The Autobiography of Donovan: The Hurdy Gurdy Man, Donovan Leitch (1946- ), 2005, 287 pages, ISBN 0312352522
This is Donovan's account of his life of sThe Autobiography of Donovan: The Hurdy Gurdy Man, Donovan Leitch (1946- ), 2005, 287 pages, ISBN 0312352522
This is Donovan's account of his life of sex, drugs, and music stardom, until 1970, when he burned out and dropped out, at age 24. He tells us of his concert tours, thirteen hit singles, two hundred of his songs recorded by other artists. p. 287.
According to Donovan:
It is imperative for a serious young student of music to choose at least six geniuses of the genre you are wishing to join. You must learn all of the repertoire of at least two of them. By emulating the masters you will find your own voice. p. 62.
I asked sculptor David Wynne what an artist should beware of in early fame. He replied in an instant--mediocrity. p. 164.
I needed to be part of this family because I knew that pop success endangered my well-being in many ways. p. 164.
Donovan was among a number of stars who spent time in India at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. As Shirley MacLaine put it, "The people here introspect and search." Search for what? She said she did not know, but what was important was the search. p. 193.
Sunshine Superman, 1966: Sunshine came softly through my window today Could've tripped out easy but I've changed ma way. It'll take time, I know it, but in a while You're gonna be mine, I know it. We'll do it in style 'Cause I've made ma mind up you're going to be mine Any trick in the book now, baby, that I can find. p. 125.
Pebble and the Man: Happiness runs in a circular motion Thought is like a little boat upon the seas All our souls are deeper than you can see You can have everything if you let yourself be.
Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the Lost Story of 1970, David Browne (1960- ), 2011, 369 pages, ISBN 9781917935Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the Lost Story of 1970, David Browne (1960- ), 2011, 369 pages, ISBN 9781917935602
These were four top acts that had an angsty 1970.
Life could be worse: we could be rock stars. (view spoiler)[Breakups with bandmates and partners, mental illness, addictions, injuries, deaths of musical and life partners, pressure.
You can only stand so much psychodrama in your life. --Graham Nash. p. 279.
I passed on the cocaine, said bye-bye to my methadone Put down the bottle for one more day, backing off of my tobacco Jones Still feel like a hopeless junkie, like a man who can't say no I look back and there's that monkey, rascal won't let go, let me go --James Taylor, "Little More Time with You" https://genius.com/James-taylor-littl...
There's really nothing worse than someone who has been on the top and then is down. --Paul Simon. p. 297.
Super-engaging. He writes about each concert, recording session, and interaction with the musicians as if he'd been there. (In fact, the author turned ten years old in 1970.)
Paul Simon couldn't read music. p. 16.
Joni Mitchell was born Roberta Anderson. p. 102.
EMI paid the Beatles $10.7 million royalties on American sales from 1969.09.01 through 1970.06.03. p. 264.
/Melody Maker/'s September readers' poll had the Beatles at #1 from 1962 through 1969. In 1970, Led Zeppelin took #1. p. 265.
The Protest Singer: An Intimate Portrait of Pete Seeger, Alec Wilkinson (1952- ), 2009, 152 pages, ISBN 9780307269959
A nice introduction to Pete SeegeThe Protest Singer: An Intimate Portrait of Pete Seeger, Alec Wilkinson (1952- ), 2009, 152 pages, ISBN 9780307269959
A nice introduction to Pete Seeger (1919-2014). Many photos. Includes the transcript of Seeger's testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee, August 18, 1955. ...more
Pinery Boys: Songs and Songcatching in the Lumberjack Era, Franz Rickaby (1889-1925) with Gretchen Dykstra (1948- ) and James P. Leary (1950- ), 2017,Pinery Boys: Songs and Songcatching in the Lumberjack Era, Franz Rickaby (1889-1925) with Gretchen Dykstra (1948- ) and James P. Leary (1950- ), 2017, including /Songs and Ballads of the Shanty Boy/, 1926, ISBN 9780299312640, Dewey 782.42162
Sixty-five songs, composed by shanty boys (lumberjacks), mostly from 1870 to 1900, the golden age of lumbering in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Lyrics and melodies. Many of the songs were modeled on older Irish songs. Collected 1919 to 1925 by professor Franz Rickaby. With Rickaby's notes on each song--several versions of some of them. And with a biography of Rickaby by his granddaughter, and a good glossary of logging terms.
