(gentle upbeat music) ♪ I had a little something that I wrote for you ♪ ♪ Somewhere up near 30,000 feet ♪ ♪ Scribbled on that little bag they leave for you ♪ ♪ When you're tumbling through the turbulence and sleep ♪ ♪ I anguished over every word I wrote for you ♪ ♪ When someone screamed, oh God, we're going to die ♪ ♪ So focused on that little lovers note for you ♪ ♪ I nearly missed the stewardess fly by ♪ ♪ But I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ My poetic heart became ♪ ♪ The copilot of my brain ♪ ♪ But I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ (gentle upbeat music) ♪ I had a revelation for the first time in my life ♪ ♪ Diving down into that hurricane ♪ ♪ Trying to get each word and rhyme perfectly concise ♪ ♪ As the engine on the wing burst into flames ♪ ♪ I had a revelation for the first time in my life ♪ ♪ As the mask was dangling down around my face ♪ ♪ And all the overheads were popping open, left and right ♪ ♪ As every word felt perfectly in place ♪ ♪ But I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ My poetic heart became ♪ ♪ The copilot of my brain ♪ ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ (gentle upbeat music) ♪ As the pilot glided us ♪ ♪ Safely out of harm ♪ ♪ I wanted to recite it ♪ ♪ As I fell into your arms ♪ ♪ But I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ How it feels to hear your name ♪ ♪ Was also well explained ♪ ♪ But I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ Checked the gate and baggage claim ♪ ♪ The answer's still the same ♪ ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ (gentle upbeat piano music) ♪ I left it on the plane ♪ (gentle upbeat piano music) ♪ I had a little something that I wrote for you ♪ - Well, John introduced himself to me, he just called me on the phone one day, he'd heard one of my songs on a Kathy Mattea album and liked it.

And I'm not that forward, I'm not that brave, but John is easy about just calling people out of the blue and getting to know them.

And I told my wife, I said, this guy called me and said, he wants to write with me 'cause he likes that song.

So it was just that simple, you know.

And then he said, let's write together because I think we'd write well together.

And he was right.

And we'd just been writing ever since.

Apparently we both enjoy a peaceful walk through like old graveyards.

I don't know if anyone likes to do that.

It's a good place to think and that's what the song's about.

- I'm just planning ahead.

(audience laughs) (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ When raven breaks the quit of a twilight afternoon ♪ ♪ And the shadows crawling ♪ ♪ Creep across the crosses and the tombs ♪ ♪ Among those old stones ♪ ♪ That's where I like to walk alone and think ♪ ♪ As the old ghosts pass along their wisdom with a wink ♪ ♪ The garden of the dead ♪ ♪ When the land of living is so unforgiving ♪ ♪ That's where I go to clear my head ♪ ♪ The garden of the dead ♪ You got your parts now?

Good.

♪ Jedediah, Jeremiah, Zachariah, Lorelai ♪ ♪ Philomena, in between Evangeline and Mordecai ♪ ♪ They console me when I'm down and drowning ♪ ♪ In this world of hurt ♪ ♪ They know me more than any soul on this side of the dirt ♪ ♪ The garden of the dead ♪ ♪ The garden of the dead ♪ ♪ When the land of the living is so unforgiving ♪ ♪ That's where I go to clear my head ♪ Where do I go?

(gentle upbeat music) All right.

(gentle upbeat guitar music) - Well, you know, Don and I, we've been writing together for a long time.

You know, we've always been kind of like brothers and, you know he knew my dad, I knew his dad, we're both only children, we've always been close.

And so we started rehearsing, and then we started writing songs and it just sort of, it sort of happened really organically, you know?

- And we were always writing songs for other people to record, 25 years ago.

It never occurred to us to write songs as a duo, as a group, for us to perform.

And when that took hold, the idea of that, we started writing better songs, at least from my point of view, because they were songs that we wanted to do as artists, we didn't have to worry about whether anybody else would record them, but us.

Don and I have been written, written, written, writing for.

- We've been written off for a long time.

(both laughing) - For about 30 years.

And this is I guess maybe the third song we wrote.

I'm married to a woman that refers to herself as a recovering country star, Kathy Mattea, and she had this record out.

This is a true story about my grandparents.

