Q: What shall we do with a drunken sailor? A: Put him at the wheel of an Exxon Tanker...

Well, it took a while, but I finally recorded and uploaded this song, and am dedicating it, as promised to my nephew, Jeremy, and his wife, Michelle, who have embarked on a sail of the South Pacific, as part of a planned circumnavigation of the globe.

Stories and photos of their escapades can be viewed HERE

So -- Jeremy and Michelle, (and the wee tar in the hold,) -- This song is dedicated to you:

Drunken Sailor

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Lyrics

Presidents' Day

Many of our presidents are remembered for the insightful and inspiring words they spoke:

George Washington: "The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves."

Abraham Lincoln: "Fourscore and seven years ago..."

Teddy Roosevelt: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

John F. Kennedy: "And so, my fellow Americans... ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."

William Jefferson Clinton: "I experimented with marijuana a time or two... I didn't inhale." and "I did not have sexual relations with that woman..."

With that in mind, I offer, as my observance of Presidents' Day, this little ditty / history lesson:

Monica Lewinsky
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by snoupi

Monica Lewinsky
Tara Lipinski
I've always had trouble remembering names.

When I first heard the news
I was so confused.
I heard that our pres was with what-was-her-name;
That cute little skater?
With that old masterb... beguiler?
She was only fifteen, what a crime and a shame!

Now, I see you shake your head and say that I'm confused;
That is not the crime of which our president was accused!

No, Monica Lewinsky,
I mean, Tara Lipinski
Won an Olympic gold medal, an ice skating star!
But Tara Lipinski,
I mean, Monica Lewinsky
Won fame for what she did with the president's cigar!

She smoked it in a most peculiar way.
And told Linda Tripp how she'd been led astray.

Ken Starr, the old fogey,
He wanted that stogie;
He wanted to put Mr. Clinton in jail.
But Bill wasn't guilty
Of anything filthy;
He didn't really have sex, 'cause he didn't...

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inhale.

The Lord Helps Those...

I don't know if anyone saw this onTV or in the papers earlier. I found this story inspiring:

from The Columbus Dispatch January 29, 2007

Robbers pick the wrong church

We certainly have been changed in the aftermath of 9/11.

This song came from that inspiration -- rough draft for now:

The Lord Helps Those...

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words and music by Tony Provencher

Once upon a Sunday morn

In Columbus Ohio

Bob and Carol rose from bed

To worship they would go.

Father Michael said his sermon;

The basket passed around;

And just before the bread was broke

Carol heard a rustling sound.

The woman sitting next to her

Had stolen Carol’s purse.

When Bob rose to defend his wife

The woman yelled a curse.

The man who had come with her,

He pulled out a gun.

He pistol-whipped poor Bob and said

These words when he was done:

The Lord helps those who help themselves.

We’ll help us to our fill.

The Lord helps those who help themselves --

This pistol says we will.

So hand over your wallets,

Your bags and purses too.

The Lord helps those who help themselves --

We’ll help ourselves to you.

But while the thieves were gathering

The bags and wallets too.

A fire stirred up in the hearts

Of people in the pews.

"Let’s roll," the voices rumbled,

The ghosts of Flight 93;"

Let’s roll; the Lord helps those who help..."

"Let’s roll! Get off your knees!"

The Lord helps those who help themselves --

‘Let’s Roll’ our battle cry --

The Lord helps those who help themselves --

Let’s roll; let’s do or die!

Those thieves cannot imagine

That we would ever dare...

The Lord helps those who help themselves --

Those thieves don’t stand a prayer!

And so they rolled into the thieves,

While others used their phones.

They rushed and threw the gunman down;

The woman ran alone.

They held the gunman down

As the police sirens wailed

The thieves were put in handcuffs then

And taken off to jail.

Bob went to the Hospital;

Got stitches, nothing worse.

Carol said a prayer of thanks

For getting back her purse.

The congregation gathered

For services delayed.

Then Father Michael broke the Bread

And grateful prayers were prayed.

The Lord helps those who help themselves --

You can pray your woes away --

The Lord helps those who help themselves --

But it’s not in the words you say --

Just hold on to your bootstraps

And give a tug or two --

The Lord helps those who help themselves --

It’s in the things you do.

Amen.

Je Suis Grand-Père

Random Image:

Happy Holidays!

A little musical slideshow Christmas card for our friends!

Turn volume on if you dare!

Guess who has been selected this week's



Tony Provencher

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Happy Autumn

Autumn --
my favourite time of year --
a time, at once, of change and timelessness --
a time of reflection and reminiscence...

I have created this musical slide show of Autumnal photos I have taken, set to my song,'Autumn's Child' (best viewed full-screen @ 1024X768 resolution):

Autumn's Child Music Slideshow

Hope you enjoy it.

Boston Folk Festival '06

Went to the Boston Folk Festival this weekend at UMass Boston. The campus is a lovely venue, situated on a paeninsula off Boston Harbour. The weather was perfect. Sadly, we were not allowed to take photos nor (obviously) use any recording devices. I did get a hat and a duckie, though.

