When you were in elementary school, did you sing a song that went; "This land is your land, this land is my land....this land was made for you and me?" Yah, that song was written by Woody Guthrie, Arlo's dad. There's a long folk music tradition in Arlo's background.
Some of these lyrics have a definite double meaning. Talking about “the disappearing railroad blues” So many of the old classic trains were disappearing. Trains that used to have names and were part of American culture. He’s giving the “City of New Orleans ” a voice here. The last verse was a good-bye…”Good night America, how are ya?” It was also an anti-war statement. Arlo was quite the anti-war activist. We all knew what the subtext meant when he said “goodnight America, how are ya”. We weren’t very good at that time at all.
When we learned "This Land Is your Land " in school, it was presented as a "patriotic" song. It wasn't until years later that i learned that Woody wrote it as a protest song.
I didn't know that Woody wrote "This Land is Your Land." Yes, here in Canada, we sang that song, and we also sang "City of New Orleans." Pretty cool, father and son tunes!
Arlo may not have had #1 hits, but back my hippy days, everyone was listening to Arlo. We still have his albums, and Alice’s Restaurant is played EVERY Thanksgiving😎
This was Arlo's biggest hit, but as noted by others, was written by Steve Goodman, a singer-songwriter from Chicago who was very well-known locally, and was just on the verge of national recognition, when he died of leukemia in his 30s. Many of us who were Steve's contemporaries were familiar with The City of New Orleans, which is the train one would take from Chicago to the University of Illinois campus in Champaign-Urbana. It was exactly as Steve describes it, once a glorious ride from Chicago to NOLA, but by the '70s, a decrepit, sad ride. Unfortunately, most of the rest of Steve's catalogue remains unknown, but has lots of great songs. He was the owner of a bar with live music called Somebody Else's Troubles, from the title of one of his songs, on Lincoln Ave in Chicago, across from the Biograph Theater where John Dillinger was famously shot down. He frequently played there, and he had a relationship with Jethro Burns, of Homer & Jethro fame, a fabulous old-time mandolin player, who was still great but very elderly. Wonderful memories.
I grew up listening to Steve Goodman and many others in Chicago on WFMT’s Midnight Special every Saturday evening! He truly was a genius, gone far too soon.
Arlo was playing the piano here. That's what made it so beautiful. Steve Goodman can be credited for writing this song which told a wonderful story regarding the days of riding trains. Steve asked Arlo if he would listen to a song that he's written, so Arlo told him he'd listen as long as the beer he was drinking would last. When Steve finished, Arlo asked his permission to record it. Other artists and groups recorded it later.
@@davidleatherneck I mention the Cubs because of the following touching performance at Wrigley Field, shortly before Steve died. ua-cam.com/video/7xBxZGQ1dJk/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
❤❤❤ being the son of a Pullman porter, I've always loved this song. Have the sheet music for guitar and piano. Judy Collins does a rollicking cover of Arlo's classic hit.
When you understand Arlo's young life and people that visited his home as a kid, you will understand where he got his style and fantastic guitar playing skills. Motorcycle song and Comin' into Los Angeles are also fun songs in his bag.
Arlo does a live version of this with Pete Seeger. He tells the story of this song. Very humorous. Arlo is a masterful storryteller, which is what folk music is all about
Woody's spirit lives on thru Arlo, for sure! "Alice's Restaurant", the full length version, is a Thanksgiving tradition that I post every year on FB. Wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it! He also played Woodstock, you might want to check out "Coming Into Los Angeles" from that concert. He did't have that may hits because he had his own unique style that wasn't exactly top 40 material. "The Motorcycle Song" is another good one. Happy Birthday Arlo! 🥳
His Dad, Woody, is a folk legend who influenced many including Bob Dylan. City of New Orleans refers to a train that travels between Chicago and New Orleans. The train still runs, AMTRAK, daily.
Arlo is amazing. He writes songs, plays the piano ,keyboards, guitars. He jokes that his songs never made the radio...they were too long. He's an amazing performer and person. Thank you for playing this song!!
Another incredible railroad song is Gordon Lightfoot's "Canadian Railroad Trilogy". He was commissioned to write something to celebrate the Canadian Centennial and came up with a masterpiece.
