(gentle upbeat music) - [Man] Produced in Athens at the Ohio University Telecommunications Center.

- [Narrator] The following program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission and through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council.

(upbeat music) - [Man] From Athens, Ohio, "Ramblin."

(upbeat music) With Dave Van Ronk.

(upbeat music) ♪ When I go by Baltimore ♪ ♪ Aint no carpet on my floor ♪ ♪ Come along and follow me ♪ ♪ We'll go down to Galilee ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Green, green rocky road ♪ ♪ Promenade in green ♪ ♪ Tell me who do you love ♪ ♪ Tell me who do you love ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ See that crow up in the sky ♪ ♪ He don't walk no he just fly ♪ ♪ He don't walk nor can he don't run ♪ ♪ Keep on flapping to the sun ♪ ♪ Green, green rocky road ♪ ♪ Promenade in green ♪ ♪ Tell me who do you love ♪ ♪ Tell me who do you love ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Little Miss Jane runnin' to the wall ♪ ♪ Don't you stumble don't you fall ♪ ♪ Don't you sing and don't you shout ♪ ♪ When I sing ♪ ♪ Come runnin' out ♪ ♪ Hollering, green, green rocky road ♪ ♪ Promenade in green ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Tell me who do you love ♪ ♪ Tell me who do you love ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Whoa yeah ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Hooka tooka soda cracker ♪ ♪ Does your mama chew tobacco ♪ ♪ If your mama chews tobacco ♪ ♪ Hooka tooka soda cracker ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) How are you going to argue with a position like that?

♪ Yeah ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ When I go by Baltimore ♪ ♪ Need no carpet on my floor ♪ ♪ Come along and follow me ♪ ♪ There's a man in Galilee ♪ ♪ Hollering, green, green rocky road ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Promenade in green ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Tell me who do you love ♪ ♪ Tell me who do you love ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) (audience applauds) Thank you.

I have a superstition, one amongst many, that if I don't do that once every night I work something horrible will happen to me.

This superstition serves one good purpose, at least that is, it makes me sing that song a lot and I love it.

And sometimes I forget to do it.

And invariably, something horrible happens to me or something horrible doesn't happen to me, but you've gotta believe in something.

(audience laughs) (gentle guitar music) ♪ Not a dollar, not a nickel ♪ ♪ Not a penny to my name ♪ ♪ I'm the king of tap city ♪ ♪ And I'm out of the game ♪ ♪ A nickel up, a nickel down ♪ ♪ Another nickel gone ♪ ♪ Ain't got a nickel left to carry me on ♪ ♪ If I ever get back on my feet ♪ ♪ I'll move from Saturday Alley up to Sunday Street ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I'll get a pair of dice that makes me seven all the time ♪ ♪ Gonna be living on chicken and wine ♪ ♪ I want caviar four star and Johnny Walker Black ♪ ♪ Six pretty women in my gold Cadillac ♪ ♪ I'm gonna move where the living is sweet ♪ ♪ From Saturday Alley up to Sunday Street, yes ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ My hands are shaking and I ain't feeling well ♪ ♪ From drinking King Kong liquor ♪ ♪ And cheap Muscatel ♪ ♪ But a little taste of bourbon ♪ ♪ And breakfast in bed ♪ ♪ And six million dollars can raise the dead ♪ ♪ Just me and the other elite ♪ ♪ Raisin' high class hell up on Sunday Street, yeah ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Everybody says I'm talking out of my head ♪ ♪ But nobody badmouths a man with the bread ♪ ♪ All the whores are gonna drop their drawers ♪ ♪ And say there goes the man that mugged Santa Claus ♪ ♪ It pays to be discreet ♪ ♪ When you're talking to the king of Sunday Street, yeah ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Not a dollar, not a nickel ♪ ♪ Not a penny to my name ♪ ♪ I'm the king of tap city ♪ ♪ And I'm out of the game ♪ ♪ A nickel up, a nickel down ♪ ♪ Another nickel gone ♪ ♪ I ain't got a nickel left to carry me on ♪ ♪ If I ever get back on my feet ♪ ♪ I'll move from Saturday Alley up to Sunday Street ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, yeah, yes ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) (audience applauds) (gentle guitar music) You know, that came to me in a sort of a spasm of good humor, hit me 1972, July 18th, as I recall.

