First Blues: Rags, Ballads and Harmonium Songs
NOT IN STORE, BUT IN PRINT AND ORDER-ABLE - , call or email
$21.99
CD · FOLKWAYS RECORDS
NOT IN STORE, BUT IN PRINT AND ORDER-ABLE - , call or email
Add to Cart — $21.99
Tracklist
1
Medley: 4 A.M. Blues/New York Blues/New York Youth Call Annunciation
2
Come Back Christmas/MacDougal Street Blues
3
CIA Dope Calypso
4
Put Down Your Cigarette Rag
5
Slack Key Guitar/Siratoka Beach Croon
6
Bus Ride Ballad Road To Suva
7
Prayer Blues
8
Dope Fiend Blues
About This Release
Legendary Beat poet Allen Ginsberg explores the fusion of poetry and music in this rare 1970s recording. Called a "venerated bard of resistance" Ginsberg sought "how the raw mind actually works" through poetry. This collection of fun ditties spouts against capitalism, among other things, and is an amusing and enjoyable listen. Ginsberg accompanies himself with a small hand-pumped harmonium from India, occasionally adding his own guttural rhythms reminiscent of Dadaist sound-poetry (see for example "Put Down Your Cigarette Rag" and "Prayer Blues"), while other songs, such as "Bus Ride Ballad Road to Suva", echo folk ballads from yesteryear. Ginsberg prefaces each song himself. Liner notes include an introduction from Ginsberg.