Townes Van Zandt - Pancho and Lefty

[boils2]

Willie and Bo loyal friends RIP and friends of me RIP. On my death bed I will remember them. May there fields always be green and the sun always shine. My heart was broken.

[chayton1000]

It is great to see our old videos again. Bambi

[MrPstein]

about the pancho/poncho confusion. Both are spanis words, mostly Mexican. A poncho is the article of clothing. Pancho is the shortform for the name Francisco. That's why Pancho Villa is the name used for the revolutionary Francisco Villa.

As for how its supposed to be spelled in this song, who cares, does it really matter, it works anyway he sings it!

[burjazz]

I love it.Only God can make people like this.

[TheGuerrillaPoet]

odd I always thought Poncho was an item of clothing...like what Clint Eastwood always wore...and Pancho was the name, but I suppose some lad from a former penal colony would know best...but then maybe he was too pissed from his year round bender on XXXX.

[sandysuicide]

spell poncho right asshole

[BlueBillyMusic]

@sandysuicide WTF? You call people assholes because you THINK they've misspelled a word? Truly bizarre. It might have taken you two minutes to search the title and find that a search on "Poncho and Lefty" brings a gazillion references to "Pancho and Lefty".

[alpineangler1]

The best.

[yanoftd]

jimincairns It's simply an unfortunate misspelling on that 1 album you have. The song appears on many other albums by Townes and is always spelled correctly as 'Pancho'. If you actually listen to this video of Townes speaking about the song you will hear that he says 'Pancho' and talks about the Mexican Pancho Villa as one possible inspiration for the song.

I met in Townes in 1990. He was a great man and I posted this video to honour his memory. It is you who is both mistaken and discourteous.

[burjazz]

@yanoftd Sir this is a wonderful video and I thank you for posting it.;Do you know who the young lady is?

[floppyd0g]

Steve Earle spells it "Pancho" and hell..what would HE know..

[jimincairns]

At least do Townes the courtesy of spelling 'PONCHO' correctly.

[coleyman1]

I don't know who your talking to, but it is spelled "Pancho" not PONCHO! Are you from this country??

[jimincairns]

@coleyman1 I suggest you take a look at Townes album cover, entitled 'Poncho and Lefty'.

[coleyman1]

You must have the album, "High, Low, and In Between". That album cover spells it Poncho.  "Live at The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas" and every other album that includes that song spells it Pancho.

[jimincairns]

@coleyman1 Nope; the album is entitled 'Poncho and Lefty!'

[coleyman1]

Well, that's a new one on me!! I have, what I thought was everything (albums) he had done. I guess not. I have: "For the Sake of the Song", "Ourmother Mountain", "Delta Mamma Blues", "At My Window", "Flyin' Shoes", "Rear View Mirrow", "High Low And In Between", "In the Beginning", "Townes Van Zandt", "A Far Cry From Dead", "Live at the Old Quarter", and "Be Here to Love Me". I don't have "Poncho and Lefty". The only CD that even has it spelled that way is "High, Low And In Between". Strange.

[mykel8nyte]

Damn, I wish he was still around.

[stickwalker]

Great story. I think Townes is one of the greatest song writers who ever lived. I have spent many a lonely night listening to his songs.

[JTho658351]

austinphotographer I envy you. I would rather have had a beer with Townes than just about anything I can think of. To bad it killed him, but he lived his life as he instructed

[austinphotographer]

I knew Townes. He was a gentle soul. He shared his life's experiences with us thru his music. RIP

[GreenGreenGrasOfHome]

Van Zandt was a genius. A great songwriter and man.

[brr7]

This is so great!  I love the way the interviewer giggles through his story. Cheers, yanoftd!

[scrantonian]

thanks for sharing!

[BigIronOnHipMan]

This five minute video is a great slice from the poignant Life of TVZ. Thanks for the education. CHEERS yanoftd !!!

[classof80extant]

What a fine, long, tall Texan.

[makotophoenix]

Wow, that's kindof amazing. I grew up in brenham and I never would have figured there would be any story tied to Townes and that town. So awesome.

[andrewdewey]

Bless you, Townes. Go with God.

[redgreen303]

I think the best job done, is the one by Hoyt Axton. I wish somebody could upload that one

[TheRealRedFlashlight]

Yeh - I'd like to hear that one, too. (Hoyt Axton.)

[dannytwotone]

nice guy thanks for sharing this clip . very good story

[bloodandwhiskey5]

townes van zandt was the greatest songwriter around and ill stand on bob dylans coffee table in my boots and say that!

[KingMinosxxvi]

Dont worry Dylan thinks so to

[BlueBillyMusic]

@bloodandwhiskey5 PLAGIARISM! Your post was a statement made years ago by Guy Clark

[julieyard1]

@BlueBillyMusic actually, steve earle said it. But it is plagiarized.

[austinpickers]

It's really cool to see someone else post my videos here. I shot this in Townes' backyard in 1984. That's my ex-wife doing the interview. The performance was done a week later and I edited them together.

Ed H.

[Jebowski]

man that is just so cool to read!! I'm a young lad and just recently got into Townes, my gateway being "Dead Flowers" off the Big Lebowski soundtrack.. Then bought a 21 greatest hits or something, and I was hooked. Took a road trip from Omaha to north of Seattle and I tell ya, Townes was THE perfect driving music!

[KingMinosxxvi]

You must have a story or two did you know him well share share

[4L60E]

hi. I heard some really sad stories about Townes. Insulin shock therapy and what not. It sounds like altogether he wasn't destined to have a happy life. I hope that those stories aren't totally true. Thanks for the video. Townes sure has been an inspiration to a lot of guys out there..singing through them a little. I hope he knows.

[townesphat]

Great sonwriter