folk-singers

"I was inspired to write a folk song — about how soldiers have no choice in the matter but to follow orders — but with the irreverence of rock ’n’ roll."

"Now come on mothers throughout the land Pack your boys off to Vietnam Come on fathers don't hesitate Send your sons off before it's too late And you can be the first one on your block To have your boy come home in a box."

"And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for? Don't ask me I don't give a damn Next stop is Vietnam. And it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates, Well there ain't no time to wonder why, Whoopie! We're all gonna die!"

"A haven woven with warm colors A woolen place to rest your head And a light comes in Forms and binds you To mold and carry you this long way to go"

"The original acoustic guitar hero, Bert Jansch was a player’s player, and you need only look at the list of people that count him as an influence to see that. Everybody from Jimmy Page and Neil Young to Pete Doherty and beyond cite Jansch’s distinctive and wide-ranging style as an essential ingredient in their playing. One of the true pathfinders of the ‘60s folk music, Jansch’s complex fingerpicking and dark, brooding songwriting established his reputation, and whether solo or with Pentangle he proved his boundless ability with an acoustic time and time again."

"There has been no more potent embodiment of that spirit than the singer Huddie Ledbetter, known as ‘Leadbelly’. Ordinary he wasn’t: born in rural Texas in c.1888, regal in bearing and strong as an ox, he claimed to be the world’s greatest cotton picker, railroad track layer, lover, drinker and guitar player. His pride was matched by a temper and disposition to violence, resulting in spells in prison for assault and murder. And it was in 1933, in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, that he was discovered by folksong collectors John and Alan Lomax. Under the sponsorship of the Lomaxes, Leadbelly began his rise to stardom, benefiting from the gathering vogue for trad jazz and rugged authenticity. He gave concerts across the US and Europe, dying in New York in 1949. Though the strictest arbiters exclude his work from the jazz canon, it’s hard not to recognise his vital link to the essential force of the music."

"But it doesn't have to be that way; What we had should never have ended. I'll be dropping by today. We could easily get it together tonight, It's only right."

"But there never seems to be enough time To do the things you want to do, once you find them. I've looked around enough to know That you're the one I want to go through time with."

"You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger. And you don't mess around with Jim."

"Operator, well could you help me place this call? Cause I can't read the number that you just gave me. There's something in my eyes, You know it happens every time I think about the love that I thought would save me.But isn't that the way they say it goes? Well let's forget all that And give me the number if you can find it So I can call just to tell 'em I'm fine, and to show I've overcome the blow, I've learned to take it well. I only wish my words could just convince myself That it just wasn't real. But that's not the way it feels."

"If I could save time in a bottle, The first thing that I'd like to do Is to save every day till eternity passes away Just to spend them with you."

"Like the pine trees lining the winding road, I've got a name, I've got a name. Like the singin' bird and the croakin' toad, I've got a name, I've got a name.And I carry it with me like my daddy did, But I'm livin' the dream that he kept hid.Movin' me down the highway, rollin' me down the highway, Movin' ahead so life won't pass me by."

"Well, the South side of Chicago is the baddest part of town. And if you go down there, you better just beware Of a man named Leroy Brown. Now, Leroy, more than trouble, You see, he stands, about, six foot four. All the downtown ladies call him "Treetop Lover", All the men just call him "Sir" (Right on).And he's bad, bad Leroy Brown, The baddest man in the whole damn town. Badder than old King Kong, Meaner than a junkyard dog."

"Well, I know it's kinda late; I hope I didn't wake you. But what I gotta say can't wait. I know you'd understand.Every time I tried to tell you The words just came out wrong. So, I'll have to say "I love you" in a song."

"But tomorrow's a dream away and today has turned to dust. Your silver tongue has turned to clay and your golden rule to rust. If that's the way that you want it well that's the way I want it more, Cause there'll be one less set of footprints on your floor in the mornin'. Oh there'll be one less set of footsteps on your floor in the mornin'."

"Well, I had just got out from the county prison, Doin' ninety days for non-support. Tried to find me an executive position, But no matter how smooth I talked, They wouldn't listen to the fact that I was genius. The man said, "We got all that we can use," Now I got themSteadily depressin', low down mind-messin' Workin' at the carwash blues."