Driving Saw-Logs on the Plover (William N. Allen, 1873, #20, pp. 192-193, as sung by The Festival Choir of Madison, 1998)
G D C G C G There walked on Plover's sturdy banks one evening last July, C G Em C A mother of a shanty boy, And doleful was her cry. G C G Em C Saying, "God be with you, Johnnie, Although you're far away, G D C G C G Driving saw-logs on the Plover, and you'll never get your pay."
"O Johnnie I gave you schooling, I gave you a trade likewise. You need not been a shanty-boy had you taken my advice. You need not gone from your dear home to the forest far away, Driving saw-logs on the Plover, and you'll never get your pay.
"Why didn't you stay upon the farm and feed the ducks and hens, And drive the pigs and sheep each night and put them in their pens? Far better for you to help your dad to cut his corn and hay Than drive saw-logs on the Plover, and never get your pay."
A log canoe came floating adown the quiet stream. As peacefully it glided as some young lover's dream. A youth crept out upon the bank and then to her did say, "Dear mother, I have jumped the game, and I haven't you my pay."
"The boys called me a sucker and a son-of-a-gun to boot. I said to myself, 'O Johnnie, it is time for you to scoot.' I stole a canoe and started upon my weary way, And now I have got home again, but nary a cent of pay."
Now all young men take this advice: If e'er you wish to roam, Be sure and kiss your mother before you leave your home. You had better work upon a farm for half a dollar a day Than drive saw-logs on the Plover, and never get your pay.
Across the universe All my loving All together now All you need is love And I love her Any time at all Baby you're a rich man Baby's inBeatles Best Easy piano
Across the universe All my loving All together now All you need is love And I love her Any time at all Baby you're a rich man Baby's in black Back in the U.S.S.R. The ballad of John and Yoko Because Birthday Blackbird Can't buy me love Carry that weight Come together A day in the life Day tripper Dear Prudence Do you want to know a secret? Don't let me down Drive my car Eight days a week Eleanor Rigby Every little thing Fixing a hole The fool on the hill For no one From me to you Get back Getting better Girl Golden slumbers Good day sunshine Got to get you into my life A hard day's night Hello goodbye Help! Here comes the sun Here, there and everywhere Hey Jude Honey pie I don't want to spoil the party I feel fine I saw her standing there I should have known better I wanna be your man I want to hold your hand I want you (she's so heavy) I will I'll be back I'll cry instead I'll follow the sun I'm a loser I'm happy just to dance with you I'm looking through you I've just seen a face If I fell In my life It won't be long It's only love Julia Lady Madonna Let it be The long and winding road Love me do Lovely Rita Lucy in the sky with diamonds Magical mystery tour Martha my dear Maxwell's silver hammer Mean Mr. Mustard Michelle No reply Norwegian wood Nowhere man Ob-la-di, ob-la-da Octopus's garden Oh! darling P.S. I love you Paperback writer Penny lane Please please me Polythene Pam Rain Revolution Rocky Raccoon Run for your life Sexy Sadie Sgt. Pepper's lonely hearts club band She came in through the bathroom window She loves you She's a woman She's leaving home Something Strawberry fields forever Sun king Taxman Tell me why Thank you girl There's a place Things we said today This boy (Ringo's theme) Ticket to ride Twist and shout Two of us We can work it out When I'm sixty-four While my guitar gently weeps With a little help from my friends The word Yellow submarine Yes it is Yesterday You can't do that You never give me your money You won't see me You're going to lose that girl You've got to hide your love away Your mother should know...more
Big Bill Blues: William Broonzy's [1893-1958] Story as Told to Yannick Bruynoghe, 1955, 176 pages, ISBN 0306804905, Library-of-Congress ML 420 B78 A3 Big Bill Blues: William Broonzy's [1893-1958] Story as Told to Yannick Bruynoghe, 1955, 176 pages, ISBN 0306804905, Library-of-Congress ML 420 B78 A3 1992 Music Library
Bill copyrighted more than three hundred blues. p. 18.
