J. Raymond Carroll Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 This from the Kennedy Library: In memory of the assassination, Igor Stravinsky composed a miniature for baritone (later revised for mezzo-soprano) and three clarinets called simply "Elegy for JFK" (1964-). The text by W. H. Auden consists of four stanzas of free haiku, and the atonal, transparent textures seem to feature an interplay between the diabolical tri-tone (G#-D) and the eternally hopeful perfect fifth (D#-A#)-the "oneness," perhaps, of both "sorrow and joy." Thus music, a vital part of the Kennedy White House years, offered its oven special tribute to the new image, the fresh promises, said the bleak dawn. When a just man dies Lamentation and praise, Sorrow and joy are one. Why then? Why there? Why thus, we cry, did he die? The Heavens are silent. What he was, he was: What he is fated to become Depends on us. Remembering his death How we choose to live Will decide its meaning. http://www.jfklibrary.net/arts_kirk.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Feemster Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 BLACK DOG MAN BLACK DOG MAN WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL IF YOU STILL CAN WHERE YOU WENT AND WHY YOU RAN BLACK DOG MAN BLACK DOG MAN BLACK DOG MAN BLACK DOG MAN DID YOU SHOOT JACK IN HIS CARAVAN DID YOUR CHECK BOUNCE IN YOUR BLOODY HANDS BLACK DOG MAN BLACK DOG MAN BLACK DOG MAN BLACK DOG MAN DO YOU DREAM AT NIGHT OF A MURDERED MAN AS HIS HEAD EXPLODES DO YOU SEE THE PLAN BLACK DOG MAN BLACK DOG MAN JIM FEEMSTER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Geraghty Posted April 11, 2006 Author Share Posted April 11, 2006 Who wrote that one Jim? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Wilbourne Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 (edited) gone Edited March 6, 2010 by Stan Wilbourne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Feemster Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 hi john g, i wrote it . song writing is one of my hobbies. i'm writing a concept album with about 12 songs, each one having to do with different aspects of the assassination in the same vain as willie nelson's " red headed stranger " album in the 70's. black dog man is the first. the next is about jackie. not that i have any connections in the music business. just blending two passions with this subject. great thread, john ! jim feemster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Charles-Dunne Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 Three or four years back, Eric Andersen put out an album called "Beat Avenue." The title song is a 26 minute opus about the Kennedy assassination and is well worth seeking out. Saw Eric perform last year and he's better than ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher T. George Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 (edited) Hi all I am not sure whether Frank Zappa ever referenced the Kennedy assassination in any lyrics, but on the inside cover of the 1968 Mothers of Invention album, "We're Only In It for the Money," -- a parody of the famous cover of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper" released the year before -- the photograph of Oswald groaning as he is shot by Jack Ruby appears at upper right in the collage of photographs. Chris Edited April 12, 2006 by Christopher T. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Geraghty Posted April 30, 2006 Author Share Posted April 30, 2006 Taken from www.jfklancerforum.com with thanks to David Christie John Fogerty I Saw It On TV They sent us home to watch the show comin' on the little screen; A man named Ike was in the White House, big black limousine; There were many shows to follow, from 'Hooter' to 'Doodyville', Though I saw them all, I can't recall which cartoon was real. The coon-skin caps, Yankee bats, the "Hound Dog" man's big start; The A-Bomb fears, Annette had ears, I lusted in my heart. A young man from Boston set sail the new frontier, And we watched the Dream dead-end in Dallas, They buried innocence that year. I know it's true, oh so true, 'cause I saw it on TV. We gathered round to hear the sound comin' on the little screen, The grief had passed, the old men laughed, and all the girls screamed 'Cause four guys from England took us all by the hand, It was time to laugh, time to sing, time to join the band. But all too soon, we hit the moon, and covered up the sky; They built their bombs, and aimed their guns, and still I don't know why The dominoes tumbled and big business roared; Every night at six, they showed the pictures and counted up the score. I know it's true, oh so true, 'cause I saw it on TV. The old man rocks among his dreams, a prisoner of the porch; "The light," he says "At the end of the tunnel, Was nothin' but a burglar's torch." And them that was caught in the Cover are all rich and free, But they chained my mind to an endless tomb When they took my only son from me. I know it's true, oh so true, 'cause I saw it on TV. I know it's true, oh so true, 'cause I saw it on TV. and another post by Randy Owen, -Hemingway Corner did a song called "So Long, JFK." It was more about someone reminiscing along the lines of the Fogerty tune you mentioned. It has a folksy feel to it. -Spirit of the West did a song called "Sixth Floor." It's almost 6 minutes of rock and was inspired when the band was in Dallas. One of the guys called his wife in Canada and said, "Honey, you won't believe where I'm calling you from!...The building where they said JFK was shot from." The lyrics are a bit rude and mention people "posing on the grassy knoll." But for a rock song, it's actually pretty good. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hogan Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 From the liner notes of Can't Keep From Crying (Testament Records 1964): "This wholly unusual blues recording presents eleven topical songs on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy written and performed by ten Negro singers and instrumentalists, some of them like Big Joe Williams and Otis Spann, well known and respected as fine, expresive bluesmen; others, like Avery Brady and John Lee Granderson, known only to a small circle of friends and acquaintances. All of the performances save one were recorded in Chicago in the weeks following the November 22, 1963 assassination of the President." Various Artists Can't Keep From Crying: Topical Blues On The Death Of John F. Kennedy [TCD5007] This remarkable and moving album presents 13 topical songs on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. They were recorded in the weeks immediately following his death on November 22, 1963. The performances range from the bizarre vocals and jagged violin of Jimmy Brown to the blues-band sound of Johnny Young (with Otis Spann and Slim Willis). Features two previously unissued tracks; HighTone Testament series. Tracks: Big Joe Williams: A Man Amongst Men James and Fannie Brewer: I Want to Know Why John Lee Granderson: A Man for the Nation Otis Spann: Sad Day in Texas Mary Ross: President Kennedy Gave His Life Bill Jackson: The 22nd Day of November James Brewer: Why Did He Have to Go? Johnny Young: I Tried Not to Cry Avery Brady: Poor Kennedy Fannie Brewer: When We Got the Message Jimmy Brown: He Was Loved By All the People Johnny Young: Tribute to J.F.K. Avery Brady: Poor Kennedy #2 The record was originally released in 1964 as a vinyl record. It was re-released in 1994 on compact disc. One can listen to excerpts at the Amazon website: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000003OQ...v=glance&n=5174 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myra Bronstein Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 I'm trying to compile a list of references to the JFK,RFK,MLK assassinations in songs, apart from those already mentioned has anybody got any more to offer?Cheers John The great Bobby Darin, who penned some of the most best protest songs ever, was devastated when Bobby Kennedy was murdered. He wrote "In Memoriam" about the train that carried RFK's body to his burial site. Darin was one of the mourners at the cemetery holding a candle. The casket arrived late because of all the mourners lining the track. By then it was too dark for workers to cover the grave so Darin stood all night guarding the gravesite and wouldn't leave until the workers finished covering the grave the next day. In Memoriam He's a ruthless opportunist And he motivates by greed He's just the way his father was And that we sure don't need So they all cried out destroy him For he wants to see us drowned They never understood him So they put him in the ground. Now some had stood for hours And some sat on the grass Listening to their radios For where the train had passed And a crowd will get impatient As the clock hands turn around They never understood him So they put him in the ground. They handed out some candles To the somber weary crowd And told us not to light them Till our eyes beheld the shroud Not even at that moment Could there be tranquility I could feel them push and argue Hey, sit down, I cannot see They never understood him So they put him in the ground. When the fathers closed their bibles And the family left the site The ropes and walls and hedges Kind of faded in the night Replaced by all the people Who made a prayerful sound They never understood him So they put him in the ground. Some people say the eighth of June But the morning of the ninth The workmen gently lowered him By the beam of three work lights Easy, take it easy Set him down real slow He'd been on some rougher trips But he couldn't tell them so They never understood him So they put him in the ground. Now no man has the answers And he was just a man And yet I can't help feelin' That he knew a better plan A shorter road to justice On the trip that's freedom bound But they never understood him So they put him in the ground. http://www.bobbydarin.net/inmemoriam.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Drago Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 I would draw your attention to "And When We are Young," the ballad written and first performed by jazz saxophonist Phil Woods on the day RFK died. Various renditions are available on CD. In any event, you ignore Mr. Woods at your incalculable loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen Collins Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Bob Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone has lyrics which read, "You say you never compromised/ with the mystery tramp..." Someone told me he believed "mystery tramp" came from the pictures of the mystery tramps in Dealey Plaza. BTW, the song is about Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol star, heiress and drug addict. Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Mauro Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Bob Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone has lyrics which read, "You say you never compromised/ with the mystery tramp..."Someone told me he believed "mystery tramp" came from the pictures of the mystery tramps in Dealey Plaza. BTW, the song is about Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol star, heiress and drug addict. Kathy ******************************************************** "Someone told me he believed "mystery tramp" came from the pictures of the mystery tramps in Dealey Plaza." Who, told you. And, was he conjecturing, or speculating? And, what does Edie Sedgwick have to do with JFK? Another chick he supposedly shtupped? I seriously doubt it. Why muck up the thread with unsubstantiated generalities? Where's A.J. Weberman when I need him? Besides, since you seem to have a wild hair up your butt about Dylan, at the moment. One of my all time favorites of his is, "Positively 4th Street" where I happened to have been living in 1966 after returning to New York, having spent the last three or four years living in New Orleans and San Francisco. The best lines are the very last: POSITIVELY 4TH STREET You got a lotta nerve To say you are my friend When I was down You just stood there grinning You got a lotta nerve To say you got a helping hand to lend You just want to be on The side that's winning You say I let you down You know it's not like that If you're so hurt Why then don't you show it You say you lost your faith But that's not where it's at You had no faith to lose And you know it I know the reason That you talk behind my back I used to be among the crowd You're in with Do you take me for such a fool To think I'd make contact With the one who tries to hide What he don't know to begin with You see me on the street You always act surprised You say, "How are you?" "Good luck" But you don't mean it When you know as well as me You'd rather see me paralyzed Why don't you just come out once And scream it No, I do not feel that good When I see the heartbreaks you embrace If I was a master thief Perhaps I'd rob them And now I know you're dissatisfied With your position and your place Don't you understand It's not my problem I wish that for just one time You could stand inside my shoes And just for that one moment I could be you Yes, I wish that for just one time You could stand inside my shoes You'd know what a drag it is To see you The radically political songs of Dylan's were on those albums made before 1965, and before he went electric. I can't remember anything Dylan wrote after '65 that even remotely made reference to JFK's assassination. I could be wrong, but I was an avid listener and buyer back then, so that would've been something I'd have remembered. Copyright © 1965; renewed 1993 Special Rider Music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Richards Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 'Sleeping In' by The Postal Service Last week I had the strangest dream Where everything was exactly how it seemed Where there was never any mystery of who shot John F. Kennedy It was just a man with something to prove Slightly bored and severely confused He steadied his rifle with his target in the center And became famous on that day in November Don't wake me I plan on sleeping Don't wake me I plan on sleeping in Don't wake me I plan on sleeping Don't wake me I plan on sleeping in Again last night I had that strange dream Where everything was exactly how it seemed Where concerns about the world getting warmer The people thought they were just being rewarded For treating others as they'd like to be treated For obeying stop signs and curing diseases For mailing letters with the address of the sender Now we can swim any day in November Don't wake me I plan on sleeping (now we can swim any day in November) Don't wake me I plan on sleeping in Don't wake me I plan on sleeping Don't wake me I plan on sleeping in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Mauro Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 1971 Performer: Emerson, Lake & Palmer Title: Lucky man Lyric text: He had white horses And ladies by the score All dressed in satin And waiting by the door Oooh, what a lucky man he was Oooh, what a lucky man he was White lace and feathers They laid on his bed A gold covered mattress On which he was led Oooh, what a lucky man he was Oooh, what a lucky man he was He went to fight wars For his country and his king Of his honour and his glory The people would sing Oooh, what a lucky man he was Oooh, what a lucky man he was A bullet had found him His blood ran as he cried Nobody could save him So he laid down and died Oooh, what a lucky man he was Oooh, what a lucky man he was Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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