Dude... literally doing the exact same thing right now. lol. It's literally the most mesmerizing thing I've ever heard. I can't even keep up with the lyrics, but it's just so... fucking cool, and bad ass.
Did I just watch Alice in wonderland? this has to be the best song ever written in terms of meter, rhyme, time, rhythm, vocabulary, grammar, theme, guitar, etc..
Well TVZ is considered by many of the best songwriters to be the absolute best songwriter to ever live. Bob Dylan was a huge fan and told Townes when they met that he owned every album he ever did .
Honestly, these are some of the best townes videos I've seen. I've you seen "be here to love me" or "heartworn highways" (both great) but this is so intimate. Really hidden gems. They should be put in a museum.
The swinging bass notes grabbed me from the first time I heard this song. I've been obsessively trying to master it ever since. This, to me, is Townes at his best.
As a songwriter, I feel conflicted when I watch this. On one hand, I feel blessed to hear such a masterful piece of songwriting. On the other, I sometimes cry when I hear this song, because I don't think I'll ever write a song that's this good...
as townes said, this song came to him almost in a flash. he described it ounce as a giant pencil. something outside of him or through him. you just gotta let it happen
If I was going to make a movie about Townes Van Zandt, I'd go back to about 1989 and cast Scott Glenn. It's not just the physical similarity--Glenn is the caliber of actor that Townes would deserve to portray him.
Well without analyzing too deeply its not only a personification of the cards, but a poetic reenactment of a game of poker, using the poker game as a metaphor for a medieval battle. Vis versa i think that the medieval battle is a metaphor for the struggles of gambling and addiction.
I love Bob Dylan. But I agree with Steve Earle who said: “Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that."
Dylan would probably agree. He was a big tvz fan. I met Dylan and Townes the same night. Steve is my cousin and he was touring with Dylan on the copperhead road tour and we saw them when they came to Houston. I was pretty young and they didn't wanna let us in, but Steve said he wouldn't go out if they didn't let us in. So I'm like this 8 year old kid with my mom and my 11 year old brother and we get ushered backstage quickly. Now this is the summit in Houston where the rockets played ( now its Joel olsteens church lmao ) , so it's like a arena show. My mom is wanting to meet Bob Dylan but he isn't taking any visitors bc he was paranoid about assassination attempts or somthing. Im there to see Steve he was mine and my brothers hero at the time and we had no idea how significant this night would end up being. But Steve introduced us to Townes and told us he was a very important man and there wouldn't be a Steve earle without a Townes Van Zandt . I asked him if he was Indian and they all got a laugh out of that. Later I was sitting on a roadie crate and some wirey old guy comes up to me and asked me my name and who I was there to see. I told him my cousin Steve. He asked how old I was and where my parents were and I pointed to my mom and said she's here to see Bob Dylan. He just smiled and told me he had a kid about the same age as me . He walked off and went and tapped my mom on the shoulder she turned and he gave her a hug. And santered off . She came running up to me and was like do u know who that was? I said no. It was Bob Dylan. One of the coolest nights of my life and I had no idea .
Yeah Steve and Justin Townes Earle covered this very well. Steve tells a funny story about him and Townes meeting at the old quarter in Houston. Townes was heckling him front row with his boots propped on the stage telling him to play some really hard obscur folk tunes. Steve says something like " I don't know that one" and Townes say "and you call yourself a folk singer? " Steve bust out Mr gold and Mr mud and the rest is history. Townes mentored Steve, Steve names his first born after Townes, who turned out to be one hell of a singer songwriter himself in spite of living in those giant looming shadows of his namesake . Like Townes Van Zandt , Justin Townes Earle was taken before the world could appreciate them.
@@igbsmf yeah it's hard to listen to his music. We're cousins and the same age too . We didn't see each other often but it was always cool when we did. I put some flowers on his headstone last month when we did homecoming .
