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#143-Joan Henry (1992)-Live Lessick&Lincoln
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Feminist take on an old folk tale-A live version performed by Lessick & Lincoln at Sweet Violets
folk funny political sixties novelty gentle prolific idiosyncratic lehrer jefferson airplane ochs paxton steve goodman
Artist picture
Tom Paxton meets Jefferson Airplane. Extremely prolific singer songwriter with a wide range of styles from bizarre novelty tunes and surrealistic poetic songs t
With more than 300 songs and counting and for more than 30 years, I have written in a variety of acoustic styles from novelty tunes to love songs to historical ballads to poetic surrealistic songs to retro-acoustic pop. From bizarre to traditional from funny to poignant, whatever style the song is in, the melodies are usually memorable and the lyrics unpredictable. This site will eventually contain rough often first take demos of my entire song catalogue. Many of the earliest songs when I first started writing will of course be shaky. So expect the songs to get better as time goes on. Feel free to come back and browse often as I will constantly be adding songs, one by one in chronological order, starting in 1974. If you are looking for some unusual songs to cover from a little known but unique artist, you have come to the right place. Just e-mail me. If you find a song here that intrigues you, but you don't like a line or two, or you think it needs a bridge, drop me an e-mail and maybe you can earn writer's credit if it gets that song to be recorded or performed.... otherwise just enjoy. You can become a Rob Lincoln fan at no cost to you. I promise that if you keep coming back there will be some real surprises along the way. While mostly acoustic, some original material will veer into folk rock and even 60's pop, but the garage rock and loudest material will also be found in full band arrangement at soundclick.com/abrasiveflowers Eventually some of these 300+ tunes may be rerecorded and make it on to CD, including a novelty CD that would be suitable for Dr. Demento or an historical ballad CD or a political song CD--but until then, this is the only site you can hear most of these songs. (A few of my songs CAN be found on songramp.com/RobLincoln and myspace.com/lessickandlincoln)
Song Info
Charts
Peak #806
Peak in subgenre #126
Author
Rob Lincoln
Rights
1992
Uploaded
April 13, 2008
Track Files
MP3
MP3 4.9 MB 128 kbps 5:19
Story behind the song
Joan Henry is my feminist folk tale song. This recording is from a Lessick & Lincoln concert. We only performed this a few times at the end of our stint. A few more times practicing and we might have really hammered down the arrangement. We didn't quite nail this one. But the harmonies we attampted to lay down were dramatic. Mp3 listeners gave this a 4.1 out of 5.0....Comments included: "I like the energy" "Nice performance" "Creative harmonies" "You guys should've been famous!"
Lyrics
Joan Henry she was a strong woman Strong as any man She said give me that iron hammer Just put it in my hand Joan Henry she was no lady She wore her britches too high She said let me swing that hammer And I will build you a railroad to the sky Joan Henry the bosses teased her They said go on go on run on home Go find you a little husband One that will not let you roam Joan Henry she picked up that hammer And she laid that hammer down The spike they could not find it She banged it 50 miles into the ground Lord Lord, 50 miles into the ground Joan Henry the bosses told her They said "you can be our girl" Just take your iron hammer Build a track around the world Lord Lord- A track around the world Joan Henry it took her one month Working most every day She built the little railroad to Californ I-A Lord Lord-Californ-I-A Joan Henry she was ready To build over the sea But when she saw her pay cut Well hell hath no fury Lord Lord Hell hath no fury Joan Henry she was a smart woman Smart as any man She don't work for half pay She tore the tracks up with her hand The tracks up with her hand Joan Henry she still got that hammer On that mountain high And she's teaching all the little girls now To buid a railroad to the sky Build a railroad to the sky Build a railroad to the sky
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