(gentle music) ♪ Claire had all but given up ♪ ♪ When she and Edwin fell in love ♪ ♪ She touched his face and shook her head ♪ ♪ In disbelief, she sighed and said ♪ ♪ In many dreams I've held you near ♪ ♪ Now, at last, you're really here ♪ ♪ Where've you been ♪ ♪ I looked for you forever and a day ♪ ♪ Where've you been ♪ ♪ I'm just not myself when you're away ♪ ♪ He asked her for her hand for life ♪ ♪ And she became a salesman's wife ♪ ♪ He was home each night by eight ♪ ♪ But one stormy evening, he was late ♪ ♪ Her frightened tears fell to the floor ♪ ♪ Until his key turned in the door ♪ ♪ Where've you been ♪ ♪ I've looked for you forever and a day ♪ ♪ Where've you been ♪ ♪ I'm just not myself when you're away ♪ (gentle music) ♪ They'd never spent a night apart ♪ ♪ For 60 years, she heard him snore ♪ ♪ Now they're in a hospital ♪ ♪ In separate beds on different floors ♪ ♪ Claire soon lost her memory ♪ ♪ And forgot the names of family ♪ ♪ She never spoke a word again ♪ ♪ Then one day, they wheeled him in ♪ ♪ He held her hand ♪ ♪ And stroked her hair ♪ ♪ In a fragile voice she said ♪ ♪ Where've you been ♪ ♪ I've looked for you forever and a day ♪ ♪ Where've you been ♪ ♪ I'm just not myself when you're away ♪ ♪ No, I'm just not myself when you're away ♪ (audience applauds) Thank you.

- Jon Vezner.

- I'd say that is a true story about my grandparents, I was the one who wheeled him him.

But, I told Kathy, a few years ago, I said, you know, that's not exactly how it went down.

I wheeled him in, their eyes locked and I brought him around the bed, my grandfather always had this big smile on his face, and my grandmother was this stern little German lady, and I don't think I ever saw her smile.

And I brought him around and he stroked her head and grabbed her hand, he kept saying, "Look at them hair, look at them hair, "nobody has hair like grandma."

And she looked at him, and she hadn't spoken to anybody in weeks, and she looked at him and she goes, "Where you been?"

(audience laughs) Well, it's our absolute pleasure to bring up somebody that we are just thrilled to be out on the road with.

He is the master, he's probably the best songwriter I've ever written, sorry Don, with.

But I mean, we both feel that way.

And we're just, we sit.

The trouble is he keeps pulling these songs and you go, "You wrote that?

"Nobody wrote that song, that song's been here forever."

So I want to bring up our friend and a wonderful musician and wonderful human being, Mr. Tom Paxton.

Where is he?

There he is.

(audience applauds) - Hi everybody, it's great to be with you, it really is.

How about these guys, The Don Juans, what do you think of them?

(audience applauds) ♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ ♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ Help us sing it now.

♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ ♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ (gentle upbeat music) ♪ Across the bridge at Selma ♪ ♪ you came marching side by side ♪ ♪ In your eyes a new world on the way ♪ ♪ Hope was in your heart and justice would not be denied ♪ ♪ You sang we shall overcome some day ♪ ♪ God knows the courage you possessed ♪ ♪ And Isaiah said it best ♪ ♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ ♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ (gentle upbeat music) ♪ Marching round the White House ♪ ♪ Marching round the Pentagon ♪ ♪ Marching round the mighty missile plans ♪ ♪ Speaking truth to power, singing peace in Babylon ♪ ♪ Asking us why not give peace a chance ♪ ♪ God knows the courage you possess ♪ ♪ And Isaiah said it best ♪ ♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ ♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ ♪ Now the generations who have joined you on this road ♪ ♪ Look to you with power in their eyes ♪ ♪ Now you know the torch has passed ♪ ♪ as they pick up the load ♪ ♪ Now you see their eyes are on the prize ♪ ♪ God knows the courage they possess ♪ ♪ And Isaiah said it best ♪ ♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ ♪ How beautiful upon the mountain ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ ♪ Are the steps of those who walk in peace ♪ (audience applauds) Thank you.

I would describe my music as being within the folk tradition.

Although a contemporary version of the folk tradition.

I don't know maybe a little broader musically than the tradition which is a very limited technically.

Folk music tends to stay within a fairly limited vocal range because most people can't sing outside that range.

So maybe that, little slight changes, and maybe the 21st century creeps in my music at some point, I at least I hope so.

You hear a lot of the field recordings that, you know, like people like Alan Lomax recorded down in the Appalachians.