"Street boy, you've been out too long. Street boy, ain't you got enough sense to go home? Street boy, you're gonna end up alone. You need some love and understanding, not that dead end life you're planning, street boy."

"Sugar Man, won't you hurry 'cause I'm tired of these scenes. For a blue coin, won't you bring back all those colors to my dreams? Silver magic ships, you carry jumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane. Sugar Man met a false friend on a lonely dusty road. Lost my heart. When I found it it had turned to dead black coal."

"And I'll forget about the girl that said no. Then I'll tell who I want where to go. And I'll forget about your lies and deceit and your attempts to be so discreet. Maybe today, yeah, I'll slip away. And you can keep your symbols of success. Then I'll pursue my own happiness. And you can keep your clocks and routines. Then I'll go mend all my shattered dreams. Maybe today, yeah, I'll slip away."

"And you measure for wealth by the things you can hold and you measure for love by the sweet things you're told and you live in the past of a dream that you're in and your selfishness is your cardinal sin. And you want to be held with highest regard. It delights you so much if he's trying so hard. And you're trying to conceal your ordinary way with a smile or a shrug or some stolen cliché. But don't you understand? And don't you look about? I'm trying to take nothing from you so why should you act so put out, for me?"

"Just a song we shared, I'll hear brings memories back, when you were here of your smile, your easy laughter, of your kiss. Those moments after. I think of you and think of you and think of you."

"My pocket don't drive me fast, my mother treats me slow, my statue's got a concrete heart but you're the coldest bitch I know. In the factory that you call your mind: graveyard thoughts of stone. A master thief, I wouldn't enter there, you've nothing I would care to own (so help me)."

"The moon is hanging in the purple sky. The baby's sleeping while its mother sighs. Talking about the rich folks: rich folks have the same jokes and they park in basic places. The priest is preaching from a shallow grave. He counts his money then he paints you saved. Talking to the young folks: young folks share the same jokes but they'd meet in older places."

"Don't sit and wait. Don't sit and dream. Put on a smile, go find a scene. I'm sure you'd meet someone who would really love you. Don't sit and hope. Don't sit and pine. If you've been hurt make up your mind. I'm sure you'd find someone who would really love you."

"Woman, please be gone. You've stayed here much too long. Don't you wish that you could cry? Don't you wish I would die? Seamy seesaw kids. Child-women on the skids. The dust will choke you blind. The lust will choke your mind. I kiss the floor, one kick, no more. The pig and hose have set me free. I've tasted Hate Street's hanging tree. I've tasted Hate Street's hanging tree."

"'Cause I lost my job two weeks before Christmas. And I talked to Jesus at the sewer and the Pope said it was none of his God-damned business. While the rain drank champagne, my Estonian archangel came and got me wasted. 'Cause the sweetest kiss I ever got is the one I've never tasted. Oh, but they'll take their bonus pay to Molly McDonald. Neon lady, beauty is that which obeys, is bought or borrowed."

"I wonder how many times you've been had. And I wonder how many plans have gone bad. I wonder how many times you had sex? And I wonder do you know who'll be next? I wonder. I wonder. Wonder, I do. I wonder about the love you can't find. And I wonder about the loneliness that's mine. I wonder how much going have you got? And I wonder about your friends that are not. I wonder. I wonder. Wonder I do."

"But thanks for your time. Then you can thank me for mine. And after that's said, forget it. Don't be inane, there's no one to blame: no reason why you should stay here and lie to me. Don't say any more, just walk out the door, I'll get along fine. You'll see."

"I've played every kind of gig there is to play now. I've played faggot bars, hooker bars, motor cycle funerals, in opera houses, concert halls, halfway houses. Well, I found that in all these places that I've played all the people that I've played for are the same people. So if you'll listen, maybe you'll see someone you know in this song. A most disgusting song."

"Going down a dirty inner city side road, I plotted. Madness passed me by, she smiled Hi. I nodded. Looked up as the sky began to cry; she shot it. Met a girl from Dearborn early six o'clock this morn: a cold fact. Asked about her bag. "Suburbia's such a drag, won't go back, 'cause Papa don't allow no new ideas here, and now he sees the news, but the picture's not too clear.""

