LUNGS (1973) by Townes Van Zandt live at the Old Quarter
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Townes Van Zandt is a singer songwriter, who did not have the success he deserved in his lifetime, but who now is recognised as being one of the best. He is perhaps best known for his song 'Pancho and Lefty'. That and 'Waiting Around To Die' are probably my favourites and are featured to good effect in the film 'Heartworn Highways'. This song, 'Lungs', is up there with them. It was recorded live at the Old Quarter, Houston, just Townes and his guitar. Anyone wanting to buy their first Townes CD, I would recommend that one. Check out Townes Van Zandt Central for CDs and merchandise, as it benefits Townes' family.
The following is summarised from Wikipedia: While alive, Van Zandt was labeled as a cult musician: though he had a small and devoted fanbase, he never had a successful album or single, and even had difficulty keeping his recordings in print. In 1983, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard covered his song "Pancho and Lefty", scoring a number one hit on the Billboard country music charts. Despite achievements like these, the bulk of his life was spent touring various dive bars, often living in cheap motel rooms, backwoods cabins and on friends' couches. Van Zandt was notorious for his drug addictions, alcoholism, and his tendency to tell tall tales. He suffered from manic depression, and attempts to treat it with insulin shock therapy erased much of his long-term memory. He died on New Years Day 1997 from health problems stemming from years of substance abuse. The 2000s saw a resurgence of interest in Van Zandt. During the decade, two books, a documentary film and a number of magazine articles about the singer were created. Van Zandt's music has been covered by such notable and varied musicians as Bob Dylan, Lyle Lovett, Norah Jones, Steve Earle and The Meat Puppets.
There is no film available for this recording, or much available of Townes at his peak (as he certainly was when this was recorded in July 1973). So I have put together a slideshow of mostly early images of Townes.
Comments and ratings are invited.
I've always been a heavy metal guy, people like townes and colter wall have brought me much closer to country and given me some real love for american musical heritage.
Same. Check out Tyler Childers too. Nose to the Grindstone.
Billy Strings Dust in a Baggie is a good start. Jason Isbell anything at all.
Social Distortion was my gateway drug from punk.
In spite of all that headbangin earsplittin stuff you've still kept your ears (: Treat them nicely.
@@katkennedy9194 You've got the realer stuff (:
Glad "True Detective" brought so many to the genius of Townes Van Zandt. Stay awhile. Explore his songbook. Check out "Tecumseh Valley", "Tower Song", etc...
I'm always surprised people hadn't heard of him by then. I got into him from his song on The Big Lebowski, years ago. Cover of 'Dead Flowers'
@@FabAgainOver50 If you listen to Townes and the Stones music catalogue, you'd probably start to lean towards that Townes wrote and composed Dead Flowers and sold it to the Stones for Pennies on the Dollar, as in true Townes tradition.
True Detective brought me for sure. And now I love this guy. Everything about him...Rock an Roll
@@nikolavujadin988 yeah that's bullshit.
This might be the most beautiful piece of music ever performed. The lyrics are just incredible.
Beautiful and fascinating:Townes always revealed deep insights into his soul. sharp, formulated like knives, yet full of empathy
Good taste in music brought me here.
Townes is the most soulful song crafter that has ever lived. He wrote directly from his pain. God I love him.
It's sad that he never got much recognition during his lifetime, and ended up drinking himself to death. :( He was brilliant!
SpaceCowboyToo he drank himself to death so he could write the music he did. Sobriety doesn’t bring you honesty on a “Townes” level
My future if I’m lucky.
He didn't do it because of not getting recognition.
It was raw talent and being fucked up.
The things you have to do to get recognition in the music biz - aren’t worth it for anyone who values their soul.
"My family has been round here a long time."
Damn, this comment gave me chills. 😱
Exactly how I got here.
oh yeah, boss. i know the whole coast
"Tell me about grandpa..."
Samee
PostConsumerMedia you have sullied the doorstep of this video. Townes is a legend not to be mentioned in the same breath as todays dullards.
best recording of the song ever
Townes has his own unique class within country music...
its other worldly and more deep into the earth and more feathery and moon than anything...
His lyrics are so vivid and clear. It's like a direct reflection himself.
If anyone wants to get into Townes, Be Here to Love Me might be the best album quality wise IMO. Alot of his live stuff sounds better than studio as far as his sound is concerned.
I've never understood why lungs in particular sounds like it was recorded poorly
I love that it starts out slow and just falls into place.
"let's see if I can play this one..."
so humble, and yet so incredibly talented
Live at the Old Quarter is the best version. His producer kinda fucked up the studio version, best live, just him and guitar. Best American Songwriter of the 20th century.
Studio version is far from fucked up
yeah, this one with just him and guitar.. always got me. Sorry, but when you overproduce Townes Van Zandt you don't do him any favors. Would be like adding a studio band to John Fahey in the hopes of making him commercial.
This is true for all of townes.
@@alcoholyaI think that’s true of some of his stuff, for sure. But this particular studio cut actually came out decent, in my opinion.
Very often this singer-songwriter type is better live though.
What a song!! What a show!!! Thank you HBO!
Wrecks has been faithful to Townes, and Janet has been faithful to Wrecks. I just read that Wrecks & Janet put the OQ up for sale last year. I don't know if it's sold, and if it is, what has become of it. The original Old Quarter in Houston is long gone, the one in Galveston a lasting tribute to a long dead friend. It's very sad, in a way, despite a joke always playing close to Wrecks' lips. I lost count of how many times I drove down to the island to spend an evening at the Old Quarter, wine & beer behind the bar, the only hard liquor in a certain gentleman's flask. I am not married to the idea of literal spirits, save for those lovingly prepared in barrels from Tennessee to Teaninich. But if incorporeality exists, you'll find Townes floating around 20th St in Galveston.