Yeah, these are very ordinary singers with great memories who knew lots of songs, they've made it their business to memorize the songs that they heard, so they could pass them on.

And these were not great voices.

And the songs did not require a great voices, the songs required someone who could tell the story and that's what they did superbly well.

♪ Let's get this boat in the water ♪ ♪ With the oars where they oughta ♪ ♪ We'll roll down this river to the sea ♪ ♪ We'll sail off in the sunset ♪ ♪ To some place we ain't been yet ♪ ♪ Just to say that we've been there, you and me ♪ (gentle upbeat music) ♪ There are islands in the ocean ♪ ♪ You can't reach except by boatin' ♪ ♪ Where the coconuts and mangoes fall from trees ♪ ♪ On the beaches soft as cotton ♪ ♪ All your troubles soon forgotten ♪ ♪ You can toss 'em up, loose 'em in the breeze ♪ ♪ Let's get this boat in the water ♪ ♪ With the oars where they oughta ♪ ♪ We'll roll down this river to the sea ♪ ♪ We'll sail off in the sunset ♪ ♪ To some place we ain't been yet ♪ ♪ Just to say that we've been there, you and me ♪ - You know, we like to write songs about stuff that means something to us.

And not necessarily pointing out the problem but pointing out the, you know, shining a light on the problem but also taking ownership for part of the problem as well.

You know we all take ownership.

(gentle upbeat music) ♪ If the kids are hungry ♪ ♪ But there's nothing to eat ♪ ♪ If the baby has a fever ♪ ♪ But there is no heat ♪ ♪ If they're living in a Chevy ♪ ♪ While the world goes by ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ Then neither do I ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ Then neither do I ♪ ♪ If they're living in the cardboard ♪ ♪ Or the packing case ♪ ♪ If they're gone by morning ♪ ♪ And they leave no trace ♪ ♪ If nobody wonders ♪ ♪ If they live or they die ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ Then neither do I ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ Then neither do I ♪ ♪ Push them back, sweep them out, anything ♪ ♪ to keep them out ♪ ♪ Keep them real branded out, ♪ ♪ standing with their hands out ♪ ♪ Knocking at the back gate, radio talking hate ♪ ♪ Wrong here, strong here.

No they don't belong here ♪ ♪ My house, my car, living like a rock star ♪ ♪ Caviar, wet bar, bought another Jaguar ♪ ♪ Got it all.

Payday, now it's time to play-day ♪ ♪ Trouble not to think about, not to make a stink about ♪ (gentle upbeat music) ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ If we chase them away ♪ ♪ We're gonna see them again, boys ♪ ♪ On the judgment day ♪ ♪ We're gonna see them again, boys ♪ ♪ On the day we die ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ Then neither do I ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ If the poor don't matter ♪ ♪ Then neither do I ♪ (audience applauds) Thank you.

Oh, I explore the same themes, I always have.

I really think of myself as like a farmer plowing the same field and bringing up a new crop each year.

And it tends to resemble the crop from the year before but maybe there are slight differences.

But the themes of love, of family, of resistance to bullies in any form, social justice is important.

Those things have been constant throughout my career.

Some of my songs are angry songs.

You could even call them protest songs.

But that's only a part of what I do.

I don't deny it, I accept it, I honor that part of my creativity, but it doesn't define me.

(audience applauds) (gentle guitar music) ♪ Whose garden was this ♪ ♪ It must have been lovely ♪ ♪ Did it have flowers ♪ ♪ I've seen pictures of flowers ♪ ♪ And I'd love to have smelled one ♪ ♪ Whose river was this ♪ ♪ You say it ran freely ♪ ♪ Blue was it's color ♪ ♪ I've seen blue in some pictures ♪ ♪ And you tell me you've been there ♪ ♪ Tell me again, I need to know ♪ ♪ The forests had trees ♪ ♪ The meadows were green ♪ ♪ The oceans were blue ♪ ♪ And birds really flew ♪ ♪ Can you swear that was true ♪ (gentle music) ♪ And whose gray sky was this ♪ ♪ Or was it a blue one ♪ ♪ At nights there were breezes ♪ ♪ I've heard records of breezes ♪ ♪ And you tell me you felt one ♪ ♪ Who's forest was this ♪ ♪ And why is it empty ♪ ♪ You say there were bird songs ♪ ♪ And squirrels in the branches ♪ ♪ Then why is it silent ♪ ♪ Tell me again, I need to know ♪ ♪ The forests had trees ♪ ♪ The meadows were green ♪ ♪ The oceans were blue ♪ ♪ And birds really flew ♪ ♪ Can you swear that was true ♪ (gentle music) ♪ Oh whose garden was this ♪ ♪ It must have been lovely ♪ ♪ Did it have flowers ♪ ♪ I've seen pictures of flowers ♪ ♪ And I'd love to have smelled one ♪ (audience applauds) Thank you.

