Bloodlines Mailing List archives February 13-14, 1997
from the John Stewart email list
more Maestro's (and Barry McGuire), on the radio, Gene Clark,
and favorite lyrics.-REB
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Subj: John On The Radio
Date: 97-02-13
From: tae69@dial.pipex.com (Mark Austin)
Driving to work this morning, Country 1035, the London Country
Music radio station played Sweet Dreams Will Come. I mention this
only because I literally cannot remember the last time I heard John
played on UK radio. It really must be years ago, unfortunately.
Three minutes every two years. Roll on 1999.
Mark
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Subj: Re: John On The Radio
Date: 97-02-13
From: t_mstrin@qualcomm.com (Merle Stringfield)
Hi Mark,
Why wasn't this song a huge hit??? It should have been played once an
hour...on both sides of the Atlantic!! Kenny Rogers & Dottie West must have
been taking up the airwaves.
Merle Stringfield
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Subj: Re: Maestros, 2/9/97
Date: 97-02-13
From: cnewton@fyi.net (Christopher Newton)
So what's the Barry McGuire story?
Kit Newton
>The Barry McGuire story? I don't remember what Ron's talking about; I'll
let him tell it if he wants. I did get a laugh or two when John mentioned
going to see Kingston Trio and that they were passing hearing aids out at
the door. He made a lot of funny references to old age in this regard and
expressed a lot of pity for the guy confined to his chair because of so much
hip surgery...
>Randi Joy.
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Subj: Sweet Dreams
Date: 97-02-13
From: tae69@dial.pipex.com (Mark Austin)
Funnily enough I was thinking about going to see Nanci at the RAH
in May. Wonder who her support is? No chance of.......Na, just a
sweet dream!
Mark
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Subj: Re: John On The Radio
Date: 97-02-13
From: GregDenis@aol.com
In a message dated 97-02-13 04:05:10 EST, Mark Austin writes:
<< Driving to work this morning, Country 1035, the London Country
Music radio station played Sweet Dreams Will Come. I mention this
only because I literally cannot remember the last time I heard John
played on UK radio. It really must be years ago, unfortunately. >>
Which version? I'm guess the duet with Nanci Griffith.
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Subj: Re: John On The Radio
Date: 97-02-14
From: tae69@dial.pipex.com (Mark Austin)
> Which version? I'm guess the duet with Nanci Griffith.
I didn't know there was another version. I only know the duet.
I guess by this comment that there's another. What? Where? When?
Tell Me!
Mark
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Subj: Re: Maestros, 2/9/97-Barry McGuire
Date: 97-02-13
From: ClackClack@aol.com
>
> So what's the Barry McGuire story?
>
If Angelbravo says OK I'll recount it to the best of my recollection but you
really need to see & hear John do it.
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Subj: Re: John On The Radio
Date: 97-02-13
From: ddunet@concentric.net (Michelle Stevens)
>Hi Mark,
>Why wasn't this song a huge hit??? It should have been played once an
>hour...on both sides of the Atlantic!! Kenny Rogers & Dottie West must have
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>been taking up the airwaves.
Who knows the emoticon for "puke"?
Just wondering,
Michelle
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Subj: Re: Favorite JS Lyrics
Date: 97-02-13
From: MButters@aol.com
Right on, Ron. (Re: your lyrics from "Anna On A Memory").
One of my all-time favorite John Stewart songs. I have no idea why The Man,
or someone, hasn't made a major hit of this. It has that perfect poignance
that John does so well.
Wore the grooves off my Cannons lp the year it came out. Going through a
divorce ... in my hometown ... where I taught 2nd grade in a local school ...
where my Dad was a fairly well-known Baptist minister. Maybe there's a better
way to find complete alienation, but it was the best I could do at the time.
I like playing this song in an open-D tuning, capoed up a bit. And I always
love singing it, hearing it, playing it -- even on CD.
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Subj: Re: Favorite JS Lyrics
Date: 97-02-13
From: PopWuj@aol.com
"...I see that he caught the back wheels,
that's how all us stray dogs are gonna die."
-I have also always loved that imagery.
I mean, for it's graphic realism. For the metaphor.
Is this music just too intelligent for most folks, or what?
"Ana on a memory,
as she goes passing by...."