(audience laughs) (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ He was a friend of mine ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ He was a friend of mine ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Never had no money ♪ ♪ To pay for his ride ♪ ♪ And he was a friend of mine ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ He never done, he never done no wrong ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ He never done ♪ ♪ He never done no wrong ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Thousand miles from home ♪ ♪ He never hurt no one ♪ ♪ He was a friend of mine ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ He died on the road ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ He died on the road ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Never had no money ♪ ♪ Or sufficient clothes ♪ ♪ He was a friend ♪ ♪ He was a friend of mine ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I stole away and cried ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I stole away and cried ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Never had no money ♪ ♪ And I can't be satisfied ♪ ♪ He was a friend ♪ ♪ He was a friend of mine ♪ ♪ He was ♪ ♪ He was a friend of mine ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Ah, he was ♪ ♪ He was a friend of mine ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ When I hear his name ♪ ♪ You know, I just can't keep from crying ♪ ♪ And he was a friend ♪ ♪ He was a friend of mine ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) (audience applauds) - [Dave Voiceover] Moving to The Village wasn't really a big decision.

I lived in Queens and I mean, most people have to run away from someplace to come to The Village, but all I had to do was hop out a subway.

And I hopped on the subway frequently, and I sort of moved in, in gradual stages.

I couldn't afford to live here when I first hit the scene, I guess in '51, '52, whatever it was.

I lived uptown for a while, lived on the East Side for a while, but I always had my eye on living in The Village per se.

And what I originally attracted me to it, of course, was it was a place where people my own age used to come and raise hell.

It was a very attractive feature, indeed.

I mean, I still live here and I suppose I raise my share of hell, I like to keep my hand in.

But now I like it because I'm just very, very comfortable here, because of the convenience.

It's really a very, very nice neighborhood to live in.

And except for tourists who get out of hand or something like that, it's a very peaceful neighborhood, albeit not a very quiet one.

And of course, New York City, the bars are up until 4:00 a.m.

But all over the neighborhood, scattered scissor and yawn, if you happen to be of that persuasion, there are after hours rooms where you could carry on the night's carryings on, until the dawns early light.

It's like W.C. Fields used to say, "It's regular joint."

(gentle guitar music) ♪ Great moments come to every man ♪ ♪ Some situation where he can achieve such fame ♪ ♪ That folks acclaim ♪ ♪ The very mention of his name ♪ ♪ A circus played in our town one day ♪ ♪ And three Bengal tigers got away ♪ ♪ The manager looked straight at me ♪ ♪ Says here is your opportunity ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Somebody has gotta go and get those cats ♪ ♪ Yes, somebody has gotta go ♪ ♪ Our tiger man is sick in bed ♪ ♪ So put on your hat and coat ♪ ♪ That's what the man said ♪ ♪ He said, the man who brings them back alive ♪ ♪ Our hero he's going to be ♪ ♪ It's a wonderful chance for somebody ♪ ♪ Somebody else, not me ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Two ivory bones with ebony dots ♪ ♪ Of to lead to cemetery plots a game last night ♪ ♪ Brought out a fight ♪ ♪ That ended up in pistol shots ♪ ♪ I was the furthest from the door ♪ ♪ The others all got out before upon the floor ♪ ♪ A man lay dead ♪ ♪ And through the transom ♪ ♪ Someone said someone ♪ ♪ Somebody's gotta stay behind ♪ ♪ Yes, somebody must remain ♪ ♪ And when the police arrive, explain ♪ ♪ Why this brother isn't alive ♪ ♪ Yes the man who stays and sees it through ♪ ♪ Will gain notoriety ♪ ♪ Oh, it's a wonderful chance for somebody ♪ ♪ Somebody else, not me ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I did a little time in World War II ♪ ♪ When then Panzer tanks came rolling through ♪ ♪ In the middle of a minefield beneath barbed wire ♪ ♪ They pinned us down with machine gun fire ♪ ♪ There was bullets flying through the air ♪ ♪ And a shrapnel shraping in everywhere ♪ ♪ Our captain never showed no fear, says he ♪ ♪ I need a volunteer ♪ ♪ Somebody has gotta storm that hill ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, somebody has gotta go ♪ ♪ Well, you just charge up that hill ♪ ♪ Where those minds are laid and blow them to hell ♪ ♪ With a hand grenade, right, yes ♪ ♪ The man who takes out hill, he said ♪ ♪ Will live with history ♪ ♪ I'd rather live in Hackensack ♪ ♪ It's gotta be somebody else not me ♪ (audience cheering) That song describes my own world view with a precision that comes very, very close to mathematical.