Ahh...Summer 1972. So much great music then. I turned 13 that July, and this was one of my favorites. Everytime it came on the radio I cranked it up! And to this day its on a playlist and I play it quite frequently in the car. And so happy we still have TRAINS! They didnt dissappear after all! 😊
Arlo's dad Woody did the folk song "This land is your land. This land is my land, from California to the..." We all sang it in Music Class late '50s/early '60s
This is a blast from the past. Arlo had that Dylan vibe but also sounds like his dad Woody. He was at the end of the folk singer era for me. Love these lyrics. Still loving it after 50+ years. ❤
Nice pick, Bob! ❤️ I've played cards and had drinks with strangers in a club car, this brought it all back. Thanks to Sal as well for hearing and enjoying.
At 74 years old I can remember when the railroad announced that they were discontinuing the Chicago to New Orleans run due to lack of ridership. Goodman wrote this song, Guthrie recorded it which sparked a national reaction and debate that was so strong that the railroad rescinded its decision. The “City of New Orleans” run is still in service to this day!
Saw Arlo perform this live at the first concert for Walden Woods in Worcester MA back in 1991. Was supposed to be a Don Henley concert but he organized it into a benefit to help save the Walden Woods, Place where Henry David Thoreau wrote one of his most famous works. Was a great show even featuring a mini Eagles Reunion of Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Timothy B. Schmidt doing a whole set of 8 or so Eagles tunes.
Oh, I do love this song! As a kid I never paid attention to the lyrics, I just liked the feel of the piece. Then, as I got older, I fell in love with the poetry of the words, painting a vivid mental image.
years ago I took my small boys to visit their grandparents, by train. Not this train, but my babes fell asleep rocking to the gentle beat just the same. "Through the Mississippi darkness, rolling down to the sea". Perfect lyric.
There is a wonderful video (on YT) of Arlo and his group, performing this song, in front of a live audience, in 1993. Absolutely worth a view/listen. The songwriter, Steve Goodman, fought leukemia for a number of years. He lost the battle in 1984, at age 36.
My grandfather, my father’s father, was a conductor on the Illinois Central/City Of New Orleans. During the Great Depression he would stop along the way and toss bags of candy to children who ran to see the train passing by, which earned him the nickname Candy. I’ve always loved this song.
Steve Goodman definitely rode this train. His description is so accurate. I rode this train during my college days in the late 1960’s. This song evokes so many memories.
I'm a CSX Engineer. so is was my dad. I play this song in the cab every time time we cross the St. Marys... Certain train have name (M) like certain ships have names (F)
Brings back memories. As a kid playing on the RR tracks. Hearing those Steam engines coming down the tracks. Late at night hearing that Steam whistle sound thru the night. Good days back then. Thanks.
Arlos father was a huge influence on people during the depression. Woody was accused of all kinds of things in reality he was just telling the truth.....in song...
This song gives me SO many memories. And it may sound dumb. Back in the 70's, most TV stations did not have 24 hour programming, and went "off the air". I don't know if it was all channels, but at least some, around here, had this picture on the screen., and music would play. I don't recall how to describe the picture. Sort of a bullseye? (Not really though). But when I'd get up pretty early, like on a day off from school, I'd turn on this particular station, before it was officially "back on", and frequently this song would be one of the songs playing. VERY frequently. Anyway, that is what this song ALWAYS makes me think of.
Got to ride TCONO many years ago coming home to Chicago for Christmas. This song was one of my late brother’s favorites. Miss you bro; hearing it again made me think of you.😢
Steve Goodman was a wonderful writer of story songs who was gone way too soon. If you every get a chance, listen to one of Steve's albums. You will love his wonderful acoustic story-songs.
This song, and Arlo's landmark hit song ALICE'S RESTAURANT are his most recognizable. The film ALICE'S RESTAURANT (1969), starring Arlo Guthrie, is a Thanksgiving cult classic, and explains the lengthy song, line-by-line.
Managed to finally see Arlo and his band/family perform just before the COVID lockdown and just a few weeks before he retired from touring. One of the best nights I’ve ever had at a concert.
Jim Croce covered This Land Is Your Land and lots of older folk songs on The Faces Ive Been that came out after in 1975 after his death. Also a couple railroad songs, Railroads and Riverboats and Railroad Song
I love The Highwaymens' version of this song. The Highwayman were a "supergroup" consisting of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. (In case you want to do a comparison type of thing!)Btw, I still have my vinyl of Hobo's Lullaby! Gee I keep coming back to add something: There is a movie about the life of Woody Guthrie featuring David Carradine in an Oscar-nominated performance, the film is titled "Bound For Glory."