As Studs Terkel waited on a Chicago street corner for Bill, a state senator came up. Bill arrived as they were talking and introductions were made. The senator turned to Studs: "So he's your boy, eh?" "He's not my …" "That's right," Bill cut in. "He may not look it, but he's my father." p. 19.
When I was born into this world This is what happen to me-- I was never called a man An' now I'm 'round fifty-three. pp. 19, 70.
A lot of people got the blues and don't know it. p. 31.
My mother had twenty-one babies and raised sixteen. p. 32.
I've been playing and singing in public ever since 1912 and even today I get a little shake when I first go on a stage, so I always take a little drink before I go on. p. 44.
But I do say that I would rather hire a musician that uses marijuana than one that drinks whisky. I found out in all five bands I've been the leader of, that a tea smoker is not nosy and don't forget his music and isn't hard to get along with and he always wants to try to learn something new and to improve old songs. p. 45.
Me and a white man working side by side This is what it meant They was paying him a dollar And they paid me fifty cents. "Black, Brown, and White," 1945, p. 82.
/The Changer and the Changed/ (a subset of this), songbook and album, includes "Song of the Soul": Dewey 784.8/The Changer and the Changed/ (a subset of this), songbook and album, includes "Song of the Soul": Dewey 784.8...more
Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads, Collected by John A. Lomax (1867-1948) and Alan Lomax (1915-2002), 431 pages, Dewey 784.4978, copyright 1910,Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads, Collected by John A. Lomax (1867-1948) and Alan Lomax (1915-2002), 431 pages, Dewey 784.4978, copyright 1910, 1916, 1938. 14th printing 1964.
What keeps the herd from running, Stampeding far and wide? The cowboy's long, low whistle, And singing by their side. p. vii
From 1870 to 1890, 12 million cattle were driven from Texas to railheads farther north, typically in herds of about 3,000. Singing and whistling were essential job skills. p. xv. And composing songs, as poets lariat. p. 168.
Several versions of some of them:
Wake up, Jacob, p. 3. Whoopee Ti Yi Yo, Git along, Little Dogies, pp. 4-7 Goodbye, Old Paint, pp. 12-14 The Old Chisholm Trail, pp. 28-41 The Dying Cowboy, pp. 48-51 Jesse James, pp. 152-158 Rye Whisky, pp. 163-166 Jack O' Diamonds, pp. 253-256 Old Rosin, the Beau, pp. 278-279 The State of Arkansas, pp. 283-285 Red River Valley, pp. 298-299 Sweet Betsy from Pike, pp. 388-391 The Cowboy's Lament, pp. 417-422 A Home on the Range, pp. 424-428
Doesn't have Don't Fence Me In, written by Cole Porter in 1934.
The Penguin Book of American Folk Songs, Compiled and Edited with Notes by Alan Lomax: 111 ballads, sea shanties, love songs, lullabies, reels, work sThe Penguin Book of American Folk Songs, Compiled and Edited with Notes by Alan Lomax: 111 ballads, sea shanties, love songs, lullabies, reels, work songs, cowboy songs, and spirituals popular in America from Colonial days to modern times. Piano Arrangements by Elizabeth Poston, guitar chords. 1964. 159 pages. Dewey 784.4
16 Yankee songs
18 Southern mountain songs
Includes this version of "Darlin', you can't love one," p. 54: Darlin, you can't love one (x2), You can't love one and have any fun, Darlin' … Darlin, you can't love two (x2), You can't love and to me be true, Darlin' … Darlin, you can't love three (x2), You can't love three and get along with me, Darlin' … Darlin, you can't love four (x2), You can't love four and come knocking at my door, Darlin' … Darlin, you can't love five (x2), You can't love five and get honey from my hive, Darlin' … Darlin, you can't love six (x2), You can't love six and keep me in this fix, Darlin' … Darlin, you can't love seven (x2), You can't love seven and expect to go to heaven, Darlin' … Darlin, you can't love eight (x2), You can't love eight and keep this business straight, Darlin' … Darlin, you can't love nine (x2), You can't love nine and see me all the time, Darlin' … Darlin, you can't love ten (x2), You can't love ten and be welcome here again, Darlin' …
18 Lullabies and reels
including Go to sleepy, little baby, p. 54 Mockingbird, p. 54 Frog went a-courtin', p. 61 Get along home, Cindy, p. 69
19 Spirituals and work songs
including Cherry Tree Carol, p. 77 Poor wayfaring stranger, p. 78 Nobody knows the trouble I see, p. 79
14 Western songs
including Whoopie-ti-yi-yo p. 107
26 Modern times
including The Midnight Special, p. 125 Hallelujah, I'm a Bum, p. 129, parody of Baptist hymn, Hallelujah, Thine the Glory St. James Infirmary, p. 134 The Titanic, p. 136 Worried Man, p. 137 Irene Goodnight, p. 138 Which Side Are You On?, p. 139 Blowin' down the Road, p. 140
American Folk Guitar Style, including chords and rhythms, pp. 147-151
The Folk Songs of North America: In the English Language, Alan Lomax, 1960, 623 pages, Dewey 782.42162 317 songs: melody, chords, lyrics.
