose the best-known recording in on the Kingston Trio's "....from the Hungry i" album. I don't know if the CD is still available. Capitol doesn't seem to be as generous with reissues as they were a few years back.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Aug 11 - 07:54 PM

A couple of versions can be found in the thread: Lyr Req/Add: South Coast.

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: Midchuck
Date: 08 Aug 11 - 08:31 PM

It was recorded by the Kingston Trio on "From the Hungry I" (1959), and by Tom Russell on "Song of the West" (1997) - and probably by a few others in between. I'm pretty sure Rambling Jack recorded it - maybe more than once.

Peter

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: NOMADMan
Date: 08 Aug 11 - 08:36 PM

This song has also long been associated with Ramblin' Jack Elliott. It's on his 1995 Red House CD titled "South Coast."

Pretty much all of the Kingston Trio's Capitol recordings are available in one form or another. Trouble is, they are often found in pricey multiple-CD sets. I think the Stereo Concert Plus CD, which includes "South Coast" is available from the Rediscover Music folks for about $18.

John

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: olddude
Date: 08 Aug 11 - 09:06 PM

I know it from Ramblin Jack also

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: Deckman
Date: 08 Aug 11 - 11:32 PM

I just stumbled across this thread and it brought back such vivd memories of 100 years ago, when I was younger. For about five years I lived not far from Big Sur, in California. Every time we could get away for a while, we all hiked the Big sur mountains, fished the coast and explored the back country, Every trip we encountered wild boar, deerses, the wild cats and other things too fierce to mention.

I quickly fell in love with the place and it's residences and history. I'm holding one of the many books I've collected from there and from those times. It's titled "A Wild Coast and Lonely" ... the Big Sur Pioneers.

On page 223, the author Rosalind Sharpe Wall published 13 verses of "The Ballad of the South Coast." I've always loved the 2nd and 3rd verses:

"IN MY YOUTH I HAD A MONTERAY HOMESTEAD,
CREEKS, VALLEYS, AND MOUNTAINS ALL MINE,
I BUILT ME A SNUG LITTLE SHANTY,
AND ROOFED IT A FLOORED IT WITH PINE.

I HAD A BRONCO, A BUCKSKIN,
LIKE A BIRD HE FLEW OVER THE TRAIL,
I RODE HIM OUT FORTY MILES EVERY FRIDAY,
JUST TO GET ME SOME GRUB AND SOME MAIL"

I've often compared the flow of these lines, the poetry, with the flow of "Billy The Kid." These songs simply sing themselves!

CHEERS, bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 10:45 AM

Thanks for the memories, Bob.

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: GUEST,999
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 11:09 AM

"It was recorded by the Kingston Trio on "From the Hungry I" (1959), and by Tom Russell on "Song of the West" (1997) - and probably by a few others in between. I'm pretty sure Rambling Jack recorded it - maybe more than once."

Best version I ever heard was done by Sean Gagnier back in the late '60s, early '70s.

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: Ernest
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 12:23 PM

Also on Arlo Guthrie "Son of the Wind"...

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: Cool Beans
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 02:59 PM

It's also on the LP "Ramblin' Jack Elliott," on Prestige International (1961?). In the liner notes he says he learned it from Frank Hamilton and credits Lillian Ross as the author.   Maybe Frank would like to weigh in.

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: GUEST,Kenny B Sans Kiuki
Date: 12 Aug 11 - 02:57 PM

Ramblin Jack Singing South Coast

Subject: RE: My name is Juan Halos de Castro ... ???
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 13 Aug 11 - 06:47 AM

There's a set in an early Sing Out, but I'm not at the office.

Jon Bartlett