Lyr Req: Door Number Three (Steve Goodman)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 10:16 AM

Right on, Ron!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: robomatic
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 09:56 AM

Joe Offer's version of Door #3 is the one I'm familiar with. On the back of the album was an acknowledgement for the 4-line bridge lyric lifted from Dylan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: Ron Davies
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 04:46 AM

Thanks so much for that missing line on Door #3, Buck and Mark. Gee, you guys are all too fast for me--I was going to post the whole song,( with the missing line added with my gratitude) last night. But I had a lot of pressure here at home to do other things.


Your instincts not to trust that other website were excellent, Mark.
It is intriguing how Jimmy Buffet changed the song (and coarsened it needlessly), as well as changing the attitude of the narrator, who after all had no cause to be annoyed at Monty (since he might even get his love requited!).

I far prefer the original, by Steve. I might well be reading too much into this, but it seems to illustrate the contrast between the two. Jimmy Buffet seems to be a one-- (very profitable)-trick pony. Margaritaville --a great fun song---has become a brand and his other songs continue this persona, though in my opinion, not up to the standard of Margaritaville. ( I'm sure he's crying all the way to the bank at my criticism.)

Steve, on the other hand, had it all--great melodies, "relevance" that didn't use the sledgehammer approach, unique perspectives (e.g. Banana Republics), and delightful wit--a true genius. What a loss that he's gone.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 03:19 AM

Hmmmm. I dunno, Mark. Seems to me I remember "bill," but 35, 45, and 55 dollar bills sure sound strange.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 02:52 AM

Joe, would that be "bid" rather than "bill" at the ends of the choruses?

A fine collection of reminiscences about Steve is in this thread, which was started in 1998, the year I discovered Mudcat.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 11:20 PM

Joe--

haven't heard the Steve Goodman version, but if memory serves, Leroy Van Dyke recorded this quite a while ago, and did an outstanding job on it.

Ron, thanks for bringing in Door #3--good one, that to my amazement I could still remember most of. I wonder...do I still have that old Goodman vinyl in the basement??

Lin

Subject: Lyr Add: THE AUCTIONEER (Leroy Van Dyke)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 08:53 PM

Yeah, Bill, Goodman does a great job on "Auctioneer." I see we don't have the lyrics posted for that classic. These are almost the lyrics Goodman sings. There's a live recording on the Steve Goodman No Big Surprise anthology.
-Joe Offer-

THE AUCTIONEER, ©1956 by Leroy Van Dyke
(Auction call and other spoken parts as transcribed by a fan)

Hey well all right sir, open the gate
And let'em out and walk'em boys
Here we come and let in number twenty-nine
What are you gonna give for the little fella?

I want a 5 dollar, want a bid
Would ya bid it on a 5 on a 5 on a 5 would ya bid it on a 25?
Got a 25 dollar would ya bid it on 5 on the 5
Would ya bid it on a 30 dollar 5 on 5 would ya bid it on a 5
Would ya bid it on a 35?

Well there was this boy from Arkansas who wouldn't listen to his ma
When she told him that he should go to school
Well he'd sneak away in the afternoon and take a little walk and pretty soon
You'd find him at the local auction barn
Well he'd stand and listen carefully until at last he began to see
How the auctioneer could talk so rapidly
Well he said "Oh my, it's do or die, I've got to learn that auction cry
Gonna make my mark and be an auctioneer"

25 dollar bid ya now 30 dollar 30
will ya make it 30, bid it on a 30 dollar 30 dollar
Will ya give me 30, will ya give me 30 dollar bill?
I got a 30 dollar bid ya now
5 will ya bid it on a 35, bid it on a 35, 35
Who's gonna bid it on a 35 dollar bill?

Well the time went by and he did his best and all could see he did not jest
He practiced calling bids both night and day
Well his pappy found him behind the barn just a-working up an awful storm
As he tried to imitate the auctioneer
Then his pop said "Son we just can't stand to have a mediocre man
Selling things at auction using our good name
Well I'm gonna send you off to auction school and then you'll be nobody's fool
And you can take your place among the best"

35 dollar bid ya now 40 dollar 40
will ya make it 40, bid it on a 40 dollar 40 dollar
Will ya give me 40, will ya give me a 40 dollar bill?
I got a 40 dollar bid ya now
5 will ya beat it on a 45, bid it on a 45, 45
Who's gonna bid it at a 45 dollar bill?

Well from that boy that went to school there grew a man who played it cool
Well he come back home a full fledged auctioneer
And the people would come from miles around
Just to hear him make that rhythmic sound
That filled their hearts with such a happy cheer
Then his fame spread out from shore to shore
He'd all that he could do and more
He had to buy a plane to get around
Well now he's the best in all the land, let's pause and give that man a hand
'Cause he's the best of all the auctioneers

45 dollar bid ya now 50 dollar 50
will ya make it 50, bid it on a 50 dollar 50 dollar
Will ya give me 50, will ya give me a 50 dollar bill?
I got a 50 dollar bid ya now
5 will ya beat it on a 55, bid it on a 55, 55
Who's gonna bid it at a 55 dollar bill?