Let's see.

(gentle guitar music) ♪ I woke up today to find ♪ ♪ The frost perched on the town ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ It hovered on a frozen sky ♪ ♪ And gobbled summer down ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ When the sun turns trader cold ♪ ♪ And naked trees are standing in a shivering road ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I get the urge for going ♪ ♪ But I never seem to go ♪ ♪ Yes, I get the urge for going ♪ ♪ When meadow grass has turned brown ♪ ♪ And summertime is falling down ♪ ♪ And winter closing in ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ I had a girl in summertime with summer colored skin ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ And not another man in town ♪ ♪ My Darling's heart could win ♪ ♪ But when the leaves came trembling down ♪ ♪ And bully winds did push down faces in the snow ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ She got the urge for going and I had to you let her go ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Yes, she got the urge for going ♪ ♪ When meadow grass was turning brown ♪ ♪ And summertime is falling down ♪ ♪ And winter closing in ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ The warriors of winter give a cold triumphant shout ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ And all that stays is dying ♪ ♪ All that lives is getting out ♪ ♪ See the geese in chevron flight ♪ ♪ Straining and flapping on before the snow ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ They've got the urge for going ♪ ♪ And they've got the wings to go ♪ ♪ Yes, they get the urge for going ♪ ♪ When meadow grass turning brown ♪ ♪ Summertime is falling down ♪ ♪ And winter closing in ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Apply the fire with kindling ♪ ♪ Pull the blankets to my chin ♪ ♪ I'll locked the vagrant winter out ♪ ♪ And bolt my wandering in ♪ ♪ I like to call back summertime ♪ ♪ And have her stay for just another month or so ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ But she's got the urge for going ♪ ♪ And I guess she'll have to go ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Yes, she gets the urge for going ♪ ♪ When meadow grass has turned brown ♪ ♪ All her empires falling down ♪ ♪ And winter closing in ♪ (gentle guitar music) (audience applauds) Thank you.

Joni Mitchell wrote that.

It's the first song I ever heard her do.

It was before she made her first record, as a matter of fact, it was at a TV show in a college town in Winnipeg, my God Winnipeg, in February.

(upbeat guitar music) ♪ I remember once September ♪ ♪ Cold and frost night ♪ ♪ Mr. Stackerlee and Billy Lyons ♪ ♪ Had a great fight ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money learn to lose ♪ ♪ Stackerlee shot six bits ♪ ♪ Billy Lyons bet he passed ♪ ♪ Stackerlee out with his 45 ♪ ♪ Says you've done shot your last ♪ ♪ Crying when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ ♪ A woman comes a running ♪ ♪ Fell down on her knees ♪ ♪ Crying, Lord, God, Mr. Stackerlee ♪ ♪ Don't shoot my brother please ♪ ♪ Crying when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ ♪ Talk about some gambler ♪ ♪ Oughta seen Richard Lee ♪ ♪ Shot $1,000 and come out on a three ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ (upbeat guitar music) ♪ Stackerlee got his pistol ♪ ♪ Boy, he got it fast ♪ ♪ Shot poor Billy through and through ♪ ♪ And he broke a looking glass ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ ♪ Oh the deputy says to the sheriff ♪ ♪ You want him dead or alive ♪ ♪ How in the world can we bring him in ♪ ♪ When he totes that 45 ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ ♪ You know, the deputy leaves the office ♪ ♪ Put his pistol on the shelf ♪ ♪ You wanna go and get that bad man ♪ ♪ You better do it by yourself ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ (upbeat guitar music) ♪ Well, they sent for the militia ♪ ♪ Wagons come ♪ ♪ Loaded up with pistols ♪ ♪ And a great big Gatling Gun ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ ♪ Oh, the judge says, Mr. Stackerlee ♪ ♪ Mr. bad man Stackerlee ♪ ♪ I'm gonna hang your body up ♪ ♪ And set your spirit free ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ ♪ Standing on his gallows ♪ ♪ Head way up high ♪ ♪ 12 o'clock, we killed him, I was glad to see him die ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ ♪ There's a great big rumbling underground ♪ ♪ Mama, what is that ♪ ♪ Ain't nothin' but old Stackerlee down in hell ♪ ♪ With his John B. Stetson hat ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ ♪ Stack says to the devil, devil, lets just have some fun ♪ ♪ You stab me with your pitchfork ♪ ♪ And I'll shoot you with my gun ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ ♪ Well, Stack says to the devil ♪ ♪ Put your pitchfork on the shelf ♪ ♪ I'm the bad man they call Stackerlee ♪ ♪ I'm gonna rule hell by myself ♪ ♪ Crying, when you lose your money, learn to lose ♪ (upbeat guitar music) (audience cheering) Now that is a bad man.