I once passed an intimate time with a woman
named Ana,
it is true as someone just noted, that so many
JS songs take on personal meanings for the listeners......
That's part of the beauty of the slightly hidden meanings to some of the
lyrics.
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Subj: Re: John On The Radio
Date: 97-02-14
From: battery@teleport.com (Battery Express!)
I didn't know they were called "emoticons" and had to call a software
engineer friend to find out. My 1975 Websters is due for replacement. I
searched the web for a "puke" emoticon and came up empty. Does this
work?: j=):
Mike
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Subj: Fwd: Re: Maestros, 2/9/97-Barry McGuire
Date: 97-02-14
From: Angelbravo@aol.com
It's Ok ,just quote as deep background.
----- Attached Item -----
From: ClackClack@aol.com
If Angelbravo says OK I'll recount it to the best of my recollection but you
really need to see & hear John do it.
_______________________________________________________________
Subj: Maestros-Barry McGuire
Date: 97-02-14
From: ClackClack@aol.com
OK-
(with deep background...)
Now don't be hard on Randi for not remembering. I was probably listening to
California Bloodlines before she was born so she probably never even heard
Barry McGuire's name before. But Nick?? ok ok..For those other's unfamiliar
with Barry, he was the one who did "Eve of Destruction" around 63 or so. I
actually have the 45, one of the first 2 or 3 45's I ever bought as a kid.
Anyway, before Barry's one and only hit, which was a biggie, he was a member
of the New Christy Minstrels. What would you call them? hmmm maybe Mitch
Miller, Up With People and the Brothers Four rolled into one.
Now this is how I remember the story the other night and don't forget I
didn't remember the setlist correctly...
John recounted how he had gone to see a "Great Performances" show 2 nights
before that featured The Kingston Trio and members of the New Christy
Minstrels. I was actually familiar with the show and have a flyer right
beside me because a co-worker had seen the show a week ago and left the flyer
on my desk with comments like Great Show! and how funny the Trio was, she
hadn't remembered how funny they were etc and she told me about poor Nick
Reynolds having to hobble out on crutches. Now Trio fans know that Nick had
to have hip surgery from which he is still recovering but I doubt the average
joe or jo-ette is aware of this as common knowledge. Anyway, great show I
should go. I don't. But John & Buffy did.
As John tells the story, the average person in attendance is on life support
and they are passing out hearing aids at the door. The Trio plays, poor Nick
hobbles out, plays his heart out with his broken hip. (John Phillips
interlude here which also refers to broken hips and worse...) then comes The
New Christy Minstrels with original members Randy Sparks and Barry McGuire.
They play some songs and then do, I think John said, America the Beautiful and
I think John is already starting to feel tortured. Barry then starts singing
"I Remember America" and John says he thinks someone must have dropped acid
in his coffee. Then, when it comes to one of the most poignant lines in
the song, "November 22, 1963 when they blew the dreams away" Barry doesn't
sing that but sings something like "the day the piper came to play" (My
memory of the exact line is unclear- I was already laughing at John's facial
contortions). So after the show John goes backstage and tries to explain to
Barry he got the lines wrong and Barry says, to the effect, that they worried
over and discussed those lines and decided to change them because "whose dreams did they
blow away?" And John answers: "Barry, its MY SONG".
and now I'm off to watch Mary Chapin Carpenter be interviewed on the Charlie
Rose show. Hope I got that story close enough.
Ron
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Subj: Re: Maestros-Barry McGuire
Date: 97-02-14
From: MButters@aol.com
Thanks to Clack for *finally* telling us all the Barry McGuire story. It's
fun to imagine John's own brand of drollery (I made that word up) animating
the original telling of the story.
I don't know if Michelle included the "needermind" story in her review of
Friday night at the Birchmere a few weekends ago, but I think that it needs
to be added to The Legacy.
Seems that John's dad was a Scots horsetrainer from Kentucky prior to the
family's westward migration and kept alive his own secret language. Being a
practical man, he had little use for Our Man's budding musical interests,
particularly the general playing, use, and application of the dreaded banjo.
His encouragement to the young struggling musician was in the form of an
admonition -- cryptic words which still live as a legend in the Pomona area.