The strange betting at the end, I'm guessing this is not a mistake. Mud raised the stakes beyond the amount of money either of them had. Perhaps he put up property or possessions.
He also clicked a loaded pistol to his temple and Steve Earle wouldn't speak to him for over a year. Watch the documentary "be here to love me" we don't need no fictional adaptation.
@gurufuttlappele if you're fom Texas, 5 card stud and Texas Hold 'em are just facts of life. You're not a grown man until you know how to play and what beats what.
can I ask... anyone. please explain this song to me. Exactly. I know its a personification of the cards and told from their point of view. . . but explain exactly the plot. That would be great. thanks and good job
Just one problem: "Mudd he checked and Gold bet all, and Mudd he raised and Gold did call..." - if Gold bet all, why the Mudd raise? All Gold's chips are on the table. Suggestion: "Gold he raised and Mudd bet all, and Gold he grinned and then he called..." Then you may ask how Mudd could be considered the victor when he only captured a fraction of Gold's huge winnings to that point - but it makes more sense than Townes's narrative. As if Townes even cared, what with poetic license and all that.
Listen to "Waiting Around to Die" It's pretty much the life he led. Lots of boos , dope, and hopin trains. TVZ was a very strange guy but a absolute genius songwriter . Sometimes I don't know where This dirty road is taking me . Sometimes I don't even know the Reason why, But I guess I keep a gamblin, Lots of boos and lots of ramblin, Well it's easier than just waiting around to die .
I've Long had a suspicion that Guy Clark's Instant Coffee Blues was about a typical day in Townes love life between wives, especially after hearin it was about "an un-named, larger than life tragi-comic heroic figure that was one of my closest friends" when some interviewer asked Guy what the song was about. "he was feelin' just the same, but he was tryin' to make it rhyme, sounds like Townes to me.
I mean, wtf... If you think about it, this song came to Van Zandt just like we come to life, suddendly, no clue. What's the meaning? Hell, there's no meaning, at best you create your meaning through your reaction to the lack of meaning. What am I even writting anyway... The why is the booze of course, and that might be the biggest truth of all... Well who the fuck knows...
listened to this about 50 times in a row, waitin' for it to get old... but it never does.
Dude... literally doing the exact same thing right now. lol. It's literally the most mesmerizing thing I've ever heard. I can't even keep up with the lyrics, but it's just so... fucking cool, and bad ass.
agreed. townes was and is the man, legendary.
I did the same thing. I like his explanation about how the song came to him all at once.
im doing that right now and it aint the first time
Still going strong 8 years later
Did I just watch Alice in wonderland? this has to be the best song ever written in terms of meter, rhyme, time, rhythm, vocabulary, grammar, theme, guitar, etc..
Well TVZ is considered by many of the best songwriters to be the absolute best songwriter to ever live. Bob Dylan was a huge fan and told Townes when they met that he owned every album he ever did .
This session is an absolute treasure. Thank you whoever captured this most unique performance of Townes. There's just not enough Townes in the world.
Honestly, these are some of the best townes videos I've seen. I've you seen "be here to love me" or "heartworn highways" (both great) but this is so intimate. Really hidden gems. They should be put in a museum.
The swinging bass notes grabbed me from the first time I heard this song. I've been obsessively trying to master it ever since. This, to me, is Townes at his best.
what a great singer and what a great poet, can listen all day to his music. Townes van Zandt whereever you may be, we thank you man
As a songwriter, I feel conflicted when I watch this. On one hand, I feel blessed to hear such a masterful piece of songwriting. On the other, I sometimes cry when I hear this song, because I don't think I'll ever write a song that's this good...
Jay Harvey no you won't. You can still do your best and thats enough
Jay Harvey I know how you feel!! But like he says at the end. The best stuff just comes to you.
as townes said, this song came to him almost in a flash. he described it ounce as a giant pencil. something outside of him or through him. you just gotta let it happen
If I was going to make a movie about Townes Van Zandt, I'd go back to about 1989 and cast Scott Glenn. It's not just the physical similarity--Glenn is the caliber of actor that Townes would deserve to portray him.