(audience laughs) I've always, you know, admired and looked up, as it were a fan, to Stackerlee, and tried to with my humble best.

(laughing) (gentle guitar music) (audience member shouting indistinctly) You're flat.

(audience laughs) (laughing) Capo?

(audience laughs) That's the worry of winter over there, isn't it?

I noticed the cold triumphant shot in the middle of.

Us folk singers get our kicks, don't worry about me.

(audience laughs) (laughing) (gentle guitar music) ♪ Them that's got shall get ♪ ♪ And them that's not shall lose ♪ ♪ So the Bible says ♪ ♪ And it still is news your mama may have ♪ ♪ Papa may have ♪ ♪ God bless the child that's got his own ♪ ♪ That's got his own ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ The rich gets rich ♪ ♪ While the weak ones fade ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Empty pockets don't ever make the grade ♪ ♪ Mama may have ♪ ♪ Papa may have ♪ ♪ God bless the child that's got his own ♪ ♪ That's got his own ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Money, you've got lots of friends ♪ ♪ Crowding round the door ♪ ♪ Funny when you're gone, spending ends ♪ ♪ They don't come no more ♪ ♪ Rich relations may give crust of bread and such ♪ ♪ You can help yourself ♪ ♪ But don't take too much ♪ ♪ Oh mama may have ♪ ♪ Papa may have ♪ ♪ God bless the child that's got his own ♪ ♪ That's got his own ♪ ♪ Da, da, da, ba, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, da, dam, dam ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, dub, a, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Day, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, dub, a, da, dub, da, da ♪ ♪ Dub, da, da ♪ ♪ Dub, da, da, da, da, da, dam ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, da, bay, yeah, da, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, dub, a, da, dub, da, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, da, bay, yeah, da, da ♪ ♪ Yeah, money ♪ ♪ You've got lots of friends ♪ ♪ Crowding round the door ♪ ♪ Oh funny when you're gone and spending ends ♪ ♪ They don't come no more ♪ ♪ Rich relations they give ♪ ♪ Crust of bread and such ♪ ♪ You can help yourself ♪ ♪ But don't take too much ♪ ♪ Mama may have ♪ ♪ Papa may have ♪ ♪ God bless the child that's got his own ♪ ♪ Yeah got his own ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) (audience cheering) - [Dave Voiceover] So this is Washington Square in Greenwich Village, it's right at the foot of Fifth Avenue.

It's Stanford White's Washington Square Arch originally made of wood.

They liked it so much, they recommissioned it marble, once in a while, they even clean it.

It doesn't really look at now, but in the '50s, going back into the '40s, so I understand, this was the center of the folk music revival in the United States, every Sunday afternoon singers would come from all over the city, people show up from quite literally all over the country, and occasionally visiting firemen from all over the world would come bring their guitars and banjos or what have you, and stand here in the circle.

And there'd be Bluegrass and Blues.

There'd be of course the inevitable singers of, "Hey lolly lolly lolly lo."

And of course, there'd be the, "Hava Nagila" crowd over in one corner, the "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" crowd over in the other corner.

And for a long time, it attracted not too terribly much attention.

And of course, as soon as Washington Square became a kind of a, I don't know, in a small way, I suppose sort of a national symbol, it went into decline, as far as the folk music around there was concerned and so on.

There were always the bongo players.

There were always the bongo players and they proliferated in great numbers, brought their friends who had conga drums.

And God help you, if you were a mandolinist, you couldn't hear yourself think.

And so they pretty much died down by the end of the '50s.

By then though the clubs were starting to open up, the coffee houses.

And there were places to go and play.

You see that was the main problem in the '50s, there was no place to go and play and break out your guitar and start to sing.

And everybody would want you to either move along or put away your guitar or possibly die violently.