Thanks for the reaction, G. One of my favorite folk guys!! This song is awesome, and I like this version more than others I have heard. His "Hobo's Lullaby" and "The Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys" are both excellent albums. Arlo makes me feel like on the train. He may not have charted many songs, but I can guarantee he had his following.
"Alice’s Restaurant" is an epic album, film & story. I used to insist friends listened to the whole "Massacre", please try it out. Also "The Motorcycle Song" .
Alice's Restaurant is ALWAYS played on Thanksgiving in my house. A new generational tradition. He may not have had hits, but he is a darned good storyteller.
This is such a pure and beautiful song. It came out when I was going through a rather rough patch in my life and listening to this song helped me get through it. I will also suggest that you give a listen to Alice's Restaurant. 50 years later and it is still played every Thanksgiving on a local radio station, usually twice that day to make sure people can give it (yet another) listen.
I really love this song- no one else has reacted to it that I know-you should check out Alice’s Restaurant comedy gold especially around Thanksgiving time
Arlo was good but his dad is a legitimate American legend, the spokesman of the common man Woody is worth a dive, good roots music. Bound For Glory is a good movie about Woody that starred David Caradine and also worth a watch. Great reaction per usual. P.S. That album title is one of Woody's songs. He chronicled the Depression, labor movement and snippets of history like few others.
The story goes that Steve Goodman hung around the club that Arlo was playing at, and through the manager of the club Arlo was told this kid wanted to play a song for Arlo. Arlo jokingly recounts the story saying he didn't want to hear anyone else's song after a long night playing his own songs at the club, but I'm sure Arlo being the nicest guy you ever met must've agreed to it readily. So Steve plays him this song for Arlo. Arlo, who was a little more known then Steve at the time adopted this song for his sets and on an album.
“But all the towns and people seem To fade into a bad dream And the steel rail still ain't heard the news”. That stanza always burned a memory of the mid to late 70s malaise this country was going through. Gas lines crunch, high inflation, acid rain, and new ice age scares, Iranian hostages, the cities and towns of the Midwest rusting away.
When you were in elementary school, did you sing a song that went; "This land is your land, this land is my land....this land was made for you and me?" Yah, that song was written by Woody Guthrie, Arlo's dad. There's a long folk music tradition in Arlo's background.
Some of these lyrics have a definite double meaning. Talking about “the disappearing railroad blues” So many of the old classic trains were disappearing. Trains that used to have names and were part of American culture. He’s giving the “City of New Orleans ” a voice here. The last verse was a good-bye…”Good night America, how are ya?”
It was also an anti-war statement. Arlo was quite the anti-war activist. We all knew what the subtext meant when he said “goodnight America, how are ya”. We weren’t very good at that time at all.
When we learned "This Land Is your Land " in school, it was presented as a "patriotic" song. It wasn't until years later that i learned that Woody wrote it as a protest song.
@@KevinRCarr Arlo's son Gabe also performs Family - gotta love that
Woody even wrote a poem about Fred Trump's racial discrimination policies, which have since been set to music.
I didn't know that Woody wrote "This Land is Your Land." Yes, here in Canada, we sang that song, and we also sang "City of New Orleans."
Pretty cool, father and son tunes!
Arlo may not have had #1 hits, but back my hippy days, everyone was listening to Arlo. We still have his albums, and Alice’s Restaurant is played EVERY Thanksgiving😎
Nobody eats before Alice in our home,on Thanksgiving.
Same!!!
You should check out Alice’s Restaurant, which is an 18-minute long story/song, and which is an out-and-out masterpiece.
100%. Laugh out loud funny and a Thanksgiving tradition for us.
I came to recommend this as well.
The best thing that goes with turkey on Thanksgiving.
@@bubsmomma Our family too!
Good song!!!
And very much instructive about the Vietnam War draft process.
Happy Birthday Arlo Guthrie, he turned 77 today.
"The Motorcycle Song" by Arlo Guthrie is a fantastic song, I highly recommend it.
My favourite!
I don't want a pickle......
I just wanna ride on my motor-cikle
And I don’t want to die, just want to ride on my motor cy……………….cle. The fractured rhyme just utterly delights me.
The pickle song.
Alice's Restaurant is well worth listening to, but LONG! His dad Woody is behind the American Classic THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
Arlo’s is my favourite version of this song.
Mine, too! In fact, it's one of my favorite songs overall.
