Added: 4 years ago
From: paganmaestro
Views: 200,050
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:
see all

All Comments (273)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • i read that dottie west thought larry gatling looked like mickey when younger....both could a passed for brothers, she was right

  • Magificent. Captures the moment and the emtions precisely. I take my hat off to those who wrote this.

  • History is written by the Victors and will always paint them in a good light and the vanquished in a jaundiced light. The Union portrayed that they fought the Civil War about Slavery, but i wonder, i was taught in London that it was fought over cotton taxes.

    Lovely evocative song regardless.,.

  • Can someone tell me if Mickey Newbury was Christian ??

  • @CohensGirl4 I'd think he was, based on lines like "I believe that in his wisdom God set aside this time just to let us all go home to yesterday" (Breeze lullaby) and "Yes God made time to keep it all from happening at once" (Came to hear the music).

  • Love love love love me some mickey newbury, what an exceptional musician and storyteller

  • Absolutely stupnedous thanks for posting and Marie Rhines on the Violin was /is exceptional

  • Lush

  • sublime

  • I met Mickey Newberry back in the 70s and sat on this huge house boat with him and Jeannie Sealy and a few others and he sang this. He was one of a kind!

  • I'm fifteen and I like this. :)

  • I think this is so much better than Elvis version, what a surprise ! It's down to the simple arrangement and incredibly powerful voice of Mickey Newbury. thanks for posting, I only discovered his work when listening to a story of Elektra records.

  • I have this on a vinyl LP from about 1971. That version is really great, with a full orchestra. He does a great job here also. One of the best ideas ever for a musical/vocal performance in United States history.

  • Good Lord! I am ashamed to admit that I had never heard of Mickey until yesterday. I'm a singer and I have done the Trilogy a few times. Someone asked me if I had heard this, I went home and listened to it... This man had a beautiful voice filled with passion and vocal range that makes me green with envy. I can't that it took me this long to discover a great talent.

  • No, the lyrics are not his... The arrangement, his delivery, voice, vision and talent are magic.. So many have covered this song and some did it well, but, the song belongs to Mickey..

  • @dewittmanley Daniel Emmit claimed authorship but even during his lifetime there was much debate over whether he wrote the song or not. There is a likely chance it was written by others, including slaves or former slaves who also claimed authorship. If you're going to try to teach here at least put all the information out there, the passing of information like this is the reason most think he wrote it and simply pass that along rather than the whole story.

  • Une découverte.. Quelle voix ! Quelle beauté.. A écouter, ré-ecouter

  • I first heard this in the early 80s. TV station, CH #3 in Shreveport was using it for their end of day sign off. Fantastic version. I had heard Elvis' first, but to me, this is done, just the way he wrote it and meant it to be done.

  • Comment removed

  • Loved Mickey Newbury!

  • i love it..:D:D..very powerful vocal...:)...crystal clear...

  • Mickey Newbury was one of the greatest singers of his time. If the Lord were to appear and celebrate his (Lord's) appearance by resurrecting certain people who have passed on, I would ask that He resurrect Mickey Newbury and give him long life.

    Elvis Presley, from my time, was gaudy and his singing was always pretentious. In no way could Elvis hold a candle to Mickey.

  • HayleyBabe2898, Mickey Newbury and my husband were the best of friends from their very first meeting at the Flora Bama. lynng1947. I would love to chat with you and I have some pictures that you might like copies of that were taken during the festival. You can find me on facebook, lynng0106. Now back to this song. I love to hear Elvis sing it, but Mickey's pure voice singing this song can't be beat.

  • Mickey Newbury was my great uncle.

  • @dewittmanley cont. also, listening to Dixie as Mickey sings it (and since he wrote it) I started to cry, because it is really a touching song and you realize it because he sings it with such tenderness. thanks again, it gives me hope since the world seems to be getting more insane by the moment.

  • i knew Mickey was a prolific songwriter but i had no idea he could belt out a song like this...amazing stuff.

  • Someone asked what year this performance is from. The performances on the DVD with Jack Williams are from 1994, but am not sure what year this performance with Marie Rhines is from. I'd say it's closer to the time of the release of In A New Age, sometime in the 1980s.

