This is a true story. I first heard “Joshua Gone Barbados” on a Tom Rush album in about 1966. When I got out of the army in 1970, I enrolled in the State University College of New York at Buffalo (Buffalo State). In 1973, I took courses in the Anthropology of the Caribbean and simultaneously American Folk Music, among others. The Anthropology professor required that each student present a talk for the class. Since I was learning about ethnomusicology in the Folk Music Class, I decided to determine if “Joshua” was a traditional tune cleaned up by Eric von Schmidt or if it was his work entirely and if there was anything to the story offered in the tune. The song does not tell us Joshua’s given name nor what his title was in Grenada. I spent hours in the library and learned that the person, Ebeneezer Joshua, existed and that he had been the elected leader of Grenada and that there had been labor unrest during his reign. Not too much to go on. Well, previously I had studied economics with Michael Joshua who was from the islands. For all I knew Joshua could have been the Smith or Jones name of the islands. So I went to Michael’s office and explained my research situation and asked “Have you ever heard of Ebeneezer Joshua?” He just stared at me. I repeated the question and he answered, “Yes, he’s my father.” So Michael filled in the gaps. Michael said that Sonny Child being ignorant was an understatement. He also mentioned that neither he nor Ebeneezer had heard of the song. Got an A in the Anthropology class.
Let's not lose sight that the theme of the song is the endless struggle of workers for better pay and benefits. Joshua told the men to strike, then abandoned them. Strike breakers were brought in. Strike be all in vain. Lot of misery in Georgetown, and wherever working men try to defend their rights.
You are rehashing only one perspective on the events, which omits many facts and comes from a far-left slant, although Ebenezer Joshua was to the left himself. When he was running for office, he did encourage the workers to strike. But his major concern was the economic development of St. Vincent, and help set up a conference among the former British colonies in the Caribbean to set up a common development strategy to help reliever the substantial poverty found on those colonies.. This conference took place on Barbados. The strike took place shortly before the conference was to begin, and although Joshua was in favor of the workers, he had a choice to make. He decided that the conference to help with overall economic development - which he had helped to create - was more important than the strike, so he went to Barbados. Many on the left felt he made the wrong choice, and the song, as wonderful as it is, reflects only this perspective. For a fuller discussion, see www.georgetownsvgrevisited.co.uk/joshua-gone-barbados.php
@@juddconway5793 Um, and this "economic development" on St. Vincent depended on exploiting workers at sugar plantations to benefit landowners who got rich selling the sugar to other countries. Have you ever toiled for your wages?
@@patchdavis35 Don't let the real world interfere with your ideology. From Wikipedia (article on Ebenezer Joshua) ' (emphasis added)... I have, unfortunately, lost touch with the one person I knew who could give a clear account of what happened, so that is the best I can do for sources. It matches what I have read on the topic, which stressed that Joshua's aim was to stop the reliance on Sugar Cane production as the economic base of the former British colonies in the Caribbean. That was one purpose of the conference he had organized. And yes, I have worked for wages. May I suggest that you drop the self-righteous snottiness?
@@juddconway5793 Your perspective should be considered, and common populist ground may be met on... PS; Good luck finding the real world in Wickedpedia!
Bruce Langhorne....the uncelebrated genius that accented the "folk sound" behind almost every famous folk icon....there should be a documentary of his contributions and the "feeling" he added to an era !!
His " Best Of" has this great one and many others as well. Highly recommended along with the 1st Stone Poney's l.p. from 1967. These were two of the real folk artists, as,was Phil Ochs. Forget Peter Paul and Mary and the Lemon Pipers etc al, that was pure schlock and commercial baloney. Here is what real folk music was,all about. Them and Fred Neil. Get hip to it peoples!
This is a true story. I first heard “Joshua Gone Barbados” on a Tom Rush album in about 1966. When I got out of the army in 1970, I enrolled in the State University College of New York at Buffalo (Buffalo State). In 1973, I took courses in the Anthropology of the Caribbean and simultaneously American Folk Music, among others. The Anthropology professor required that each student present a talk for the class. Since I was learning about ethnomusicology in the Folk Music Class, I decided to determine if “Joshua” was a traditional tune cleaned up by Eric von Schmidt or if it was his work entirely and if there was anything to the story offered in the tune. The song does not tell us Joshua’s given name nor what his title was in Grenada. I spent hours in the library and learned that the person, Ebeneezer Joshua, existed and that he had been the elected leader of Grenada and that there had been labor unrest during his reign. Not too much to go on. Well, previously I had studied economics with Michael Joshua who was from the islands. For all I knew Joshua could have been the Smith or Jones name of the islands. So I went to Michael’s office and explained my research situation and asked “Have you ever heard of Ebeneezer Joshua?” He just stared at me. I repeated the question and he answered, “Yes, he’s my father.” So Michael filled in the gaps. Michael said that Sonny Child being ignorant was an understatement. He also mentioned that neither he nor Ebeneezer had heard of the song. Got an A in the Anthropology class.
