John Fahey - Poor Boys Long Way From Home

[ryan9600]

Even the tuning is a pleasure to watch.

[gunguolf]

@ryan9600 Totally agree

[majorhoop]

I wonder if someone could explain something to me. At about 27 seconds he slides up the middle and ring fingers of his left hand. He does it at this point in the melody every time. There is a close up of him doing it at about 1 minute 45 seconds. What does this technique do? I can't hear it & I've listened to this song for quite a few years. Smart-aleck replies welcome.

[Jessespade1]

@majorhoop since this song is in open tunings(open d i think) it looks like thats a point in the song where he's not fretting any strings and taking his hand of and sliding up the neck is just a way of preparing for the next hand movement on the strings, i do the same thing, never did it on purpose it always just kinda happens when playing open tunings.

[trilobite3339]

when i go to other musician's houses, they frequently ask me "why do you always change the tuning on the guitar" or say "thats cheating"... anybody else experience this?

[majorhoop]

@trilobite3339 -----I would just tell em "If that's cheating than I guess I'm a cheater along with a lotta other guys. Oh well."

[thefringthing]

I love how he manages to be musical even while adjusting his tuning.

[844jimthompson]

Great stuff.A real artist at work.Rest in peace John Fahey.

[Grumberf]

Tommy Emanuel should played with this Guy

[Grumberf]

What a Genius at work just to play a guitar or anything and just enjoy it like he does must be everones wish

[Dracanic]

@DenimZero So after reading your argument with some people about Fahey's performance not being solo because it doesn't look like he is hitting every note... I have no idea what you are talking about. I don't even see a delay in video to audio. Sounds and looks like a guy picking with good rhythm and good use of hammer-ons.

[venusfly9108]

This is probably the most impressive folk music I've ever heard. I've never heard anyone ever play such beautiful chord melodies like that.

[Skarloey123]

I love when he puts his ear down onto the guitar from 0:24 to 0:27. It shows how much he really loves the guitar and the beautiful music he makes.

[fenderboy88]

im just stating an opinion based on fact that most modern music is rubbish especially modern pop and even rock has gone downhill,the problem is that modern technology has fucked up most music ,i mean who cares whether you can play a guitar like fahey now because todays modern music listeners have short attention spans

[guilledrc11]

genius!!!! thank you!!

[kittyfanatic220]

What song is this?

[tonywolf1950]

One day the unbelievers will finally listen..I mean really listen and say:"Genius' !

[SmarticusRex]

My brain just melted...that was beautiful.

[OliverKellly]

Thumbs up if you don't care what year you're watching this in!!!!

[MasterofRealityDOOM]

Today my girl left me ..... this is the only thing that fills my spirit and heart now..... wherever you are John, thanks.

[illusionstateofmind]

wonderful!

[wayneiac1789]

raunchy



[uciphd]

I've been listening to Fahey my whole life, and it never gets old. Pure genius.

[sh0cking21]

to me, this is what america sounds like.

[scrungeworts]

I saw John Fahey at Brighton Dome sometime in the late60's/early70's when he was the support act for Pentangle.His playing was a revelation,so precise and clear,like a classical guitarist. To be honest when Pentangle followed him Bert Jansch & John Renbourn sounded a bit ragged by comparison.

[gageman70]

so organic

[istetchthesun]

sunflower river blues anyone

[sumeet7kumar]

Anything I write, other than what am writing, can be used as a fact to prove that I am stupid. This is far beyond my grasp, and I am filled with awe, and I wont dare to describe it but will sit in this awe and keep listening.

[CrimsonEmpire]

That is an EPIC combover.

[FraterSoddi]

This is GODDAMN grand American art!

[lastrada52]

@DenimZero - Tempted to ask -- can prove it? Substantiate it? Multiple guitarists? How? But I won't. I've seen Fahey live & he always sounds like multiple guitarists. But I saw none. Fahey couldn't afford to have other guitarists shadow him & the video is 33 years old. Tommy Emmanuel sounds like multiple guitarists too. Maybe you're right. The video poster multi-tracked his post but I doubt it. I know what Fahey could do & he did it for decades -- live. That video is Fahey - solo (my opinion).

