The folk genre has always been a huge part of political music and patriotic songs alike. These five particular folk songs are beautifully intertwined with the American experience, and they are still so relevant decades after they were first released. Let’s take a look, shall we?….
The five songs were……l
“Blowin’ in the Wind “ – Bob Dylan
“This Land is Your Land”- Woody Guthrie
“Early Morning Rain” – Gordon Lightfoot
“The Circle Game” – Joni Mitchell
“Diamonds and Rust” – Joan Baez
I love each of those songs and agree that they do speak to the American experience.. Additionally they are still relevant.
Nine Songs That Shaped My American Experience
However, I started thinking about some of the songs that were important in shaping my world view and came up with the following playlist.
1. “Where Have All The Floers Gone”
The first so that popped into my head was “where Have All the Flowers Gone”. The song was written by Pete Seeger. Although, the version I associate most with the song came from Peter,Paul and Mary.. The song express the loss so many felt during the Vietnam War. And I am sure so many felt in Iraq and Afghanistan. And still feel in Ukraine today.
2. “Universal Soldier” – Buffy Saint Marie
Buffy Saint Marie’s Universal soldier was another major anti-war song. My favorite cover of this song came from Donovan. The universality of war is addressed in the opening stanza….
He’s five foot-two and he’s six feet-four He fights with missiles and with spears He’s all of thirty-one and he’s only seventeen He’s been a soldier for a thousand years
He’s a Catholic, a Hindu, an Atheist, a Jane A Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew And he knows he shouldn’t kill And he knows he always will Kill you for me my friend and me for you
3. “Turn, Turn, Turn” – Pete Seeger
Another Pete Seeger song that’s been recorded by many. Most notably the Byrds. It addresses the circle of life. It speaks strong of the hope for peace. A hope we have all wished for….
A time to gain, a time to lose A time to rain, a time of sow A time for love, a time for hate A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late
4. “There But for Fortune” – Phil Ochs
While Phil Ochs wrote “There But for Fortune” it is probably best known for Joan Baez’s cover off the song. AS we go through life when we look at folks who are prisoners or homeless we must all remember the there “but for good fortune” go you or go I….
Even as a country we must remember how fortune we are that no bombs have fallen on our country!
Show me the prison, show me the jail Show me the prisoner whose life has gone stale And I’ll show you a young man with so many reasons why But there but for fortune go you or I, hmm-mmm…
…….
Show me the country where the bombs had to fall Show me the ruins of the buildings once so tall And I’ll show you a young land with so many reasons why And there but for fortune may go you or I, or I
5, “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportees)” – Woody Guthrie
Talk about a song that sill resonates today!
The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting, The oranges piled in their creosote dumps; They’re flying ’em back to the Mexican border To pay all their money to wade back again
Goodbye to my Juan, goodbye, Rosalita, Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria; You won’t have your names when you ride the big airplane, All they will call you will be “deportees”
6. “My Rainbow Race – Pete Seeger”
Sometimes American folk songs can cross the ocean! “My Rainbow Race” The paragraph below sounds like today’s Republican party!
The song was performed by Nilsen and a crowd of more than 40,000 people in Youngstorget in Oslo and at squares across the country on April 26, 2012, as a protest against statements given in court by Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the July 22 attacks in 2011. The performance was inspired by Facebook reactions after Breivik claimed in his trial testimony that the song was an example of Marxist propaganda and that it was being used to “brainwash” Norwegian children.[
Organization was made at the level of Norwegian Minister of Culture, and other Ministers of Culture from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands were also present.[2] The song was thus performed a few days later, in the midst of the ongoing trial. In Oslo the sing-along was followed by a march up to the site of the trial, where the crowd laid down flowers.[3] The song was performed both in Norwegian and English, and Nilsen had personally contacted Seeger, who responded with the words: “Oh me, oh my. I wish you luck Read More
One blue sky above One blue sky above us One ocean lapping all our shores One earth so green and brown Who could ask for more
And because I love you I’ll give it one more try To show my rainbow race It’s too soon, too soon to die It’s too soon to die…
7. “Power and Glory” – Phil Ochs
From Wikipedia…..
