I know E. van Schmidt from the legendery intro " I first heard it by Rick van Schmidt.." Baby let me follow you down and Joshua gone Barbados from the early Bootleg " Basement Tapes" but I did not know how wunderbar Eric van Schmidt does these both songs !! Thank you for posting and greatings from Köln
I met Eric a couple of times in sarasota Fl. were they had a home on siesta key.I knew caitlin as then as Kit.He was very open and giving of his time to the young singers and aspiring artists.I spent more time as it were with his wife at the time as she knew I was smitten with her daughter as were many who met her for she was beautiful beyond measure.Any way.She was patient and kind she turned me on to The Band's second disk a and we listened The N.They D.Old D. Down, she wept I cried.what luv
I used to hear Eric when he’d come to New College in Sarasota to play for us, when he lived on Siesta Key. I started singing his songs and I have sung them now for more than 50 years. And my friends know them too. How enormous an effect, for the better, that he has had on my life!
Really nice to see this on the eve of what would've been my father's 78th birthday (someone sent me the link). He was such a luddite about the computer but to use his parlance, he would've dug this! Thanks! Caitlin von Schmidt
Eric von Schmidt was my hero through college in the '60s and beyond. Still is. I had a big "personality poster" of him on my dorm room and apartment walls until it got too faded and tattered or the walls got too small; still have a half-dozen LPs, plus a bunch of other folks' albums and songbooks with his cover art and illustrations, Elektra's "Blues Project" LP, first edition of Richard Farina's "Been Down So Long...", an early Joan Baez Songbook, the book "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down: The Illustrated Story of the Cambridge Folk Years," and maybe more. I finally met him at a small concert in Connecticut in the '80s (with Peter Menta's band "Washboard Slim and the Blue Lights"), and was amazed at how modest and just plain nice he was. And he could still, as Dylan said, "...play the tune of the moon. The why of the sky and the commotion from the ocean." I think I'll go search the storeroom for that rolled-up poster and see whether there's enough left to frame. 🙂
@@stepno Aw, that's really lovely to hear! I think I know the poster you mean - black and white and he's wearing clear glasses? Taken by Diana Davies at Newport, if it's the one I'm thinking of. Right now I'm waiting to see if he'll be a character in the A Complete Unknown film, as he should be! Thanks so much for your comment!
Erick I miss the shit out of you. When I hear your voice it takes me back to those evenings in Da Nang and Hue and how you brought us all together with you voice and instruments.
Caitlin, your dad was one of my favorites both as a performer and as a painter. Saw him first at dear old Club 47 in 1967 and last in Westboro, Mass. over 20 years later with many performances in between. Life was better for having him among us!
If you are relatively new to this type of music from this time period, and you like it, particularly this recording, I can assure you that Eric Von Schmidt is among the very best and worth the effort of becoming familiar with his body of work. This was the air I breathed as a teenager, and it is some of the best air I will ever breathe. The air in the USA today seems to hardly even be air at all if you have breathed in Eric von Schmidt - Joshua Gone Barbados.
Came to him via an old bootleg version of this song sung by Dylan and the lyrics and the mournful tone really hit me. I thought they were from some original St Vincent folksong. Now thanks for letting me hear Eric's beautiful and feeling original version. The feeling comes right through his voice.
I 've only heard Tom Rush's versions. it is slower with Bruce Langhorn playing some beautiful notes...this dude wrote it` I remember him in the 60s. I like this too. thannk you for this song. I love you tube. some dusty memories returning before I die.
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. Got an A in the Anthropology class.
@@c.h.ingate5271 im from Georgetown st Vincent, its all true, my father was there, they still grow some cane but really just to make rum at the distillery in mt bentick but Georgetown never recovered.
Don't underestimate EvS. This is one of America's greatest artists. Great illustrator. Great painter. GREAT blues musician. Writer too. Serious croquet player. Seriuos bocce enthusiast. PS: Song is in D.
Very nice. Nice use of the photo I made of him with his "original" guitar and wearing his painter's apron. I think he would have liked your tribute very much. I think you captured the old boy quite well. Best wishes, M Peloquin
@ProducShuns The guitar is tuned in "Dropped D" tunning: DADGBd (that is detuning the 6th one whole tone) Moreover the entire set of strings has been slightly detuned, so it won't match if you play along. Unless, of course, if you too detune your guitar. Only two chords are played throughout the whole song: D (200232) and G(550003) The song is fingerpicked
So right about von Schmidt... It's beyond that voice, it's the solemn dignity he irradiated in absolutely everything he did. Truth. Light... And about Dylan... I love his destroyed voice, glad that he still gives concerts. I would even buy a record of him coughing; 12 tracks, different coughs... But I do believe that he should change his approach to the public: smaller places. Or that same dignity will be lost... But still he is Him.
