Has anyone heard the songs Allen Ginsberg recorded?

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He did an album where he set the whole of William Blake's 'Songs of Innocence and Experience' to music--also a double album of songs he wrote for a label John Hammond briefly ran called 'First Blues.'

― crop circle, Thursday, 8 April 2004 03:31 (twenty-one years ago)

First Blues is a real blast. The songs are very simple, and some are just awful ("You Are My Dildo", namely), but others like "Going to San Diego" and "Broken Bone Blues" are very catchy. "Vomit Expres", with Bob Dylan, is a classic. The Blake songs are tougher to get into, but "Nurse's Song" is cute.

The Holy Soul Jelly Roll box set is an incredible collection of Ginsberg readings and songs, including the obscure "Birdbrain" seven-inch single, and the performance of "Capitol Air" with The Clash.

― abegrand, Thursday, 8 April 2004 06:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I heard an old anti-tobacco chant-thing he did once. Accompanied only by himself on harmonium, he keeps coming back to the refrain "Don't smoke don't smoke don't smoke don't smoke" etc, then suggests alternatives, like "Suck cock suck cock suck cock suck cock suck tit suck tit suck tit suck tit." Loopy!

(Just did a quick check: it's the "Put Down Your Cigarette" Rag)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 8 April 2004 08:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I like what I've heard from First Blues.

"I don't like the top bananas that are robbing Guatemala banks blind." (sung in a style that is vaguely Latin/Caribbean style)

I don't think much of his work post-Howl as poetry, but I as songs, the First Blues stuff works very well.

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 8 April 2004 10:20 (twenty-one years ago)

"I saw the greatest minds of my generation..
Shake Dowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn..."

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 8 April 2004 10:22 (twenty-one years ago)

There's a cd in print, "NY Blues," that compiles recordings made by Harry Smith of Ginsberg singing and playing harmonium... it's great, esp. "Prayer Blues" in which Ginsberg attmepts to comfort Jesus Christ "up on cross, bom! bom! bom! bom!" In the top five of all time.

― sexyDancer, Thursday, 8 April 2004 13:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah - the Blake record is fantastic if you love Ginsberg. It's very joyous, very devotional sounding in places. I have a cassette dub of it somewhere that I should transfer to CD. "First Blues" is also wonderful.

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Thursday, 8 April 2004 14:06 (twenty-one years ago)

cool, thanks.

― shookout (shookout), Thursday, 8 April 2004 14:08 (twenty-one years ago)

"I don't like the top bananas that are robbing Guatemala banks blind."

It's a really good and funny line because of the way he delivers it (which emphasizes just about every syllable), because of the silliness of the phrase "top bananas" (which echoes the idea of "banada republic") in a serious context, and the somewhat esoteric nature of the political reference (for a song that is approximating pop music).

― Rockist Scientist, Thursday, 8 April 2004 14:33 (twenty-one years ago)

"CIA Dope Calypso" is another classic. On one side, Ginsberg's attacking the CIA's alleged drug involvement, and on the other, he's singing a very snappy little Jamaican tune.

― abegrand, Thursday, 8 April 2004 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Holy Soul Jelly Roll is Priceless and well worth a trip to your local library to interlibrary loan, check out and burn off a copy.

His "Om ah hum vajra guru padme siddhe hum" sutra on repeat was my falling asleep music for a year.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Thursday, 8 April 2004 19:43 (twenty-one years ago)

"Ballad of the Skeletons" is pretty good

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:00 (twenty-one years ago)

"capitol air," with the clash, is surprisingly awesome considering how less-than-awesome his contributions to combat rock were. i second the holy soul jelly roll recommendation - it's one of my favorite box sets ever.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

First Blues reissued: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=21209

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Sunday, 2 April 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

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