songs on life, times & assassination of JFK

Subject: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Art Thieme
Date: 10 Feb 98 - 12:13 PM

Click for related thread
For the last 38 years I've been collecting songs on the life, times and assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. This was a time of great activity in the folk music world. Topical songs were being written all over the U.S.A. Baez was queen and Dylan was writing songs that hit like a .38 slug. So were Ochs & Paxton. Broadside Magazine and Sing Out were printing many of these songs. The Freedom Riders were singing new words to the old spirituals to bolster their nerve.This was a time when gentle but angry people thought that the wrongs of this world could be righted if we could only write songs that were good enough. There were songs about the Bay Of Pigs travesty, Viet Nam, Civil Rights, campaign songs, the Cuban Missile crisis, etc. John Kennedy was president at just the right time to show up in many of these songs. Then came Nov. 22nd, 1963; the assassination!! The spontaneous outpouring of emotion on the part of the people was fantastic. Testament Records issued "Can't Keep From Cryin'-- topical blues on the death of J.F.K."! Phil Ochs wrote his classic "Crucifixion".In Jamaica, the Mighty Sparrow composed a calypso song on the assassination. The Byrds re-wrote "He Was A Friend Of Mine" for J.F.K.I've found songs by Anthony Newley, Tom T. Hall, Gordon Lightfoot, T. Texas Edwards and the Sickoids, Oscar Brown and MANY OTHERS. There were songs looking at J.F.K. positively and negatively---from the left, the right and the middle. Some were very funny! Some serious. At present I've collected hundreds of these songs. There was a time that I was sick of these songs--but now I seem to be on the lookout again even at this late date. I thought about publishing the songs but the copyright problems were too big for some publishers---so I sent the whole thing (one copy anyhow) to Joe Hickerson at the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library Of Congress. That's probably where it really belongs. But now I find myself thinking that THE WEB IS A GRAND PLACE TO FIND MORE J.F.K. SONGS!!! See what we can come up with!! I'll be in Memphis with the amazing Folk Allince folks for several days so when I get back it'll be nice to see what shows up!! Thanks!!! Art Thieme

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Feb 98 - 05:12 AM

Hey, Art - the Web is also a great place to share JFK songs. Got some for us? I guess the only ones I can think of are "Crucifixion," "He Was a Friend of Mine," and "Abraham, Martin, and John" - those are all pretty obvious. I'd sure like to hear of more when you get back.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: dwditty
Date: 11 Feb 98 - 06:05 AM

Ry Cooder does his version of Mr. President (written by Sleepy John Estes) on his album Boomer's Story. By the way - Oscar Brown? - He happens to be one of my personal favorites (I have a large catalog of his stuff), but I can't recall a song about JFK. Would like to pursue it.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: alison
Date: 11 Feb 98 - 09:26 PM

Hi

If you want more modern ones.... Was not Was, (name of a group) did one called "Eleven Miles an Hour" on their "What up dog" CD.

"Eleven miles an hour, such a deadly speed, Eleven miles an hour, at the time and place agreed, They turned their limousine down Elm Street ???? & ???? Lead fell like a shower at eleven miles an hour."

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 12 Feb 98 - 08:11 AM

Alison - Yes! You beat me to it - Eleven Miles an Hour by Was/Not Was is a great JFK song. What I can't get over is that there's someone else in this world who likes Celtic music and Was/Not Was. ;)

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: rich r
Date: 12 Feb 98 - 01:54 PM

I brought 2 related threads back from the archive.

PT109 and Kennedy Assasination

rich r

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: alison
Date: 12 Feb 98 - 07:18 PM

hi susan-Marie

Yes, I have very diverse musical tastes, (anything from Classical to heavy rock...... not fussed on yodelling I must admit, otherwise most things are OK. Sorry all you yodellers out there!!!)

Some of these days I'm going to try to get the band to do some Was/not Was..... don't tell Alan of Oz....... (he's still getting over the shock of being told he's singing "My Sharona", at a party we're doing soon!!!)

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Jodi O.
Date: 06 Apr 99 - 03:17 PM

I had no idea there were so many songs and such related and dedicated to our (by far) favorite president. Thanks for the insight.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: The Shambles
Date: 06 Apr 99 - 03:24 PM

Art

Who says the devil has all the best tunes? I'm sure there must be more songs about Clinton now than there were about JFK. I don't think the quality is quite as good though.