Look for an album on Elektra Records a Compendium of Folk Blues there's some terrific tracks by Eric von Schmidt on it...many other legendary folk blues greats as well...He does I'd Rather Be The Devil on it with a young John Sebastian on harp on it... His voice is really great...
Lyrics: Cane standing in the field getting old and red Lot of trouble in Georgetown, three men lyin' dead Well, Joshua's head of the government, he say strike for better pay Well, the cane cutters they're strikin', but Joshua gone away Well, Joshua gone Barbados, staying in a big hotel Poor people on St. Vincent got many sad tales to tell Sugar mill owner told the strikers, don't need you to cut my cane Bring in another bunch of fellows, you strike be all in vain A lot of misery in Georgetown, you can hear the women bawl Joshua's gone Barbados, nn' he don't care at all Yeah, Joshua gone Barbados, just like he don't know Poor people on this Island, ain't got nowhere to go N' they got a lot of tough fellas, bring 'em from Zion Hill Bring 'em in a bus to Georgetown, you somebody'll get killed And Sonny Child the overseer, I swear he's an ignorant man He's a-walking through the cane field, pistol in his hand N' Joshua gone Barbados, n' he's staying in a big hotel N' people on St. Vincent got many sad tales to tell N' the Police givin' protection, the new fella's cutting cane Well the strikers can't do nothing, the strike be all in vain And Sonny Child cursed the striker, he waved his pistol 'round Well they're beatin' Sonny with a cutlass, man, they beat him to the ground But Joshua gone Barbados, staying in a big hotel People on St. Vincent got many sad tales to tell Well the cane standing in the field getting old and red Sonny Child in the hospital, pistol on his bed And I wished I could go to England, Trinidad or Curacao But the people on the St. Vincent ain't got nowhere to go N' Joshua gone Barbados, just like he don't know People on the Island, ain't got nowhere to go
@ john stewart Meyer Eric von Schmidt wrote the lyrics. He recorded a version--not this one--in 1964 with Geoff Muldaur and Mel Lyman. Tom Rush recorded a version in 1966, which has a slightly slower tempo, and may be the song you're thinking of. (The story is based on a true event.) The chord progression in both version is a common one, used in many folk songs.
DuneAquaViva I have that album Blues Project and song Devil got my woman or (I'd Rather be The Devil) is not sang by E. Von Schmidt but by Geoff Muldaur. Eric played his song Blow Whistle Blow
As that doesn't make much sense.Lets just say I am appalled at the lack of content here foe Eric.I will be trying thru friends to remedy that.Kit I hope if you read this you forgive me fro confessing my love for you these so many lost years later was to intimidated then.Will always remember how caring you were when I got hit with my board that day surfing at the Pink House.Had a concussion and u were the only one not laughing and trying to get me high. Country
Ric like Jack Eliot, was one of those old folkies that never made it to the "big time", and probably didn't care. Like Bob Dylan, I first heard him in Cambridge but other people took the tunes he had rediscovered and had more commercial success with them.
that's Elliott~ with 2 l's & two t's. long time good buddy---he's in his early 80's & i've known him for 30-35 years. he'll be visiting my ranch in the hill country of Texas in a few weeks in the midst of his little fall tour. still happy, still lovin it every day, God bless im!!
not to slight eric von schmidt or any of the other musicians doingJGB i seem to remember the first version iheard 1970(?) as slower and with a (of the time) standard(?) american accent. is there an older recording? i know, iaint proust and time doesnt stand still...
i have known and liked this song for many years - - heard it via tom rush - - but i have come to discover that it is maybe 95-100% sure that it is historically wrong - - and that it falsely portrays ebenezer joshua as some sort of sellout, which i believe he was not. - - wiki him and see - - i believe joshua did NOT betray the strike and run off to a nice hotel, that von schmidt basically got bad info from a local (one with a grudge?) and, unfortunately for joshua's reputation, made a good but inaccurate song about the whole thing. too bad
SteveonLI he heard the story right after it happened from a local person who was confused about the facts. e.g. the deaths (there were none). Joshua had borrowed a friends boat to go to intergovernmental trade talks!