The song has been described as an “anthem … with lyrics that might have been written by the great Woody Guthrie“. Said to be the American patriotic hymn best at combining the American dream with selfless Christian idea
“Power and the Glory” consists of three verses, each followed by a chorus.[ The first verse invites the listener to walk with the singer, and it describes some of the natural wonders of the United States.[
The second verse names some of the states through which the listener and the singer would travel.
The third verse notes that the United States is “only as rich as the poorest of the poor” but also as “strong as our love for this land”.]
The chorus of “Power and the Glory” describes the United States as “a land full of power and glory”: Read More
Yet our land is still troubled by men who have to hate They twist away our freedom and they twist away our fate Fear is their weapon and treason is their cry. We can stop them if we try.
Let’s Hope!
8. Thirsty Boots – Eric Andersen
“Thirsty Boots” has been a favorite song of mine since I first heard it many,many years ago!
From Wikipedia …
“Thirsty Boots” is a civil-rights-era folksong by American singer-songwriter Eric Andersen that first appeared on his 1966 album ‘Bout Changes ‘n’ Things. According to the album’s liner notes, the song “was written to a civil rights worker-friend. Having never gone down to Mississippi myself, I wrote the song about coming back.” Read More
You’ve long been on the open road
You been sleepin’ in the rain
From dirty words and muddy cells
Your clothes are soiled and stained
But the dirty words and the muddy cells
Will soon be hid in shame
So only stop to rest yourself and you’ll go off again
9. “We Shall Overcome” – Pete Seeger
I don’t know that there is a song that moves me more than “We Shall Over Come”. When I think of the words of the song and the struggles that have been overcome and still need to be overcome, I am moved to tears. Then I think, hey the words apply to everyone we all need to overcome some day!
We shall overcome We shall overcome We shall overcome some day
[Refrain] Oh, deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome some day
[Verse 2] We’ll walk hand in hand We’ll walk hand in hand We’ll walk hand in hand some day
The Video – Nine Songs That Helped Shape My American Exeprience
Each of the above nine songs shaped my American Experience. They all had a hand in shaping my beliefs about war, the environment, and civil rights . And yes I am a strong liberal Democrat and. Proud of it! Any of you have your American Experience Shaped by these songs?
“The Dutchman,” written by Michael Smith, is one of my all-time favorite songs. In addition to Steve Goodman, the song has been covered by two of my favorite artists — Jerry Jeff Walker and John Gorka — along with Liam Clancy. Steve’s version is still my favor
Now, why a 20-year-old fell in love with this song back in 1971, I don’t really know. I guess it’s the universality of the lyrics — the tenderness, the quiet devotion, the way it captures a love that endures through time and frailt
What I do know is that as I approach my 74th birthday and my 50th year married to the love of my life, my eyes are misting up just thinking about it.
I’ve always loved story songs — songs that introduce you to real people, or people who feel real, whose stories stay with you. Here’s a short playlist of some of the folks I’ve met through songs over the years.
The Playlist
“The Dutchman” – Steve Goodman
I met The Dutchman back in 1971 via Steve Goodman’s album Somebody Else’s Troubles. The song has stayed with me all these years and now feels even more meaningful. A tale of enduring love and quiet devotion.
“Mr. Bojangles” – Jerry Jeff Walker
The story of a street performer Walker met in a New Orleans drunk tank. The song reminds us that everyone has a story, even if it’s not immediately visible. And yes, the waltz beat has helped rock all five of my grandchildren to sleep at one point or another.
Bonus: Check Out a Birthday post I did For Jerry Jeff a while back here
“Mr. Tanner” – Harry Chapin
A powerful story about a man who dares to dream. It makes me wonder: is it better to chase your dream and fall short, or to keep the dream alive in your imagination? I’ve asked myself that many times.
“Corey’s Coming” – Harry Chapin
The story of old John Joseph and his beloved Corey. Is Corey real, or only alive in the old man’s mind? Either way, it’s a tale of love, longing, and the stories we choose to believe.