Just a thought but how would JFK had fared with the sort of press coverage that Clinton had to put up with?

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Art Thieme
Date: 06 Apr 99 - 09:07 PM

Hey, Shambles, howdy!,

In Kennedy's time we were certainly more civil and accepting of the natural drives of humanity (huwomanity too).

What we've been through recently was a civil (uncivil) war. Clinton was just the excuse. Is it any wonder Colin Powell wants nothing to do with it?

Art

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 06 Apr 99 - 10:55 PM

Art: Did we ever give you the song Caroline wrote at the time of Kennedy's funeral, quoting Mike Mansfield - "She took the ring from off her finger, and then she placed it in his hand..." etc.? I can't remember. Caroline sang it at the Frank Proffitt Memorial service in New York and Doc Watson allowed as how he loved it.

Sandy

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: DonMeixner
Date: 06 Apr 99 - 11:57 PM

Art,

I'm surprised that I haven't seen "That Was The President" by Phil Ochs mentioned.

"Oh The bullets of the false revenge have struck us once again. As the angry seas, they strike upon the shore."

And It looks as tho' a friendless world has lost itself a friend, That was the President and That was the man.

In so many ways Phil was my favorite. Imagine what he could be writing about today.

Don

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Art Thieme
Date: 07 Apr 99 - 11:26 AM

Don,

Check in with the OTHER Kennedy Assassination thread. That took over from this thread quite a while back. That's where I posted the songs you mentioned & quite a few more from my collection. I do hope you good people found a few of 'em to be interesting.

Sandy,

Yes, Caroline sang that for me a long time ago--back when we were making one LP or the other. It has an honored spot in the collection. Is now residing happily at the Library of Congress.

All the best,

Art

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Anne
Date: 07 Apr 99 - 09:42 PM

Art: Greg Brown's "Brand New Dodge"

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Max
Date: 21 Jul 99 - 11:52 PM

relevant again?

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Art Thieme
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 12:02 PM

What is Greg Brown's "Brand New Dodge"??

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 12:26 PM

"In The Summer Of His Years"

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: greg stephens
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 12:45 PM

I heard McGrath of Harlow sing his on Nov 23,1963.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 29 Jul 02 - 09:47 AM

Other two threads noted with this thread ID. Refresh to move this one above!

Nigel

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jul 02 - 07:20 PM

Pedantic note.

On the other thread, rich r, in a 1997 posting asserts that President Kennedy was killed on a Thursday. Nobody, to my knowledge, has corrected this erroneous statement.

For the record, let it be noted that the murder took place on a Friday

Murray

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 29 Jul 02 - 07:23 PM

Pedantic note.

On the other thread, rich r, in a 1997 posting asserts that President Kennedy was killed on a Thursday. Nobody, to my knowledge, has corrected this erroneous statement.

For the record, let it be noted that the murder took place on a Friday

Murray

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: BH
Date: 29 Jul 02 - 07:27 PM

The Brand New Dodge song always gets me---I always remember that shocking wknd. I always play that song on that wknd on the program

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST,JIm McLean
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 04:01 AM

The Ballad of Lee Harvey Oswald was recorded on Transatlantic Records, TRA 150, 1966. Writers Grimes/Harvey Copyright control. Cheers, Jim McLean

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 04:37 PM

Well, I believe greg, and it seems likely enough, because I can't imagine not trying to make a song in the circumstances. But I've no recollection whatsoever. Probably wasn't too good a song.

What I can remember is. I heard the news just before going into Heritage Folk Club in Oxford. And there we all were, completely floored by what had happened, and rumours about what might happen next, and what it was all about. Especially the Yanks among us, even the ones who hadn't been too impressed by Kennedy, which didn't seem to make much diffeence right then. So we were all singing those kinds of songs. A sort of wake.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Susan of DT
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 06:06 PM

We entered a number of songs from these threads. Search for JFK*

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST,greg stephens
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 06:29 PM

M of Harlow you must have heard an hour or too before you went into the club, because I'm sure you had a new song ready. I remember it well, because I had one in my pocket too, but after I'd heard yours I didnt do mine. There were a lot of American folkies round , oxford was infested with them. Dave Laibman was there and sang "Set on freedom" I think.(still picking and Marxing in New York I believe). And when we all sang "We shall overcome" everybody stood up. A strange and sombre night.Funny, we'd all been protesting against Kennedy on the streets, must have been only a few months before.
Ah,the 60's.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Big Red
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 10:26 PM