Eric’s details are pretty accurate, its just the lines "Three men lying dead", and "he don't care at all" that are inaccurate, and based on the rumors/feelings linked to real events of the time. Sonny Child was a plantation owner rather than an overseer, but he was beaten with a cutlass and while hospitalized vowed to shoot his attackers, and Joshua did go to Barbados during the strike. Eric had this to say about writing the song 'I had been away from St. Vincent for a few weeks and returned just at the end of it. The song is based on the events as told me by Norma Duncan of Calliqua. No one was killed in the uprising, but at that time rumor was rampant and Norma thought that two strikers and a policeman had been killed in a gunfight in Georgetown" The truth about Joshua was/is that he apparently had a decision between staying at home and using his administrative powers to help with the strike, or traveling to Barbados to work toward the end of colonial rule and the development of new industries. He chose to address the long-term challenge in Barbados which angered some of the cane strikers. some of whom may have doubted him, thought he was wasting time, or relaxing while they were out there etc. Some of the strikers may have also disliked the move by Joshua because his solutions were at odds with some of more left-wing politically.
I first heard this song from Brendan Croker. Then on Dylan's Bootleg Series. I always though it was about somebody who went to a tropical island. It's only now that I'm beginning to realize there's much more to it. But... A song is not a history book.
I know E. van Schmidt from the legendery intro " I first heard it by Rick van Schmidt.." Baby let me follow you down and Joshua gone Barbados from the early Bootleg " Basement Tapes" but I did not know how wunderbar Eric van Schmidt does these both songs !! Thank you for posting and greatings from Köln
I met Eric a couple of times in sarasota Fl. were they had a home on siesta key.I knew caitlin as then as Kit.He was very open and giving of his time to the young singers and aspiring artists.I spent more time as it were with his wife at the time as she knew I was smitten with her daughter as were many who met her for she was beautiful beyond measure.Any way.She was patient and kind she turned me on to The Band's second disk a and we listened The N.They D.Old D. Down, she wept I cried.what luv
Always liked his tunes...thanks for the tunes,RIP.
I used to hear Eric when he’d come to New College in Sarasota to play for us, when he lived on Siesta Key. I started singing his songs and I have sung them now for more than 50 years. And my friends know them too. How enormous an effect, for the better, that he has had on my life!
Really nice to see this on the eve of what would've been my father's 78th birthday (someone sent me the link). He was such a luddite about the computer but to use his parlance, he would've dug this!
Thanks!
Caitlin von Schmidt
Hi Caitlin,
I dug it too.
Also there's nothing wrong with luddites.
Love from the UK
Your father was a genius. Simply nothing else to even say
Aw, that's very kind of you,@@sonnycraudwell8102 !
Eric von Schmidt was my hero through college in the '60s and beyond. Still is. I had a big "personality poster" of him on my dorm room and apartment walls until it got too faded and tattered or the walls got too small; still have a half-dozen LPs, plus a bunch of other folks' albums and songbooks with his cover art and illustrations, Elektra's "Blues Project" LP, first edition of Richard Farina's "Been Down So Long...", an early Joan Baez Songbook, the book "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down: The Illustrated Story of the Cambridge Folk Years," and maybe more. I finally met him at a small concert in Connecticut in the '80s (with Peter Menta's band "Washboard Slim and the Blue Lights"), and was amazed at how modest and just plain nice he was. And he could still, as Dylan said, "...play the tune of the moon. The why of the sky and the commotion from the ocean." I think I'll go search the storeroom for that rolled-up poster and see whether there's enough left to frame. 🙂
@@stepno Aw, that's really lovely to hear! I think I know the poster you mean - black and white and he's wearing clear glasses? Taken by Diana Davies at Newport, if it's the one I'm thinking of. Right now I'm waiting to see if he'll be a character in the A Complete Unknown film, as he should be!
Thanks so much for your comment!
Erick I miss the shit out of you. When I hear your voice it takes me back to those evenings in Da Nang and Hue and how you brought us all together with you voice and instruments.
Caitlin, your dad was one of my favorites both as a performer and as a painter. Saw him first at dear old Club 47 in 1967 and last in Westboro, Mass. over 20 years later with many performances in between. Life was better for having him among us!
If you are relatively new to this type of music from this time period, and you like it, particularly this recording, I can assure you that Eric Von Schmidt is among the very best and worth the effort of becoming familiar with his body of work. This was the air I breathed as a teenager, and it is some of the best air I will ever breathe. The air in the USA today seems to hardly even be air at all if you have breathed in Eric von Schmidt - Joshua Gone Barbados.
Came to him via an old bootleg version of this song sung by Dylan and the lyrics and the mournful tone really hit me. I thought they were from some original St Vincent folksong. Now thanks for letting me hear Eric's beautiful and feeling original version. The feeling comes right through his voice.