We arrived just in time to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of his demise with the Phil Ochs Tribute, hosted by Sonny Ochs, and featuring Kim and Reggie Harris, Greg Greenway, and emma's revolution. They all together started the set off with 'Power and Glory'. I wept. The sound and the memories reached deep into my soul.

My eyes misted up again when Greg Greenway performed a haunting rendition of 'No More Songs'.

I pulled myself together enough to lend my voice to everyone else's on the finale, 'When I'm Gone', a song that, for me says it all:

"And I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone

And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone

Can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone

So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here."

Next we were treated to the sweet voice of Tish Hinojosa singing her songs of the West and her multi-cultural heritage.

Next came Richie Havens, another moving and spiritual experience, as he interwove tales of his Greenwich village days with stirring renditions of topical songs of yesterday and today, all relevant to our current sociopolitical experience.

His performance of 'Lives in the Balance':

"There are lives in the balance

There are people under fire

There are children at the cannons

There is blood on the wire"

was nothing short of electrifying.

A beautifully hypnotic rendition of Joni Mitchell's 'Woodstock' led into a climactic performance of 'Freedom/Motherless Child' which left us shaken AND stirred. Pass the hanky please.

Havens left us with a message of love -- "Do for each other..." which seemed to become the theme of this folk festival.

Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul came on next to close the evening, and got everybody dancing and singing with their exuberantly and impeccably played blend of Celtic, Jazz, and show tunes. We were tired puppies as we headed home.

The next day, we arrived too late to catch Tony Bird, a performer I had hoped to see.

We staked out our spot in the main field and enjoyed the traditional and original songs dance tunes of the Cottars,a fine group of young musicians from Cape Breton.

Next came the Kennedys. Pete and Maura Kennedy regaled us with their captivating and spiritual original songs, including 'Half a Million Miles', a delightful song about their falling in love and marrying at Buddy Holly's grave.

In keeping with the aforementioned unofficial, yet apparent theme of the festival Pete and Maura taught us to sing in Sanskrit and Japanese:

"Namistai, (the divine spark in me recognises the divine spark in you,)

Domo Arigato, (thank you.)

Next we moved to the Coffehouse Stage to hear Pierce Pettis perform his very moving original songs.

We returned to our stakeout in the main field to hear Jesse Winchester, another favourite of mine. Jesse's laid back demeanor gave the impression, even though we were several thousand strong, sitting in a six or seven acre field, that we were invited for a little chat in his living room. The chat was filled with Jesse's beautiful voice, untarnished by time, singing some of the most accessible melodies ever written, delivering lovely lyrics that touched us all deep inside.

The spiritual theme of the festival continued as Jesse finished by leading us all in a rousing a cappella gospel song.

Which leads us to the headliner for the festival -- Bruce Cockburn. Bruce is not only a brilliant lyricist, but also a consummate musician. Accompanied by only a drummer and a keyboardist who doubled on harmony vocals, Bruce delivered an impeccable set that was at once danceable and enjoyable, and yet spiritually profound. Like the songs of Phil Ochs, Bruce's songs, while topical, are timeless.

Bruce paints a bleak picture of Baghdad today in 'This Is Baghdad':

"Carbombed and carjacked and kidnapped and shot

How do you like it, this freedom we brought"

Bruce dipped into his new album to end his set with a sing-along song called 'Mystery'. One of my favourite verses from this song is:

"Infinity always gives me vertigo

Vertigo

Vertigo

Infinity always gives me vertigo

And fills me up with grace"

The last verse reiterates the theme of the festival:

"So all you stumblers who believe love rules

Believe love rules

Believe love rules

Come all you stumblers who believe love rules

Stand up and let it shine

Stand up and let it shine"

We all stood shining and applauding and brought him back for an encore -- 'If I Had a Rocket Launcher'. We remained standing and dancing through this song. Amazing how relevant the lyrics are today, some twenty years later!

We headed back to the car to the driving beat of 'Night Train', a perfect finish to a perfect weekend.

My New Instruments

Hi, Folks,

A couple of months ago I returned from France with a small inheritance. I used most of it to lighten my debt load, and squandered the rest on musical instruments and such. I bought a Roland MP 60 piano, an Edirol UA 4-FX Recording interface, (which I still can't get to work with my computer,) and these two folk instruments: an Ome Juniper openback banjo, and a Walnut Creek mountain dulcimer:



I took a little ride to Bar Harbor, Maine, to try out the Walnut Creek dulcimers at:



The folks there are very nice, and have a great array of folk instruments at reasonable prices.

I bought my Ome banjo online at:


John there is also very nice. Anybody who sells banjos and unicycles can't be all bad.

Here are a couple of tunes I laid down quickly to give everyone a chance to hear these wonderful instruments, (albeit clumsily played):

The Cruel War / How Can I Keep from Singing
Dulcimer
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Shady Grove / Pretty Polly
Banjo
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