This was Arlo's biggest hit, but as noted by others, was written by Steve Goodman, a singer-songwriter from Chicago who was very well-known locally, and was just on the verge of national recognition, when he died of leukemia in his 30s. Many of us who were Steve's contemporaries were familiar with The City of New Orleans, which is the train one would take from Chicago to the University of Illinois campus in Champaign-Urbana. It was exactly as Steve describes it, once a glorious ride from Chicago to NOLA, but by the '70s, a decrepit, sad ride. Unfortunately, most of the rest of Steve's catalogue remains unknown, but has lots of great songs. He was the owner of a bar with live music called Somebody Else's Troubles, from the title of one of his songs, on Lincoln Ave in Chicago, across from the Biograph Theater where John Dillinger was famously shot down. He frequently played there, and he had a relationship with Jethro Burns, of Homer & Jethro fame, a fabulous old-time mandolin player, who was still great but very elderly. Wonderful memories.
I grew up listening to Steve Goodman and many others in Chicago on WFMT’s Midnight Special every Saturday evening! He truly was a genius, gone far too soon.
Arlo was playing the piano here. That's what made it so beautiful. Steve Goodman can be credited for writing this song which told a wonderful story regarding the days of riding trains. Steve asked Arlo if he would listen to a song that he's written, so Arlo told him he'd listen as long as the beer he was drinking would last. When Steve finished, Arlo asked his permission to record it. Other artists and groups recorded it later.
All credit to Steve Goodman, who was a brilliant song writer and excellent guitarist... and Cubs fan.
@@CCDzine Nobodys perfect 😉
Buffett did a couple of Goodmans songs!
Cubs? Well, Arlo was more than a one hit wonder. LOL.
@@davidleatherneck I mention the Cubs because of the following touching performance at Wrigley Field, shortly before Steve died.
ua-cam.com/video/7xBxZGQ1dJk/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
❤❤❤ being the son of a Pullman porter, I've always loved this song. Have the sheet music for guitar and piano. Judy Collins does a rollicking cover of Arlo's classic hit.
When you understand Arlo's young life and people that visited his home as a kid, you will understand where he got his style and fantastic guitar playing skills. Motorcycle song and Comin' into Los Angeles are also fun songs in his bag.
Arlo does a live version of this with Pete Seeger. He tells the story of this song. Very humorous. Arlo is a masterful storryteller, which is what folk music is all about
Woody's spirit lives on thru Arlo, for sure! "Alice's Restaurant", the full length version, is a Thanksgiving tradition that I post every year on FB. Wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it! He also played Woodstock, you might want to check out "Coming Into Los Angeles" from that concert. He did't have that may hits because he had his own unique style that wasn't exactly top 40 material. "The Motorcycle Song" is another good one. Happy Birthday Arlo! 🥳
His Dad, Woody, is a folk legend who influenced many including Bob Dylan. City of New Orleans refers to a train that travels between Chicago and New Orleans. The train still runs, AMTRAK, daily.
Arlo is amazing. He writes songs, plays the piano ,keyboards, guitars. He jokes that his songs never made the radio...they were too long. He's an amazing performer and person. Thank you for playing this song!!
The late Steve Goodman wrote many great songs. Arlo wasn't a "singles" artist. His albums were great.
Coming Into Los Angeles ,from Woodstock is amazing!!
Another incredible railroad song is Gordon Lightfoot's "Canadian Railroad Trilogy". He was commissioned to write something to celebrate the Canadian Centennial and came up with a masterpiece.
Welcome to my childhood. LOVE this song!
I absolutely love this song.
Ridden this train, they have fun. found my daughter playing gin with a gentleman in the club car. she was 8
Precocious daughter. 😂
Always loved this song! I was actually born in Kankakee (Illinois). Thanks for doing this one.
Paints a beautiful picture
I love this song. ❤️ Check out Alice’s Restaurant.
Poetic...Calming...Full of life... Spectacular...Heart warming...Classic...
Always loved this song.
I've always loved this song! It came out the year I graduated ... 1971!
❤ Alice’s Restaurant - definitely worth a listen.
I've rode (or is it ridden?) that train, from Chicago to New Orleans.
It was a real pleasure watching you fall into the song! Welcome, continue listening, we grew up on this.
Ahh...Summer 1972. So much great music then. I turned 13 that July, and this was one of my favorites. Everytime it came on the radio I cranked it up! And to this day its on a playlist and I play it quite frequently in the car. And so happy we still have TRAINS! They didnt dissappear after all! 😊
One of the earliest songs I remember,... and it remains a favorite to this day.
Steve's version is a treasure. RIP Steve Goodman.
It feels like you're on a train.
