Recorded in 1984 for my PBS series, "Austin Pickers". Townes talks about his Dad, learning to play guitar and "jams" with his baby boy...and does The Boss.
I think the first two minutes of this video are an insight that shouldn't have been left out of the recent documentary. Learned to play harmonica and guitar at the same time and sang Blowin' in the Wind at his first concert, the homecoming dance, and his dad said, "That's pretty good Townes, but you ought to write your own songs." 'cluck!' Every time Townes clucks his tongue, there is a lightbulb going on, maybe lightning strikes the earth. These are the lessons to remember and pass on.
He's just so incredibly humble, God always takes his best first... when we all get to Heaven, imagine the shows, Townes, Gram, Hank, Jimmie Rodgers, just a noodlin' away, simply amazing!
I'd seen Bruce several times but never really took this song seriously until I heard Townes play it at Anderson Faire in Houston in the mid-80s. Excellent cover.
When someone who by this point in his music career has so many original songs that all he performs are his own songs, when you see him do a cover, you can see that the person whose song they are singing is one of his influences. The most important part of this video is the story about his father.
It makes me happy that townes admires dylan's music. Those two artists plus Phil Ochs make up the holy-trinity of music in my life...these artists are beyond important to me, they are a means to surviving! not just pretty songs or clever lyrics, this sorta stuff is hardcore honest emotion being released through beautiful melodies/ words.
Ouch! Well it's never too late to help out the next generation. Teach Your Children. You know that Graham Nash song? "...and feed them on your dreams, the one they picked, the one you'll know by..." I think certain music is mind-blowing and life-altering and frees you to choose your own destiny, like the Bob Dylan that Townes talks about in this video. My granparents played and sang, but my parents don't, so it's up to me to recover the tradition of the past.
Yeah. The same thing happened to me when I was 10. I actually felt a CLICK (I am not a musician). I think it has worked out for me, but I still don't know whether it happens only when it is supposed to. Too many people wake up at forty and reale they've been busting their butts to live their mother's or father's plans for them, or worse, their parent's frustrated dreams for themselves.
Damn, what an awesome cover. Townes voice is much missed to these ears, hearing him cover Bruce is a little piece of discovered nirvana to me. "See you when I get there, Maestro" ~Steve Earle
It seems like someone is always trying to drown out the only thing that matters. Townes has a long history of being overproduced and it happened again! Grr. Townes was paying a polite homage to Springsteen. Good boy. I happen to like my Townes straight up.
Love him, but if I had no idea who he was and he was doing this as a warmup act, I'd be in the lobby drinking and hoping the headliner was coming on soon.
Oh man. Wow. The only thing that would make this the coolest shit ever is if the Boss and Big Man came out for the solo! It would have rocked to 12. A notch past 11! May have split the universe in half tho. Probably thought better of it.... Amazing.
@austinitesince1979 he clucks like that, and makes a teethsucking noise obviously, on both fraternity blues and talkin' thunderbird blues on Live at The Old Quarter. Always found it endearing and indicative of Townes' lack of pretense.
I don't like it but I have to agree. I think The late great master is the best songwriter who has ever been, but I can't understand why he did covers when he had so many amazing songs written by himself!
This is the only song by The Boss that I've ever liked, wheras I love heaps of TVZ's songs. So it's ironic that, just like ryan, I think TVZ murders this song
i was about to say the same thing but then i think "some other townes fan´s must notice that shit" and then i found four comments here bout that awful saxo. It seem like we like to keep it simple, just like townes does.
You know it’s a great song when Townes covers it.
I think the first two minutes of this video are an insight that shouldn't have been left out of the recent documentary. Learned to play harmonica and guitar at the same time and sang Blowin' in the Wind at his first concert, the homecoming dance, and his dad said, "That's pretty good Townes, but you ought to write your own songs." 'cluck!' Every time Townes clucks his tongue, there is a lightbulb going on, maybe lightning strikes the earth. These are the lessons to remember and pass on.
He's just so incredibly humble, God always takes his best first...
when we all get to Heaven, imagine the shows, Townes, Gram, Hank, Jimmie Rodgers, just a noodlin' away, simply amazing!
Bruce has never been so honored
To an old man that grew up street racing in Dallas, hearing this song done by Townes make it seem more relevant.
Townes was unbelievable
Ich mag ihn gerade so, er war so gut, ja, genug eigene Songs, aber vielleicht wollte das Publikum dies gerne hören.....love him....