(laughing) It was a big problem.

(gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I blew my wad playing seven-card-stud ♪ ♪ I was playing for money, they was playing for blood ♪ ♪ On the way back home the big winner got mugged ♪ ♪ Now he's just another loser like me ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ I got took for my Hoosers ♪ ♪ That shah got crowned ♪ ♪ Now his growin' been bound ♪ ♪ And he's just another loser like me ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ See that kid, he's sitting back at the bar ♪ ♪ Picking up a storm on a Martin guitar ♪ ♪ That poor fool thinks he's gonna be a star ♪ ♪ But he's just another loser like me ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ Some are raggers, some are bluesers ♪ ♪ Makin' disco sounds in a Hojo lounge ♪ ♪ With a bunch of other losers like me ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Love has busted up this cat for sure ♪ ♪ He's crying like a baby at his baby's door ♪ ♪ That poor fool don't know what he's crying for ♪ ♪ He's just another loser like me ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ Oh, can't say no to cruisers ♪ ♪ When she says, when he'll be back again ♪ ♪ And he's just another loser like me ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ There's a hobo up in heaven on the golden street ♪ ♪ He'll panhandle every angel that he'll meet ♪ ♪ He'd hock his harp for some Sneaky Pete ♪ ♪ But he's just another loser like me ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ Some are dopers, some are boozers ♪ ♪ All the muscatel is down in hell ♪ ♪ And he's just another loser like me ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ When God appeared to Saint John Wayne ♪ ♪ He told him, Duke, I'm a-coming again ♪ ♪ Life is just a wagon train ♪ ♪ And I'm glad you're not a loser like me ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ Losers ♪ ♪ Ah, 10 gallon bruisers ♪ ♪ From Genghis Khan to the Fuller Brush Man ♪ ♪ They're just a bunch of losers like me ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) Thank you.

(audience cheering) Thank you.

Yeah.

Oh my God.

(audience laughs) (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Candy man ♪ ♪ Salty dog ♪ ♪ Candy man ♪ ♪ Salty dog ♪ ♪ Candy man ♪ ♪ Salty dog ♪ ♪ You won't be my candy man, I won't be your salty dog ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Little red light ♪ ♪ Little green light ♪ ♪ Little red light ♪ ♪ Little green light ♪ ♪ Little red light ♪ ♪ Little green light ♪ ♪ Stop on the red and you go on the green ♪ ♪ Don't you mess with Mr. Inbetween ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Run and get the buggy, get the baby some beer, aha ♪ ♪ Oh, run and get the buggy, get the baby some beer, aha ♪ ♪ Oh, run and get the buggy, get the baby some beer, aha ♪ ♪ I'd do anything in this god-almighty world ♪ ♪ To keep my candy man home ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Ginger bread man ♪ ♪ Santa Claus ♪ ♪ Ginger bread man ♪ ♪ Santa Claus ♪ ♪ Ginger bread man ♪ ♪ Santa Claus ♪ ♪ Ginger bread man with raisins for his eyes ♪ ♪ I'm gonna eat him just as quick as I can, yeah ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Ba ♪ ♪ Ba, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, da, ba, da, deep , pa, de ♪ ♪ Dap, ba, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, ba, da, da, da, da, da, ba, da, da ♪ ♪ Wap, da, da, deep, ah, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Pa, da, da, pa, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Pa, da, da, pa, da, da, pa, da, deep, ba, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, ba, da, da, da, da, da, ba, da, da ♪ ♪ Whoa, ba, da, da, ba, da ♪ ♪ Doop ♪ ♪ Big leg Ida ♪ ♪ Big leg Ida ♪ ♪ Big leg Ida ♪ ♪ Big leg, big leg Ida ♪ ♪ Oh big leg Ida ♪ ♪ Oh big leg Ida ♪ ♪ I love that big leg Ida ♪ ♪ God knows I do ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Peppermint stick ♪ ♪ Big brass band ♪ ♪ Peppermint stick ♪ ♪ Big brass ♪ ♪ Big brass band ♪ ♪ Oh peppermint, peppermint stick ♪ ♪ And your big brass band ♪ ♪ I wish I was in New Orleans ♪ ♪ Oh sitting on a candy stand, yes, yes ♪ ♪ Ba, da, da, ba, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) (audience cheering) Yeah, learned that from Reverend Gary Davis.

