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Steve Goodman's Ballad of Penny Evans


AKHippie

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One most interesting tracks on the album is Goodman's totally unaccompanied version of 'The Ballad Of Penny Evans'. Why did he record a protest song about Vietnam? "It wasn't meant to be as such, it was just that nobody writes about anybody that's left at home. There was a point where I met a person who actually told me that story, and I was impressed with it enough that I went back - it was in Rochester, New York, and I was playing in a place called The Nugget Pizza Palace, and that's the truth! It was a pretty interesting gig - I was on the bill with The New York Rock Ensemble. We were even doing some oldies at the end of their set - I'd come back out and we'd do some oldies and ever body danced in this Pizza Palace. Have you ever seen an American basketball game? There's what they call a 24 second clock at the end of the court. The teams have 24 seconds or 30 seconds, depending on the league, to shoot the ball or to get a shot that hits the rim. If they don't, they lose possession of the ball to speed up American pro basketball. Well, they had one of those damn clocks up in the ceiling at the Pizza Palace, and it'd flash up 48, any number. What it was, they'd give you a stub when you ordered your pizza, and when it was ready, they'd flash your number up there, and there were pinball tables and a pool table out in the back.

There's a lot of controversy over the truth. Turns out Penny Evans was probably a coke-head and maybe didn't give the money back. But I don't let the truth get in the way of a good story and I don't think Steve Goodman did either.

The Ballad Of Penny Evans

by Steve Goodman

(sung a cappella to the tune of tune of "Flying Cloud")

Oh my name is Penny Evans and my age is 21

A young widow in the war that's being fought in Vietnam

And I have two infant daughters and I do the best I can

Now they say the war is over, but I think it's just begun

I remember I was seventeen on the day I met young Bill

At his father's grand piano, we'd play old "Heart and Soul"

Well, I only knew the left hand part and he the right so well

He's the only boy I ever slept with and the only one I will

It's first we had a baby girl and we had two good years

It was next the A1 notice came and we parted without tears

So it's nine months from our last good night our second babe appears

So it's ten months and a telegram confirming all our fears

And now every month I get a check from an Army bureaucrat

And it's every month I tear it up and mail the damn thing back

Do you think that makes it all right, do you think I'd fall for that

And you can keep your bloody money, it won't bring my Billy back

I never cared for politics and speeches I don't understand

And likewise never took no charity from any living man

But tonight there's fifty thousand gone in that unhappy land

and fifty thousand "Heart and Soul's" being played with just one hand

Oh my name is Penny Evans and my age is 21

A young widow in the war that's being fought in Vietnam

And I have two infant daughters and I do the best I can

Now they say the war is over, but I think it's just begun

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Steve Goodman was a wonderful singer/songwriter who departed this world far too soon (leukemia). His best known song was actually covered with more success by Arlo Guthrie...The City Of New Orleans (another song worthy of study). Two of my favorite songs by Goodman are The Barnyard Dance (aka The Vegetable Song) and Would You Like To Learn To Dance.

I know this doesn't help you AK...sorry.

PS: Sue, I love the lines in your sig. What are they from?

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Unks, they're from a song called Such great heights by a band called The postal service. It's got really good lyrics:

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles

In our eyes are mirror images and when

We kiss they're perfectly aligned

And I have to speculate that God himself

Did make us into corresponding shapes like

Puzzle pieces from the clay

:headphones:

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