I write in the first person, although it's very seldom myself, I'm speaking for, I'm inventing a participant or an eye witness.

The act of songwriting is a mysterious act, all kinds of writing are strange, something comes from nowhere and turns into something.

And half the time, at least, it's something fairly worthless.

(audience laughs) As the saying goes, "You have to kiss a lot of frogs "to get a prince."

And we write a lot of bad songs and throw 'em away and finally, now and then, we get a good one.

And that's what I tell students to do, get something out of the paper that moves you to anger or to hilarity, doesn't matter, as long as it matters to you, what you read, then write a song from the point of view of either a participant or an eyewitness.

(gentle upbeat music) ♪ Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine ♪ ♪ When you gonna let me get sober ♪ ♪ Let me along, let me go home ♪ ♪ Let me go back and start over ♪ (gentle upbeat music) ♪ Ramblin' around this dirty old town ♪ ♪ Singin' for nickels and dimes ♪ ♪ Times getting tough I ain't got enough ♪ ♪ To buy a littl bottle of wine ♪ ♪ Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine ♪ ♪ When you gonna let me get sober ♪ ♪ Let me along, let me go home ♪ ♪ Let me go back and start over ♪ ♪ It's a little hotel, older than hell ♪ ♪ And dark as coal in the mine ♪ ♪ Blanket so thin, I lay there and grin ♪ ♪ 'Cause I got a little bottle of wine ♪ ♪ Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine ♪ ♪ When you gonna let me get sober ♪ ♪ Let me alone, let me go home ♪ ♪ Let me go back and start over ♪ (gentle upbeat music) ♪ Pain in my head ♪ ♪ Bugs in the bed ♪ ♪ And my pants so old that they shine ♪ ♪ Out on the street, tell the people I meet ♪ ♪ Why don't you buy me a bottle of wine ♪ You sing it now.

♪ Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine ♪ ♪ When you gonna let me get sober ♪ ♪ Let me alone, let me go home ♪ ♪ Let me go back and start over ♪ They told me all the real winos come from this part of Minnesota.

That was well done.

This song is sung, the length and breadth of France, no surprise there.

They sing it in French, of course, and claim it as a French folk song, which it is not.

It is my French folk song.

But I must admit I love the way it sounds.

(sings in the French language) Everybody now.

(audience laughs) ♪ Well the preacher will preach and the teacher will teach ♪ ♪ A miner will dig in the mine ♪ ♪ I ride the rods, trust in the God ♪ ♪ Hugging my bottle of wine ♪ ♪ Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine ♪ ♪ When you gonna let me get sober ♪ ♪ Let me alone, let me go home ♪ ♪ Let me go back and start over ♪ (gentle upbeat music) (audience applauds) Thank you.

Well, back in 1963, there was a lot of excitement in the little world of folk music because it was learned that an American legend named Mississippi John Hurt was alive and living in his hometown of Avalon, Mississippi, and still playing and singing.

And they brought him up that summer to the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island.

By a great coincidence, it was my first year to be invited there, so I was able to see this fella who hadn't been heard from in decades, play in the afternoon and a little workshop and then that night they put him on the main stage in front of 18,000 people, just sat on a kitchen chair played and sang and just charmed everybody to death.

(audience laughs) And then by some connivance of the Gods, he wound up coming and playing with us at the Gaslight in Greenwich Village for two weeks or so.

We got to hear him three or four times a night, which was just, manna for us young guys, we just soaked it up like a sponge.

About 10 years after he left us, a song, more or less in his style, showed up in my head one day and it turned out to be about him.

It's called, "Did You Hear John Hurt?"

Three, four.