Reverend Davis didn't sing that too much, he used to play it a lot.

He loved to run through the guitar thing.

I don't do it quite the same as he did, I never could quite get the way he did the last four measures, it was quite beyond me, even though he did try to show me repeatedly, over and over and over again, the man had infinite patience and apparently I was gifted with infinite stupidity.

(audience laughs) (laughing) I never did.

(Dave coughing) ♪ Fly silly seabird ♪ ♪ No dreams can possess you ♪ ♪ No voices can blame you ♪ ♪ For sun on your wings ♪ ♪ My gentle relations ♪ ♪ Have names they must call me ♪ ♪ For loving the freedom ♪ ♪ Of all flying things ♪ ♪ My dreams like the seagulls fly ♪ ♪ Out of reach ♪ ♪ Out of cry ♪ ♪ I came to the city ♪ ♪ And lived like old Crusoe ♪ ♪ On an island of noise ♪ ♪ In a cobblestone sea ♪ ♪ And the beaches were concrete ♪ ♪ And the stars paid a light bill ♪ ♪ And the blossoms hung false ♪ ♪ From their store window trees ♪ ♪ My dreams with the seagulls fly ♪ ♪ Out of reach ♪ ♪ Out of cry ♪ ♪ I cried to a seagull ♪ ♪ Who danced on these waters ♪ ♪ And catches his silver-fine dinner alone ♪ ♪ Crying where are the footsteps ♪ ♪ That danced on these beaches ♪ ♪ And the hands that cast wishes ♪ ♪ That sank like a stone ♪ ♪ My dreams like the seagulls fly out of reach ♪ ♪ Out of cry ♪ ♪ Out of the city ♪ ♪ And down to the seaside ♪ ♪ The sun on my shoulder ♪ ♪ And wind in my hair ♪ ♪ But sandcastles crumble ♪ ♪ And hunger is human ♪ ♪ And humans have hunger ♪ ♪ For dreams they can't share ♪ ♪ My dreams like the seagulls fly ♪ ♪ Out of reach ♪ ♪ Out of cry ♪ (audience applauds) (gentle guitar music) ♪ How would you like to swing on a star ♪ ♪ And carry moonbeams home in a jar ♪ ♪ And be better off than you are ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Or would you rather be a fish ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ A fish won't do anything, but swim in a brook ♪ ♪ He can't write a poem or read a book ♪ ♪ To fool the people is his only thought ♪ ♪ And though he's slippery, he still gets caught ♪ ♪ By the way, if you don't clean up your dish ♪ ♪ You may grow up to be a fish ♪ ♪ Oh would you like to swing on a star ♪ ♪ And carry moonbeams home in a jar ♪ ♪ And be better off than you are ♪ ♪ Or would you rather be a mule ♪ ♪ A mule is an animal with long funny ears ♪ ♪ Kicks up at anything he hears ♪ ♪ His back is brawny but his brain is weak ♪ ♪ Just plain stupid with a stubborn streak ♪ ♪ And by the way, if you hate to go to school ♪ ♪ You may grow up to be a mule ♪ ♪ Oh would you like to swing on a star ♪ ♪ And carry moonbeams home in a jar ♪ ♪ And be better off than you are ♪ ♪ Or would you rather be a pig ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ A pig is an animal with dirt on his face ♪ ♪ His shoes are a terrible disgrace ♪ ♪ He's sloppy and he's dirty and he's grunting in fun ♪ ♪ And when he talks all he does is grunt ♪ ♪ And if you don't care a feather of a fig ♪ ♪ You may grow up to be a pig ♪ ♪ And all the monkeys aren't in the zoo ♪ ♪ Every day you meet quite a few ♪ ♪ So you see it's all up to you ♪ ♪ You can be better than you are ♪ ♪ You could be swingin' on a star ♪ ♪ You could be swingin' on a star ♪ ♪ You could be swingin' on a star ♪ (audience cheering) - [Dave Voiceover] About around 1960 or so, when coffee houses started to open up and well, there had been coffee houses all along, but they were places where oddly enough, people used to go and drink coffee.

This however ceased to be the case by 1960 or '61 or so, coffee houses were hiring all kinds of entertainment.

For the most part, initially, it was poets of the beat persuasion.

And the Gaslight was one of the pioneers.

I started to, my first performance was another place called Cafe Bizarre on Third Street.

Probably in 1959.

