hi
>>>>david wrote
>>>>Perhaps there are no chords on the recording because she wanted
to dramatize her feeling that she was a lone voice articulating an
outsider's, subversive position on what we are pleased to call the "Vietnam
War."<<<<
sometimes a song will work without accompaniment simply because it stresses
the lyrics and message so much.
two particular ones that work so well for me on this level are david bowie's
"please mr. gravedigger" (kinda quirky) - and michelle shockeds
(unfortunately unreleased) version of "the ballad of penny evans" (written
by steve goodman) - an anti vietnam war song that is just so unbelievably
powerful that i just cant listen to it without crying....(or even just read
the lyrics...)
Ballad Of Penny Evans
Written by Steve Goodman
My name is Penny Evans and I've just turned twenty-one
A young widow in the war that's been fought in Vietnam
And I have two infant daughters and I do the best I can
And now they say the war is over but I think it just began
I remember I was seventeen when I first met young Will
On his fathers grand piano we played good old "Hearts And Soul"
And I only knew the left-hand part, he knew the right so well
He is the only boy I slept with and the only one I will
You know, first we had a baby girl and it was two good years
But then came the one-A notice and we parted without tears
And now it's nine months from the last goodbye and a second babe appears
And now it's ten months and a telegram confirming all our fears
You know, my name is Penny Evans and I've just turned twenty-one
A young widow in the war that's been fought in Vietnam
And I have two infant daughters and I do the best I can
But you know, they say the war is over and I think it just began
And now it's every month I get a check from some Army bureaucrat
And it's every month I tear it up and mail the damn thing back
Did you think that would make it alright, did you think I would fall for
that?
Oh you can keep your bloody money it won't bring my Billy back
And I don't care much for politics or speechs I don't understand
But you know, I never took a cent from any living man
And still tonight there are fifty thousand gone in that unhappy land
Yes and fifty thousand hearts and souls being played by just one hand
My name is Penny Evans and I've just turned twenty-one
A young widow in the war that's been fought in Vietnam
I have two infant daughters I thank God I have no sons
For they say the war is over but I think it's just began
ron