I 've only heard Tom Rush's versions. it is slower with Bruce Langhorn playing some beautiful notes...this dude wrote it` I remember him in the 60s. I like this too. thannk you for this song. I love you tube. some dusty memories returning before I die.
This comment really hit me. It’s a dozen years later so I suppose it may be too late for you to see this but I wish you peace wherever you are 💔
I've loved this song since I first heard it on the "Midnight special" radio show on Chicago WFMT. One of those desert island songs for me
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. Got an A in the Anthropology class.
Michael also said that referring to Sonny Child as "ignorant" was an understatement.
Oh, I forgot one important fact that I learned from Michael. He, and he told me later after talking to Ebenezzer, that neither knew of the song.
Should have been St. Vincent, not Grenada.
@@c.h.ingate5271 im from Georgetown st Vincent, its all true, my father was there, they still grow some cane but really just to make rum at the distillery in mt bentick but Georgetown never recovered.
Great story, TY. These are the stories that make my time spent on RUclips scrolling through comments worthwhile and not just wasting time.
Giant of the sixties folk movement
Lovely voice, great lyrics - thx for the music, Eric
wonderful video presentation to go along with the classic recording. mucho gracias.
Don't underestimate EvS. This is one of America's greatest artists. Great illustrator. Great painter. GREAT blues musician. Writer too. Serious croquet player. Seriuos bocce enthusiast. PS: Song is in D.
Very nice. Nice use of the photo I made of him with his "original" guitar and wearing his painter's apron. I think he would have liked your tribute very much. I think you captured the old boy quite well.
Best wishes,
M Peloquin
Not much to say other than, fantastic song and fantastic musician... can't beat that
@ProducShuns
The guitar is tuned in "Dropped D" tunning: DADGBd (that is detuning the 6th one whole tone)
Moreover the entire set of strings has been slightly detuned, so it won't match if you play along. Unless, of course, if you too detune your guitar.
Only two chords are played throughout the whole song:
D (200232) and G(550003)
The song is fingerpicked
What can I say...
Thank YOU, with all my heart.
Pity there arent many videos about him, I'll try to fix that, he must reach.
Wonderful!!!!!
So right about von Schmidt... It's beyond that voice, it's the solemn dignity he irradiated in absolutely everything he did. Truth. Light...
And about Dylan... I love his destroyed voice, glad that he still gives concerts. I would even buy a record of him coughing; 12 tracks, different coughs...
But I do believe that he should change his approach to the public: smaller places. Or that same dignity will be lost... But still he is Him.
Look for an album on Elektra Records a Compendium of Folk Blues there's some terrific tracks by Eric von Schmidt on it...many other legendary folk blues greats as well...He does I'd Rather Be The Devil on it with a young John Sebastian on harp on it... His voice is really great...
Lyrics:
Cane standing in the field getting old and red
Lot of trouble in Georgetown, three men lyin' dead
Well, Joshua's head of the government, he say strike for better pay
Well, the cane cutters they're strikin', but Joshua gone away
Well, Joshua gone Barbados, staying in a big hotel
Poor people on St. Vincent got many sad tales to tell
Sugar mill owner told the strikers, don't need you to cut my cane
Bring in another bunch of fellows, you strike be all in vain
A lot of misery in Georgetown, you can hear the women bawl
Joshua's gone Barbados, nn' he don't care at all
Yeah, Joshua gone Barbados, just like he don't know
Poor people on this Island, ain't got nowhere to go
N' they got a lot of tough fellas, bring 'em from Zion Hill
Bring 'em in a bus to Georgetown, you somebody'll get killed
And Sonny Child the overseer, I swear he's an ignorant man
He's a-walking through the cane field, pistol in his hand
N' Joshua gone Barbados, n' he's staying in a big hotel
N' people on St. Vincent got many sad tales to tell
N' the Police givin' protection, the new fella's cutting cane
Well the strikers can't do nothing, the strike be all in vain
And Sonny Child cursed the striker, he waved his pistol 'round
Well they're beatin' Sonny with a cutlass, man, they beat him to the ground
But Joshua gone Barbados, staying in a big hotel
People on St. Vincent got many sad tales to tell
Well the cane standing in the field getting old and red
Sonny Child in the hospital, pistol on his bed
And I wished I could go to England, Trinidad or Curacao
But the people on the St. Vincent ain't got nowhere to go
N' Joshua gone Barbados, just like he don't know
People on the Island, ain't got nowhere to go
@ john stewart Meyer Eric von Schmidt wrote the lyrics. He recorded a version--not this one--in 1964 with Geoff Muldaur and Mel Lyman. Tom Rush recorded a version in 1966, which has a slightly slower tempo, and may be the song you're thinking of. (The story is based on a true event.) The chord progression in both version is a common one, used in many folk songs.
