Long Way Home

I like this version of “500 Miles” so much I think I’ll post it (followed by one of the first versions of the old classic folk song). The Journeymen released it in 1961 and Bobby Bare relesed his in ‘63. It was also recorded by Peter Paul et Mary, The Kingston Trio and a host of other folkies in the mid-sixties. Trouble is, nobody seems to know for certain who wrote it, coulda bin Bare, West, Phillips, Williams, me….it’s a mystery.

The Hooters – 500 Miles YT post by ValorOfSoul

from the album: Hooterization A Retrospective – 1996

 

The Generally accepted “Original” version – The Journeymen – 1961
YT post by PCMusic75
Journeymen = John Phillips, Scott McKenzie and good ole Dick Weissman

 

 

 

Go Ahead – play it….live a little: Chords and lyrics from this here site:
Gm | Bb | Cm | Eb x2
Gm | F/D | Gm | F x2

Gm      Bb    Cm     Eb
If you miss the train I’m on, you will know that I am gone
    F        Eb F F
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
        Gm Bb
A hundred miles, a hundred miles,
        Cm Eb
A hundred miles, a hundred miles,
    F        Eb Gm F Gm F
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.

Gm
Not a shirt on my back not a penny to my name,
And the land that I once left is not my own.
Lord, I’m one, Lord, I’m two, Lord, I’m three, Lord, I’m four,
Lord I’m five hundred miles away from home.

Solo

A hundred tanks along the square, one man stands and stops them there,
Some day soon the tide will turn and I’ll be free.
Ill be free, I’ll be free, I’ll come home to my country,
Some day soon the tide will turn and I’ll be free.

If you miss the train I’m on, you will know that I am gone,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
Lord, I’m one, Lord, I’m two, Lord, I’m three, Lord, I’m four,
Lord I’m five hundred miles away from home.

Solo

I’ll be free, I’ll be free, I’ll come home to my country,
Lord I’m five hundred miles away from home.
Ooooh, you can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles …

Calvin and Townes

What an excellent song from this great pairing:

Townes Van Zandt and Calvin Russel – Waiting Around To Die

click here to view on YT

pic credit

Prine Time

John Prine is one of my favourite all time story-tellin performers. This is a special post of JP from back in 1980. Remember 1980? ♪All we are is just another brick in the wall….uh….yeah 1980.

John Prine – 1980

YT post by sdiehr00

 Lake Marie – Mr. John Prine – Philly Folk Fest-2004

Youtube post by Taylor510ceL9

John Prine now image credit

JP then credit

 

Going to Townes

Townes van Zandt was the same age as I am now when he died on January 1, 1997. He was fairly well known but I don’t think he got the attention he deserved.

Many people in the world blast the States for this and that and whatever but there are a number of American artists that have contributed so much through their work that it should make the American people proud. TvZ was one of those artists.

Townes was an exceptional song writer but here he is covering Richards/Jagger’s Dead Flowers. It is the best version of this song simply because it is TvZ.
 
Townes van Zandt – Dead flowers – 1991

YT post by musicfirstlove

And here is a Dutchman doing a very good cover of one of Townes’ songs:

To Live is To Fly – TVZ cover by Jacques Mees of The Netherlands

YT post by jacquesmees
 

 

Townes bio link.

Image source.

Bloomin’ Love

David Munyon is not well known but…should be.

David Munyon – “Love is like a flower” – Live 1998

yt post by rollercoaster1972

Levon Lives On

 

An early 45 recording of American Levon Helm and ‘The Canadian Squires’ not to be confused with Canadian band ‘The Squires’  - Neil Young’s band from Winnipeg, Canada from about the same era.

Read more about the early Band here.

YT post by canadian 45 legend tokensurfer

Story and other image credit

Irish Forever

On this St Patrick’s Day let us play……..how ’bout some good old Irish folk music with your very own ‘The Johnstons’.

The Curragh Of Kildare  

You Tube post by catalpa While you’re at it chc out his site. He has a fine collection of Irish music on his channel. That he does.

And you might want to read this story about The Johnstons.