Happy Birthday Woody!
Nov 12, 2012
Photo:
An evening with Michael Kleff (Editor in Chief of music magazine Folker and board member of the Woody Guthrie Foundation New York) and musician Derry Gray, commemorating music legend Woody Guthrie (1912-1967).
With the "mind of a poet and the necessary empathy to put into words our hymns, stories and dreams" (Lou Reed), the songs and autobiography of the American singer-songwriter provide thorough insight into the American ethos of the 1930s and '40s. Guthrie cemented his fame around the world with his song "This Land Is Your Land", which became an alternative national anthem. The hymn is a passionate reaction and parody of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" and portrays not only the beauty of the country but also unemployment, social problems and exploitation.
Guthrie's song "Pretty Boy Floyd" declared that "some will rob you with a six-gun, and some with a fountain pen", illustrating that, even in 1939, many people felt what many do today: Politicians and huge corporations shirk their responsibilities.
Tue., 13 Nov., 19:00
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