"Born in the troubled city in rock and roll USA in the shadow of the tallest building, I vowed I would break away. Listened to the Sunday actors but all they would ever say: That you can't get away from it. No you can't get away. No you can't get away from it. No you can't get away."

"The generals hate holidays. Others shoot up to chase the sun blues away. Another store front church is open. Sea of neon lights. A boxer, his shadow fights. Soldier tired and sailor broken. Winter's asleep at my window. Cold wind waits at my door. She asks me up to her place but I won't be down anymore."

"The Mayor hides the crime rate. Council woman hesitates. Public gets irate but forgets the vote date. Weatherman complaining "Predicted sun. It's raining." Everyone's protesting. Boyfriend keeps suggesting you're not like all of the rest. Garbage ain't collected. Women ain't protected. Politicians using people they're abusing. The mafia's getting bigger, like pollution in the river and you tell me that this is where it's at."

"Now you sit there thinking. Feeling insecure. The mocking court gesture claims there is no proven cure. Go back to your chamber, your eyes upon the wall. 'Cos you got no one to listen, you got no one to call. And you think I'm curious. Drifting, drowning in a purple sea of doubt you wanna hear she loves you but the words don't fit the mouth. You're a loser, a rebel-a-cause-without. But don't think me callous."

"Was it a huntsman or a player that made you pay the cost that now assumes relaxed positions And prostitutes your loss? Were you tortured by your own thirst in those pleasures that you seek that made you Tom the Curious; that makes you James the Weak? And you claim you've got something going, something you call unique, but I've seen your self-pity showing as the tears rolled down your cheeks."

"Stories can change. Stories change. Let nothing rob you of hope, stories change!"

"My kind, you have to work on yourself extra in following the laws of GOD in building the right core values, having SENSE, emotional intelligence, appropriate body language towards situations, use of words, generally growing in the Spirit’s things! Wisdom. Knowledge. Understanding. Be extra."

"Been Born again is an event been broken is a process."

"There's greater honor in been humble."

"We were all influenced by some people; even when we might not remember their faces, the godly values they lived by stay with us for life."

"The bible is words of people of time past under the influence of the Holy Spirit, so if the Holy Spirit wants to talk through me, I can say them based on my words without quoting the bible."

"When you have a deeper understanding of your life you know whatever happens is pre-destined."

"Strangely enough, I was performing in Chicago at the time, and when it was released, that song "Here We Go, Baby" was a hit in Chicago. It became a big hit in Chicago. It was the only place, but it was there. And it was kind of odd, even for me, because I always prided myself in singing songs with lyrics that meant something."

"Yeah, I am! It sounds so stupid – to be a nice person is the best thing in the world – but, yeah, I’m 20 and I just want to have fun. What I don’t want to do is live the rest of my life thinking, ‘I wouldn’t do that because I’m known as Prince Charming.’ The second that someone corners you into a personality, you don’t want to be that person any more."

"For me it’s hurtful. I get mad when people assume things about me because I imagine the people who don’t have the support system I have and how that must affect them."

"My problems are few If I don't stop to think The red golden leaves Scream the song of the sun The high rolling hills Give it all in the fall The hot days are gone... now"

"I'm traveling alone Up the highway of sight The blue shadows fall On the graveyard of stone The mild afternoon Puts the coffee cup down My eyes see the moon... rise And all I am is energy And now I'm in this form I came shooting down the universe at birth"

"Wait till the sidewalk shivers the beggars Robbed in their blankets they try to hang on Light from the street lane seems to shine better After the autumn has been here and gone ... God help the lost and lonely, God help the poor Cold days and ice nights only Hard times for sure, hard times for sure"

"You know you make your own decisions and you live the life you choose I watch it from the sidelines and it sure gives me the blues You know you're sure to find me waiting, should you ever come around"

"Meet me in the middle of the day Let me hear you say, "Everything's okay" Bring me southern kisses from your room Meet me in the middle of the night Let me hear you say, "Everything's alright" Let me smell the moon in your perfume ... Oh, Gods and years will rise and fall And there's always something more Lost in talk, I waste my time And it's all been said before..."