SING OUT vol.14, no. 4, Sept, 1964 has an article about a Testament Records album titled "Can't keep from crying: Topical Blues on the Death of President Kennedy". The article also contains the music for an Otis Spahn song titled SAD DAY IN TEXAS.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST,Eric
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 02:56 PM

I do not know if it fits your "muse" but for some work linked to RFK try John Stewart. His "Last Campaign" album would be best. He and his wife were on the road with Bobby K doing crowd warm ups during the campaign.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From:
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 12:45 AM

im lookin for a kennedy song about the pt 109
any idea

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Stewie
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 01:19 AM

Guest, Art very generously gave me a set of cassettes related to his JFK collection. He is not online at present, but I can tell you that the PT 109 song you are seeking was by Jimmy Dean.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: rich-joy
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 05:04 AM

there's always Hoyt Axton's "The Gypsy Moth" which has a verse that runs :
" ... Many long years have come and gone since John F Kennedy died,
And I'm not sure for what that man was downright crucified,
But the same bad guys are still telling lies,
And you know they keep us used - and abused - they make us unhappy -
And everything they do gets us in trouble!

And river can rock ..."

sung wonderfully by one Jenny Fitzgibbon!!
Cheers!
R-J

Subject: Lyr Add: BLACK DAY IN DALLAS
From: Little Robyn
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 06:04 AM

I was just thinking about this recently, with the 40th anniversary coming up in a few days.
I believe this song was written by a New Zealander but I'm not sure who. It was sung by Arthur Toms in about 1964 and the tune wasn't very inspiring but the song stuck in my head. But I can't remember if V.1 was actually a chorus or if it was just repeated at the end.

Black Day in Dallas

Black day in Dallas
Twenty second of November
Bloody day in Dallas
Tragedy in that dry Texas town.

Twenty second of November
Two lives were made to pay
Twenty second of November
History was made that day.

The shots that were fired in Dallas
Were heard the whole world round
The shots that were fired in Dallas
Left bloodstained roses lying on the ground.

Prejudice, hate, injustice
These things beware
Prejudice, hate, injustice
These are the things Kennedy feared.

Black day in Dallas
Twenty second of November
Bloody day in Dallas
Tragedy in that dry Texas town.

Robyn

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST,Den
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 12:30 PM

There was "Dallas 1 pm" by British Heavy Rock group Saxon.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Nov 03 - 09:03 AM

I was thinking how September 11 evoked a very similar mixture of feelings - fear for the future and sadness, and a feeling that we were in a new era.

And then I thought how very very different the reaction would be if something like Dallas happened this week.

Any Bobby Kennedy songs?

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Nov 03 - 01:50 PM

"The Day John Kennedy Died" by Lou Reed from his 1982 album, The Blue Mask

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 20 Nov 03 - 03:12 PM

The Chad Mitchell Trio did "In The Summer Of His Years/ Rally 'Round The Flag" as a medley, not long after the JFK assassination. Quite moving.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From:
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 10:37 PM

I remember a 45 we had that had the song "What the world needs now is love sweet love...." and a live version of the assasination on it. Any idea where you can find it? I think the song "Abraham, Martin and John" was on it also. We would listen to it over an over agin.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Art Thieme
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 01:27 AM

Annie and other recent posters to this thread,

I've refreshed the other much longer thread on the JFK assassination. That thread contains a few of the songs mentioned here recently lncluding "Summer Of His Years" and "Abraham, Martin and John".

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Ebbie
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 01:53 AM

Fascinating thread(s), Art. I remember the day very well. I hadn't voted for Kennedy (this was in my non-thinking Republican days) but after that I started really listening to Bobby Kennedy. When he too was killed, so very soon after Martin, I was devastated. I was watching the coverage from California LIVE in the middle of the night, sitting on the couch alone- nearly went ape.

Very strange and tragic years, those were. May we never again see the like.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 10:39 AM

Still no response to my query about Bobby Kennedy songs. I'd have thought the Bobby Kennedy story would make for a pretty good song, more so in a way than that of his brother. It's got a kind of Border Ballad story arc (to adopt the jargon they use these days for such things.)