I love Him.
My God! Masterpiece.
Amazing. The apotheosis of wordsmithing.
Townes is the true outlaw.
Unbelievable, what amazing footage. Thanks for putting these up.
Love this song!! ♡
Great need such a song tonight
townes was a genius ,,,, one of my favourite tunes by him
Damn, so awesome, thank you very much for uploadin' these videos!
Well without analyzing too deeply its not only a personification of the cards, but a poetic reenactment of a game of poker, using the poker game as a metaphor for a medieval battle. Vis versa i think that the medieval battle is a metaphor for the struggles of gambling and addiction.
WOW!!!!!! thanks for that sir
Thank you for posting this, lapislazuli42.
Cudowna piosenka.
I love Bob Dylan. But I agree with Steve Earle who said: “Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that."
Dylan would probably agree. He was a big tvz fan. I met Dylan and Townes the same night. Steve is my cousin and he was touring with Dylan on the copperhead road tour and we saw them when they came to Houston. I was pretty young and they didn't wanna let us in, but Steve said he wouldn't go out if they didn't let us in. So I'm like this 8 year old kid with my mom and my 11 year old brother and we get ushered backstage quickly. Now this is the summit in Houston where the rockets played ( now its Joel olsteens church lmao ) , so it's like a arena show. My mom is wanting to meet Bob Dylan but he isn't taking any visitors bc he was paranoid about assassination attempts or somthing. Im there to see Steve he was mine and my brothers hero at the time and we had no idea how significant this night would end up being. But Steve introduced us to Townes and told us he was a very important man and there wouldn't be a Steve earle without a Townes Van Zandt . I asked him if he was Indian and they all got a laugh out of that. Later I was sitting on a roadie crate and some wirey old guy comes up to me and asked me my name and who I was there to see. I told him my cousin Steve. He asked how old I was and where my parents were and I pointed to my mom and said she's here to see Bob Dylan. He just smiled and told me he had a kid about the same age as me . He walked off and went and tapped my mom on the shoulder she turned and he gave her a hug. And santered off . She came running up to me and was like do u know who that was? I said no. It was Bob Dylan. One of the coolest nights of my life and I had no idea .
Steve Earle does a great cover of this song on his tribute album "Townes" but nothing beats the original.
kylethompson4 t
Yeah Steve and Justin Townes Earle covered this very well. Steve tells a funny story about him and Townes meeting at the old quarter in Houston. Townes was heckling him front row with his boots propped on the stage telling him to play some really hard obscur folk tunes. Steve says something like " I don't know that one" and Townes say "and you call yourself a folk singer? "
Steve bust out Mr gold and Mr mud and the rest is history. Townes mentored Steve, Steve names his first born after Townes, who turned out to be one hell of a singer songwriter himself in spite of living in those giant looming shadows of his namesake . Like Townes Van Zandt , Justin Townes Earle was taken before the world could appreciate them.
@@danielmims8467 justin's death hurts a lot still
@@igbsmf yeah it's hard to listen to his music. We're cousins and the same age too . We didn't see each other often but it was always cool when we did. I put some flowers on his headstone last month when we did homecoming .
Steve Earle said Townes couldn't do this song for the last 10 years of his life.....if this date is accurate he could do it at least within 8-9.
Andrew Fletcher I've got a cd of him doing it in 1991
nothing much happens in a holiday inn thats worth remembering...but this is...."sighs and trembles" indeed.
Jebus, that guitar sounds so good, even through the VCR.
6 people I don’t wanna know! Who the hell thumbs downed this??
This is ACE.
as townes breaks into the the 1st verse he looks like the king of clubs
Give that man a glass of water!
“If the glass is half full, it’s water. If it’s half empty, it’s water.” - Townes Van Zandt
nice attention to detail!
Fucking brilliant!!