[rhizomaton]

@DenimZero So, John Fahey was a cheater, was he? Thanks for exposing the conspiracy. Also glad you used the word "strumming" to describe Fahey's technique. You really are a genius. Your parents must be proud.

[moneyquickeasy]

@rhizomaton Don't be mean. He doesn't know any better. He's just a poor boy.

[gageman70]

@rhizomaton I think his comment stands as a testament towards Fahey's musicality. His sound is so foreign that people can't believe its real.

[PlanB198]

this song is beautiful...only way i can think of describing this kind of playing

[TheSeanyTime]

Cant wait to get high and listen to this in the forest :-)

[jimihendrix1967]

If you listen to this song carefully, you will hear "Cigarette Blues" by Bo Carter and later you'll quickly realize that it has the feeling of "Statesboro Blues" by Blind Willie McTell.

[erbiumm]

So chill

[PlanB198]

@DenimZero ummm def not dude....that is just the video...its just him

[CocteauDalighari]

This is the first version I've heard w/o a slide.

Years ago, I heard a version of this on the radio, recorded in his home, where the doggie starts barking; & he says "Shh" & starts over.

[adooradoor4you]

Can i find this version of the song on a album??

[TheDanielthauby]

@adooradoor4you not exactelly the same song, but several variations on the first periode, the 6 first Takoma album. You will find it on Blind joe death. D

[richrockt]

this is fantastic !

[piehole23]

Why does it have to turn into a competition. Kottke vs. Fahey. How juvenile. Both are guitar legends and they respected each other without having to compete. Learn something from them!

[trilobite3339]

learned how to play the version he teaches, but this version is way more complicated.

[drtymrty]

Watch closely the hands of The Master

[valleygirl717]

This man is definitely a genus when it comes to music. People are so incompetent when it comes to music these days.

[valleygirl717]

Why the fuck would you compare this amazing man to lady gaga AT ALL? No comparison what so ever.

[henrycate]

You-all needs to hear "The Great San Bernardino Birthday Party." :-)

A masterpiece!

[rustydrog]

is it just me or does his guitar have a really high action? what

a talent. mesmerising.

[drinkNdrop]

Who cares how easy it may be as long as it sounds good. Too often artists cram a song with technicality and end up with a "talented" mess

[ArkRed1]

Lady Ga Ga has a better agent, and she is still alive. Fahey does have something Lady Ga Ga lacks.......................

[rasputozen]

kinda makes me wanna cry when he plays that one part

[TheSafecore]

I (just about) managed to learn this song from a friend who didn't know who it was written by. 5 years on and we finally meet!!!

Here's to you, Mr Fahey. Simply outrageous - feeeeeel the love!

[ryan9600]

Very intimate. And for people saying this is easy to play it isnt so straight forward as it sounds. All the bends have to be perfect or it sounds wrong. And he pulls it off very well. Ive done a version of this and its no where as close. See ya !

[18shirl]

Mr. Fahey is a nice addition to my studio music. Smooth, very nice, doesn't interfere with my concentration, keeps my mood light.

[fenderboy88]

How does lady Gaga get more views than this?....honestly people are really dumb .

[shazaaammm]

@fenderboy88 Or maybe they just have different taste, lulz

[peteralabaster]

@fenderboy88 sex appeal. though i don't see why the ladies aren't drooling over this hairy beast

[irreduciblekoan]

@peteralabaster In the 60s and 70s, this hairy beast would've been drooled over. Sometimes I think the women of the past had all the taste.

[Cheddar420ful]

@fenderboy88 Because pop stands for popular. Thought that was clear.

[fenderboy88]

@Cheddar420ful Clearly ''pop music is clearly warped then,''pop music'' has got alot worse over the last decade making pop music from previous decades look credible.

The worse thing is that most of the general public dont care about creative or meaningful songs anymore,most artists today[though i am generalizing a tad] seem to lack ideas and simply recycle certain things,hell you dont even have to be a good singer because technology can enhance your voice like autotune for example.

[wuezili]

@fenderboy88 Lady Gaga's got a really hot body. Why she sells more records, THAT I don't understand.