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Art Thieme
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 11:41 AM

A BOBBY KENNEDY SONG:

Part way down the other longer Kennedy thread is a song called "SONG FOR A FRIEND" by John Stewart. Also there is a discussion between Alan C and myself about this song. I did see John Stewart singing with Robert Kennedy and entourage in Newport, Oregon jus a week before Bobby was killed in California. I'll scan a couple of slide photos I took ob Bobby and his wife Ethel that day in Oregon. Then I'll try to figure out how to send them to Kat or Joe so possibly they can be made accessable to folks through these threads. My tech abilities are quite limited.)

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Art Thieme
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 12:06 PM

The son "Clack Clack Clack" by John Stewart is also for Bobby.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 03 - 11:53 AM

Art...have you got anything for me..on a 45 rpm of JFK!

Again...the song goes something like this:


"John F. Ken-ne-dy, What a remarkable Young Man Was He, at age forty-three, was elected to the president-cy,.He was born in 1917 the second child of nine...in the State of Massachusetts in the City of the blind.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 03 - 12:02 PM

Has anyone in this room got any information on a 1960's Children's 45rpm record - song.

A title and/or artist a label - anything?

Again...the song goes something like this:


"John F. Ken-ne-dy, What a remarkable Young Man Was He, at age forty-three, was elected to the president-cy,.He was born in 1917 the second child of nine...in the State of Massachusetts in the City of the blind.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Art Thieme
Date: 23 Dec 03 - 12:19 PM

Guest,

That is a new one to me. Had not seen or heard of it before. very interesting.

I would still like to see the lyrics for the Greg Brown song "The Brand New Dodge". What CD is that on.

also...The Testament album Can't Keep From Crying on Testament Records was reissued on CD with a few extra tracks---one an assassination song by Eddie Son House. That song was interesting as a document from a great and original country blues singer---BUT it was not a blues song--and it was not easy to listen to. There was a reason it was left off of the original LP.

Also: The Otis Spann song, "Sad Day In Texas", was beautifully done in a minor key-- and very moving. Just Otis and his piano. Big Joe Williams (my mentor with his 9-string guitar) is on this production also---as is Mary Ross, John Lee Granderson. Some are fine songs. Some were created by various singers because they knew Pete Welding was looking for blues songs about the assassination and they wanted to get on the album. I think some songs from Jim and Fannie Brewer were written with that as the motivation.

Art Thieme

Art

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: PoppaGator
Date: 23 Dec 03 - 12:30 PM

The Asylum Street Spankers do a great one entitled "Lee Harvey Was A Friend of Mine."

No, it's not a song of praise for assassinating JFK -- it's a conspiracy-buff's lament for an innocent man who was framed and quickly murdered.

For those not already familiar, the Spankers are based in Austin Texas and are perhaps the most militantly acoustic band in the world, distaining the use of all microphones, amplifiers, etc. Makes it a bit difficult to record an album, of course -- for one CD, they went with one microphone suspended from a hotel ballroom ceiling. This for an emsemble numbering anywhere from five to a dozen members at any given time.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Dec 03 - 01:21 PM

Here's that song about Bobby that Art mentioned.

Subject: Lyr Add: FAMILY SNAPSHOT (Peter Gabriel)
From: ToulouseCruise
Date: 23 Dec 03 - 04:02 PM

There is an interesting Peter Gabriel song, taken from the point of view of the assassin called "Family Snapshot", found (most recently) on a greatest hits album of his called "Shaking the Tree: 16 Golden Greats". It is rather poignant (I never thought I would have a circumstance where I would be able to use that word, actually), here are a two of the verses from it:

The streets are lined with camera crews
Everywhere he goes is news
Today is different
Today is not the same
Today I make the action
Take snapshot into the light, snapshot into the light
I'm shooting into the light

They're coming 'round the corner with the bikers at the front
I'm wiping the sweat from my eyes
-It's a matter of time
-It's a matter of will
And the governor's car is not far behind
He's not the one I've got in mind
'Cos there he is-the man of the hour, standing in the limousine
"I don't really hate you
-I don't care what you do
We were made for each other
-Me and you
I want to be somebody
-You were like that too
If you don't get given you learn to take
And I will take you."

If you can get a copy of it, it is definitely worth a listen...

Brian.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: Stewie
Date: 23 Dec 03 - 07:45 PM

Art, unfortunately I do not have either, but the Greg Brown song that you are seeking, 'Brand New '64 Dodge', is on 'The Poet Game' (Red House 1994) and 'The Live One' (Red House 1995).

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: songs on life, times & assassination of JFK
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 10:43 AM

I am looking for the same song. Anybody know what it is?