ADD: Mrs. Roosevelt (Woody Guthrie)

Subject: mrs. roosevelt
From: oswald
Date: 20 Mar 98 - 07:28 PM

Am looking for the words to a song titled Dear Mrs. Roosevelt, which I believe was by Woodie Guthrie--or at least was on a Guthrie tribute album

thanks, oswald

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: dani
Date: 20 Mar 98 - 10:34 PM

If no one else gets to it before I do, I'll try to post them for you this weekend. You should check out that tribute album, though. Bob Dylan sings this particular song, but there are great performances, not the least of which is Will Geer reading some of Woody's best writing.

Dani

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: oswald
Date: 02 Apr 98 - 05:49 PM

Dani:

Well, nobody else responded. Would you mind posting the lyrics if it's not too much trouble?

many thanks,

oswald

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Apr 98 - 09:25 PM

Here's a great Woody Guthrie Web Site. It has lots of lyrics, but not Mrs. Roosevelt. Guess we'll have to wait for dani to post 'em (gentle hint....).

I found a Woody Guthrie Biography during my search for the lyrics, but no lyrics. Max, where's the bio from, and are there others here I haven't found? I found it on an Infoseek search, but don't know how to get to it from Mudcat.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: ADD: Dear Mrs. Roosevelt (Woody Guthrie)
From: Nathan Sarvis
Date: 03 Apr 98 - 07:30 PM

DEAR MRS. ROOSEVELT
(Woody Guthrie)
From WOODY GUTHRIE FOLKSONGS, Ludlow Music, Inc. 1963

Dear Missis Roosevelt, don't hang your head to cry:
His mortal clay is laid away, but his good work fills the sky;
The world was lucky to see him born.

He's born in a money family on that Hudsons's rocky shore;
Outrun every kid a-growin' up 'round Hyde Park just for fun;
The world was lucky to see him born.

He went to grade school and wrote back to his folks;
He drew such funny pictures and always pulling a joke;
The world was lucky to see him born

He went on up towards Harvard, he read his books of law.
He loved his trees and horses, loved everything he saw,
The world was lucky to see him born

He got struck down by fever and it settled in his leg;
He loved the folks that wished him well as everybody did;
The world was lucky to see him born

He took his office on a crippled leg, he said to one and all;
"You money changin' racket boys have sure 'nuff got to fall,"
The world was lucky to see him born

In senate walls and congress halls he used his gift of tongue
To get you thieves and liars told and put you on the run.
The world was lucky to see him born

I voted for him for lots o' jobs, I'd vote his name again;
He tried to find an honest job for every idle hand
The world was lucky to see him born

He helped to build my union hall, he learned me how to talk
I could see he was a cripple but he learned my soul to walk
The world was lucky to see him born

You Nazis and you fascists tried to boss this world by hate;
He fought my war the union way and the hate gang all got beat,
The world was lucky to see him born

I sent him 'cross that ocean to Yalta and to Tehran
He didn't like Churchill very much and told him man to man
The world was lucky to see him born

He said he didn't like DeGaulle, nor no Chiang Kai Check;
Shook hands with Joseph Stalin, says "There's a man I like!"
The world was lucky to see him born

I was torpedoed on my merchant ship the day he took command;
He was hated by my captain, but loved by all ships hands;
The world was lucky to see him born

I was a GI in my army camp that day he passed away,
And over my shoulder talkin' I could hear some soldier say,
"The world was lucky to see him born"

I guess this world was lucky just to see him born
I know this world was lucky just to see him born,
This world was lucky to see him born.

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: dani
Date: 03 Apr 98 - 10:14 PM

Gee, you think nobody cares and then disappear for a week or so! Sorry I dropped the ball... thanks for catching it, Nathan. I have to admit that though I am a fan, it's a little hard to listen to Bob Dylan singing this particular song. Anyone know of other performances extant?

Dani

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 04 Apr 98 - 10:58 AM

If you wish to see what a change a few years brings, check out Ballad for FDR by the Almanac Singers (Woody Pete et al.)

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Apr 98 - 01:49 AM

It took me a while to find the song Dick suggested. Here is a link. It's called "Ballad of October 16" on a CD Smithsonian Folkways came out with in 1996 called That's Why We're Marching: World War II and the American Folk Song Movement. It's an interesting collection of songs, and the Almanac Singers are well-represented. The songs trace the change in attitude of the folk singers, from pacifism to supporting the war.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 06 Apr 98 - 12:24 PM

Joe, Joe, Joe-- Ballad of F.D.R. is in the database. It's still agood place to look first.

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 98 - 01:48 PM

Dick, Dick, Dick - "The Ballad of F.D.R." is indeed in the database, and can can be reached by the link I posted above. "The Ballad of FDR" is NOT in the database, and cannot be found. Searching by song title does not always end in success. As a wise person named Greenhaus once told me, it's much better to pick out a distinctive word from the lyrics. In this case, I found it under "Roosevelt." When I was looking for all the versions we have of "Lili Marlene," I searched under "Marlene" and couldn't find the German lyrics. Then I tried "kaserne," and up it popped. That brings up another suggestion - search under a word that is not likely to have a variety of spellings. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck, ya know.
....but now I'm wondering why "The Ballad of F.D.R." is also called "The Ballad of October 16." Gotta do more study on that, unless somebody can come up with the answer.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: oswald
Date: 10 Apr 98 - 03:47 PM

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: GUEST,pauperback
Date: 21 Jul 16 - 09:27 PM

This one?

THE BALLAD OF F.D.R.
(Tom Glazer)

The is the ballad of Franklin D.
A great big man in our history.
For his people he gave his life
Go rest, go rest where there is no strife.
Freedom from want, freedom from fear
Freedom of speech and freedom of prayer.
He left his will for the people to know
Go rest, go rest where the free winds blow.

https://www.discogs.com/artist/734160-Tom-Glazer

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: dick.hamlet
Date: 21 Jul 16 - 10:03 PM

Joe--

I think it's October 16 because that was the date on which
Congress passed the conscription bill.

Subject: RE: mrs. roosevelt
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Jul 16 - 03:02 AM

Thanks, dick. That makes sense.