Cisco Houston (1918-1961) - Taking It Easy

From Cisco Houston Sings the Songs of Woody Guthrie, "Takin' It Easy."




This song juxtaposed to these images is intended both as parody and comedy. It's an expression of my primary reaction to the non-stop, mind control tactics of the Corporate Media. I don't like folks tellin' me how to feel and what to think. Whatever it is you end up thinkin' after a decade of exposure to the manipulation of world events, and media spin, believe the exact opposite, and you won't be voting away any more of my liberties.

From Wikipedia

"During his travels, Cisco Houston expanded his repertoire of traditional songs, particularly in his time employed as a cowboy. He performed music informally wherever he went, and eventually began occasionally playing at clubs and on Western radio stations.

Cisco returned to Los Angeles in 1938 and pursued a career in acting. During this time Cisco, along with friend and fellow actor Will Geer, visited folk singer Woody Guthrie at a radio studio in Hollywood. This marks the beginning of the close friendship between Guthrie and Houston. The taciturn Cisco proved an ideal counterpart for the frenzied Woody, and the two men began traveling together, touring migrant worker camps, singing, and promoting unionism and workers rights, eventually making their way to New York city.

World War II

Despite Houston's poor eyesight (which rendered him nearly blind by the end of his life), he managed to enlist in the Merchant Marines in 1940 and served in World War II. Houston survived three separate torpedoing of ships he served on.

When he wasnt shipping out, Cisco remained in New York and performed with the Almanac Singers, a left-wing folk group that often included Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, Millard Lampell, and Woody Guthrie, among others.

After the United States entered World War II, Woody Guthrie joined Cisco in the Merchant Marines along with Jim Longhi, who documented this period in a memoir. Throughout three wartime trips, the two folksingers gave performances regularly, boosting the morale of the crew and, on the third trip, three thousand troops."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Cisco
• Houston
• Folk
• Woody
• Guthrie
• Taking
• It
• Easy
• Terrorism
• Fearmonger

[jeanhartely]

Cisco Houston was the best! Thanks so much for posting this.

[chautauqua14781]

wow. love it

[TheThroney]

good 1 crackle pop! nice bio too, thanks

[wtw88]

Good stuff.

[marcofrigieri1]

cisco, woody, lead belly and robert allen MITICI

[Tunnelof]

Love his music,thanks.RIP

[4L60E]

Thanks for posting htis, esp. the Cisco biography!!

[AuroraKismet]

5 *****