“Mr. Schwinn” – Daryl Purpose
The quiet, touching tale of a bicycle repairman and the two bikes he maintains — one for himself, one for his wife. Did they ever take that honeymoon ride? We may never know, but it stays with me.
“Stoney” – Jerry Jeff Walker
Another unforgettable character from Walker’s travels. I first heard this in the early ’70s, and it’s been with me ever since. While at the University of Florida, I once recited it (along with “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy”) as part of a class assignment. I got applause for “Stoney.” It’s also one of those songs I’ve used to rock a grandchild t
Listen to the Playlist
Here’s a playlist of the songs and characters I’ve carried with me all these years. Each one tells a story — some tender, some wistful, all unforgettable.
The Bonus: Not a PArticular Person just two people who may resemble people we know…..
hese are the people I’ve met in songs — and somehow, they’ve stayed with me longer than some folks I’ve met in real life.
For several years, I kept two journals. One was a small dot-grid Bullet Journal that eventually morphed into a daily logbook — a place to track my runs, my meals, and sometimes my mood. Somewhere along the way, I let it go. Life got busy, the dots blurred, and the routine slipped through the cracks.
But here I am again, notebook in hand, pen ready, restarting the habit. Why?
Because I know — and let’s be honest, I’ve known for a while — that I likely have ADHD. It’s never been formally diagnosed, but I know the feeling of 137 thoughts trying to speak at once, of starting five things and finishing none, of opening a cabinet and forgetting why I’m standing in the kitchen.
So how does journaling help?
It externalizes my thoughts. When my mind is racing, writing helps me slow it down and make sense of the noise.
It creates visual order. A checkbox. A line across a page. A timeline. These simple things calm the chaos.
It helps me follow through. A to-do list I can see is better than the one in my head that keeps getting drowned out by distractions.
It gives me clarity. I start to see patterns — when I run, I feel better. When I skip meals or skip rest, I don’t. It’s all there in ink.
It reduces guilt. Instead of beating myself up for not doing “all the things,” I can see what I did do — even if it’s “survived the day and had a decent snack.”
This time, I’ll try to keep my Journaling simple.
I’m not designing fancy spreads or tracking seventeen habits at once. I’ll be using what has worked for me in the past. I’ll keep a log of exercise and runs in a Bullet Dotted Notebook. I’ll also use a Quad Ruled Notebook for tracking my morning and evening to-do lists, a record of my library books I have checked out, and maybe even some genealogy and blog notes.
Finally, the Quad notebook will also be a place to unload whatever’s floating around up there — because heaven knows, there’s a lot of traffic.
This isn’t about being consistent every day. It’s about having a place to return to — a way to reconnect with myself, my goals, and my sanity when I need it most. (Okay, maybe my thoughts have already moved beyond “simple”… but at least I’m writing them down.)
So yes, I’m journaling again. And if you’ve ever thought about doing the same, ADHD or not, maybe this is your sign to start fresh too….
Here are some of the best articles I found about using bullet journals to support ADHD:
The folk genre has always been a huge part of political music and patriotic songs alike. These five particular folk songs are beautifully intertwined with the American experience, and they are still so relevant decades after they were first released. Let’s take a look, shall we?….
The five songs were……l
“Blowin’ in the Wind “ – Bob Dylan
“This Land is Your Land”- Woody Guthrie
“Early Morning Rain” – Gordon Lightfoot
“The Circle Game” – Joni Mitchell
“Diamonds and Rust” – Joan Baez
I love each of those songs and agree that they do speak to the American experience.. Additionally they are still relevant. However, I started thinking about some of the songs that were important in shaping my world view and came up with the following playlist.
Nine Songs That Helped Shape My American Experience
1.Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” – Pete Seeger
The first so that popped into my head was “where Have All the Flowers Gone”. The song was written by Pete Seeger. Although, the version I associate most with the song came from Peter,Paul and Mary.. The song express the loss so many felt during the Vietnam War. And I am sure so many felt in Iraq and Afghanistan. And still feel in Ukraine today.
