townes van zandt - dirty old town

[richiesking]

this is a song about salford in England!

[bevanmcg]

Ha ha - most people thing this is an Irish song - Not even a little bit - as mentioned earlier its about Salford - I've been there and guess what - its dirty and old !! I reckon its just Like Townes voice - Dirty and old but you can tell by the song that the writer is in love with the place - as I am in love with townes voice !! may he rest in peace : )

[coy0te9]

Everybody else in the world sings it "springs a girl in the streets at night", Townes does it "springs the girls from the streets of time" it sounds like, and it works!

[kait67]

thanks a lot for this up, i bought the record in the early 90's.

great musician, great tune - one of my all time favourites

[lazyfur]

everytime i listen to any of this songs and i read the comments i feel something like love!! thank you out there, thank you for this feeling and this music!

[clues46]

My Irish-Americana trip is still going on. .. Love this wonderful melody! .. thanks.

[danielmurray04]

First time to hear this as a non Irish version. It's an important song to us , Dubliners anyway.

[NotoTruth]

@danielmurray04 its important to me too..a half irish american mutt...cheers from ohio>

[danielmurray04]

@NotoTruth slainte from dublin my mongrel chum : )

[robertmacisaac]

This was written by an Englishman by the name of Ewan McColl in 1949. He wrote a tonne of great songs mostly sung by Irish singers, including Shane Mcgowan..He also wrote "the first time ever I saw your face"

[jonhedge]

@robertmacisaac Ewan McColl was Scottish & He wrote a huge number of songs, He was a Communist (not that I hold that against him) His songs were often about the injustices to workers, Romanies (Gypsies) & the dangers & Prejudices they faced, He was married to the American singer Peggy Seeger, Their daughter was Kirsty McColl who sang Fairytale of New York with the Pogues The Dirty Old Town mentioned in the Song is Salford near Manchester U.K Not Dublin.

[ellesetta]

@jonhedge Great breakdown...and factual to a tee...thanks jonhedge.

[erfling1]

Crazy. I had no idea he did this. Love both TVZ and the Pogues.

Can anyone remind me of the really old song where the line "I''ll chop you down like an old dead tree" originated? I think the Holy Modal Rounders did it and I'm pretty sure its on the American Anthology of Folk Music.

[wloriganbrady]

Heard this song at the "Shannon Pub" at Buffalo airport. Always associated it to Derry or Belfast. UP THE REBELS!!!  Lot of memories, thank you

[CurtisMateer]

Good backing. Never come across this cover before.

[Palaeoboy]

Thanks for the post. Although it sounds like he is on his last legs. Peace TVZ.

[GenesisIsComing]

Danke fürs Hochladen, eine sehr schöne Erinnerung. Die Single liegt auch bei mir, als altem Townes-Fan, im Schrank. Townes mal ein bisschen weniger düster als man ihn sonst kennt und das so kurz vor seinem tragischen Tod ?! Die Stimme schon sehr brüchig, gezeichnet, so wie ich ihn zuletzt noch live erlebt habe. Mit Townes hat meine wunderbare Reise in die Welt der Americana-Musik, des Folk/Country/Blues, der vielen begnadeten Singer-Songwriter begonnen, und sie ist noch lange nicht zu Ende !

[voodoocan4]

@GenesisIsComing ..JA!!

[erewashc]

Only just found this interpretation of a classic song,now adopted by the Irish.Strange as it was composed by a Scotsman about an English town(Salford)

[richiesking]

@erewashc hardly strange as theyve all lived and worked side by side for thousands of years

[strummerali]

Excellent! I din't realise Townes did a version of the Ewan McColl classic. Here is my version at this link.

Al

[dikansijus]

These two songs last recorded BY TVZ is significantly performed, and kind of shows to me the life of this unhappy man.

[writersblock26]

Thank you for posting this, chrtownes.

[andreaneilcmc]

This is good, but he sounds like man who has lived a life. A life that won't last.

[willong1000]

September 1996 session--Townes had less than four months to go, and it showed. Still, I love the man's art and humanity. I tip my glass to him now, and hope that in the afterlife (Dammit, there OUGHT to be one!) I hear him ringing clear again, and in person.

[drunkordry]

It is not by the pogues. It was written by Ewan McColl, a 1960s british folk singer. Kirsty McColl who duetted with Shane on "Fairytale of New York" was his daughter.

[malenaoxum]

So schön! Muchas gracias por postearla!!

[905harley123]

Thanks for posting!!! truly fantastic. R.I.P Townes

[seanreillyireland]

Townes goes Irish!!!

Can't believe it!

[vintagezigg]

@seanreillyireland This is the best version of Dirty Old Town . IMO ps My friend Biily Leroy from NYC is currently debuting an autobiographical film called Dirty Old Town.Of course this song by the Pogues is part of the soundtrack.

[richiesking]

@seanreillyireland goes English you mean

[mysteria31]

To whoever posted this song and the others on from the FlashPoint Sesion..I love you ..

[townesphat]

thank you so much for making this available. a collision of two beautiful worlds: Townes and Shane. nice to know there are folks out there appreciate this.

[rbheiss]

Rest in peace Townes and my old buddy Jim Calvin. Royann was never the same after the accident. I'll never forget pattin' Jim on the back asking if everything was ok in Nashville outside of Windows on the Cumberland back in 1998. How he responded, well I'll keep that to myself. He might have been as big as a mountain but he had a heart of gold and I miss his presence in the world. The music is still with us and that means he is. Townes too...

Thanks for posting a gem,

Rolland B. Heiss

[DemonstrationNation]

wicked thanks.. there is not enough townes on youtube!

[MyAli1968]

danke chico!

[chrtownes]

@MyAli1968 ich danke dir für deinen kommentar! & willkommen bei youtube!