+zwrdl - hi from steve, pls take a look at my comment above - about the accuracy of this song
@tempachilles
De nada, amigo.
This song is so good... So good.
DuneAquaViva I have that album Blues Project and song Devil got my woman or (I'd Rather be The Devil) is not sang by E. Von Schmidt but by Geoff Muldaur. Eric played his song Blow Whistle Blow
that guitar at 1:04 is so sweet
As that doesn't make much sense.Lets just say I am appalled at the lack of content here foe Eric.I will be trying thru friends to remedy that.Kit I hope if you read this you forgive me fro confessing my love for you these so many lost years later was to intimidated then.Will always remember how caring you were when I got hit with my board that day surfing at the Pink House.Had a concussion and u were the only one not laughing and trying to get me high.
Country
good sound
Superior Ballad!
Sunny Child is my grandad
@ladiesmanpwndog12466
This is from "Eric Sings von Schmidt" (1964)
Here's some more info:
trussel[DOT]com/lyman/eric.htm
Ric like Jack Eliot, was one of those old folkies that never made it to the "big time", and probably didn't care. Like Bob Dylan, I first heard him in Cambridge but other people took the tunes he had rediscovered and had more commercial success with them.
that's Elliott~ with 2 l's & two t's. long time good buddy---he's in his early 80's & i've known him for 30-35 years. he'll be visiting my ranch in the hill country of Texas in a few weeks in the midst of his little fall tour. still happy, still lovin it every day, God bless im!!
um, he cared - i was there on a few nights when it became clear - he was great and deserved better
not to slight eric von schmidt or any of the other musicians doingJGB i seem to remember the first version iheard 1970(?) as slower and with a (of the time) standard(?) american accent. is there an older recording? i know, iaint proust and time doesnt stand still...
john stewart Meyer Tom Rush
how / where can I buy the album ?
This song is about a short lived revolt that happened in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
It's not totally accurate but, artistic license I guess!
It didn’t happen quite this way , I’m from St Vincent and was 10 when this was happening … Sonny Child was a friend of my parents
does anyone know what key this is in? and what chords are being played?
It is in the key of lies!
i have known and liked this song for many years - - heard it via tom rush - - but i have come to discover that it is maybe 95-100% sure that it is historically wrong - - and that it falsely portrays ebenezer joshua as some sort of sellout, which i believe he was not. - - wiki him and see - - i believe joshua did NOT betray the strike and run off to a nice hotel, that von schmidt basically got bad info from a local (one with a grudge?) and, unfortunately for joshua's reputation, made a good but inaccurate song about the whole thing. too bad
SteveonLI he heard the story right after it happened from a local person who was confused about the facts. e.g. the deaths (there were none). Joshua had borrowed a friends boat to go to intergovernmental trade talks!
ha thanks. turns out a friend of mine knew joshua's son i think, from buffalo ny
Eric’s details are pretty accurate, its just the lines "Three men lying dead", and "he don't care at all" that are inaccurate, and based on the rumors/feelings linked to real events of the time. Sonny Child was a plantation owner rather than an overseer, but he was beaten with a cutlass and while hospitalized vowed to shoot his attackers, and Joshua did go to Barbados during the strike.
Eric had this to say about writing the song 'I had been away from St. Vincent for a few weeks and returned just at the end of it. The song is based on the events as told me by Norma Duncan of Calliqua. No one was killed in the uprising, but at that time rumor was rampant and Norma thought that two strikers and a policeman had been killed in a gunfight in Georgetown"
The truth about Joshua was/is that he apparently had a decision between staying at home and using his administrative powers to help with the strike, or traveling to Barbados to work toward the end of colonial rule and the development of new industries. He chose to address the long-term challenge in Barbados which angered some of the cane strikers. some of whom may have doubted him, thought he was wasting time, or relaxing while they were out there etc. Some of the strikers may have also disliked the move by Joshua because his solutions were at odds with some of more left-wing politically.
I first heard this song from Brendan Croker. Then on Dylan's Bootleg Series. I always though it was about somebody who went to a tropical island. It's only now that I'm beginning to realize there's much more to it. But... A song is not a history book.
The use of some of the language is typical of the way people of Saint Vincent speak