3. “Turn, Turn, Turn” – Pete Seeger
Another Pete Seeger song that’s been recorded by many. Most notably the Byrds. It addresses the circle of life. It speaks strong of the hope for peace. A hope we have all wished for….
A time to gain, a time to lose A time to rain, a time of sow A time for love, a time for hate A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late
4. “There But for Fortune” – Phil Ochs
While Phil Ochs wrote “There But for Fortune” it is probably best known for Joan Baez’s cover off the song. AS we go through life when we look at folks who are prisoners or homeless we must all remember the there “but for good fortune” go you or go I….
Even as a country we must remember how fortune we are that no bombs have fallen on our country!
Show me the prison, show me the jail Show me the prisoner whose life has gone stale And I’ll show you a young man with so many reasons why But there but for fortune go you or I, hmm-mmm…
…….
Show me the country where the bombs had to fall Show me the ruins of the buildings once so tall And I’ll show you a young land with so many reasons why And there but for fortune may go you or I, or I
5, “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportees)” – Woody Guthrie
Talk about a song that sill resonates today!
The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting, The oranges piled in their creosote dumps; They’re flying ’em back to the Mexican border To pay all their money to wade back again
Goodbye to my Juan, goodbye, Rosalita, Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria; You won’t have your names when you ride the big airplane, All they will call you will be “deportees”
6. “My Rainbow Race – Pete Seeger”
Sometimes American folk songs can cross the ocean! “My Rainbow Race” The paragraph below sounds like today’s Republican party!
The song was performed by Nilsen and a crowd of more than 40,000 people in Youngstorget in Oslo and at squares across the country on April 26, 2012, as a protest against statements given in court by Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the July 22 attacks in 2011.
The performance was inspired by Facebook reactions after Breivik claimed in his trial testimony that the song was an example of Marxist propaganda and that it was being used to “brainwash” Norwegian children.[
Organization was made at the level of Norwegian Minister of Culture, and other Ministers of Culture from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands were also present.[2]
The song was thus performed a few days later, in the midst of the ongoing trial. In Oslo the sing-along was followed by a march up to the site of the trial, where the crowd laid down flowers.[3] The song was performed both in Norwegian and English, and Nilsen had personally contacted Seeger, who responded with the words: “Oh me, oh my. I wish you luck Read More
One blue sky above One blue sky above us One ocean lapping all our shores One earth so green and brown Who could ask for more
And because I love you I’ll give it one more try To show my rainbow race It’s too soon, too soon to die It’s too soon to die…
From Wikipedia…..
The song has been described as an “anthem … with lyrics that might have been written by the great Woody Guthrie“.[3] Said to be the American patriotic hymn best at combining the American dream with selfless Christian ideals[1] “Power and the Glory” consists of three verses, each followed by a chorus.[2] The first verse invites the listener to walk with the singer, and it describes some of the natural wonders of the United States.[4] The second verse names some of the states through which the listener and the singer would travel.[5] The third verse notes that the United States is “only as rich as the poorest of the poor” but also as “strong as our love for this land”.[4] The chorus of “Power and the Glory” describes the United States as “a land full of power and glory”: Read More
Yet our land is still troubled by men who have to hate They twist away our freedom and they twist away our fate Fear is their weapon and treason is their cry. We can stop them if we try.
Let’s Hope!
8, Thirsty Boots – Eric Andersen
“Thirsty Boots” has been a favorite song of mine since I first heard it many,many years ago!
From Wikipedia …
“Thirsty Boots” is a civil-rights-era folksong by American singer-songwriter Eric Andersen that first appeared on his 1966 album ‘Bout Changes ‘n’ Things. According to the album’s liner notes, the song “was written to a civil rights worker-friend. Having never gone down to Mississippi myself, I wrote the song about coming back.” Read More
You’ve long been on the open road
You been sleepin’ in the rain
From dirty words and muddy cells
Your clothes are soiled and stained
But the dirty words and the muddy cells
Will soon be hid in shame
So only stop to rest yourself and you’ll go off again
9, “We Shall Overcome” – Pete Seeger
I don’t know that there is a song that moves me more than “We Shall Over Come”. When I think of the words of the song and the struggles that have been overcome and still need to be overcome, I am moved to tears. Then I think, hey the words apply to everyone we all need to overcome some day!