(gentle upbeat music) ♪ It was a frosty night ♪ ♪ It was beginnin' to snow ♪ ♪ And in the city street ♪ ♪ The wind began to blow ♪ ♪ We all came to the cellar ♪ ♪ We all emptied the bar ♪ ♪ To hear a little old feller ♪ ♪ Play a shiny guitar ♪ ♪ Did you hear John Hurt ♪ ♪ Play the Creole Belle ♪ ♪ The Spanish Fandago ♪ ♪ That he loved so well ♪ ♪ Did you love John Hurt ♪ ♪ Did you shake his hand ♪ ♪ Did you hear him singing his Candyman ♪ ♪ Did you hear him singing his Candyman ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ On a straight-back chair ♪ ♪ With a felt hat on ♪ ♪ He tickled our fancies ♪ ♪ With his Avalon ♪ ♪ And everybody passing down MacDougal Street ♪ ♪ Would cock their heads and listen ♪ ♪ To the tappin' feet ♪ ♪ Did you hear John Hurt ♪ ♪ Play the Creole Belle ♪ Spanish Fandango ♪ The Spanish Fandango ♪ ♪ That he loved so well ♪ ♪ Did you love John Hurt ♪ ♪ Did you shake his hand ♪ ♪ Did you hear him singing his Candyman ♪ ♪ Did you hear him singing his Candyman ♪ ♪ My Creole Belle ♪ ♪ My Creole Belle ♪ ♪ I love her well ♪ ♪ I love her well ♪ ♪ My darling baby ♪ ♪ My Creole Belle ♪ ♪ My Creole Belle ♪ ♪ The stars do shine ♪ ♪ The stars do shine ♪ ♪ Then she'll be mine ♪ ♪ Then she'll be mine ♪ ♪ My darling baby ♪ ♪ My Creole Belle ♪ MacDougal Street was a candy store for me.

I came from Oklahoma and you heard very little folk music, and you heard none on, on the media, it was all country and pop and rock and stuff.

So what I wanted was folk music and I got to MacDougal Street and there it was.

Places like the Gaslight, which was a cellar club coffee house.

There was folk music there every night.

And including people like Mississippi, John hurt and Son House and Doc Watson, as well as us young guys.

So I got, you know, all the folk music I could handle on MacDougal Street, it was my laboratory.

I got there in '60, Dylan got there in '61, Phillips came in '62, Peter, Paul and Mary came and sang their first three songs in public at the Gaslight one night.

It was an exciting place.

None of us dreamed that anyone would be talking about it, 50 years later.

My dear friend, Dave Van Ronk, who was known by all of us as The Mayor of MacDougal Street, that's what we called him.

And he wrote a book by that name, by the way, which if you'd like to know what things were like in the Village in 1962, that's the book to get.

Wonderful, funny and moving book.

Dave, I met in 1960, I was still in the army coming in from Fort Dix on weekends playing when I could, Dave was playing at a place across the street from the Gaslight, called The Commons, he was also hiring the other performers, so he would hire me to sing on Friday and Saturday nights.

And I made something like 10 bucks a night.

I didn't know how you spent that kind of money but.

(audience laughs) It was my first indication of how the money truly was going to come rolling in.

(all laughing) This is for The Mayor of MacDougal Street.

♪ He's been gone for many a year now ♪ ♪ That's for certain ♪ ♪ They left vacant spot no man can fill ♪ ♪ They closed the hall and someone drew the curtain ♪ ♪ No one replaced him yet and no one will ♪ ♪ Hanging around the Gaslight back in the day ♪ ♪ Laughing with Dave Van Ronk and hearing him play ♪ ♪ It was a Green Green Rocky Road ♪ ♪ And play it as it lays ♪ ♪ The devil's on the bandstand ♪ ♪ It's a hell of a tune he plays ♪ ♪ But the devil puts down his banjo ♪ ♪ And he reaches for the booze ♪ ♪ When the Mayor of MacDougal Street's playin' the blues ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ When Dave Van Ronk sat down, the room got quiet ♪ ♪ He'd play a lazy chord on his Guild guitar ♪ ♪ Sounds so sweet, it made you wanna try it ♪ ♪ It made you think about swingin' on a star ♪ ♪ Hangin' around the Gaslight back in the day ♪ ♪ Laughin' with Dave Van Ronk and hearin' him play ♪ ♪ It was Green Green Rocky Road and play it as it lays ♪ ♪ The devil's on the bandstand ♪ ♪ it's a hell of a tune he plays ♪ ♪ But the devil puts down his banjo ♪ ♪ And he reaches for the booze ♪ ♪ When the Mayor of MacDougal Street's playin' the blues ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ I never knew a man to suffer a fools less gladly ♪ ♪ Or to view this world of ours with more jaundiced eye ♪ ♪ I miss my friend, I miss him badly ♪ ♪ In this pygmy world, a giant came stompin' by ♪ ♪ Hangin' around the Gaslight back in the day ♪ ♪ Laughin' with Dave Van Ronk and hearin' him play ♪ ♪ It was Green Green Rocky Road and play it as it lays ♪ ♪ The devil's on the bandstand ♪ ♪ It's a hell of a tune he plays ♪ ♪ But the devil puts down his banjo ♪ ♪ And he reaches for the booze ♪ ♪ When the Mayor of MacDougal Street's playin' the blues ♪ ♪ Oh the devil puts down his banjo ♪ ♪ And he reaches for the booze ♪ ♪ When the Mayor of MacDougal Street's playin' the blues ♪ ♪ Ra, da, di, da, ra, da, di, da, dey ♪ ♪ Ra, da, di, da, ra, da, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ (audience applauds) Dave Van Ronk.

