December 9, 2020

First Blues: Rags, Ballads and Harmonium Songs - Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg
Folkways Records‎– FSS 37560

Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Pop, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Field Recording, Spoken Word, Ballad
[Tracklist]
A1 4 A.M. Blues / New York Blues / New York Youth Call Annunciation (10:02)
A2 Come Back Christmas; MacDougal Street Blues (6:52)
A3 CIa Dope Calypso (4:59)
A4 Put Down Yr Cigarette Rag (3:42)
B1 Slack Key Guitar; Siratoka Beach Croon (7:03)
B2 Bus Ride Ballad To Suva (4:16)
B3 Prayer Blues (10:25)
B4 Dope Fiend Blues (4:30)
[Credits]
Allen Ginsberg (harmonium/vocals)
Designer: Ronald Clyne, Producer: Ann Charters, Recorder: Harry Smith
[Notes]
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.

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