We shall overcome We shall overcome We shall overcome some day
[Refrain] Oh, deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome some day
[Verse 2] We’ll walk hand in hand We’ll walk hand in hand We’ll walk hand in hand some day
Each of the above eight songs shaped my American Experience. They all had a hand in my beliefs about war, the environment, and civil rights . And yes I am a strong liberal Democrat and. Proud of it! Any of you have your American Experience Shaped by these songs?
I was born in 1951 right smack dab in the middle of the American Folk Revival. This revival started in the 1940s and ran through the 1960s. It brought rural white and African-African American musicians to audiences everywhere. \
White artists include: Pete Seeger, Doc Watson, Jean Redpath. While African American artist included Leadbelly, as well as Mississppi John Hurt, Odetta, Elizabeth Cotton and Josh White. I wasn’t around for the 1940s and not listening too much music in the 50s.
In the early 1960s I was listening to The Beatles, Stones and the other British invasion bands. Then for several years I was listening to a lot of Motown until the late 1960s. As my world became more political, as a result of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, the music I listened to became more folkie. I listened to more and more Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs and Tom Paxton.
But I’m sure in the years between 1962 and 1967 I was aware of the folk groups that were making it big. One of the ways America was discovering Folk Music was through TV where shows like Hootenanny were on the air….
Hootennnay Showcases Folksingers…..
Hootenanny was a musical variety show that aired on ABC from April 1963 to September 1964.I only have vague memories of the show hey in 1963 I was 12 and in 1964 the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan show and the “British Invasion started.
But until the British Invasion started Hootenanny had help create a new craze. It had created a “the big demand for the folk performers in virtually all areas of show biz (records, concerts, college dates, TV, pix) and creatd a new folk form that appealed to a mass audience.
Artists whose career i have followed through the years like:.Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Pete Seeger and Johnny Cash appearede on the show. Other artosts whose names I knew like : BobGibson, Malvina Reynolds, Oscar Brand and WoodyGuthrie also made appearances!
A dramatic drop in ratings lead to the creation of both Hullabaloo and Shindig which focused on the British Invasion and the new generation of rock musicians, Yet, somehow the memories of those early folkies stayed with me and lead me a few years later to Tom Rush, Tom Paxton, Eric Andersen and others!,
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A Sixties-Seventies Man Adds to His Vinyl Record Collection
During 2023, as I started looking through old albums at Goodwills throughout Southern New Jersey, I decided I would add albums from the folksingers from the Folk Revival period. So far I’ve added albums from the likes Bob Gibson and Hamilton Camp, Flatt & Scruggs, and even Pete Drake and his talking guitar Additionally, I’ve added several Ian & Sylvia and Joan Baez albums
Here are several from Oscar Brand and The Weavers that I’ve found…….
Oscar Brand takes a Humorous Walk on the Folk Song Wild Side
From Wikipedia>>>>
Oscar Brand (February 7, 1920 – September 30, 2016) was a Canadian-born American folk singer-songwriter, radio host, and author. In his career, spanning 70 years, he composed at least 300 songs and released nearly 100 albums, among them Canadian and American patriotic songs. Brand’s music ran the gamut from novelty songs to serious social commentary and spanned a number of genres.e hosted the radio show
Oscar Brand’s Folksong Festival on Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. on WNYC-AM 820 in New York City, which ran into its 70th year. The show ran more or less continuously from its debut on December 10, 1945[8] to September 2016,[9] making it the longest-running radio show with the same host, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Over its run it introduced such talents to the world as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, Huddie Ledbetter, Joni Mitchell, Peter, Paul & Mary, Judy Collins, The Kingston Trio, Pete Seeger and the Weavers. In order to make sure that his radio program could not be censored he refused to be paid by WNYC for the next 70 years.
Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads was released in 1950. It contains folk songs Brand had been collecting for years. Here’s a description of the songs on Side one of the album!