He would scold, "Needermind de whamdebam". "Needermind", John translated,
equals "nevermind"; "de" equals "the"'; and, of course, "whamdebam", as many
of you quite naturally recognize, refers to the "banjo".
If we hadn't already settled on "Seattle, mister", my personal nomination for
an official password would be "Needermind de whamdebam". It has a certain
panache.
________________________________________________________________
Subj: Re: Maestros-Barry McGuire
Date: 97-02-14
From: MButters@aol.com
Umm. Another thing about the New Christy Minstrels.
Their Christmas album, I thought, was quite good. Full of original material,
including "Christmas Wishes", which Anne Murray later covered on the first of
her Christmas albums. Boy do I wish someone would get that one out on CD. Are
you "listening", Ian? Pass it on.
Also, one of the original Minstrels was one Gene Clark, later of the original
Byrds, the Dillard and Clark Expedition (both albums out on a Masterworks
CD), and some great solo albums. Many of you know Gene died of a heart attack
just a couple of years ago, possibly a complication of alcoholism. Sad. Found
later in his apartment. I think he may have lived to see the Byrds make the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but I'm not sure.
A great singer/songwriter. If you don't know his work too well, he's worth
looking up.
He would have added a lot of class to the Great Performances evening. And
probably would have gotten the words right, too, John.
Which leads me to further digress. One of the other highlights of
Birchmere/Friday night was the performance by Eric Weissburg, who has played
on practically everybody's album at one time and is most famous for the
"Deuling Banjos" tune from the movie, "Beligerence" (at least that's what he
called "Deliverance").
The moment I will treasure is a little rap about those MIA this year, Townes
Van Zandt, Bob Gibson, come to mind. This was followed by a story about Sonny
Charles, who wrote "Walkin' To New Orleans" and some other great stuff,
before "disappearing into Woodstock" (NY, not the festival). Eric lives in
Woodstock and has never met Sonny. He concludes that some kind of hermitage
ensued.
When Dave Guard died, Eric was just learning "Tennessee Blues", by Sonny
Charles. Kris and Rita do a nice job on "Full Moon" (another great CD reissue
possibility, Ian, please keep taking notes). Eric chose that song to perform
at Dave Guard's memorial service and played that Friday night at the
Birchmere, for the recently fallen -- and for all of us listening. It was a
gorgeous moment.
I'm rusty on the lyrics, my lps are in the basement, and I'm too lazy, so
here goes ...
"If I had my way I'd leave here today
And be gone tomorrow.
(Something ...) away from this sorrow.
A place I'd feel loose, a place I could lose
These Tennessee blues."
I love living in Tennessee. A lot of people there, that night, have probably
never really been here. But for five minutes that night, and quite a while
after, we all had the Tennessee Blues.
Apologies to Sonny Charles.
Support your local songwriter.
________________________________________________________________
Subj: Re: Maestros-Barry McGuire
Date: 97-02-14
From: t_mstrin@qualcomm.com (Merle Stringfield)
Thanks for the paragraph on Gene Clark. An incedible singer. Listen to the lead
vocal on the Byrd's "Set you free this time" and "Feel a whole lot better"
Great tunes!!!
Merle
Subj: Re[2]: Maestros-Barry McGuire
Date: 97-02-14
From: Dan_Hodges@usccmail.lehman.com (Dan Hodges)
Another note on Gene Clark
He once appeared on a TNN Nashville Now show which also featured John
Stewart.
At the time he was performing with a female singer as a duet. I can't
remember her name.
He was also part of McGuinn, Clark and Hillman- a Byrds alumni group.
I agree he was an outstanding performer and a great loss to music.
Dan H.
________________________________________________________________
Subj: Re: Maestros-Barry McGuire
Date: 97-02-14
From: davidltaylor5@worldnet.att.net (David L. Taylor)
ClackClack@aol.com wrote:
>
> (snipped)
Ron,
Good job. That's pretty close to what I remember John saying.
David
________________________________________________________________
Subj: Emoticons and Scams
Date: 97-02-14
From: rcaplow@decisive.com (Randi Caplow)
Just wanted to apologize for posting the "scam". I guess I'm still a gullible
type and thought that it was real, so I did (embarrassed to say) forward it
to all my friends. I guess I'd rather be wrong and embarrassed than let
something like that happen without doing anything about it. I'll e-mail the
CIEC and see if they know anything about it (an organization for Internet
Citizens rights). Thanks for being so polite about it, though.