'The Motorcycle Song' is one of my favourite Arko Guthrie songs, and of course Alices Restaurant.
Arlo's dad was the EXTREMELY famous WOODIE GUTHRIE!!! ❤
Arlo sang at Woodstock & did a good job, too.
Indeed. Timeless folk Americana.
Arlo's dad Woody did the folk song "This land is your land. This land is my land, from California to the..." We all sang it in Music Class late '50s/early '60s
This brings back wonderful memories of my youth.
This is a blast from the past. Arlo had that Dylan vibe but also sounds like his dad Woody. He was at the end of the folk singer era for me. Love these lyrics. Still loving it after 50+ years. ❤
Nice pick, Bob! ❤️ I've played cards and had drinks with strangers in a club car, this brought it all back. Thanks to Sal as well for hearing and enjoying.
Among the top of my favourite all timers... Thanks for the reaction.
At 74 years old I can remember when the railroad announced that they were discontinuing the Chicago to New Orleans run due to lack of ridership. Goodman wrote this song, Guthrie recorded it which sparked a national reaction and debate that was so strong that the railroad rescinded its decision. The “City of New Orleans” run is still in service to this day!
Saw Arlo perform this live at the first concert for Walden Woods in Worcester MA back in 1991. Was supposed to be a Don Henley concert but he organized it into a benefit to help save the Walden Woods, Place where Henry David Thoreau wrote one of his most famous works. Was a great show even featuring a mini Eagles Reunion of Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Timothy B. Schmidt doing a whole set of 8 or so Eagles tunes.
Oh, I do love this song! As a kid I never paid attention to the lyrics, I just liked the feel of the piece. Then, as I got older, I fell in love with the poetry of the words, painting a vivid mental image.
years ago I took my small boys to visit their grandparents, by train.
Not this train, but my babes fell asleep rocking to the gentle beat just the same.
"Through the Mississippi darkness, rolling down to the sea". Perfect lyric.
I have loved this song from the first moment I heard it. My Dad, who knew Arlo’s father, was very fond of it too.
i second the motorcycle song
Hobo’s Lullaby is another lovely song that includes references to trains. One of my favorite Arlo songs. 😊
And today is his birthday! Happy Birthday Arlo!
Makes me tear up every time
Arlo did a beautiful slow version of "Waltzing Matilda" on guitar that I love.
There is a wonderful video (on YT) of Arlo and his group, performing this song, in front of a live audience, in 1993. Absolutely worth a view/listen.
The songwriter, Steve Goodman, fought leukemia for a number of years. He lost the battle in 1984, at age 36.
There IS more than video of this song, out there … The cumulative views should be a biiiiiit more.
I love it when salvo G gets emotional during those super tearjerker Bee Gees songs..I'm sensitive
My grandfather, my father’s father, was a conductor on the Illinois Central/City Of New Orleans. During the Great Depression he would stop along the way and toss bags of candy to children who ran to see the train passing by, which earned him the nickname Candy. I’ve always loved this song.
Arlo toured for many years, and people loved to see him perform those songs.
There is a YT video out there, of Arlo doing this live in 1993. His kids are up on stage, singing/playing, right along with him. It is great.
Another Steve Goodman song that is popular is You Never Even Call Me By My Name co-written by John Prine
❤❤ I've loved this song my whole life. Arlo's version is my favorite. ❤❤
Steve Goodman definitely rode this train. His description is so accurate. I rode this train during my college days in the late 1960’s. This song evokes so many memories.
I'm a CSX Engineer. so is was my dad. I play this song in the cab every time time we cross the St. Marys... Certain train have name (M) like certain ships have names (F)
Brings back memories. As a kid playing on the RR tracks. Hearing those Steam engines coming down the tracks. Late at night hearing that Steam whistle sound thru the night. Good days back then. Thanks.
Arlos father was a huge influence on people during the depression. Woody was accused of all kinds of things in reality he was just telling the truth.....in song...
My fav song of his.
This song gives me SO many memories. And it may sound dumb. Back in the 70's, most TV stations did not have 24 hour programming, and went "off the air". I don't know if it was all channels, but at least some, around here, had this picture on the screen., and music would play. I don't recall how to describe the picture. Sort of a bullseye? (Not really though). But when I'd get up pretty early, like on a day off from school, I'd turn on this particular station, before it was officially "back on", and frequently this song would be one of the songs playing. VERY frequently. Anyway, that is what this song ALWAYS makes me think of.
