The Boston Globe Friday had a review of a Steve Earle concert that took place this week and in it the reviewer mentions Woody or I should say mentions Steve Earle mentioning Woody and singing a song that includes reference to Woody in the chorus. I had not heard the song so I went to the Apple iTunes site and purchased it. Glad I did. I think Woody would like it too.

Here are two paragraphs from the review.

Earle summons spirit of Guthrie
By James Parker, Globe Correspondent  |  October 29, 2004

"After a particularly limp round of audience participation in his song "Christmas in Washington," Steve Earle scolded the crowd. "You're never gonna start a revolution like that . . . You're never gonna win an election like that." The crowd whooped, properly rebuked, and by the next chorus it was ready. "Come back Woody Guthrie," it crooned fervidly, "Come back to us now . . ." Earle seemed satisfied: "Now you're singin' like revolutionaries."

Summoning the spirit of Woody Guthrie, as Earle did at Avalon on Tuesday night, is risky business: It might be an act of humility or of hubris. Earle, at any rate, has earned the right to do it"

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!


"if you want to end war and stuff, you got to learn to sing loud." ---arlo

Steve Earle did the same thing in Chicago Oct 16, I saw him the night before I saw Arlo on Oct 17! (needless to say, *I* had a great weekend ) I hadn't heard the song before either, but there were lots of his fans in the audience that did know it. I thought it was pretty wild that he was summoning Woody while Arlo was performing just across town the same night.

Joan Baez also does that song (Christmas in Washington) (I think it's on her latest CD) and oddly enough she was also in Chicago (Glen Ellyn and somewhere down near Chicago Heights) the same two nights Arlo was. I heard her do it on "Mountain Stage". On the same show she also did a great folk rock version of "Pretty Boy Floyd".

Yes Steve wrote a beautiful tribute song to Woody. Not the first tibute song, not the last, but maybe one of the best? It parrallels Dylans, and that says allot.

Leave it to Steve Earle. From one genious to another.

Funny you should mention that. After listening to the song I wondered if anyone else might also have a version of it on Apple's iTunes site and sure enough Joan Baez's version was there so I downloaded that one too.
The info on the site listed it as being from an album titled, "Dark Chords on a Big Guitar"

Yep, there was quite a convergence of talent here that weekend! Richard Thompson was also in town and I think someone else of (folk) note--can't remember at the moment--too bad they couldn't all be on the same stage.