[blahdelablah]

@fenderboy88

Stop being concerned with the music that others listen to, stick to finding music you like. What I will say is, if you want to truly appreciate music, it helps to listen with an open mind. Please think about what that means.

[rebeloj]

@fenderboy88 You said it, man.

[HipHopiz4Real]

@fenderboy88

because people like things that fall to the lowest common denominator, but let them enjoy the crap, the few know what good music is, and its better that way.

[snakeweirdo]

@fenderboy88 You are really dumb for even mentioning it. Who cares? Let them listen to what they want to listen to, and you'll listen to what you want to listen to. I don't see why it should be your problem.

[jacksondemarre]

I think i did a good job on my cover of this,who ever wants to check it out feel free too

[JagerMikesterX]

Sounds just like the one I heard on the 8-track in my parents un-AC'd Chevy Nova on our trips from Athens, OH to NW Indiana. Fucking beautiful.

[ScrandybobHD]

@JagerMikesterX agreed

[claaaaaay]

Fahey, simplistic and repetitive with technique, had an good sense of scansion and was able to create a certain atmosphere and drama. However, almost any advanced musician will realize Kottke long, long ago surpassed Fahey in every sense.

[futuredays92]

@claaaaaay fahey's technique isn't as easy as it seems. his usage of open tunings, different picking patterns, metronomic timing, and rests allowed his music to stretch into oneiric and surrealistic reals (the basis of his "hipnotic" and spiritual (although he disliked this term) style). it was supreme imagination and understanding (not unnecessary technical complexity) what gave life to his tunes. fahey was a master and albums like "fare forward voyagers" show his visionary style at its peak.

[futuredays92]

man i love fahey. his tunes are incredibly haunting. this is the first song i've heard of him and i was inmediatly enamoured.

[bennyvolance]

Great playing. Cool, restrained, pointed, focused,

[DocumentedWorld]

This is nice piece of music, but by no means difficult to play. 

[Hendrixblues123]

@DocumentedWorld the bass part is quite hard unless you're very good

[MyMoppet52]

@DocumentedWorld Try listening to him playing ALL the parts of Layla at once. It is freaky. It is unreal. It is brilliant...AND it is difficult to play. You are listening to pure genius and don't even know it. This guy started off & has influenced so many people. I smile when someone mentions Kottke. John Fahey was Koettke's mentor, teacher, and friend. As much as he could have a friend anyway. He makes this APPEAR to be easy because of his talent. Not many can do this...ever!

[bluetrain69]

@DocumentedWorld You obviously don't play, to make a comment like that!

[ScrandybobHD]

@bluetrain69 i agree,to get the timing .and all the bends to make it sound like lahey.aint as easy as it sounds

[kaini]

as a guitarist, and someone interested in alternate tunings: brb, picking my jaw up off the floor.

[Doduard]

e-H-G-O-M-G tuning :)))

[Mr210906The]

merci  john:)

[AxlTerry94]

This is one guitar???!!!!!!

[BigBillsdiggs]

Who Says it ain't good for ya???

[bleedingisbetter]

goddam...I love this song

[BigBillsdiggs]

I had an album of his in the early 70's and smoked a lot of grass while enjoying it, always made me feel real good.

[slekkis]

@BigBillsdiggs smokeing something that aint good for ya makes you feel good. #1 logic right there!

[hogiesanKenobi]

@BigBillsdiggs I had that album too . With a photo of him and a Martin .. Blue air near too..

[sheltech12]

he makes it look like a normal guitar player could play it , and maybe I could,

but not without tons and tons of work . this sounds so familiar....is it just because

I heard it and it stuck, long ago?. Or did Leo do this?. He borrowed heavily if not, and yes, it all makes sense now, hearing that Leo was a student.

[JEdgarGroover]

@sheltech12 I know that Mississippi John Hurt did this tune, but I'm guessing it falls into that broad category of "traditional". The Hurt version is awesome.

[Countrychiddler]

Leo Kottke must have been a disciple for sure. 

[woodnsteel19]

I remember that old jacket-He used to wear it every where.

I still like that tone.Patrick.