I'd seen Bruce several times but never really took this song seriously until I heard Townes play it at Anderson Faire in Houston in the mid-80s. Excellent cover.
Rip, Townes, Guy Clark
When someone who by this point in his music career has so many original songs that all he performs are his own songs, when you see him do a cover, you can see that the person whose song they are singing is one of his influences. The most important part of this video is the story about his father.
I mean unbelievably great singer songwriter
A gem
It makes me happy that townes admires dylan's music. Those two artists plus Phil Ochs make up the holy-trinity of music in my life...these artists are beyond important to me, they are a means to surviving! not just pretty songs or clever lyrics, this sorta stuff is hardcore honest emotion being released through beautiful melodies/ words.
This is a sweet and touching cover... I'm sure Bruce is quite flattered that the Late Great Townes Van Zandt did one of Bruce's tunes.
He’s got such a cool history. I love this guy, he’s very inspiring to my music, along with Dylan
Bloody great .. what a cover first time ive heard this omgtvz with eyes shut gave me shivers.sax yea hes not clarence clemons but so fucn wat i lke it
I love this. Just discovered Townes and Bruce is my favorite artist.
Bruce is very proud...
Ouch! Well it's never too late to help out the next generation. Teach Your Children. You know that Graham Nash song? "...and feed them on your dreams, the one they picked, the one you'll know by..." I think certain music is mind-blowing and life-altering and frees you to choose your own destiny, like the Bob Dylan that Townes talks about in this video. My granparents played and sang, but my parents don't, so it's up to me to recover the tradition of the past.
Yeah. The same thing happened to me when I was 10. I actually felt a CLICK (I am not a musician). I think it has worked out for me, but I still don't know whether it happens only when it is supposed to. Too many people wake up at forty and reale they've been busting their butts to live their mother's or father's plans for them, or worse, their parent's frustrated dreams for themselves.
The version on Roadsongs catches the sad tone of the original. Highly recommend it. This is beautiful too. :)
Clayton Midgett I’ve never seen a man bring out so much emotion in a song. And this guy can encapsulate that raw emotion in every song he plays.
To the person in the Guardian comments who guided me to this song..thank you
I like both his version and the Boss', but I'm partial to Townes' singing over almost anyone. Just me though...
Lahi53
Not just you
Lahi53 me too !!
Feeel the same way friend
The greats
Damn. Fucking real
Damn, what an awesome cover.
Townes voice is much missed to these ears, hearing him cover Bruce is a little piece of discovered nirvana to me.
"See you when I get there, Maestro" ~Steve Earle
there arent to many covers by him but i think there all great
No deeper blue...
It seems like someone is always trying to drown out the only thing that matters. Townes has a long history of being overproduced and it happened again! Grr. Townes was paying a polite homage to Springsteen. Good boy. I happen to like my Townes straight up.
Love him, but if I had no idea who he was and he was doing this as a warmup act, I'd be in the lobby drinking and hoping the headliner was coming on soon.
Oh man. Wow. The only thing that would make this the coolest shit ever is if the Boss and Big Man came out for the solo! It would have rocked to 12. A notch past 11! May have split the universe in half tho. Probably thought better of it.... Amazing.
"..forty and realize they've been.."
@austinitesince1979 he clucks like that, and makes a teethsucking noise obviously, on both fraternity blues and talkin' thunderbird blues on Live at The Old Quarter. Always found it endearing and indicative of Townes' lack of pretense.
That song could have been written for townes
Sorry Townes is one of my all time favorites but this is one where Bruce kills it..just too upbeat for me on this version
great as always, but this saxophone is really killing the sound
I don't like it but I have to agree. I think The late great master is the best songwriter who has ever been, but I can't understand why he did covers when he had so many amazing songs written by himself!
damn it boys, our country is gone
Affirmative Sir!
what
All the heartbreak and sadness of Springsteen's original is removed. This is a lifeless cover.
This is the only song by The Boss that I've ever liked, wheras I love heaps of TVZ's songs. So it's ironic that, just like ryan, I think TVZ murders this song
This recording is fun but I think the band is taking the soul out of it compared to that lonesome ballad feeling that townes’ album recording has.
great song...i could do without the saxaphone though
i was about to say the same thing but then i think "some other townes fan´s must notice that shit" and then i found four comments here bout that awful saxo. It seem like we like to keep it simple, just like townes does.
Sax player should be persecuted to full extent of the law. There should be no statute of limitations on a crime this heinous.