  • @paganmaestro ... the performance was at the roxy in LA in june, '88. if anybody ever asks me if i have any regrets in life i tell 'em i have two: 1, i didn't discover mikey newbury's work sooner (late 90's). 2, he died far too soon!

    we all have darkness in our lives. for most it goes beyond words. mickey put it into words for us.

  • Truly wonderful and better than Elvis in my opinion..............what year is this clip from ?

  • Chelsea2011allison

    You must feel mighty proud!! I loved your grandpa just like a million others I say!!

  • Gorgeous.....

  • Thumbs up als je hoor door Johan Derksen komt!

  • Mickey Newbury is my grandpa! REST IN PEACE

  • @dewittmanley ... True, many don't know history much at all. Then again, much of what passes for history is the biased account of those wealthy enough to publish their version.

  • I love this guy for writing this song but i just think elvis does this song with a bit more passion with the trumpets etc.

  • @Paxobo ... To each his own. Passion comes in many forms...

  • @Paxobo Yes, to each his own but I saw Elvis perform this live and, imho, his version doesn't come close to Mickeys'. Elvis might have had a stronger back-up (to disguise his failing voice) but that is not passion, that is just over-production.

  • @Paxobo lmfao

  • Comment removed

  • @Paxobo  i'm a big fan of Elvis and he's great artist but the rendition of Mickey Newbury was amazing.

  • "Dixie's Land" was the original title...according to many sources, Pres. Lincoln's favorite song. Combining Dixie and Battle Hymn is commonly done, (I've done it for 30 years myself) but the third is genius, and this is an amazing version of them.

  • It was during a period of racial and political tension - Civil Rights movement, Vietnam War, invasion of Cambodia, Kent State, national student strike, integration in schools in the South, etc - that Mickey first combined the three songs in a live performance at the Bitter End West in 1970. The owner, Paul Colby, fearing a riot, begged him not to do it - an indication that combining Dixie and Battle Hymn was viewed as a very uncommon and controversial act at the time.

  • What a treasure this man was and still is!

  • @flaeke Damn straight!

  • BREATHTAKING......

  • BEAUTIFUL, If this doen't touch your soul you simple don't have one~

    Thank you for sharing...

  • Wow !

  • Speechless!

  • Speechless!

  • Those albums are available on our official website.

  • Putting it all together like that is a talent within it's self. What a great player and voice. I wish his older albums were still available.

  • Wow. I cried.

  • @darlincommitme Battle Hymn of the Republic was written by William Steffe of South Carolina in 1856. Julia Ward Howe put words to it in 1861.

  • @paganmaestro She wrote the words, I think the tune was a traditional.

  • there will never be another mickey newbury in our lifetime. country writers just dont write music like this anymore . not that he was limited to just country but man he could dig deep in your heart with his lyrics , chord arrangements etc. does anybody know what tunings he used on guitar ? i can find the chords but it doesnt sound the same as what he was doing.

  • @laquakesha21

    He used many tunings, but he's most noted for using drop D(dropping the 6th string to a D).

    Many times though, he played with all strings tuned a half-step up, from that. So, technically it would be a drop D#. That is what he's done in this recording, with the addition of a capo on the first fret, moving him into a drop E tuning, and playing the song in the key of E. 

  • Mickey Newbury Was One Of The Greatest Songwriters & Composers In Music History, The Sad Thing Is He Is Not Well Known For His Body Of Work In the Music Industry.

  • Simply..........OUTSTANDING!