[Pasha1913]

I have been listening to John Fahey for 40 years and he never ceases to amaze me

[Amy8Rob]

I actually enjoy the comment section in this video in contrast to most videos on youtube. If you like this song than I hope the following acoustic song amazes you too you need to check it out: /watch?v=fEy-tPyy-vw  peace

[natschavez]

fukkin sick

[Zadok8]

I knew John in the last few years of his life and he was one of the kindest men I knew...he would give you the shirt off his back. If you wanted him to show you a thing or two on guitar he was more than happy to oblige.

[beat1866]

John Fahey really cool!

[ferret12]

Blind Joe Death is alive!

[kinceymoy]

epic combover

[TrickyTolles64]

This guy is amazing!!! Thank God for John Fahey!!!

[Valery5852]

The greatest is the simplest...

[jeannebug1]

Amazing!

[ratherfam]

god with all the bloviated crap out now-an acoustic guitar and it was so exciting..a great time to be alive and hear all this music in secret little places..

[PaMairi]

All that talent, lastrada, stays with us thanks to YouTube no matter when John Fahey died and we are blessed being able to hear a true master forever. His music was pure. Kottke is fantastic, and I love listening to his music, but Fahey was blessed with imagination when playing the guitar.

[lastrada52]

Like it -- don't like it. Fahey was a master. I'm surprised how many guitar players don't know who this guy is. It's like drummers who never heard of Buddy Rich. When I show guitarists videos like this their jaws drop. Leo Kottke's been playing like Fahey for years & was a Fahey student. As great as Kottke is he still hasn't reached that peak. I think Fahey was too eccentric for the mainstream. Sounds like more than one guitar player on this doesn't it? Where does the talent go when you die?

[MyMoppet52]

@lastrada52 Yes it does sound like more than one guitar. I scroll down so I don't see the video and in my mind I can see two guitarists as plain as day. I sure wish he had been able to deal with issues ... the politically correct thing to say now. I wish we could have heard much more from this musical genius!

[dantean]

@lastrada52 I completely agree except the analogy to not knowing who Buddy Rich is if you're a drummer is off the mark simply b/c Rich played in and with so many Jazz giants, not to mention a genre--jazz itself--which WAS "pop" music in the early part of his day. Fahey, by contrast, made efforts to mine a long-forgotten music and style while at the same time making no obvious efforts to get next to the big acts of his era--to his credit. A giant he was, though!

[lastrada52]

@dantean - My comment about Rich comes from a recent experience. I was a drummer & for awhile in the last five years worked in a metropolitan area music store. Many times in the drum section. Teens would come in boasting about Neil Pert, Carl Palmer, Bill Bruford & people I hadn't heard of -- & when I asked them if they ever saw or listened to Buddy Rich - Gene Krupa, or Louie Bellson -- they all looked at me with a blank expression. They never heard of them. It was a sad revelation.

[robthebank1987]

@lastrada52 the talent stays on earth for everyone to listen and enjoy.. fahey is dead but his talent and music will never be forgoten

[lastrada52]

@robthebank1987 - I certainly agree with you. I just wish he was able to stick around a little longer.

[robthebank1987]

@lastrada52 cheers to to you and fahey..:)

[snecadc10]

@lastrada52 ,,,you aint lieing,,iam not a guitarist or nothing and never really heard of him though the name seems familiar but i know when someone knows what their doing and this guy definitelely knows his trade,,helluva atune,and talk about a fine tuned guitar,,very nice i love it,,surprisedme it was so good,,kinda hit the spot,,alright!!

[Arglactable]

@lastrada52 No, it mostly just sounds like on guy finger-picking.

[howlinwolf1759]

@lastrada52

I think Kottke has reached that peak.

[Chaddyxp]

@lastrada52 to answer your last question: The same thing that happens to our myspace accounts when we stopped logging in years ago.

[turniparse]

The atmosphere this man could produce blows me away-no one can reproduce it.

[txjred]

Pure sex to my ear balls

[biggiesmallsdentist]

10 rich girls don't like this

[eyesonthecrowd]

This song is magnificent.

[fotiurocks]

bunch of pretty boy suckers dislike this. Just beautiful music. Me loves the punk and death metal but I love this kind of stuff.

[zeugmatis]

Anyone who dislikes this can LICK RIM

[AllanWellsfanclub]

bloody magic.