#61 The FrozenThe Folk Songs of North America: In the English Language, Alan Lomax, 1960, 623 pages, Dewey 782.42162 317 songs: melody, chords, lyrics.
#119 Cindy p. 233 (collected by Alan Lomax) Well Massa bought a yaller gal, He brought her from the South, Her hair it curled so very tight, She could not shut her mouth. Get along home, Cindy, Cindy, Marry you some day.
#124 The Twelve Days of Christmas, p. 245.
#154 Sixteen Tons, p. 294, Merle Travis, 1947.
#155 Dark as a Dungeon, p. 295, Merle Travis, 1947.
Negro Folk Songs as Sung by Lead Belly [1885-1949], John A. Lomax [1867-1948] and Alan Lomax [1915-2002], eds., 1936, 242 pages. Library-of-Congress MNegro Folk Songs as Sung by Lead Belly [1885-1949], John A. Lomax [1867-1948] and Alan Lomax [1915-2002], eds., 1936, 242 pages. Library-of-Congress M1670 L84 N4 Music Library (Mills)
49 songs. Pages ix through 64 are John Lomax's recounting of Lead Belly's story, and of Lomax's interactions with him during the two years of their then acquaintance. It's a sad story, as Lead Belly was the source for many songs, some of which, like "Goodnight, Irene," became wildly popular--but Lead Belly's inability to reliably meet commitments prevented him from benefiting as he might have.
But for Mrs. Martha Promise Ledbetter, Shreveport, Louisiana, and her charm and good humor, this book would not have been possible. p. xiv.
Lead Belly was the source for over 100 songs John and Alan Lomax collected--far more than anyone else.
Lead Belly was also a violent and lecherous man.
Lead Belly's chronology, pp. 2-64:
1885 Born Huddie Ledbetter, to Wess (d. 1920, p. 20) and Sallie (d. during 1930-1934, p. 34) Ledbetter, near Mooringsport, Louisiana (30 miles NW of Shreveport, near the Texas state line). pp. 3-4. 1900 Birth of Huddie's daughter, Arthur Mae, to his step-sister, Margaret. She was again pregnant a year later. Huddie taught himself to play the accordion and guitar. pp. 5-6. 1901-1917 Huddie married Lethe; worked in and around Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; farmed near New Boston, Texas; "rambled," principally. Played mandolin with Blind Lemon Jefferson on Hawaiian guitar. Huddie also played harmonica and bass fiddle. p. 9. Sentenced to a year on the Harrison County, Texas chain gang, for attacking a woman who turned him down. p. 10. Escaped prison; rambled, calling himself Walter Boyd. 1918-1925 In Texas penitentiary for murder. Pardoned by the governor, who liked his singing and dancing, after less than 7 years of a 30-year sentence. pp. 14-22. 1925-1926 Worked in Buick agency, Houston, Texas. 1926-1930 Lived near Mooringsport, Louisiana, worked for Gulf Refining Company. 1930-1934 In Louisiana penitentiary for assault with intent to kill. Pardoned by governor, who liked the recording of "Goodnight, Irene" he made for the Lomaxes in 1934. The Lomaxes first met him in prison in 1933. pp. 24-25, 31-33. 1935 Married Martha Promise; moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. 1936 This book published.