I heard Billy Bragg recently say it, he said, "We songwriters, we don't change history.

"What a pompous idea that is.

"The audience changes history."

The audience said, "You know, I hadn't thought of that, "but by God I'm."

You know, and they talk to one another and they wind up changing history.

So we don't change history, they do.

(gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ This old town should've burned down in 1929 ♪ ♪ That's when we stood in line ♪ ♪ Waiting for our soup ♪ ♪ Swallowing our pride ♪ ♪ This old town should've burned down in 1931 ♪ ♪ When the rain refused to come ♪ ♪ And air filled up our bellies ♪ ♪ Dust filled up our lungs ♪ ♪ And we thought our time had come ♪ ♪ This old town was built by hand ♪ ♪ In the dust bowl of the motherland ♪ ♪ There must be rock beneath this sand ♪ ♪ I'll be damned ♪ ♪ This town still stands ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ This old town should've burned down in 1944 ♪ ♪ When the last men went to war ♪ ♪ They came back different ♪ ♪ If they came back at all ♪ ♪ This old town should've burned down in 1956 ♪ ♪ That's when the twister hit ♪ ♪ And all our hopes were buried ♪ ♪ Beneath the boards and bricks ♪ ♪ And we almost called it quits ♪ ♪ This old town was built by hand ♪ ♪ In the dust bowl of the motherland ♪ ♪ There must be rock beneath this sand ♪ ♪ I'll be damned ♪ ♪ This town still stands ♪ - It's stretching.

That is the fun.

I mean, I'm 79, I've been doing this for 57 years and I still love it.

I don't love the travel very much but I love the music and I love doing something new like working with these guys, there's always something you're doing that you've never done before.

And you have an opportunity to dig into it and get better at it, you know, pay attention, learn new harmonies.

And learn, just, you know, getting along with a couple other guys.

(gentle guitar music) ♪ West of Chicago the prairie begins ♪ ♪ And all of the mad pandemonium ends ♪ ♪ The fleecing, the fighting, the grifting, the lies ♪ ♪ Give way to the tall grass and infinite skies ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ Eleanor lived there in a house on the plains ♪ ♪ Where the wind through the wheat fields ♪ ♪ The corn fields, the grains ♪ ♪ Made it's own kind of music that only she heard ♪ ♪ And each note for Eleanor had it's own word ♪ ♪ Eleanor's song whispers along ♪ ♪ High in the trees, the breeze ♪ ♪ Endlessly filling the holes ♪ ♪ In heartbroken souls ♪ ♪ Oh tell me more ♪ ♪ Please Eleanor ♪ ♪ Please Eleanor ♪ ♪ Sweet Eleanor ♪ (gentle guitar music) ♪ She knew no religion but she didn't care ♪ ♪ The earth was her church and her song was her prayer ♪ ♪ Sang to the starlight, the moon and the sun ♪ ♪ And under the thunderclouds timpani drum ♪ (gentle guitar music) I was standing late one night on West 9th Street in Greenwich Village and down the street came two girls on bicycles singing, "I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound."

And it was one of the most fulfilling moments I've ever had in my life.

I almost chased them down.

- That's neat, man.

- Yeah.

I thought, wow, that is something I've been trying for.

- Yeah.

That's a beautiful feeling.