  • brilliant

  • Talk about emotion! 5 stars

  • Talk about emotion! 5 stars

  • Talk about emotion! 5 stars

  • Talk about emotion!  5 stars

  • Talk about emotion!  5 stars

  • rip - mickey newbury has been one of my fav singers/ songwriters - listen to his version of danny boy hmmmm, hmmmm - close your eyes and lie back - first heard his music on mark cagney's late night show on Irelands second radio station in 1978 - mable joy has such feeling and dept. Thanks for posting

  • rip - mickey newbury has been one of my fav singers/ songwriters - listen to his version of danny boy hmmmm, hmmmm - close your eyes and lie back - first heard his music on mark cagney's late night show on Irelands second radio station in 1978 - mable joy has such feeling and dept. Thanks for posting

  • rip - mickey newbury has been one of my fav singers/ songwriters - listen to his version of danny boy hmmmm, hmmmm - close your eyes and lie back - first heard his music on mark cagney's late night show on Irelands second radio station in 1978 - mable joy has such feeling and dept. Thanks for posting

  • rip - mickey newbury has been one of my fav singers/ songwriters - listen to his version of danny boy hmmmm, hmmmm - close your eyes and lie back - first heard his music on mark cagney's late night show on Irelands second radio station in 1978 - mable joy has such feeling and dept. Thanks for posting

  • god bless mickey newbury - first heard his music in 1978 on mark cagney show on a second radio station that opened in ireland (- imagine that -) HIS DEPT OF FEELING AS A SINGER AND A SONGWRITER ARE EXCEPTIONAL. LISTEN TO HIS VERSION OF DANNY BOY = HMMM HMMM CLOSE YOUR EYES AND SIT BACK - THANKS FOR POSTING = RIP

  • god bless mickey newbury - first heard his music in 1978 on mark cagney show on a second radio station that opened in ireland (- imagine that -) HIS DEPT OF FEELING AS A SINGER AND A SONGWRITER ARE EXCEPTIONAL. LISTEN TO HIS VERSION OF DANNY BOY = HMMM HMMM CLOSE YOUR EYES AND SIT BACK - THANKS FOR POSTING = RIP

  • god bless mickey newbury - first heard his music in 1978 on mark cagney show on a second radio station that opened in ireland (- imagine that -) HIS DEPT OF FEELING AS A SINGER AND A SONGWRITER ARE EXCEPTIONAL. LISTEN TO HIS VERSION OF DANNY BOY = HMMM HMMM CLOSE YOUR EYES AND SIT BACK - THANKS FOR POSTING = RIP

  • Also very beautiful ... Nice to hear the original version ...

  • Thank you for posting this and for providing the additional information. I went to sleep after hearing this song many a night when I was growing up in East Texas and it was played as the local channel in Shreveport, LA signed off with it at the end of the broadcasting schedule. It still holds up well.

  • Thank you for posting this and for providing the additional information. I went to sleep after hearing this song many a night when I was growing up in East Texas and it was played as the local channel in Shreveport, LA signed off with it at the end of the broadcasting schedule. It still holds up well.

  • Touched my heart just like it did back when I first heard it. This was the song the TV station played when it when off the air at night (imagine that!) and I always waited for it to finish before I went to bed.

  • What an awesome song and a great artist.

    RIP....Mickey Newbury.

  • What an awesome song and artist.

    RIP..Mickey newbury

  • It's a Gibson, Chet Atkins model. It was a prototype made for Chet with an early midi pickup. Mickey borrowed it from him, fell in love, and twisted Chet's arm until they came to an "arrangement."

  • Beautifully done!

  • the very best version without doubt in my opinion and to think he did this arrangement only gives song this more credit

  • My Daddy (Tommy Hammond) "Back to the couch I go" loved Mickey so much,,,,,,, this is beautiful

  • Absolutely also.

  • Absolutely sublime vocal. I'm a Brit and couldn't be further from the American civil war, but I'm sitting with tears in my eyes. I've been looking for this recording since 1974. IMHO it totally blows Elvis' version away and shows how the song should be sung. Just my opinion. Thanks Mickey and God rest you.

  • Superb! Best version ever, no doubt.

  • This was always my favorite version. He's just so sincere when he sings, it's heart-breakingly good.

  • Flawless performance, can never be bettered'

  • Masterful... I only discovered Mickey's original version today and OMG... What a voice... I'm sitting here crying while listening to this MASTERPIECE and I'm not even American... I'm a Cannuck! LOL... I love Elvis, always have, been to Graceland many times but, this version is how the song should be sung and how it should always be remembered as. Thank you for posting this... Mickey... RIP

  • This is one of my favorite songs ever!

  • I really like this version, but Elvis' version is better...