Well I sold that hog for a 50 dollar bill



lyrics copied from http://www.mageenet.net/Lyrics/TheAuctioneer.txt

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: GUEST,Augie
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 08:26 PM

Ya know, (to paraphrase Yogi Berra) the longer most people are gone, the less you find you miss them. Goodman sure proves the exception to that.

Has anybody heard how Clay Eals' biography of Steve is coming ?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 08:21 PM

Funny and clever piece that really skewered this inane show.

Now--one must hear his Auctioneer---amazing how that is done.

An artist so sorely missed and who left us much to early as so many have---including Phil Ochs and Harry Chapin.


Bill Hahn

Subject: Lyr Add: DOOR NUMBER THREE (J Buffett, S Goodman)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 08:16 PM

Hmmm. the recording is quite different - and it's different from the words in the CD booklet.
-Joe Offer-

Door Number Three
(Jimmy Buffett, Steve Goodman, 1974)

Oh, I took a wrong turn, but it was a right turn,
My turn to have me a ball.
All the boys at the shop told me just where to stop
If I wanted to play for it all.
But I never thought I'd find her on daytime TV,
And my whole world lies waiting behind door number three.

I planned my apparel, I wore a big barrel,
And they rolled me to the very first row.
And I held up a sign and it says, "Kiss me I'm a baker
And Monty I sure need the dough."
And then I grabbed him by the throat until he called on me,
'Cause my whole world lies waiting behind door number three.

[bridge]
Now, I don't want what Jay's got on the table,
Or the box Carol Merrill points to on the floor.
I'll hold out as long as I am able
And some day I'll go unlock that lucky door.
She's no big deal to most folks,
But she's everything to me,
And my whole world lies waiting behind door number three.

Ain't it hard to realize
He's not selling any alibis
When he stares into the vacuum of your eyes,
And he says, "Do you wanta make a deal?"

They found us in the lost and found.
Love is blind, but now I see
That my whole world lies waiting behind door number three.
Yes, my whole world lies waiting behind door number three.

Transcribed by ear from the Steve Goodman CD, The Best of the Asylum Years, Volume Two. It was originally on the album, Jessie's Jig and Other Favorites. Was it on a Jimmy Buffett album, too?

There's a mean dobro solo in this recording.

Subject: Lyr Add: DOOR NUMBER THREE (J Buffett, S Goodman)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 01:01 PM

I think I'll post those lyrics Mark linked to, since the site has popups. then I'll see if I can come up with a better transcription.
-Joe Offer-


DOOR NUMBER THREE
(Jimmy Buffett, Steve Goodman, 1974)

Oh I took a wrong turn, it was the right turn
My turn to have me a ball
Boys at the shop told me just where to stop
If I wanted to play for it all
I didn't know I'd find her on daytime TV
My whole world lies waiting behind door number three

I chose my apparel, I wore a beer barrel
And they rolled me to the very first row
I held a big sign that said, "Kiss me I'm a baker
And Monty I sure need the dough"
Then I grabbed that sucker by the throat until he called on me
'Cause my whole world lies waiting behind door number three

And I don't want what Jay's got on his table
Or the box Carol Merrill points to on the floor
No I'll hold out just as long as I am able
Or until I can unlock that lucky door
Well, she's no big deal to most folk
But she's everything to me
'Cause my whole world lies waiting behind door number three

Oh Monty, Monty, Monty, I am walkin' down your hall
Got beat, lost my seat, but I'm not a man to crawl
Though I didn't get rich, you son of a bitch
I'll be back just wait and see
'Cause my whole world lies waiting behind door number three
Yes my whole world lies waiting behind door number three

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 12:48 PM

I don't have the tune firmly in my head. Is the verse in 3/4 and the chorus in 4/4? The bridge was spoken, as I remember. Anybody got a link to the tune somewhere? Thanks for reminding me of this song, Ron--it's a gem. Of course, that's just another way of saying it's a Steve Goodman song.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 07:10 AM

"My turn to have me a ball."

http://www.getlyrics.com/lyrics.php/Jimmy+Buffett/A-1-A/Door+Number+Three has complete lyrics, but I'm not sure I'd trust this site, since it says the song was written by Jimmy Buffet and Steve Goodman. Well, they were half right, anyway. I heard Steve do the song in concert once. And "Let's Make a Deal," with Monty Hall, was one of my favorite TV shows when I was a kid.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: BuckMulligan
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 07:08 AM

Oh I took a wrong turn but it was a right turn,
My turn to have me a ball,
All the boys in the shop
told me just where to stop
if I wanted to play for it all.

Subject: Lyr Req: Door #3--Steve Goodman
From: Ron Davies
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 05:54 AM

Desperate Plea:


Door #3 by Steve Goodman--a wonderful seldom-sung song about US daytime TV (circa late '60's?):

I think I have all the lyrics, except the second line of the whole song:

Song starts:

Oh I took a wrong turn but it was a right turn

Second line?

My ?   .............................all