Any fans of Guy Clark?

Subject: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Robin2
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 09:58 PM

Hi

One of my band memebers used to play with Guy Clark way back in the 70's, and we have recently begun performing some of his music...he is so awesome! My favorite right now is Desperados Waiting For A Train, and Home Grown Tomatoes

Any other Guy Clark fans out there? Any other songs you could recommend, or online sites to listen to his music?

Robin

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Barbara
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 10:47 PM

Me! Well, I like his CD Keepers, a live collection of his best including the two you mention and arguably his best known piece, "If I ever get off of that LA freeway without getting killed or caught", as well as "Like A Coat From the Cold".
I also have his CD "Boats to Build" which has "Baton Rouge" on it, a name I will never be able to say again without hearing it in his definitive Texas drawl.
Did he also write a song about a fishing? boat hauling illegal cargo 'one more time' and the Coast Guard is closing on it?
That guy is a master of the turn of phrase; the hook, and he tells such marvelous stories in his own laid back way.
Other favorites of mine include "Look out, here she comes, she's coming"(Texas, 1947) , "Too Much" and "Little of Both", Dang. When you get down to it, I like most of what he's written.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Sorcha
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 10:55 PM

I've read the words to "Randall Knife" and have tried to find a recording.......haven't been able to. Randall knives are a coming of age tradition in my family and the words of the song littterally brought me to my knees; my brother too. I tried to order his CD with it from my local outlet--they couldn't get it. I would love to hear him sing it.

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Lynn
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 11:05 PM

I recently added Home Grown Tomatoes to my repertoire. In rural Central New York, that's a REAL crowd pleaser! But that's the only Guy Clark tune I know. Have you other recommendations??? Always looking for nifty stuff to add....

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Midchuck
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 11:11 PM

Those people who have ever heard his singing of his own songs can be divided into two groups: His fans, and churls.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: rangeroger
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 11:17 PM

Sorcha, "Randall Knife" is on the " Dublin Blues" CD.Asylum records 61725-2. A truly great CD that I bet Dick could get for you through Camsco.

I really love Guy Clark. As said above he is a wordsmith who tells true stories in song. At least he says they're true. One of my favorites is "The Cape" and the one about the old gunfighter who gets run over by a car as he attempts to draw on someone he feels wronged him.

The first time we had him at Strawberry Music Festval, it began raining so hard (then snowing) that the main stage set he was going to d with Rodney Crowell had to be moved indoors,where they both played acoustically to a small crowd. It apparently was one of those great magical moments in music.

I say apparently as I missed the show. When I saw the clouds forming I decided to change out of my shorts and sandals at 5:00 in the evening. It began raining when I crawled into the trailer so I decided it was a good time for a nap in order to get ready for the evening. I woke up at 7:00 the next morning and stepped out into fresh snow,still in my shorts and sandals. Later that day the festival mnager asked if I had caught the show and expandedupon its magic.

Oh well, if you snooze you lose.

rr

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Tiger
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 11:35 PM

A very special guy :)

I commented on The Randall Knife in the sad songs thread, see:

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 11:36 PM

Another one of his "love to sing" songs, for me anyway, "South Coast of Texas". Barry

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Tiger
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 11:40 PM

A very special guy :)

Tremendous songwriter, including many written for others. Tremendous performer, totally real. Nashville, by way of Texas, so not a hint of Trashville.

The Randall Knife is awesome! I commented in the sad songs thread, see:

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=16052#149785

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 25 Jun 02 - 11:53 PM

I have recently discovered Guy Clark. I was at a friend of mine's gig and he played "Dublin Blues". A great song. I've since heard a few more, but I need to hear a bunch.

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Declan
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 06:51 AM

On Keepers he calls "She ain't goin' nowhere" his favourite song and I'm inclined to agree.

Then again I haven't heard very many, if any, bad Guy Clark songs. When I hear people making general comments slagging off singer songwriters (one of my pet hates), I usually use people like Guy and John Prine to argue against this stupid generalisation.

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 09:02 AM

Guy Clark actually recites "The Randell Knife" he doesn't sing it. There a very nice guitar piece in the background - you'll love it.

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 09:10 AM

OOPS - For got to mention my favorites. Dublin Blues, Stuff That Works, Baby Took A Limo To Memphis, Homegrown Tomatoes, and his version of Steve Earles Ft Worth Blues.

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Kim C
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 10:02 AM

Dublin Blues is the only Guy Clark recording I own, and the cassette is literally worn out. :-(

My favorite song on that tape is The Cape..... "close your eyes, hold your breath, and always trust your cape." Black Diamond Strings is another good one.

Course, as we all know, there's only two things that money can't buy... ;-)

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: GUEST,Den at work
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 10:15 AM

I love the guy (pardon the pun) I've been a big fan since his Old Number One days and like to play Desperados, Immigrant Eyes and Coat from the Cold. Actually the guitar piece in Randall Knife mentioned above is practically the same as the piece in Let Him Roll. Den

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: dwditty
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 10:23 AM

Guy Clark does Randall Knife on Live at the Bluebird Cafe - Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle. This is an awesome CD with the three of them on stage swapping songs in a benefit show. Some good stroies thrown in, too.

dw

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: GUEST,Mike Strobel
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 11:50 AM

Dear Catter's and Lynn , I've been singing " Heartbroke " all through Western and Central New York for a number of years now. It goes over pretty well, think I'll perform it tonight in Buffalo.

