Dick Justice - Henry Lee

Another song from the Anthology of American Folk Music;  another tragic story. 
Typical "if I don't get you, nobody else will" twisted situation.

Interesting fact:

In case you wonder how a pen-knife could be so fatal, it was originally a "weapon knife," pronounced "weepin' knife," from whence "wee pen-knife," and an easy verbal jump to "little pen-knife."

(from this page, which has more information on the song :
 Remembering the Old Songs )

there is a well known version by Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. I find the lalala, lalali part rather irritating, but that's just my personal opinion. It can be viewed here.


"Get down, get down, little Henry Lee, and stay all night with me.
The very best lodging I can afford will be fare better'n thee."
"I can't get down, and I won't get down, and stay all night with thee,
For the girl I have in that merry green land, I love far better'n thee."

She leaned herself against a fence, just for a kiss or two;
With a little pen-knife held in her hand, she plugged him through and through.
"Come all you ladies in the town, a secret for me keep,
With a diamond ring held on my hand I'll never will forsake."

"Some take him by his lily-white hand, some take him by his feet.
We'll throw him in this deep, deep well, more than one hundred feet.
Lie there, lie there, loving Henry Lee, till the flesh drops from your bones.
The girl you have in that merry green land still waits for your return."

"Fly down, fly down, you little bird, and alight on my right knee.
Your cage will be of purest gold, in deed of property."
"I can't fly down, or I won't fly down, and alight on your right knee.
A girl would murder her own true love would kill a little bird like me."

"If I had my bend and bow, my arrow and my string,
I'd pierce a dart so nigh your heart your wobble would be in vain."
"If you had your bend and bow, your arrow and your string,
I'd fly away to the merry green land and tell what I have seen."

Kathy Young - Our Parents Talked It Over

Kathy Young with The Innocents. Their biggest hit was a cover of The Rivileers 1954 song "A Thousand Stars", which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. This one, however, didn't do well in the charts.
But it's just so heartfelt!

edit: lyrics!



so our parents talked it over
and they all seemed to agree
we were much too young for marriage
you were much too old for me

there would me no ceremony
there would be no weddingbells
just a very lonely girl
and unhappy teenage boy

we begged them and we pleaded
we tried to make them see
i could not live without you
and you so needed me

maybe someday they'll be sorry
and i hope it won't be long
we will prove that what we wanted
was a love that won't go wrong

The Doors - The Crystal Ship

Some say The Doors' late singer Jim Morrison wrote "The Crystal Ship" when he was
dropping acid on an Isla Vista beach one night, transfixed by the glittering lights of
Platform Holly, an offshore oil rig. [beware this is a .pdf]

To quote wikipedia: ' John Densmore "co-writer" states: "Jim wrote The Crystal Ship for Mary Werbelow in 1964, a girlfriend with whom he was breaking up, it was in his famous notebook of poetry he had when we formed. (sic),. . . . The song was a goodbye love song." '

Not cheesy.




Before you slip into unconsciousness
Id like to have another kiss
Another flashing chance at bliss
Another kiss, another kiss

The days are bright and filled with pain
Enclose me in your gentle rain
The time you ran was too insane
Well meet again, well meet again

Oh tell me where your freedom lies
The streets are fields that never die
Deliver me from reasons why
Youd rather cry, Id rather fly

The crystal ship is being filled
A thousand girls, a thousand thrills
A million ways to spend your time
When we get back, Ill drop a line

Dodie Stevens - Pink Shoelaces

1959 hit single
who doesn't love eccentric, wealthy men?




Now I've got a guy and his name is Dooley
He's my guy and I love him truly
He's not good lookin', heaven knows
But I'm wild about his crazy clothes

He wears tan shoes with pink shoelaces
A polka dot vest and man, oh, man
Tan shoes with pink shoelaces
And a big Panama with a purple hat band

ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh
ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh

He takes me deep-sea fishing in a submarine
We got to drive-in movies in a limousine
He's got a whirly-birdy and a 12-foot yacht
Ah, but thats-a not all he's got

He's got tan shoes with pink shoelaces
A polka dot vest and man, oh, man
Tan shoes with pink shoelaces
And a big Panama with a purple hat band

Now Dooley had a feelin' we were goin' to war
So he went out and enlisted in a fightin' corps
But he landed in the brig for raisin' such a storm
When they tried to put 'em in a uniform

He wanted tan shoes with pink shoelaces
A polka dot vest and man, oh, man
He wanted tan shoes with pink shoelaces
And a big Panama with a purple hat band

ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh
ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh

Now one day Dooley started feelin' sick
And he decided that he better make his will out quick
He said "Just before the angels come to carry me
I want it down in writin' how to bury me."

