Allen Ginsberg - Father Death Blues (FSCD version) - 1978

"My father died while I was out here. So I flew black... back, and on the way [home I w]rote a blues: Father Death Blues."

Hey Father Death, I'm flying home
Hey old man, you're all alone
Hey old daddy, I know where I'm going

Father Death, don't cry any more
Mama's there underneath the floor
Brother Death, please mind the store

Old Aunty Death, don't hide your bones
Old Uncle Death, I hear your groans
O Sister Death, how sweet your moans

O Children Deaths, go breathe your breaths
Sobbing breasts'll ease your deaths
Pain is gone, tears take the rest

Genius Death, your art is done
Lover Death, your body's gone
Father Death, I'm coming home

Guru Death, your words are true
Teacher Death, I do thank you
For inspiring me to sing this blues

Buddha Death, I wake with you
Dharma Death, your mind is true
Sangha Death, we'll work it through

Suffering is what was born
Ignorance made me forlorn
Tearful truths I cannot scorn

Father Breath, once more farewell
Birth you gave was no thing ill
My heart is still, as time will tell.

July 8, 1976 (Over Lake Michigan)

Scene from the Costanzo Allione film Fried Shoes Cooked Diamonds (1978)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• allen
• ginsberg
• poetry
• song
• harmonium
• dutch
• translation
• vertaling
• simon
• vinkenoog

[filmerado]

Harmonium

[goaitsenvandervliet]

A harmonium is much bigger and has pedals, to be pushed by feet, not by hands.

[goaitsenvandervliet]

It's an Indian lap organ.

[SoaringEagle5344]

The film footage of Mr. Ginsberg's performance was disrespectful by focusing on sleeping children.

[goaitsenvandervliet]

Disrespectful for the children you mean?

[SoaringEagle5344]

The world is full of critics. Why don't you create instead of criticizing the artistic expression of others?

[goaitsenvandervliet]

Excuse me? I am not criticising Alan Ginsberg here. I really like this performance. And children are children and they need lots of sleep. Besides that, if you had taken the trouble to view some of my U2b-page, you would know I am a creator myself indeed. And so what? Are only creators allowed to criticize? Wake up, mister.

[cdylan]

i wish he was still around....

[spentomad]

absolutely wonderful! I just love Allen Ginsberg!!

[sdabestani]

i sob every time

[lukeaslight]

@inauspiciousominous This is not "odd." That which is "odd" is by definition, "out of the ordinary." But we must understand that "ordinary," being used to define what should/should not be done in a moment of grief is far too blanket of a theorem. Death is the great black manifestation that none of us know anything about. How then can we grieve appropriately of that which we know nothing about?

[TheManolakis]

i flew black

[btancisback]

You can see the sadness in his eyes and hear it in his voice. What a wonderful man. And a wonderful performance.

[darkdubh]

I remember he performed this on a populer Irish chat show in the early 90's.I was watching it with my grandmother and she said why did they bring that depressing man on ?

[login211]

Love this blues.

---

It's a harmonium, just a smaller version of it.

And the chords are:

A

D

A, E, A

[mhotter]

@goaitsenvandervliet yes also called a shruti box i believe

[cyclos12]

@cdylan He will always be with us in spirit!

[gardenvarietypenis]

@S2Cents thanks for your 2 cents of supposition

[1986dovic]

Oddio, ma quella era Nanda fra il pubblico? Nanda... spero tu sia con Ginsberg ora, e Fabrizio ovviamente... un abbraccio a tutti voi, amici.