So currently I am listening to the man whose charming face is gracing this page. Woody Guthrie really was an amazing character. The guy has written hundreds of songs, most of them not even released, and most of them survive only in lyric form. Thankfully there are bands that appreciate him enough to put music to his lyrics. Anti-Flag did a good job (well the best Anti-Flag can do these days) with "Post War Breakout", I guess. They even titled one of their sings "This Machine Kills Fascists." Dropkick Murphys big hit single (ug) "Shipping Up to Boston" is actually a fantastic song, and most people don't even know that it is Woody Guthrie's. "Gonna Be A Blackout" is also a Guthrie tune, and they also did a great job on that. Ghost Mice covered "Prettyboy Floyd" on their split with Defiance, Ohio , which was great. Andrew Jackson payed homage to him in the middle of the song "Survival Song" by playing the chorus to "Do-Re-Mi." Billy Bragg and Wilco did that that whole 2 album of tribute covers to Guthrie too, which was a great thing, even if I don't like Wilco. Billy Bragg owns those clowns. That's all I can think of right now though
Of course everybody knows "This Land Is Your Land," everyone had to have sung it in some lame elementary school production at some point. Its one of those songs that most people don't even know the full meaning of, and its not their fault. As kids we only learn the first happy "yay america"-esque verses (or so are they interpreted), and not the rest of the song. So here are the lyrics
This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island; From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me.
As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me.
I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;
And all around me a voice was sounding:
This land was made for you and me.
When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me.
As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.
In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?
Nobody living can ever stop me, As I go walking that freedom highway; Nobody living can ever make me turn back This land was made for you and me.
kinda changes the song a bit doesn't it?Anyways, now go listen to some Guthrie and his pure honest working class music.
I'll post the Guthrie half of this album (its a good intro to both artists) tomorrow, I'm quite tired.
2. Pastures of Plenty
3. House of the Rising Sun
4. Hard Travelin'
5. John Henry
6. Do-Re-Mi
7. Vigilante Man
8. Hard, Ain't It Hard?
9. Dust Bowl Blues
10. Talking Dust Bowl Blues
11. Pretty Boy Floyd
12. I Ain't Got No Home
13. Worried Man Blues
14. Cumberland Gap
15. Stackolee
16. Mule Skinner Blues
17. Babe O Mine
18. A Picture From Life's Other Side
19. Better World A-Coming
20. So Long, It's Been Good To Know You
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