I believe the final hand was
Mudd - Four Aces and the Jack of Diamonds
Gold - Four Kings and the Queen of Clubs
+4775joshua Mudd had a royal straight flush of diamonds?
+bush1tman Here's my diagram
drive.google.com/file/d/0B__-bt_x5iIYbVpvbWVEMUtKb2M/view?usp=docslist_api
+4775joshua
lol... joshua you are a legend love it..... keep up the good work whatever you do..
+Declan Ryan i got four queens and a jack, four aces and king
+bj Ellison definitely gonna try and figure it out now lol nicw diagram
The Diamond Jack Call No Man Friend!
and some say RAP is an urban new groove from the hood....
Ha! that gets me into trouble sometimes.
hoped my life was like that game of cards
jesus fucking christ he is good
Badassery
The strange betting at the end, I'm guessing this is not a mistake.
Mud raised the stakes beyond the amount of money either of them had. Perhaps he put up property or possessions.
He also clicked a loaded pistol to his temple and Steve Earle wouldn't speak to him for over a year. Watch the documentary "be here to love me" we don't need no fictional adaptation.
@gurufuttlappele if you're fom Texas, 5 card stud and Texas Hold 'em are just facts of life. You're not a grown man until you know how to play and what beats what.
theres an article in rolling stone about steve earl he tells a couple of stories about townes. says he ate his last 50 dollar bill and woke up broke
I think it just means she agreed with the king of clubs without changing anything he suggested.
He uses Travis Picking a lot. Other than that...Bob Dylan , Justin Townes Earle, John Prine, Woody Guthrie, Guy Clark, and so on...
In a house game just because all your chips are in doesnt mean your done betting!
I mean I know its his song and he wrote it, but how in the hell does he remember all of that???????? lol
does anyone know what he means by "plain it was she did agree"?
The queen was in agreement with the king of clubs to "make a wretched fool to pay"
can I ask... anyone. please explain this song to me. Exactly. I know its a personification of the cards and told from their point of view. . . but explain exactly the plot. That would be great. thanks and good job
Just one problem: "Mudd he checked and Gold bet all, and Mudd he raised and Gold did call..." - if Gold bet all, why the Mudd raise? All Gold's chips are on the table. Suggestion: "Gold he raised and Mudd bet all, and Gold he grinned and then he called..." Then you may ask how Mudd could be considered the victor when he only captured a fraction of Gold's huge winnings to that point - but it makes more sense than Townes's narrative. As if Townes even cared, what with poetic license and all that.
If they ever made the Towns van Zandt story, they'd probably cast Nicholas Cage in title role ... but who would play David Card?
i think lady ga ga did a really good version of this also not sure who came up with it first though....
the lack of reaction must be killing you
Greta Hazelton
lol... yes.
Discovered this awesome song by Calvin Russell's cover, bring me to Townes, better than Dylan and other so huge artist !
so i assume he did a lot of gamble?
Listen to "Waiting Around to Die"
It's pretty much the life he led. Lots of boos , dope, and hopin trains. TVZ was a very strange guy but a absolute genius songwriter .
Sometimes I don't know where
This dirty road is taking me .
Sometimes I don't even know the
Reason why,
But I guess I keep a gamblin,
Lots of boos and lots of ramblin,
Well it's easier than just waiting around to die .
I've Long had a suspicion that Guy Clark's Instant Coffee Blues was about a typical day in Townes love life between wives, especially after hearin it was about "an un-named, larger than life tragi-comic heroic figure that was one of my closest friends" when some interviewer asked Guy what the song was about. "he was feelin' just the same, but he was tryin' to make it rhyme, sounds like Townes to me.
I mean, wtf... If you think about it, this song came to Van Zandt just like we come to life, suddendly, no clue. What's the meaning? Hell, there's no meaning, at best you create your meaning through your reaction to the lack of meaning. What am I even writting anyway... The why is the booze of course, and that might be the biggest truth of all... Well who the fuck knows...