A'wearin tan shoes with pink shoelaces
A polka dot vest and man, oh, man
Give me tan shoes with pink shoelaces
And a big Panama with a purple hat band

ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh
ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh
ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh

And a big Panama with a purple hat band

Buell Kazee - The Butcher's boy/ The Railroad Boy

This song appeared on the influential Anthology of American Folk Music (1952)

And over my coffin, place a snow white dove
To warn this world that I died for love

sad; sad
 
sung by Buell Kazee (1900-1976)

and also by Joan Baez and Bob Dylan




Too bad I can't find the one I heard the other night, by this band. It was better than this one above. I think.


Lyrics as performed by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, Hughes Stadium, Colorado
University, Fort Collins, CO, 23 May 1976,
transcribed by Manfred Helfert.

She went upstairs to make her bed
And not one word to her mother said.
Her mother she went upstairs too
Saying, 'Daughter, oh daughter, what's troublin' you?':

'Oh mother, oh mother, I cannot tell
That railroad boy that I love so well.
He courted me my life away
And now at home will no longer stay.'
'There is a place in yonder town
Where my love goes and he sits him down.
And he takes that strange girl on his knee
And he tells to her what he won't tell me.'
Her father he came home from work
Sayin', 'Where is my daughter, she seems so hurt'
He went upstairs to give her hope
An' he found her hangin' by a rope.
He took his knife and he cut her down

And on her bosom these words he found:
'Go dig my grave both wide and deep,
Put a marble stone at my head and feet,
And on my breast, put a snow white dove
To warn the world that I died of love.

Ken Laszlo - Hey Hey Guy

The video is a little gem. In it, "Ken" answers a woman's phone call only to address her as:
hey, hey guy.





Ken: "Hallo"
French guy: "Hallo??"
Ken: "Oh dear, you have phone"
French guy: "Yeah, hey guy, tell me about your menicure"
Ken: "I love you and feel the groove"
French guy: "Tell me about it, is it the true"
Ken: "It's true, yes, it's true"
French guy: "Don't fool out, it's dangerous"
Ken: "Don't worry, baby gold"
French guy: "Everything is same as all"
Ken: "Everything is the same"
French guy: "Oh, I love you"
Ken: "Me too"
French guy: "I love you"

Let me see what you have done
Let me know what happens here tonight
Love for hire is dangerous
Let me know what happens here tonight

Hey hey guy (Shell I get you)
Hey hey guy (Oh yeah)
Hey hey guy (? any longer)
Hey hey guy (Oh yeah)

Steps to heaven, three steps to me
Let me know what you are doing tonight
You love me, but sorry I don't love you
Let me know what you are doing tonight

Fool for love and shine
Shine into my life
In your eyes my trouble
I forget that's right

Let me try your love
Yes babe, I'm waiting, please don't stop
Hey guy all your love forever...

Neil Sedaka - Calendar Girl

Pick your favourite!

edit: here's a petition you can sign to get Neil Sedaka on The Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame



I love, I love, I love my calendar girl
Yeah, sweet calendar girl
I love, I love, I love my calendar girl
Each and every day of the year

(January) You start the year off fine
(February) You're my little valentine
(March) I'm gonna march you down the aisle
(April) You're the Easter Bunny when you smile
Yeah, yeah, my heart's in a whirl
I love, I love, I love my little calender girl
Every day (every day), every day (every day) of the year
(Every day of the year)

(May) Maybe if I ask your dad and mom
(June) They'll let me take you to the Junior Prom
(July) Like a firecracker all aglow
(August) When you're on the beach you steal the show

Yeah, yeah, my heart's in a whirl
I love, I love, I love my little calendar girl
Every day (every day), every day (every day) of the year
(Every day of the year)

(September) Light the candles at your Sweet Sixteen
(October) Romeo and Juliet on Halloween
(November) I'll give thanks that you belong to me
(December) You're the present 'neath my Christmas tree

Yeah, yeah, my heart's in a whirl
I love, I love, I love my little calendar girl
Every day (every day), every day (every day) of the year