I have John Fahey in a drawer with Malcolm Lowry in my head for some reason.

[bubblevision]

This has been my earworm for literally 30 years since hearing it on John Peel's radio 1 show back then. So glad to track it down. John Fahey himself teaches it at youtube watch?v=SAoSMhQTr4E and I love that slower version even more than this one.

[TomBuhls]

This is some AWESOME guitar work. I picked up some 33-1/2 rpm vinyl records in a sale a little while back, and to be quite honest.. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE LISTENING TO ONE OF JOHN FAHEY'S RECORDS ON A QUALITY TABLE.

[deadrabbitsification]

how can anybody dislike this...

[blaze1nu]

AWSOME!!

[jonno52]

The "Rev" Robert Wilkins did this way back, and it was covered by Keith Richards as "Prodigal Son" on the Beggars Banquet album (both great pieces of work). But that's detail and has no particular bearing on this brilliant version by John Fahey. Superb. RIP JF.

[thekingofyou100]

reminds me of Iron And Wine......

[LikeAGlassAsterisk]

@thekingofyou100

You mean Iron and Wine reminds you of John Fahey.

[cottrellnc]

JF at the top of his game. Hard to beat.

[uciphd]

Genius. Nothing less.

[rondolce]

How many times can I like this?

[a1n9g5u5s]

My name is John Fahey

[midland88]

@a1n9g5u5s

good for you

[546bananaman]

this deserves millions more views

[Jok3rFan]

Incredible !

[viniboy514]

no its the song poor boy from Booker White

[martifingers]

We have a lot to thank John Fahey for... by the way I learnt this piece as called Vestapol allegedly a Elizabeth Cotton piece originally. Is that right?

[albie1kanobe]

Saw him play in Berkeley in '68. He was an original.

[ROLLOVERROVERdotORG]

This isn't Knoxville Blues?

[tintosangre]

I always thought of Fahey as the Thomas Pynchon of finger-picking. Funny to actually see him on video like an ordinary mortal....

[Tlickz]

Organic

[viniboy514]

this one and the booker's whiter interpretation are both very gound

[NCla94]

what tuning does he use?

[aptapathy]

@NCla94

open D

[matttttt84]

@NCla94

G

[matttttt84]

@NCla94

open g ---

DGDGBD

[lobizoon1]

@NCla94

He uses Open D:

D A D F# A D

[irchristo]

I like that his style was coined "American Primitive" but don't you have to pretty musically sophisticated to play this primitively?

[promenade237]

more late night driftin' music from another master....

[thallassocracy]

Sometimes the truest artistry is just letting every note sound as clearly and simply as it needs. This is not a difficult piece to play acceptably, but at the same time the better you play it the lovelier it becomes.

In some ways this is even better than Robert Wilkins.

[pharmajoe990]

Holly shit this is amazing

[fairman1952]

Rest in peace, John.

[muirhouseterrace]

Stephan Grossman version, I can play myself but not this good. However I have a much better hair style and and not a porker.

[debkakes]

Beautiful, pure. And excellent camera work!

[gbum007]

i respect this a lot, this is the music that isn't fake no studio just pure acoustic guitar…. this is stuff great musicians look to.

[LTmattYT]

fakkin beautiful

[5150zombie]

jesus, good.

[nmcclure79]

I played this music for someone years ago when he said that guitar music without other instrumentation or vocals was too boring. John Fahey is anything but "boring."

[bluevelvet7474]

@nmcclure79 What did he say?

[nmcclure79]

@bluevelvet7474 My friend seemed to really like it. Maybe he was just being polite, though.

[bluevelvet7474]

@nmcclure79 What did hey say?

[mckenzie818]

Mm, crazy stuff.

[Chains493]

If this does'nt make ya wana pick up a guitar nothing will ;]

[Zimmy55]

wow

[MrTobytwirl]

The business!

[TrickyTolles64]

John Fahey=GOD.

[mangne72]

old country and blues it sound fresh the way he play it.A fantastic guitarpicker

[Brandtalones]

How does one post a video of the sublime and then cut it off right at the end?

[VALObrand]

virtuoso.