- Yeah.

(gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Wish I had a nickel, wish I had a dime ♪ ♪ Wish I had Susie and Susie had time to play ♪ ♪ Susie had time to play ♪ ♪ Thing about Susie, Susie can play all day ♪ ♪ Up in Minnesota, down in Tennessee ♪ ♪ Trying to find a woman who's trying to find me, oh, my ♪ ♪ Trying to find me, oh, my ♪ ♪ Thing about Susie, Susie made time fly by ♪ ♪ Susie feels like dancing any old time of the day ♪ ♪ Susie takes my troubles and shoos them, shoos them away ♪ ♪ English muffin, Texas toast ♪ ♪ What I like about Susie most of all ♪ ♪ Susie most of all ♪ ♪ When I'm down, she gives me a telephone call ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Susie feels like dancing any old time of the day ♪ ♪ Susie takes my troubles and shoos them, shoos them away ♪ ♪ Grant took Richmond, Caesar took Gaul ♪ ♪ I'll take Susie and Susie is all I need ♪ ♪ Susie is all I need ♪ ♪ Thing about Susie, happy is guaranteed ♪ ♪ Thing about Susie, happy is guaranteed ♪ (audience applauds) - Yeah.

- Thank you.

God bless Pete Seeger.

(audience applauds) If it had not been, if it had not been for that man, I doubt if I would be standing here tonight.

I think we owe so much to that man.

We could never repay.

If that man had not criss-crossed this country throughout the '50s and '60s, singing in every available spot, every college campus, every summer camp, every labor organization, wherever, My generation would not have caught the bug and decided that this was our music.

And so you'll understand how excited and nervous I was when I went up to Pete one day in 1963 and said, Pete could I sing a song for you that I just wrote?

And being Pete, he said, "Sure, let's hear it."

He said, so I sang it for him.

And two weeks later, two weeks later, he sang it in Carnegie Hall with The Weavers for a recording.

Was I excited.

I've always kind of had a ratio of like, I'd write 10 songs to get a keeper.

Which means that there are just piles of songs in my workbooks that stink.

And I just accept that, you have to kiss a lot of frogs, you know, to get a prince.

But I find that in co-writing the success ratio seems to be a lot higher.

There are more singable songs that come out of a co-writing sessions then out of my own solo writing.

Help us sing it.

♪ He was a man and a friend always ♪ ♪ He stuck with me in the hard old days ♪ ♪ He never cared if I had no dough ♪ ♪ We rambled round in the rain and snow ♪ ♪ And here's to you my Rambling Boy ♪ ♪ May all your rambling bring you joy ♪ ♪ Here's to you my Rambling Boy ♪ ♪ May all your rambling bring you joy ♪ ♪ In Tulsa town we chanced to stray ♪ ♪ We thought we'd try to work one day ♪ ♪ The boss said he had room for one ♪ ♪ Said my old pal we'd rather bum ♪ ♪ And here's to you my Rambling Boy ♪ ♪ May all your rambling bring you joy ♪ ♪ Here's to you my Rambling Boy ♪ ♪ May all your rambling bring you joy ♪ (gentle upbeat guitar music) ♪ Late one night in a jungle camp ♪ ♪ The weather it was cold and damp ♪ ♪ He got the chills and he got 'em bad ♪ ♪ They took the only friend I had ♪ ♪ And here's to you my Rambling Boy ♪ ♪ May all your rambling bring you joy ♪ ♪ Here's to you my Rambling Boy ♪ ♪ May all your rambling bring you joy ♪ ♪ He left here to ramble on ♪ ♪ My rambling pal is dead and gone ♪ ♪ If when we die we go somewhere ♪ ♪ I bet you a dollar that he's rambling there ♪ ♪ And here's to you my Rambling Boy ♪ ♪ May all your rambling bring you joy ♪ ♪ Here's to you my Rambling Boy ♪ ♪ May all your rambling bring you joy ♪ (audience applauds) Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

(audience applauds) - This is all I've ever done, is write, sing and play music.

And to be able to, as the years go by, to keep being able to do this, as I get older and older and then to be able to do it with people like John and Tom, to me, as that keeps happening, I'll keep doing it.

It's just fun.

- [Interviewer] When another performer sings one of your songs what's that experience like?

- I've heard my songs murdered.

- And you know, if it's a bad cut, but you get a big check, it starts to sound better.

(all laughing)