The Kingston Trio and Chad Mitchell Trio are Added to My Vinyl Collection
Finally, I’ve added a handful of Kingston Trio and Chad Mitchell Trio albums. When I buy Kingston Trio albums I always look for the ones released when John Stewart was a member of the trio (1961-1967). John had a fine solo career after leaving the group. His album Willardis one of my favorites
Kingston Trio albums I’ve added to my vinyl collection….
A Chad Mitchell Trio
Basically, when I look for Chad Mitchell Trio albums, I look for ones, when John Denver was a member of the trio! Actually, the group was called The Mitchell Trio then because Chad had left the Trio. Oh, I also have one Chad Mitchell Trio album with Jim McGuinn was in the Trio. Before he became Roger McGuinn of The Byrds! You can listen to The Chad Mitchell Trio here
The Chad Mitchell Trio was more political than The Kingston Trio. Here is one of their albums I picked up in 2023.
The title The Slightly Irreverent Mitchell Trio may have given the game away! The album includes two songs that are among my all time favorites. Tom Paxton’s “I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound” and Phil Och’s “Draft Dodger Rag”. Both were recorded before Paxton and Ochs recorded them! It was daring stuff! Here’s
…..The version of “Draft Dodger Rag,” which appeared almost a year before composer Phil Ochs’ first release, is fantastic and sung with gusto. This was daring stuff indeed for 1964, and it shows that the Mitchell Trio were keeping tabs on new songwriters at the same time as they mined the traditional folk songbooks. Their beautiful cover of Tom Paxton’s “I Can’t Help But Wonder” also came out before the songwriter’s own debut album, and it’s one of the best cuts here. More at AllMusic
Final Note to Self……
Keep looking for Folk music released during the 1960s Folk Revival. Maybe you’ll find some Dave Van Ronk, Fred Neil, Eric Von Schmidt or some Pete Seeger! Until then you can always listen on Spotify.
And for you folks, here’s a Spotify playlist from the above mentioned folkies I’ll be searching for!
When I first started blogging one of the first things I read said to write about what you know. Well I know a lot about things like the soils and geology of New Jersey and the design and operation of septic systems but I don’t think that will interest many people. So I guess I have to continue to write about books and music. Now many times I write about the new music I’m just discovering, not music I know. Well, tonight I’ll write about some music that I DO know that is the music of Tom Paxton.
I have been listening to Tom‘s songs since the late 1960s. Tom‘s songs have made me laugh, cry and every other emotion you can feel.
Tom Paxton – Comedians and Angels
Tonight as I was listening to his album Comedians and Angels I heard one of those songs that tugs at your heartstrings, “Jennifer and Kate“ written about his daughters. Many years ago, I saw Tom live at Thr Concert Under the Strs Series in Lower MArion Township, PA. I asked Tom “How old are Jennifer and Katy? His simple reply was “you don’t want to know! ( I odn’t like to think of my “Little girl as bring the age she is now either)
Tom‘s song “Jennifer Rabbit“ written for his eldest daughter was the opening track on his 1968 album Morning Again. Five years later Tom was compelled to write a song for his second daughter Kate. The song aptly titled “Katy“ appears on his album New Songs for Old Friendsreleased in 1973.
Thoughts About Jennifer and Kate
Fast forward 35 years to 2008 and the final song of this trilogy “Jennifer and Kate” reflects on the lives of each of his little girls now grown.
The chorus of the song goes….
I see their mother in the way They love this family They give this family the love Their mother gives to me
Their mother Midge Cummings and Tom Paxton were married in 1963. So they had been married 45 years by the time Tom wrote this song. They would make it to 51 years. Midge passed away in that year after a long illness.’
And while the chorus rings true. It’s the first and last stanzas that get to me, mainly because I see myself in the first four lines.
There is this thing about fathers: They live in their own zone They tell you, “Hi! How are you?” And they hand your mom the phone At things like sharing feelings Let’s admit, they are not great But the lucky ones have daughters like My Jennifer and Kate And their fathers thanks his angels for His Jennifer and Kate
or their Elizabeth’s,Nicks, Andrews and Peters (boys can be angels, too.)