Anyway, On another list, someone sent a file with dozens of emoticons. If you
guys want me to post it or send it privately let me know. The closest I could
find to puking in it was this:
(:- Message indicating person is ill... (I'm not sure I get it).
More on-topic stuff: Is everybody hip on the tribute tape idea? I can offer
to organize it, and have people send their submissions to me. However, I
would want everybody to pay enough for their copy for me to re-coup my costs;
I'm not interested in financing the project. Post your yeays or nays and
maybe we can then get started recording.
RE JS sightings on the radio. Do we care about Gold? I heard the Airdream
Believer remix on college radio the other day.
Favorite JS lyrics? It has to be the line someone has in his signature block:
"There is a train. It runs by my room. The train is called reality, and it's
coming much too soon." from Ticket to the Stars. Actually that whole song
does a number on me.
L8R.
RJoy
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Subj: Re: Emoticons and Scams
Date: 97-02-14
From: krasmason@telis.org (Kari)
It wasn't a scam, it was posted on lots of listserves. The deadline to
voice your protest was yesterday. Thankyou for your effort.
Kari
________________________________________________________________
Subj: Re: John On The Radio
Date: 97-02-14
From: t_mstrin@qualcomm.com (Merle Stringfield)
Hi Mark,
Secret Tapes II has a version of "Sweet Dreams Will Come". There is also a
version featuring JS and Dave Batti on "Kerrville Kronicles" A live
recording done at The Kerrville Folk Festival. FYI, Merle Stringfield
________________________________________________________________
Subj: Gene Clark
Date: 97-02-14
From: sprest02@sprynet.com (ALLMuse)
Just a note to MButters notes on Gene Clark...he did survive through the
R and R Hall of Fame...In fact, the five original Byrds performed
together that night and it was just a few weeks later that Gene died.
Steve
________________________________________________________________
Subj: Re: Emoticons and Scams
Date: 97-02-14
From: MButters@aol.com
Definitely interested in the tribute tape.
________________________________________________________________
Subj: JS Lyrics
Date: 97-02-14
From: lnhfbo@polaristel.net (Luke N. Havumaki)
It's nice to have the wonderful choices we all have as favorite lyrics,
but asking me which lyrics are my favorite John Stewart's lyrics is like
asking a mother which child is her favorite (of course I am mine, but
that's a given) ...
John's lyrics apply to so many of my everyday experiences that depending
on the barometer I probably have a different most precious at that moment
lyric from one day to the next.
I do agree which previous sentiment of "She Believes In Me" but "Seven
Times the Wind"'s statement on the power in refusing to give up is just
as valid and heart-wrenching.
Luke
But my favorite line is the one I use as signature.
There is a train and it runs by my room
And the train is called reality and it's coming way too soon.-John Stewart
________________________________________________________________
Subj: Sweet dreams
Date: 97-02-14
From: GregDenis@aol.com
Mark wrote:
<<
> << Driving to work this morning, Country 1035, the London Country
> Music radio station played Sweet Dreams Will Come. I mention this
> only because I literally cannot remember the last time I heard
> John played on UK radio. It really must be years ago,
> unfortunately.
>
Then I wrote:
> Which version? I'm guessing the duet with Nanci Griffith.
Then Mark wrote:
I didn't know there was another version. I only know the duet.
I guess by this comment that there's another. What? Where? When?
Tell Me!
-- Mark
>>
I guess I was getting a bit too esoteric there. Upon reflection, I've
concluded that the only generally available version of the song is the one
that's a duet with Nanci. I think there may be a version of John singing it
on "Secret Tapes II" (perhaps still available from Homecoming Records). And I
have a tape, passed on to me by a friend, of John singing the song on
"Mountain Stage," a national program on public radio here in the States.
-- Greg
________________________________________________________________
Subj: Re: Sweet dreams
Date: 97-02-14
From: ClackClack@aol.com
Sender: bloodlines-approval@world.std.com
Reply-to: bloodlines@world.std.com
To: bloodlines@world.std.com
Sweet Dreams also appears on one of the Kerrville folk festival albums circa
1988.
Ron
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end of Bloodlines archive Feb 97 (D)
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