Hey Pal, Lend a Hand

[thebes]

Hard times, scratchin for every dollar, the soup bones got no meat on it, I'm darning my socks, stuffin newspaper in the holes of my shoes. Goin to hop the rails, a little Mulligan Stew when the hobos get around the oil drum. Can't kneel down to praise the Lord cause my bare knees are showing threw my britches and it tears them up something fierce when they hit the gravel.

Got a depression, got a recession, got the blues, got the hard time hollers. Got music though. Only need a jug, a tin whistle, harmonica, some 5 gallon buckets for drums, the brass is from the tin whistle when the bulls come a callin. Somebody's always got something with strings on it. the kids stomach's are swelling a bit, but some starch will put them right. Get clinkers from from the side of the coal yard rails and I'll build 'em a fire down in the gully out of the wind.

When times are tough the folks gather where they can, the one thing they don't leave behind is the music to settle the soul, fire up the masses, claim a moment of escape, feed the yearning and rest the belly. Don't mater no how anyway, cause the sun will surely come up tomorrow and life, no matter how bad, is always good.

Time to play me some hardscrabble tunes, and when the hurt eases a bit ,the voices will lift, the folks will take to dancin and there will be singin to beat the band.

Got to be goin old timey tonight, folk, blue grass, maybe Shirley Temple will will show up to spread a smile and do a tap with good old Uncle Tom.

I hear Woody's out in the field spickin along with the Okies, and Pete's sittin in solidarity with the miners while Peabody's scabs make thier morning run through the union gauntlet.

Hard times, great music. Share please.

"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime," lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Jay Gorney (1931)

They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob,

When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job.

They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead,

Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time.

Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;

Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,

Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum,

Half a million boots went slogging through Hell,

And I was the kid with the drum!

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time.

Why don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,

Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum,

Half a million boots went slogging through Hell,

And I was the kid with the drum!

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time.

Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?

[fini]

I'd go with The Hag. "Think I'll Just Sit Here and Drink" is a classic for what ails ya. Shoot, my whole family knows the words to "Big City!" Not quite what you're looking for, with the line, "I'm tired of too much work, and never enough pay." Easily changed to "no work" and "no pay," though. Having too much fun with Dusty right now to change...

[thebes]

Now Fini cheer yourself right up. Shirlye Templ's got a song for you:

Oh I eat watermelon and I have for years

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day

I like watermelon but it wets my ears

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day



Maybe grass tastes good to a moo cows mouth

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day

But I like Chicken cos I'm from the South

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day



Fare

thee well, Fare thee well

Mr Gloom be on your way

If you think you're gonna worry

You can stop it in a hurry

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day



Oh the wood pecker pecks till he gets his fill

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day

But the woodpecker pays cos its on his bill

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day



Oh I feed my pigs from molasses yam

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day

So they should be sweeter than they really am

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day



Fare thee well, Fare thee well

Mr Gloom be on your way

Though you haven't any money

You can still be bright and sunny

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day



Oh, I hate to hear a chocolate drop

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day

But I like to hear a Lollipop

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day

Every thing went wrong but it turned out right

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day

The skies were grey but the future's bright

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day



Fare thee well, Fare thee well

Mr Gloom Be on your way

Never listen to the devil

Simply be a little rebel

Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day!



------

A Polly is a parrot, we all know well

But just what a Wolly is, I can't tell

I wouldn't know a Doodle, if one came along

But Polly Wolly Doodle, makes a darn good song

[fini]

Or, as dear old Dad used to sing:

Passengers will please refrain

from flushing toilets on the train

while standing at the station, I love you.

[fenderbender]

this should give Fini a start:

All that meat, and no potatoes

Just ain't right, like green tomatoes

Yeah, I'm waiting

Palpatatin'

But all that meat, and no potatoes

All that meat, and no potatoes

All that food, to the alligators, yeah

Hold me steady

I am ready

With all that meat and no potatoes

I don't think that peas are bad

With me, most anything goes

I look in the pot, I'm fit to fight

'Cause woman, you know that mess ain't right.

All that meat, and no potatoes

Just ain't right, like green tomatoes

Yes, I'm steamin'

I'm really screamin'

All that meat and no potatoes.

(Where's my fine hambone?!? Where is it?!?)

Fats Waller

[oldtimer]

Damn bender! Fats Waller. You know it reads a lot like Zappa.

[colterphoto1]

Glenn Hughes

I Don't Want to Live That way Again:
I kiss the day, there can be no other answer
Turn back the time and let me in
I look away, as they stare and all their glances
Now I can tell you where I've been
All alone inside myself
I guess I never knew which way to go
The time has come to know yourself
And I don't want to live that way again,
Again, again, again.