So I took a trip back musically this afternoon and listened to some Jerry Jeff Walker. I listened to his 2012 album Live from Dixie‘s Bar & Bus Stop. The live set is composed of most my favorite JJW songs. Among those songs is Guy Clark’s “Desperados Waiting for a Train“. first heard this song way back in 1973, when it appeared on JJW’S 1973 album Viva Terlingua! When it played today I shook my head and said oh my!
Can my fellow boomers tell why?
The verse…..
I’d play the Red River Valley And he’d sit in the kitchen and cry And run his fingers through seventy years of livin’ And wonder, “Lord, has ever’ well I’ve drilled gone dry?” We was friends, me and this old man.
So I was going to post a video of The Highway playing the song but you can only view it here at YouTube! Anyway below is “Desperados Waiting for a Train” from Spotify.
When I viewed The Highwaymen performance, which was recorded in 1990, I got sad because once again I was reminded about how Father Time ruins everything!
Waylon and Johnny Cash and Guy Clark have left us, while Kris is 85 and Willie’s 88!
And yes the reason I shook my head is that I realized I can run MY fingers “through 70 years of livin‘!
At least I don’t have a beer gut or play dominoes. All though,I will admit playing Crazy Eights and Go Fish but that’s with my grandchildren!
So the other day, well, May 29th to be exact a friending Facebook shared a post from Baby Boomer’s Jukebox. The post was about the release of Crosby, Stills and Nash’s debut album on that day in 1969.
My friend’s only comment was Stephen Stills, which I assume means Stills was his favorite. I guess he has been my favorite,also. While I found his solo albums ok, I loved the first Manassas album.
More recently I enjoyed the music of The Rides”, Still’s collaboration with Kenny Wayne Shepard and Barry Goldberg. I’m listening to the album Pierced Arrow now. If you’ve never heard the album check it out!
So while through the years I’ve enjoyed the music of Stephen Stills, the songs of David Crosby were some if my favorites back then. And while he has had a successful solo career, I just wonder what he could have done if not for the drugs.
Here’s a short six pack of some of my favorite David Crosby songs…..
The first two are my favorites. The second of course being sung by Grace Slick. The third song “Morrison” is from the album by CPR the album he recorded with his son James Raymond.
“Deja Vu” is of course the title track from the CSN&Y a álbum. Wooden Ships” was co-written with Paul Kantner and was recorded by both CSN and Jefferson Airplane. I loved both versions.
The last song is “Laughing”. This version was recorded on The Byrds 1973 reunion album
My favorite track on that album is the opening track “Full Circle” I would include that here but Gene Clark wrote that song…. now there is one of my favorites, but his songs are for another post!
Links for the Further Exploration of the Music of David Crosby
When I started my first blog I titled it Me, Myself, Music and Mysteries. The idea was that there would by posts about Me, the music I listened to and the books I read most often which were mysteries.
The “Me” part would include; posts about my family both my present family and also my ancestors. As well as posts about my attempts to turn back the hands of my biological clock. I attempt to turn those clocks back by eating right, and exercising regular. My exercising includes yoga, running and indoor cardio workouts.
So why am I writing all of this? Well quite simply I don’t think I can limit myself to only writing about books and music. My ADHD brain just won’t allow it.
The bottom line is I want to open this blog up again to encompass ALL of my life. And maybe just maybe I can post a little more often.
For now and until such time as I can think of another name for this blog, I’m just adding “and More” to the title!
2026 Update: It took a few years, but I finally found the name I was looking for. The ideas I was wrestling with here eventually became A Sixties & Seventies Man. Instead of trying to fit everything into one blog, I realized my writing was really about the music, books, family stories, genealogy, running, and everyday moments that have shaped my life from the 1960s and 1970s onward. Looking back, this post was the first sign that I was already heading in that direction
The Run
Now with all of the above out of the way I can write about runningI have been putting off running for most of 2021. I ran one time back in the beginning of March, but since the weather has been getting nicer the running itch has gotten stronger, so the other day I gave in and ran or at least traversed 2.8miles as fast as my 69 year old legs can carry me. And while it may not be as fast as I’d like it to be, I’m just glad I can still do it! Here are the nerdy details.