Got to ride TCONO many years ago coming home to Chicago for Christmas. This song was one of my late brother’s favorites. Miss you bro; hearing it again made me think of you.😢
Steve Goodman was a wonderful writer of story songs who was gone way too soon. If you every get a chance, listen to one of Steve's albums. You will love his wonderful acoustic story-songs.
Yes!!!!!!!
Thank you for this song and your great reaction. This is one of my favorites and my number one favorite sing-a-long song.
I drove past both Alice's Restaurant and the church every day for 15 years on my way to the papermill in South Lee MA.
This song, and Arlo's landmark hit song ALICE'S RESTAURANT are his most recognizable. The film ALICE'S RESTAURANT (1969), starring Arlo Guthrie, is a Thanksgiving cult classic, and explains the lengthy song, line-by-line.
Managed to finally see Arlo and his band/family perform just before the COVID lockdown and just a few weeks before he retired from touring. One of the best nights I’ve ever had at a concert.
Jim Croce covered This Land Is Your Land and lots of older folk songs on The Faces Ive Been that came out after in 1975 after his death. Also a couple railroad songs, Railroads and Riverboats and Railroad Song
Dude you got great taste... keep em coming.
Great song.
They woke the astronauts on the moon up with Arlo singing this song
A classic beautifully done by Woody's son Arlo, who is classic himself.
Arlo did has dad proud.
Alice’s Restaurant is a must listen to every Thanksgiving!!!
I love this one
I love The Highwaymens' version of this song. The Highwayman were a "supergroup" consisting of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. (In case you want to do a comparison type of thing!)Btw, I still have my vinyl of Hobo's Lullaby! Gee I keep coming back to add something: There is a movie about the life of Woody Guthrie featuring David Carradine in an Oscar-nominated performance, the film is titled "Bound For Glory."
Legend ❤❤❤
Thanks for the reaction, G. One of my favorite folk guys!! This song is awesome, and I like this version more than others I have heard. His "Hobo's Lullaby" and "The Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys" are both excellent albums. Arlo makes me feel like on the train. He may not have charted many songs, but I can guarantee he had his following.
"Alice’s Restaurant" is an epic album, film & story. I used to insist friends listened to the whole "Massacre", please try it out. Also "The Motorcycle Song" .
Yeah Alices Restaurant like others have mentioned is also worth a listen.
Alice's Restaurant is a Thanksgiving tradition.
Alice's Restaurant is ALWAYS played on Thanksgiving in my house. A new generational tradition.
He may not have had hits, but he is a darned good storyteller.
The Animals probably had the biggest hit covering this song.
Alice’s Restaurant is a must. You’ll be glad you heard it. In some circles, it’s traditional to listen to it every Thanksgiving
This is such a pure and beautiful song. It came out when I was going through a rather rough patch in my life and listening to this song helped me get through it. I will also suggest that you give a listen to Alice's Restaurant. 50 years later and it is still played every Thanksgiving on a local radio station, usually twice that day to make sure people can give it (yet another) listen.
Your musical education isn't complete until you've learned about Woody Guthrie, Arlo's dad and an American legend, the voice of the Great Depression.
I really love this song- no one else has reacted to it that I know-you should check out Alice’s Restaurant comedy gold especially around Thanksgiving time
Arlo was good but his dad is a legitimate American legend, the spokesman of the common man
Woody is worth a dive, good roots music. Bound For Glory is a good movie about Woody that starred David Caradine and also worth a watch. Great reaction per usual.
P.S. That album title is one of Woody's songs. He chronicled the Depression, labor movement and snippets of history like few others.
btw Of course it's Arlo on guitar see Alice's Restaurant
You really must listen to Alice's Restaurant, oh so entertaining and iconic 60's story/song.
The story goes that Steve Goodman hung around the club that Arlo was playing at, and through the manager of the club Arlo was told this kid wanted to play a song for Arlo. Arlo jokingly recounts the story saying he didn't want to hear anyone else's song after a long night playing his own songs at the club, but I'm sure Arlo being the nicest guy you ever met must've agreed to it readily. So Steve plays him this song for Arlo. Arlo, who was a little more known then Steve at the time adopted this song for his sets and on an album.
Lots of great story tellers back in the day.
Try a little Ozark Mountain Daredevils "Country Girl" or "Red Plum".
“But all the towns and people seem
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rail still ain't heard the news”.
That stanza always burned a memory of the mid to late 70s malaise this country was going through. Gas lines crunch, high inflation, acid rain, and new ice age scares, Iranian hostages, the cities and towns of the Midwest rusting away.