Mike

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Bullfrog Jones
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 01:01 PM

He's my songwriting hero --- like Den from way back since Old No. 1 and Texas Cooking, both on (nearly worn out) vinyl. The man just does not write anything but great songs.
Astonishingly, after those first two albums brought him to Nashville's attention as a songwriter, he had a hard time making a living, and went back to guitar making/repairing, nearly giving up the idea of being a songwriter.
I've mentioned this elsewhere here, but try to get hold of a video called Heartworn Highways. It features Guy, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Young and a load of other interesting people (including, briefly, a very young, very stoned Steve Earle). You can buy it from the TVZ website.
Finally, go and see the man live --- he's awesome. Then go and say hello afterwards. He usually makes himself available to fans and will sign albums and listen patiently to your awestruck burblings, like the gentleman that he is.

BJ

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 03:33 PM

Discovered Guy's music in the backroom of a tiny C&W radio station in West-by-God-Virginia where I spent a spell as a DJ. Dusted off the 45 of Homegrown Tomatoes and an LP titled "South Coast of Texas" (or something similar) and treated my "vast audio radiance" to an introductory evening of the Master's work. Not surprisingly, I kept getting requests for Guy thereafter, most often "Ah'd like t'hear that tomater sowng agin!"

Wonderful songwriter with a storyteller's heart.

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Robin2
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 09:20 PM

that's true love and homegrown tomatoes!

Since we've learned it, Home Grown Tomatoes has become one of our most requested songs. Guy also sang a song called "The Good Old Rebel Soldier", very powerful and simple.

It's always a pleasure to discover a songwriting talent (though he's been around a long time) that can give you shivers and smiles with a turn of the phrase.

Does anyone have the words to Randall Knife? I would love to hear them.

Robin

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Midchuck
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 09:31 PM

It's all here

Peter.

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Den
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 09:31 PM

Robin2, here you go:

The Randall Knife

My father had a Randall knife
My mother gave it to him
When he went off to WWII
To save us all from ruin
If you've ever held a Randall knife
Then you know my father well
If a better blade was ever made
It was probably forged in hell

My father was a good man
A lawyer by his trade
And only once did I ever see
Him misuse the blade
It almost cut his thumb off
When he took it for a tool
The knife was made for darker things
And you could not bend the rules

He let me take it camping once
On a Boy Scout jamboree
And I broke a half an inch off
Trying to stick it in a tree
I hid it from him for a while
But the knife and he were one
He put it in his bottom drawer
Without a hard word one

There it slept and there it stayed
For twenty some odd years
Sort of like Excalibur
Except waiting for a tear

My father died when I was forty
And I couldn't find a way to cry
Not because I didn't love him
Not because he didn't try
I'd cried for every lesser thing
Whiskey, pain and beauty
But he deserved a better tear
And I was not quite ready

So we took his ashed out to sea
And poured `em off the stern
And threw the roses in the wake
Of everything we'd learned
When we got back to the house
They asked me what I wanted
Not the lawbooks not the watch
I need the things he's haunted

My hand burned for the Randall knife
There in the bottom drawer
And I found a tear for my father's life
And all that it stood for

Den

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Robin2
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 09:48 PM

thanks...

that song is a rough one

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Dave T
Date: 26 Jun 02 - 10:13 PM

One of my favourite songwriters. There's a 2-CD set called "Craftsman" on the Philo label that is a complete set of songs from three albums: "Guy Clark", "South Coast of Texas" and "Better Days". Along with Randall Knife, mentioned numerous times above, I've always liked Uncertain Texas, Lone Star Hotel. The only ones I play with any regularity are Rita Ballou, Comfort & Crazy. Guy Clark also does a great version of Townes Van Zandt's "Don't You Take It Too Bad", a song he calls "seamless".

- Dave T

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: GUEST,guitarfixer
Date: 27 Jun 02 - 01:53 AM

I met Guy last year at the Nashville NAMM convention. I've loved Home Grown Tomatoes for years.

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: bflat
Date: 27 Jun 02 - 01:11 PM

The Cape and Home Grown Tomatoes are among my favorites. A clever lyricist indeed!

Ellen

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: GUEST,Den at work
Date: 27 Jun 02 - 01:36 PM

Shit Guy is coming to Canada in August he is doing two dates. One in Edmonton Alberta, August 10 and one in Victoria BC, August 17 and I'm not near enough for either. Any of you Canadian catters if you haven't seen hell even if you have do yourself a favour and go. For a complete list of his current tour dates go here

Subject: RE: Any fans of Guy Clark?
From: Robin2
Date: 27 Jun 02 - 09:39 PM

Thanks for the concert links, Den.

Not coming nowhere near Louisville KY...my crummy luck.

Hope someone gets to see him...let us know!

Robin