Poetic Blues Truths
This is a joyous collection of Ginsberg’s songs, performed
by the poet, available for some time but neatly collected here, and there are a
number of authoritative reviews out there which I encourage you to read if
interested in what is extremely detailed background information on performers
and producers involved with Ginsberg over the years in his musical ventures.
These experts are better placed to deliver this, and I defer to them [this
Pitchfork review is superb].
I have simply enjoyed so much listening yesterday. There are
naturally the peacenik satires and protests and diatribes, a favourite is CIA Dope Calypso, and the blues provides
a platform for so many of these poetic tunes, from the outrageous to the
beautiful. Titles like Hard-On Blues,
Dope Fiend Blues and You Are My Dildo set the scene for one
area, and Father Death Blues [which
is quite affecting] and Ginsberg’s performance of Blake’s Tyger set another.
Ginsberg’s voice is light and holds a melody [contrary to
some observations] and is distinctive enough when not aping Dylan, who plays on
the first three tracks of this collection, or when dredging up from lower
registers as in Gospel Noble Truths,
but then this isn’t meant to be crooning. His ‘sound’ has been compared with
the Holy Modal Rounders, but you will also hear Incredible String Band and Dr
Strangely Strange in the often intentionally naïve take on performance.
Interestingly, what you don’t hear is the production finesse of The Fugs,
certainly in their work like It Crawled
Into My Hand, Honest.
A flavour of the lyrics you’ll hear in these songs – not
quoting the delightfully scurrilous – can be found in CIA
Dope Calypso, a song for our times too when being reminded last week of the
CIA’s 600+ failed attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro, and Trump’s recent phone
conversation with Thailand’s leader:
In nineteen hundred forty-five
China was won by Mao Tse-tung
Chiang Kai Shek's army ran away
They were waiting there in Thailand today
Supported by the CIA
Pushing junk down Thailand way
First they stole from the Meo Tribes
Up in the hills they started taking bribes
Then they sent their soldiers up to Shan
Collecting opium to sell to The Man
Pushing junk in Bangkok today
Supported by the CIA
Brought their jam on mule trains down
To Chiang Mai that's a railroad town
Sold it next to the police chief's brain
He took it to town on the choochoo train
Trafficking dope to Bangkok all day
Supported by the CIA
The policeman's name was Mr. Phao
He peddled dope grand scale and how
Chief of the border customs paid
By Central Intelligence's U.S. aid
The whole operation, Newspapers say
Supported by the CIA
He got so sloppy and he peddled so loose
He busted himself and cooked his own goose
Took the reward for an opium load
Seizing his own haul which same he resold
Big time pusher for a decade turned grey
Working for the CIA
The whole operation fell in to chaos
Till U.S. intelligence came in to Laos
Chiang Kai Shek's army ran away
They were waiting there in Thailand today
Supported by the CIA
Pushing junk down Thailand way
First they stole from the Meo Tribes
Up in the hills they started taking bribes
Then they sent their soldiers up to Shan
Collecting opium to sell to The Man
Pushing junk in Bangkok today
Supported by the CIA
Brought their jam on mule trains down
To Chiang Mai that's a railroad town
Sold it next to the police chief's brain
He took it to town on the choochoo train
Trafficking dope to Bangkok all day
Supported by the CIA
The policeman's name was Mr. Phao
He peddled dope grand scale and how
Chief of the border customs paid
By Central Intelligence's U.S. aid
The whole operation, Newspapers say
Supported by the CIA
He got so sloppy and he peddled so loose
He busted himself and cooked his own goose
Took the reward for an opium load
Seizing his own haul which same he resold
Big time pusher for a decade turned grey
Working for the CIA
The whole operation fell in to chaos
Till U.S. intelligence came in to Laos
I'll tell you no lie I'm a true American
Our big pusher there was Phoumi Nosavan
All them Princes in a power play
But Phoumi was the man for the CIA
Our big pusher there was Phoumi Nosavan
All them Princes in a power play
But Phoumi was the man for the CIA
Touby Lyfong he worked for the French
ig fat man liked to dine & to wench
Prince of the Meos he grew black mud
Till opium flowed through the land like a flood
Communists came and chased the French away
So Touby took a job with the CIA
And his best friend General Vang Pao
Ran the Meo army like a sacred cow
Helicopter smugglers filled Long Cheng's bars
In Xieng Quang province on the Plain of Jars
It started in secret they were fighting yesterday
Clandestine secret army of the CIA
All through the Sixties the dope flew free
Thru Tan Son Nhut Saigon to Marshall Ky
Air America followed through
Transporting comfiture for President Thieu
All these Dealers were decades yesterday
The Indochinese mob of the U.S. CIA
Operation Haylift Offisir Wm Colby
Saw Marshall Ky fly opium Mr. Mustard told me
Indochina desk he was Chief of Dirty Tricks
"Hitch-hiking" with dope pushers was how he got his fix
Subsidizing the traffickers to drive the Reds away
Till Colby was the head of the whole world CIA
ig fat man liked to dine & to wench
Prince of the Meos he grew black mud
Till opium flowed through the land like a flood
Communists came and chased the French away
So Touby took a job with the CIA
And his best friend General Vang Pao
Ran the Meo army like a sacred cow
Helicopter smugglers filled Long Cheng's bars
In Xieng Quang province on the Plain of Jars
It started in secret they were fighting yesterday
Clandestine secret army of the CIA
All through the Sixties the dope flew free
Thru Tan Son Nhut Saigon to Marshall Ky
Air America followed through
Transporting comfiture for President Thieu
All these Dealers were decades yesterday
The Indochinese mob of the U.S. CIA
Operation Haylift Offisir Wm Colby
Saw Marshall Ky fly opium Mr. Mustard told me
Indochina desk he was Chief of Dirty Tricks
"Hitch-hiking" with dope pushers was how he got his fix
Subsidizing the traffickers to drive the Reds away
Till Colby was the head of the whole world CIA
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