Lyr Req/Add: Great American Dream (Massengill)

Subject: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: GUEST,jimlad
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 09:19 PM

Years ago say 1990 I caught a TV program showing Joan Baez singing a song about an immigrant to the US.In the song the immigrant was justifying his right to be a US citizen by singing that his son had
"... fought for the Eagle...".
Joan was singing from notes held in her hand so it may have been a new song or perhaps a song written by another writer.
Iv'e searched for years to no avail.Can anyone help?.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Dec 02 - 02:14 AM

This sounds familiar, but I can't place it. Anyone?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: GUEST,jimlad
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 09:24 AM

Hi Joe

Thanks for trying mate,I don't know if this will jog your memory further but the concert seemed to be in a large Arena or maybe an outside venue.

It may also have included a line "...excuse me sir I am an immigrant..."

Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 10:34 AM

Hi, Jimlad - It sure sounds familiar, but I can't find it. I added this to our Unanswered Requests page, under "Joan Baez Immigrant song." Check back here every once in a while - it's bound to turn up. You can bookmark this page, or use our Filter with joan baez immigrant (or just baez, immigrant, or joan alone) - set the "age" box back a while.

I tried checking http://www.joanbaez.com, but their guestbook/forum isn't working.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 05:20 AM

Hey Joe

You are great.You have obviously spotted that I'm almost a Virgin were Mudcat is concerned.Thanks for pointing me in the right directions.If I can ever help you in future I am at your service.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 01:30 PM

Yeah, but it really bugs me when I know I should know a song, and I can't find it. Keep checking this thread. If you happen to find the song, be sure to post it here.
-Joe Offer, sometimes-frustrated songfinder-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: GUEST,jaze
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 08:58 PM

Jimlad, a friend who is a great Joan Baez fan informs me the song your're looking for is called "Great American Dream".It appears she has done it live but never recorded it. Hope that helps.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: GUEST,Bill
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 04:40 PM

Hi Jimlad
The only song I can recall is 'I Pity the Poor Immigrant'. Is this the song you want?
Bill (the sound)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: GUEST,jaze
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 07:46 PM

The song Great American Dream was written by David Massengill. It is on his cd The Return. I couldn't find lyrics on his website. Joan Baez and Lucy Kaplansky sang it at Folk City's 25th Anniversary.There may be a tape of that version also.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From:
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 09:25 PM

As you saw from posts probably, it was David Massengill's "Great American Dream". I never saw it on TV... that would have been great. That version (LIVE, possibly at the "Bottom Line" in NYC) with Joan, Lucy Kaplansky & others is by far the best version. I had it on a cassette, but lost it. As was stated, you CAN order the version with just David singing it on his CD (Amazon or others). Great stuff.

I'll try to post the lyrics if I find them. A couple of them I've never been able to understand. If you are really intrested in ordering the early recording (avail. on cassette only) w/ Joan Baez et al. live, I could contact David and order one for you.

Mark

Subject: Ah, David Massengill!
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 10:22 PM

Ah, that's where I must have heard it - I've been to a couple of Massengill concerts and really enjoyed them. I did a Forum search and found not one mention of David Massengill. I'm surprised. He writes some terrific songs - "My Name Joe" is probably the best-known, and he wrote a good one about the orphan trains. He writes good stuff, singable songs that have a timeless quality to them. Nice voice, too.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: ADD: The Great American Dream (Massengill)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 01:26 AM

Mark Young e-mailed the lyrics to me. Thanks, Mark. It's a powerful song.
-Joe Offer-

The Great American Dream
David Massengill

Excuse me sir... I am a foreigner
I left the white sands of Zanzibar
Where is this place you call free lunch bar?

I am hungry and have overstayed my visa
I'll work your farm your factory your pizzeria
Is TV more beautiful than the Mona Lisa?
Someday my sons will I fight for the eagle
My daughters will never be ashamed of me
It is my dream... to be a citizen

CHORUS:
It's the Great American Dream
It's the Great American Dream
It's the Great American Dream...

Excuse me sir... I am a prostitute
Just pretend that I'm a Playboy bunny
For a Franklin I will tone your tummy
My body is a battlefield and a flower
Four score and seven tricks by the hour
O the many men--one might have been my father
Gonna make my getaway in a zeppelin
Take a bubble bath in the fountain of youth
It is my dream... to be a girl again
In the Great American Dream...

Excuse me sir... I am a carpenter
Once I built a treehouse for Rockefeller
Tho' now I've been laid off since December
Someday I'll build a castle all my own
In the den the best laz-e-boy throne
In every room a different color phone (MRY: alternatively: "I'll finally have a place to call my own")
These torn hands are skilled as spiders
I hear there's work in Kansas building coffins
It is my dream... to be cremated
With the Great American Dream ...

Excuse me sir... I am an Indian
O the white man is as greedy as fire
His heart is wrapped around with barbed wire
My father died of whiskey and religion
But ghosts are cheap on the reservation
In the summer we're a tourist attraction
It is wrong to squeeze the earth like a snake
A deceit to give a stone to the hungry one
It is my dream... to skin a Pilgrim
And the Great American Dream


(Following verse- lead sung by Joan Baez on live version)
Excuse me sir... I am Everyman
I'm the good thief of Jekyll and Hyde
I'm a social climber on a mountain of pride
I'm the deaf the dumb and the debonaire
I'm the mouse the monk and the millionaire
I'm the Great White Hope riding an old grey mare
I'm the sad-eyed girl as young as the earth
I'm the mother who died giving birth
To the Great American Dream
I love freedom
I hope freedom loves me...

The Great American Dream - David Massengill (available on his CD "The Return"; live version possibly available on cassette still, or out of print)
MRY

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: JOAN BAEZ Immigrant Song
From: jimlad
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 08:21 AM

Joe/Mark

You have made an old man happy.Thanks for the lyrics marrers*.I have tried to make contact with Davids record label to see if I can get a copy of his CD over here in the UK.If I have no luck I hope you won't object to me contacting you guys again.
Also thanks to Jaze and Bill.

Best wishes for Xmas and 2003.

Jimlad


*North of England equiv' of mates.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Great American Dream (Massengill)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 09:28 PM

http://www.joanbaez.com/lyrics.html

Baez's songs here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Great American Dream (Massengill)
From: GUEST,lsilver
Date: 01 Feb 22 - 09:48 PM

Sing Out published The Great American Dream by David Massengill, chords and lyrics. I can't find my copy, does anyone else have one?