I fell in love with his music as a 16 year old girl, and has never faded.
My man❤
its really been nice listening
Be good.
Thank you.... True Detective
Best version.
That was some magic 2:45 minutes, I'm all tears and sweat!!
Agree. The lyrics in this song are haunting and timeless.
Awesome tune, this intro is incredible.
I was living in NM when I first herd of him, a causal friend gave me a tape that had Townes on one side and Guy Clark on the other What a fucking great friend.
I love TVZ's music so much that I even named my dog (a black lab) after him. It's cool. My Townes and I met TVZ's brother-in-law, sister, and their kids at the Houston Art Car Parade 4 yrs ago. His brother-in-law said,( when I asked him what TVZ would have thought about my naming my dog after him), "He would have been honored. Townes loved dogs" :)
Thank you for posting this, wilsonmcphert.
props to the slideshow. One of my favorites with good visual.
The only cover I've heard until now was Steve Earle's. I love that one - so intensely soulful. Lyle surprised me - don't know why, he never overreaches - by being a wonderful complement to Earle on this one. Great stuff.
This guy is just fucking legendary.
BRILLIANT!! I wish someone could submit an accurate tutorial for this song!!!
Happy birthday, Townes.
have this LP just amazing album rip mr van zandt
Mr van zandt thank you and I hear you brother. Rest easy
gr8 song, i've only herd this live version and for the 1st time a week ago, i'm so happy to find it again just now.🎵
I adore this!
Incredible.
Cheers for putting this up... If you let Townes in you'll never be alone in this world :-)
Wat a song
great version, townes' guitar alone very clear
*sniff* this is sooo good! I need a time machine!
Brilliant
Best ever!!!
I saw a talk show clip of Buddy Rich saying that country music basically has no merit. I'm guessing he never heard this song before saying that...
its great that a show can show everyone how awesome TVZ was, a true legend of American song writing, up there with Dillon ?
Dylan
круто очень круто жаль раньше эту тему не слышал....
my thoughts EXACTLY, stuwad1!! we are not worthy!!
Eldo mnie to przyprowadził hihihi
That's about as good as it gets.
Time is a flat circle.
υπέροχο!!
Musical diversity brought me here.
ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT.
a b I
OMG I love JB! CRUSH ZONE!!!
bow down everyone
unreal...
@AMRhonemusic yeah mean it is awesome. maybe my favorite album of all time. the version of loretta on it is just unreal, completely unlike any other out there, much more upbeat. i could go on forever about how good the album is, i'll host loretta as soon as i get time
would give ANYTHING if i could've been there... cr
Sometimes I think that if he had great success, it would have ruined him - like Justin Bieber for example. His song are truly from the creative soul he NEVER lost. Luckily we can still access them!
haha some good trolling right there
The Old Quarter is actually in Galveston not Houston.
Always loved this tune, but always struggled with its lyrics. Never been able to pinpoint the subject.
FELLA JUST NEEDS SOME NEW LUNGS
I interpret this song about being severely depressed, as Townes references in the first line that he feels his lungs are collapsing. Possibly from smoking too much, possibly from the pain of living. The last line "keep your injured looks to you, we'll tell the world that we tried" I have always interpreted that myself as standing tall with my lover, as the world crumbles around us. Jesus may have been all about love, but what does that matter when there are still so many people who are cold, unhoused, and turned away at the doorstep. Also, just for giggles, last reference I can pull would be the lyrics referencing a fool thinking he's found gold, only to realize it's the glint of moonlight, slipping through his hands in another fleeting moment of clarity in this painful existence. Better leave this dream alone, try to find another. I hope you enjoyed my little synopsis, not sure if it will resonate with you as much as it does for me :)
True detective brought me here, The End Credits had this song.
I love this song
well why not look around, kick your shoes off and enjoy some more Townes. He's got plenty to offer.
и не тебя одного привет из России
Lost Dog Street Band brought me here. They covered his "Waiting Around to Die" and it brought me to the unsung hero
@@uPick-iLick Good taste!
@tompetty832002 Agreed. and the old quarter "Kathleen" is the best recording. The people who were in the audience, man......
Whats with the last verse, As Pauline Hanson would say PLEASE EXPLAIN
On genius lyrics there's a perfect explanation of this song. Go check it out
True Detective, that's what's up!
Listen
Tidy!
@ThelynxAZ I agree, I think that one person must be Justin Beiber, obviously!
Unfortunately, there are eight people who are dead inside.
Kind of like townes
#ugottalisten2b4udie #townesvanzandt #countryandwestern #folkmusic
Green eared spaghetti monster.
1 person is going to get their head bashed in..
Yoko Ono sounds like a dying gazelle who wondered away from the pack.
If u haven't heard Dax Riggs cover of this ur missing out. He plays a lot with van Zants son too
Poet
@dickvandike true dat!!
Que patético. El negro esta un poquito pasado.Pura emoción.
He sort of looks like rust
I personally think Nick Delffs' version is better. See it on my You Tube channel.
@@wkarnofel634 I didn't bother checking the guy disrespecting townes, but I'm with you.
yeah, True Detective brought me here. Call me crazy, but listening to just the small piece of the song on the show, I thought it was Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull...maybe a little "Mother Goose"?!? anyway, great song by TVZ