The Nerdy Details
Total Dist: 2.81 Time 33:18 Pace: 11;52 min/mile
Splits
Mile 1 11:50 Mile 2: 11: 56 Mile 0.82 11:47
Avg HR 145 Max HR 167 Cals Burned: 446. Cals
The Almost Soundtrack – Heart of Fire – Ally Venable
The soundtrack for the run was going to be Heart of Fire the new album from Aly Venable. I say was supposed to because when I started the run I received a message that my phone’s battery was low. So after about a quarter mile I turned my headphones off to conserve the battery. It worked because I still had a battery life after finishing the run. Of course I have know way of knowing if it would have done that if I kept listening to the music.
I guess what I’ll need to do is check the charge in my phone before and after my next run!
Anyway if I had checked the charge on the phone before my last run, this post would have a music tie-in via Heart of Fire fromAly Venable. As it is I will give the album a few more listens before I write about Ally and the album
Here’s a post I wrote when I first listen to Ally Venable. Her able Puppet Show had just entered my music rotation. It is a winner!
Links for the Further Exploration of the Music of Ally Venable
Currently,Heart of Fire is number 18 on the Roots Music Reports Top 59 Albums Chart and climbing! Here’s the Official Music video for the title track from Heart of Fire
This morning I want to start writing about the CDs that I found at Goodwill last week. First up is the album Graham Nash -David Crosby.
I have a always thought the harmonies of David Crosby and Graham Nash were special. They were obviously an important part of the sound of Crosby, Stills, Nash and sometimes Young.
From Wikipedia:
Graham Nash David Crosbyis the firstalbumby the partnership ofDavid Crosby andGraham Nash, released onAtlantic Recordsin 1972, catalog SD 7220. It peaked at No. 4 on theBillboardTop Pop Albums chart, and asingletaken from the album, “Immigration Man”, peaked at No. 36 on theBillboard Hot 100on June 17 and 24, 1972. It was certified gold by the RIAA, and it was dedicated to Joni Mitchell, as “to Miss Mitchell”.
Sessions for this album featured backing from notable guests Dave Mason and members of The Grateful Dead — Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh and Bill Kreutzmann.
Most of the musical support came from The Section, a quartet of in-demand session musicians on the West Coast in the 1970s. Consisting of Craig Doerge, Danny Kortchmar, Leland Sklar, and Russell Kunkel, they would appear on dozens of albums, notably those by James Taylor, Carole King, and Jackson Brown. They would also continue to work with Crosby & Nash for the remainder of the decade, both in the studio and on tour…..Read More
Wait Danny Kortchmar and Friends are The Immediate Family
Ok so now my ADHD brain has been engaged. The reason is because last week I was reviewing the current Top 59 Blues albums chart at Roots Music Report. I was looking for new music to listen to and I spied an album at #45. It caught my attention because the band appeared to composed of five greybeards like me. The album was Slippin’ and Slidin’ from The Immediate Family. When I saw the album cover….
I immediately recognized the names Kortchmar, Sklar and Kunkel and yes they are of course the former members of The Section who played in the Graham NashDavid Crosby album! The great thing is they still sound just as good almost 50 years later!
The Immediate Family is comprised of guitarists Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel and Steve Postell, bassist Leland Sklar, and drummer Russ Kunkel.
Slippin’and Slidin’ has a lot of good tracks in the album. The only bad thing is that it’s an EP. I want more ……
Final Thoughts
Ok so summing up the CD Graham Nash David Crosby was a great find at Goodwill and it was good to listen to the album again. If you’ve never heard it give it a listen.
If you don’t know both David Crosby and Graham Nash are still active. They both tour and have current albums to check out!
Check out Graham Nash’s 2016 album This Path Tonighthere onSpotify. And David Crosby’s 2018 release Here If You Listen.