I didn't go into the Gaslight probably until 1960 or '61.

And prior to that, Ray Bremser and a bunch of other fairly well-known beat poets, were reading down there.

'Til the day that the Gaslight closed, it was known as the Gaslight Poetry Cafe, although good five years must have passed from the time that the last poet performed at the Gaslight Poetry Cafe and the time it closed its doors finally.

But there were dozens and dozens and dozens.

I mean, we once tried to count how many coffee houses there were, I will say between Fourth Street and Bleecker Street and MacDougal Street and Thompson Street, the area of three square blocks, and just tried to count how many places there were, where some form or another of live entertainment was going on, and we couldn't do it.

It was fantastic in terms of places to work, there wasn't much money, Lord knows, most of them you pass the basket around, after a show, and then the performers would divvy up the take at the end of the evening.

On a good night, it was enough to keep body and soul together, maybe a little more than that, maybe a little less.

And then shortly after that, The Bitter End opened up, the other, that's still there.

The Village Gate, it's been going since those time.

But all those little places, The Cafe Why Not, and The Third Side and so on, you know, names, one has to really dredge ones memory for, there was so many of them, and they supported an awful lot of talent.

Busy, busy, busy.

(gentle guitar music) ♪ Every time me and my old woman go uptown ♪ ♪ The police come in and knock me down ♪ ♪ I know it does sound a little farfetched ♪ ♪ But that's the way the lyric goes and I'm stuck ♪ ♪ Yeah babe ♪ ♪ Come here quick ♪ ♪ This old cocaine 'bout to make me sick ♪ ♪ Yeah cocaine ♪ ♪ Run all 'round my brain ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Yonder come my woman, dressed in red ♪ ♪ She's got a shot-gun, says she's gonna kill me dead ♪ ♪ It won't hurt a bit ♪ ♪ My strength is the strength of 10 ♪ ♪ Because I am pure ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Walking down Beal Street, turn up Maine ♪ ♪ Looking for a woman ♪ ♪ Sells cocaine ♪ ♪ Kill two birds with one stone ♪ ♪ In a manner of speaking ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Your a woman says you ain't treating her right ♪ ♪ Just take a snort to coke and turn out the light ♪ ♪ Makes you feel like Superman ♪ ♪ For the first five minutes ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ From there on in it's her problem ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I went to bed last night, I was singing a song ♪ ♪ Woke up this morning and my nose was gone ♪ ♪ Can't have everything ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ My mucus membrane is just a memory ♪ ♪ Sometimes I think that coke is bad for me ♪ ♪ And I stop thinking ♪ ♪ There is no problem so big ♪ ♪ That you can't run away from it ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Cocaine is for horses and not for men ♪ ♪ They tell me it'll kill me ♪ ♪ But they won't say when ♪ ♪ I never asked them ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Oh yeah, baby, oh come here quick ♪ ♪ This old coke came by to make me sick, yeah ♪ ♪ Cocaine running around my brain ♪ Thank you.

(audience cheering) (gentle upbeat guitar music) It's one of the first songs I ever heard Bob Dylan do.

(gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I'm out here ♪ ♪ Thousand miles from my home ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Walkin' a road ♪ ♪ Many men have gone down ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Seeing your world and your places and things ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Your princes, peasants and your paupers and kings ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Hey Woody and I wrote you a song ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ 'Bout a funny old world that's comin' along ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ It's sick and it's hungry, it's tired and torn ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ It looks like it's dying and it's hardly been born ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Hey, Woody Guthrie, but I know that you know ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ All the things I'm saying and many times more ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I'm saying them again ♪ ♪ Just can't say enough ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ 'Cause there's not many men ♪ ♪ Done the things that you done ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Here's to Cisco and Sonny and Leadbelly too ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ To all the good people that traveled with you ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Here's to the hands and the hearts of the men ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ That come ♪ ♪ With the dust and are gone with the wind ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I'm leaving tomorrow, but I could leave today ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Somewhere down ♪ ♪ The road someday ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ The very last thing that I'd want to do ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Is to say I've been hittin' some hard travelin' too ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I'm out here, miles from my home ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Walkin' a road other men have gone down ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I'm seein' your world and your places and things ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Princes, peasants, your paupers and kings ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) (audience cheering) Thank you.

(audience cheering) (audience whistling) (audience cheering) - [Narrator] The preceding program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission and through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council.