  • We all have our opinions...

  • @paganmaestro Elvis couldn't hit those high notes.

  • That is true.

  • NOT!

  • best version I have ever heard

  • Newbury train songs.... and AAT..... 10 - 4, and thanks, Mickey

  • Oh God, what more can I say about this man... he's the greatest !!!!! I LOVE HIS VERSION OF AMER. TRILOGY AND LOVE ELVIS'S ALSO.. EACH ARE SPECIAL..

  • He did it before Elvis did. I'm glad Elvis picked it up. He Mickey Newbury was a great song writer. And such a great singer too.

  • wow!

  • This version is so unpretentious and down to earth. It's near perfect.

  • @brotherjohn25

    It is near impossible to beat the original if you are talking about keeping the mood it was written to address. No big band, jusg a guitar and a violin and beautiful music.

  • Just amazing .... but Elvis is still the "king"

  • howdy,i heard j.d. sumner say they was backing E up at Notre Dame Univ. & a row of students stood up, "while E was singing" with a sign that said Elvis is king.he said E stopped & said,"no Jesus Christ is king". he said when E started sing again the students all left..no one has or ever will have a voice like God gave this man,have a gr8 Christmas.

  • You can now get downloads of all of Mickey's albums from his website.

  • This is so amazing! Awesome...Sad...Beautiful...

  • Mickey. Yeah go guy. You to.

  • I grew up on this song in Louisiana -- it was the sign off every night on KNOE tv, Monroe...I was in high school, and it's stuck with me since...it was so good to find it here. This song is the spirit of ol' Dixie, as was Mickey.

  • It was the sign off song at WMRA, at JMU, Harrisonburg, Virginia, too, when I was in college.

  • Really sticks, doesn't it?

  • Sheer class.

  • Still love it. Agree that darling vionolist is perfect.

  • This is so Nice...! Regarding Tom who's 38 and tomthefunky.....IF you can still locate a CD of Mickey's album...."Frisco Mabel Joy".....in this one song...an orchestra of Violins come to life ...as Mickey sings his Trilogy. Later in the song...a number of other instruments enter the song and when played through a decent sound system.....it will blow you away...! I promise.

  • This is the best version ever.

  • Thanks, I'll check it out.

  • I'm 37 and I never heard of this guy until about five minutes ago.I never really went for the singer/songwriter types so that probably explains why. From what I've seen of him on you-tube so far, I'm shocked and stunned by his talent. I'm simply blown away.

  • Tom, I'm 38. Buy Frisco Mabel Joy on CD and you won't regret it.

  • I've read other people raving about it. What year did it come out?

  • 1971

  • Beautiful!  10*

    Excellent video.

    thank you!

  • Better with horns and drums, but this is powerful.

  • The violinist, Marie Rhines, is "merely superb" as was Mickey Newbury - he was truly one of the best!!!

    Don Cordier

    Van Nuys Airport

    Van Nuys, California USA

  • this vertion is def better than elvis ....i have this on the original album ...from the early 70s ...thought it was better then and still is thanks for posting

  • Yeah! Duh! The original was incredible. Have a great night. rich

  • Wish I still had it.

  • With all due respect, Elvis did it like a hymn. To his credit he was surrounded by a lot of good people. This is Mickey Newbury's song. rich

  • No one does it better!!!

  • Dear nimcwvicg

    Obvouisly you have no ear for music. Emotionly and musically Newbury leaves Elvis for dead.

  • lol, you're crazy.

  • this is not at all a shity version but Newbury doesn't leave Elvis for dead, I enjoy both but prefer definitely Presley's, both legendary though

  • HA HA HA such a shity version!!! Elvis Presley did it M U C H B E T T E R!!! Long live the king of music

  • Both Elvis and Mickey did this song very good, but this version is, and will always be, the best.

  • The King's version is much better. I don't care who wrote it.

  • When I heard this song for the first time in 1972, I was dumfounded at its depth & beauty; Mickey wrote many great ballads & uptempo songs, but I will always remember him for this masterpiece (and I'm sorry, but OMHO, I wish Elvis would have left it alone). This song is nothing short of a work of art. Thank you, Mickey.

