Lyr Add: I Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red

Subject: Lyr Add: I DREAMED I SAW EAST TEXAS RED (O'Brien)
From: Art Thieme
Date: 12 Oct 99 - 10:14 PM

I posted Woody Guthrie's "EAST TEXAS RED" in a thread a while ago. Arlo Guthrie has it on an CD. I did it on "That's the Ticket" on Folk Leg. Cisco Houston did it on his last album __I Aint Got No Home__ on Vanguard Records.

Bruce O'Brien of Alaska sent me this version he wrote of "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night" (1984)--originally written by... ---Jeez, I can't remember. Was it Earl Robinson?? I think so...

(East Texas Red, in Woody's song, was a sadistic brakeman who harrassed some hobos in a jungle camp. He spilled their stew. They told him they'd be back in a year (like in ___Sir Gawain And The Green Knight___), and then, he'd het his. A year later, Red comes walking down the track, meets the 'bos, pleads for his life, and is shot dead.

The last line of the song...
"And Red was dead when the other two men sat down to eat their stew."

Here's Bruce O'Brien's song:

_ ________________________________________________________

"Art,

Inspired by the rise of Reaganism and your doing Woody's song, I thought you would like to have this.---Bruce"

I dreamed I saw East Texas Red
Alive as you or me
Says I, "But Red, you're long long dead."
"I never died," says he
"I never died," says he.

"'Twas Woody wrote and sang the song
Of evil you did do,
To hobos on your railroad line,
You even spilt their stew,
You even spilt their stew."

"The hobo workers shot you, Red,
They killed you dead," says I,
"Down in some lonesome railroad yard."
Says Red, "I didn't die,"
Says Red, "I didn't die."

"The bosses brought me back to life,
Because they had the need,
To make the workers run in fear,
To make the workers bleed,
To fight the wars of greed."

"Now I just do just like I'm told,
Like any Bill or Bob,
It's hard times everwhere you go,
You know it's just a job,
And I'm glad I've got my job."

"Where there are bosses more than rich,
Where there are poor near dead,
Where there is hate and greed and fear,
You'll find East Texas Red,
You'll find East Texas Red.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyric add: Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 12:42 PM

Loverly!

Subject: RE: Lyric add: Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: Pete peterson
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 02:10 PM

BEAUTIFUL And I think the original WAS by the late Earl Robinson

Subject: RE: Lyric add: Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 04:32 PM

There was also the lesser-known Ballad of Sig Freud-- prefaced by a solemn narration of his last words...
"Don't mourn for me.....analyze!"

Subject: RE: Lyric add: Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: arkie
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 05:47 PM

Can't believe I missed the posting of East Texas Red. Not big on revenge, but sure like that song. First heard it by Arlo and listened to it over and over.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: GUEST,Nickelhead
Date: 18 Jul 11 - 12:59 PM

Love the 'Ghost of East Texas Red' adaptation. Ever since I first heard Arlo cover it on the Smithsonian Folkways album I've loved East Texas Red. Does anyone know if there is any existing recording of the song by Woody? I can't find an original by him anywhere.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: Art Thieme
Date: 18 Jul 11 - 04:45 PM

And now assholes like B. Made-off and the Wall Streeters who NEVER were held responsible for taking down the economy while taking so many millions of $$$$$$ more; all have "made off" with billions while a guy who steals 3 loaves of bread in California, so his kids can eat, gets put away for life.

I'm left wondering, where is the anger that took out E.T. Red?

Nick,
I don't think Woody ever did record it. I also think that somewhere between Woody's poem and Arlo's record, it got a tune. Maybe Arlo did it??

"Good luck to all of you."
Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Jul 11 - 05:25 PM

Art-

I know that Cisco Huston recorded a fine rendition of Woody's song.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: Arkie
Date: 18 Jul 11 - 05:49 PM

Art, I did not expect to like "I Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red" but I did. Thanks for posting.

Add Tom Russell and James Talley to the list of folk who have recorded "East Texas Red". Russell is well known on Mudcat. James Talley should be. So far there are three threads on Talley drawing less than ten posts among them. He is a fine singer and songwriter and one heck of a nice guy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: GUEST,Nickelhead
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 11:07 AM

Art, love that reply - I think the raw justice of the song is what makes it so powerful. And as to anger, when they start f!@#ing with my mum's social security they're gonna see some.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 04:19 PM

Well done Art. Paul Durst would approve.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Dreamed I Saw East Texas Red
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 06:20 PM

Woody's "East Texas Red" was published in the 1963 book Woody Guthrie Folk Songs, along with a melody. That alone would lead me to speculate that, at some point, Woody did record it, but the recording remains unreleased. Just about everything in the book seems to be transcribed from something he recorded, either released or unreleased (with the possible exception of "Deportee.")

But, I did notice one curious thing: Most of the other songs in the book say "Words and music by Woody Guthrie," or indicate a song adaptation, but "East Texas Red" says, "A ballad by Woody Guthrie." The significance of this? I haven't the faintest idea. (In the lyrics section of the official Guthrie website, the credit reads "Words and music by Woody Guthrie" and James Talley's album is noted.)

Jay