I'm miles away, as I look into the water
And there's a tide that pulls me in
The missing page where there'll be
the sons and daughters
I live and die it's hard to take
Safe within, this higher ground
The pleasure and the pain has come and gone
I have been once lost now found
And I don't want to live that way again

There's a light in the distance
And a voice that cries freedom
There's a child in the mirror,
Much too long he's been grievin'
I have stumbled thru madness
Now I've made my decision,
And I don't want to live that way again

So I pull down the shutters
And I wave my resistance
And I wait for the sirens
That will ring thru my head
I was cast as a leper
Now I've replaced my religion
And I don't want to live that way again

[greg928gts]

mh, did you ever hear of a wish sandwich
well that's the kind of a sandwich
that is supposed to take two pieces of bread
and wish you had some meat
doo doo boooh

[Groomlakearea51]

A Great Depression favorite:

Big Rock Candy Mountain

One evening as the sun went down and the jungle fire was burning Down the track came a hobo hiking and he said boys I'm not turning I'm headin for a land that's far away beside the crystal fountains So come with me we'll go and see the Big Rock Candy Mountains In the Big Rock Candy Mountains there's a land that's fair and bright Where the handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every night Where the boxcars are all empty and the sun shines every day On the birds and the bees and the cigarette trees Where the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings In the Big Rock Candy Mountains In the Big Rock Candy Mountains all the cops have wooden legs And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft boiled eggs The farmer's trees are full of fruit and the barns are full of hay Oh, I'm bound to go where there ain't no snow Where the rain don't fall and the wind don't blow In the Big Rock Candy Mountains In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you never change your socks And the little streams of alcohol come a-trickling down the rocks The brakemen have to tip their hats and the railroad bulls are blind There's a lake of stew and of whiskey too You can paddle all around 'em in a big canoe In the Big Rock Candy Mountains In the Big Rock Candy Mountains the jails are made of tin And you can walk right out again as soon as you are in There ain't no short handled shovels, no axes saws or picks I'm a goin to stay where you sleep all day Where they hung the jerk that invented work In the Big Rock Candy Mountains I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains

[fenderbender]

*** bender!  Fats Waller.  You know it reads a lot like Zappa.

OT,

I takes my thrills where ever I can get them!!!!

Nobody did it like Zappa though [] +itties and Beer, +itties and Beer, +itties and Beer, +itties and Beer, ........

[capo72]

Robert Johnson- Hellhound on my trail:

I got to keep moving, I got to keep moving
Blues falling down like hail, blues falling down like hail
Mmm, blues falling down like hail, blues falling down like hail
And the day keeps on remindin' me, there's a hellhound on my trail
Hellhound on my trail, hellhound on my trail

If today was Christmas eve, if today was Christmas eve
And tomorrow was Christmas day
If today was Christmas eve and tomorrow was Christmas day
All I would need is my little sweet rider
Just to pass the time away, to pass the time away

You sprinkled hot foot powder, mmm, around my door
All around my door
You sprinkled hot foot powder, all around your daddy's door
It keeps me with ramblin' mind rider
Every old place I go, every old place I go

I can tell the wind is risin', the leaves tremblin' on the tree
Tremblin' on the tree
I can tell the wind is risin', leaves tremblin' on the tree
All I need is my little sweet woman
And to keep my company, hey, hey, hey, hey, my company

[thebes]

Can't forget the KIngfisher:

Huey P. Long/Castro Carazo)

Why weep or slumber America
Land of brave and true
With castles and clothing and food for all
All belongs to you

Ev'ry man a king, ev'ry man a king
For you can be a millionaire
But there's something belonging to others
There's enough for all people to share
When it's sunny June and December too
Or in the winter time or spring
There'll be peace without end
Ev'ry neighbor a friend
With ev'ry man a king

[pmsummer]

A TRIBUTE TO WOODY GUTHRIE, VOL. II
Highlights from Concerts at Carnegie Hall, 1968 and the Hollywood Bowl, 1970 Words and Music by Woody Guthrie
Various Artists

Warner Bros.

[pmsummer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjVaZ9kH_k&feature=related

[Marvel]

Stephen Foster (written 1854)

Hard Times Come Again No More

Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor;
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears;
Oh Hard times come again no more.

Chorus:

Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard Times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;
Oh hard times come again no more.

While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay,
There are frail forms fainting at the door;
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say
Oh hard times come again no more.
(Chorus)

There's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away,
With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:
Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,
Oh hard times come again no more.
(Chorus)

Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,
Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore
Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave
Oh hard times come again no more.
(Chorus)

[Groomlakearea51]

This thread makes me want to go listen to some Tom Waits.....[]

[thebes]

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,

alive as you and me.

Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"

"I never died" said he,

"I never died" said he.



"The Copper Bosses killed you Joe,

they shot you Joe" says I.

"Takes more than guns to kill a man"

Says Joe "I didn't die"

Says Joe "I didn't die"



"In Salt Lake City, Joe," says I,

Him standing by my bed,

"They framed you on a murder charge,"

Says Joe, "But I ain't dead,"

Says Joe, "But I ain't dead."



And standing there as big as life

and smiling with his eyes.

Says Joe "What they can never kill

went on to organize,

went on to organize"



From San Diego up to Maine,

in every mine and mill,

Where working men defend their rights,

it's there you find Joe Hill,

it's there you find Joe Hill!



I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,

alive as you and me.

Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"

"I never died" said he,

"I never died" said he.

[LarryC]

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
alive as you and me.
Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"
"I never died" said he,
"I never died" said he.

Best, most intense song at Woodstock, sung by Joan Baez.

[thebes]

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
alive as you and me.
Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"
"I never died" said he,
"I never died" said he.

Best, most intense song at Woodstock, sung by Joan Baez.

I've been at union funerals a few times where that song is sung, including a brother in law who quit Wall Street to organize. It always breaks me up.

By the way Marvel, excellent suggestion. Have you heard the Cowboy's Junkies version of "Hard Times". Simply killer.

[Marvel]

Have you heard the Cowboy's Junkies version of "Hard Times". Simply killer.

It is a great version. I also have a James Taylor version, with Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meter and Yo-yo Ma. The Nanci Griffith version is pretty interesting.