  • This was the first version I ever heard of this song and to be truthful I agree with both dintn2 & pagenmeastro's comments.

    It always touched a chord in my heart. Thank you Mickey & thank you Elvis

  • Mickey created the arrangement and sang An American Trilogy long before Elvis came to it. That said, their versions of the song are so different that they do not bear comparison, and they are certainly not in competition. Many enjoy both versions, for different reasons. Mickey was no doubt appreciative of the royalties that Elvis' version generated. Mickey's original version was true to a time and place and need.

  • @paganmaestro I think Elvis meant well, but his version just seems "overproduced."

  • Mickey Newbury ... such a gorgeous ... such gorgeous songs he gave us.

  • Elvis the King will not be forgotten.

  • no he will not but mickey is the man.

  • Mickey;s Albums were all wonderful.

    I treasure them to this day.

  • kippenvel, fantastisch

  • The King may be my favourite but Micky singing this is almost god-like. End of!

  • Elvis the king forever

  • forgot to include from the poster of this video:

    "One night in Los Angeles, at a time of national distress over war and race issues in the U.S.A., Newbury spontaneously combined a southern anthem (written by a northerner), a northern anthem (written by a southerner), and an old African healing song. "

    In essence a combination of all of us that still strikes a chord and has become part of a lot of our psyche.

  • The reason this probably blows Elvis out of the water, is the is the guy who did the original arrangement. It was a spur of the moment in a live performance many years ago.

    And yes it is very passionate, now showy like Elvis, just simple and heartfelt.

  • This blows the Elvis version out of the water. No comparsion. This is music and passion at its finest.

  • very nice, but not ELVIS....but who is?

  • she again cry I,buy elvis ooooooooohhh!!!greattttttttttt­tttt dixie!!

  • Fantastic song. Both this and Elvis` are spine-tingling. Elvis loved the drama of the song; witness his ending of the song from Hawaii (and other versions).

  • The Best.

  • I first heard this version of this song before I heard Elvisis version. Both are good but this one has all the passion that was lacking in EP version.

    Beautiful

  • bravissimi!!

  • Me gusta,Pero la version de Elvis Presley es sin duda la mejor.

  • under- appreciated but not by me

  • Kris is right, he is a songbird - awesome.

  • When i listen to this song all my heroes

    parade before me and i salute them all....it is so beautul

  • Wonderful

  • mijn favoriet, geweldig

  • awsome

  • great!

  • Eligant & beautiful in its simplicity

  • Absolutely beautiful! Always loved him, always will, right Aunt WV?

  • This is such an amazing arrangement and video, it actually sums up that period of this country's recent past. A legacy few would have been talented enough to leave.

  • This is same song as louisiana tv signoff.

  • I miss you Uncle Mickey

  • wunderschön

  • I actually went to high school for a year with his daughter. She has a voice that's just as incredible as his.

  • No disrespect to Elvis fans, but he made this song sound like a jingle. Mickey sang from the heart. Superb!

  • Elvis was a deuce..

  • 2NA 멋진노래지? 감동의물결이일지않아? 그런 평온한감정의파동으로 오늘을 보내고 내일을맞기를바래. - skol

  • I love this, I love Elvis' version, I love this version. Equal but very different. This is amazing.

  • he was a gift for us.

  • MR,Mickey Newbury, IN MY BOOK WILL NEVER BE TOPPED,BY ANYONE.LONG LIVE HIS GREAT SONGS & MUSIC.R I P!

  • This is just a great song. Newbury is awesome as was Elvis' version. Both versions are totally incredible. Elvis had more passion in his voice but I do lot Mickey's version aslo.

  • i have every album mickey made and love ever last track .. he was far out man

  • Seriously, I'm a great Elvis fan, but he's got nothing on this guy.

  • Agreed man He is awsome.

  • My god, this is so beautiful.

  • Next to Elvis, this is my favorite version of this song. Nicely done. Great voice. Sung with passion.

  • Come on Elvis Presley, could not live with this, and I am an Elvis fan.

  • "Could not live with this"? What do you mean?