Should be St. Vincent, not Grenada.
👍🏻🙏🏻
So f'n cool. 😎
What an incredible story 👏
Thanks for sharing..❤
Dylans cover of this song on The Basement Tapes is also very good
Love this so much. It's been years.
Let's not lose sight that the theme of the song is the endless struggle of workers for better pay and benefits. Joshua told the men to strike, then abandoned them. Strike breakers were brought in. Strike be all in vain. Lot of misery in Georgetown, and wherever working men try to defend their rights.
I was in st, vincent's in the late 90's . Not much has changed.
You are rehashing only one perspective on the events, which omits many facts and comes from a far-left slant, although Ebenezer Joshua was to the left himself. When he was running for office, he did encourage the workers to strike. But his major concern was the economic development of St. Vincent, and help set up a conference among the former British colonies in the Caribbean to set up a common development strategy to help reliever the substantial poverty found on those colonies.. This conference took place on Barbados. The strike took place shortly before the conference was to begin, and although Joshua was in favor of the workers, he had a choice to make. He decided that the conference to help with overall economic development - which he had helped to create - was more important than the strike, so he went to Barbados. Many on the left felt he made the wrong choice, and the song, as wonderful as it is, reflects only this perspective. For a fuller discussion, see www.georgetownsvgrevisited.co.uk/joshua-gone-barbados.php
@@juddconway5793 Um, and this "economic development" on St. Vincent depended on exploiting workers at sugar plantations to benefit landowners who got rich selling the sugar to other countries. Have you ever toiled for your wages?
@@patchdavis35 Don't let the real world interfere with your ideology. From Wikipedia (article on Ebenezer Joshua) ' (emphasis added)...
I have, unfortunately, lost touch with the one person I knew who could give a clear account of what happened, so that is the best I can do for sources. It matches what I have read on the topic, which stressed that Joshua's aim was to stop the reliance on Sugar Cane production as the economic base of the former British colonies in the Caribbean. That was one purpose of the conference he had organized.
And yes, I have worked for wages. May I suggest that you drop the self-righteous snottiness?
@@juddconway5793
Your perspective should be considered, and common populist ground may be met on...
PS; Good luck finding the real world in Wickedpedia!
Classic Tom. Always a class act
One of the Greatest Balladeers!
Bruce Langhorne adds miles of beauty to every song he backs. Love Tom Rush forever.
Yep. Saw him backing Ian and Sylvia. 1966, I'd guess.
Bruce Langhorne....the uncelebrated genius that accented the "folk sound" behind almost every famous folk icon....there should be a documentary of his contributions and the "feeling" he added to an era !!
Forty-seven years since I last heard this on WPEN FM out of Philadelphia, PA, in '74 or so.
I like and love this Tom Rush song so much also!
Great song
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a 72yo Aussie fan.
Thanx 4 yur praise....Tom's sooooo precious !!
This is probably the best version I heard...one thing tho: it's "Sion" Hill and not "Zion" Hill
#ProudToBeVincy #VincyToTheBone #Renewal@40
Tom and Bruce timeless
I was thrilled to hear Tom Rush play this not more than a couple of years ago.
He is amazing live!
Hi Tom...Jill with John ...from the Flick....I love you...@ '66.
seen eric von schmidt do this at club 47 back whence ......
...back whence...I knew Tom....
Oh, lucky you!
BRAVO!
with Bruce Langehorn on guitar.
Thought so -- RIP so good.
Bruce's guitar runs patiently like a creek in the fall through Joshua's journey... What a version....a daily bread
His " Best Of" has this great one and many others as well. Highly recommended along with the 1st Stone Poney's l.p. from 1967. These were two of the real folk artists, as,was Phil Ochs. Forget Peter Paul and Mary and the Lemon Pipers etc al, that was pure schlock and commercial baloney. Here is what real folk music was,all about. Them and Fred Neil. Get hip to it peoples!
Peter, Paul, and Mary were a made-up group purely for profit. Can't cite the source here, but I saw it in a documentary.
@@augaeljo
The Monkees were the synthesized group.
Belafonte got nothin on Tom, song has great ju ju