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Arlo Guthrie - What Folk Songs Is About (Or Not About)

Douglas Alpenstock

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posted 5 months ago

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Arlo Guthrie imprinted on me at approx. age 5 as I was sitting on the school bus listening to his version of Steve Goodman's City of New Orleans. Now I play it for others around the campfire.

Here's another performance that sticks with me. I've watched this about a hundred times. It's the master storyteller at work, working off an an old Elvis tune. Thought you might like it. Cheers.

Judith Browning

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posted 5 months ago

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We love Arlo! and his dad

His rendition of that song is a favorite!

When our oldest son was 10yrs maybe ...that would make it forty years ago, we took him with us to see Arlo Guthrie and John Prine...small venue and good seats and I can't remember which one was the headliner...both excellent.

And then just a few years ago Arlo played locally in an even smaller venue...more conservative area so some songs were never in the set but he hinted at them

and even more years ago, back around the campfire with some home brew, both those guys songs were the 'sing a long' favorites most nights....

"We're all just walking each other home." -Ram Dass
"Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder."-Rumi
"It's all one song!" -Neil Young

John F Dean

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posted 5 months ago

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I saw two of his concerts in small venues.

Some people age like fine wine. I aged like milk … sour and chunky.

Joshua States

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posted 5 months ago

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I used to work in the music business as an audio engineer. I worked for Arlo several times and every time was an absolute joy.
My favorite memory of an Arlo concert was when Pete Segar joined him for a concert. Two absolutely wonderful people to hang out with and work for.
Pete arrived in a VW bug circa 1972.
We were all having lunch at a picnic table after sound checks were over and Pete and Arlo were talking about projects and friends and other stuff.
Pete asked Arlo if he had heard from Bob lately. That spurred a short conversation and suddenly I realized who "Bob" was.

“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”

Judith Browning

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Location: Ozarks zone 7 alluvial, clay/loam with few rocks 50" yearly rain

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posted 5 months ago

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Joshua, what a wonderfully special experience!

"We're all just walking each other home." -Ram Dass
"Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder."-Rumi
"It's all one song!" -Neil Young

Judith Browning

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Location: Ozarks zone 7 alluvial, clay/loam with few rocks 50" yearly rain

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posted 5 months ago

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Douglas, do you play Steve Goodman songs then?
and John Prine? along with your own?

We are getting older and some memories *might* be made up but my guy and I are pretty sure we saw him (steve goodman) '69 or '70 at New Friends of Old Time Music' at ISU in Illinois.

But then, my sister used to insist I went to a Grateful Dead concerts.....I try to remember but can not 🙄

"We're all just walking each other home." -Ram Dass
"Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder."-Rumi
"It's all one song!" -Neil Young

Ben Zumeta

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posted 5 months ago

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Through my adult life I have come to realize how many of my favorite YMCA Camp Colman songs were Woody or Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Loudon Wainright or Lyle Lovett Songs.

I love the Billy-Bragg-Wilco album “Mermaid Avenue”, which I believe are all takes on Woody Guthrie songs and poems.

- Bruce Springsteen did a great folk album of Pete Seeger songs as well, “We Shall Overcome”.

- The concert video of “Celebrating the Music of Inside Llewyn Davis” is also one of my favorites. The Willie Watson-Gillian Welch-Dave Rawlings performance of “I Hear them All” into “This land is our land” makes me tear up every time, especially now.

This is all just my opinion based on a flawed memory

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Joshua States

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posted 5 months ago

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For those interested in the newer carriers of the torch for folk and protest songs, check out Jesse Welles and Carsie Blanton.
If you just like good bluegrass and smoking acoustic guitar, there is Billy Strings.

Jennie Little

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posted 5 months ago

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For years, right after we first were married and we were working in a DoD town, we'd trek down to L.A. for Arlo/Pete concerts. Sometimes in big venues, sometimes in small ones. A person once said to us that we were "doing our penance" for working for the DoD -- for years that's how we talked about it.

When we moved across the country, the venues changed of course. Saw Pete the last time with his grandson I believe, Tao. Kept seeing Arlo as we could afford it, etc.

Also became a John McCutcheon fan.

Years and years ago, in my first bookstore job, someone told me this guy who used to go play/sing down at the pier was a famous person. It was Steve Goodman.

Finished 2 life quests (well... almost). Wondering what to do next? Zone 5b

Phil Stevens

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posted 5 months ago

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Joshua States wrote:Pete asked Arlo if he had heard from Bob lately. That spurred a short conversation and suddenly I realized who "Bob" was.

Hey Joshua, great to meet another sound geek on here. My two degrees of separation story is playing in a band with Bob's drummer Winston.

He repaced his skull with glass. So you can see his brain. Kinda like this tiny ad:

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