Woody Guthrie at 100! Live at the Kennedy Center

>> This land is your land This land is my land >> ANNOUNCER: Coming up next, "Woody Guthrie at 100" live at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., celebrating the life and work of America's greatest folk singer -- a historic concert featuring performances by John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne, Donovan, Tom Morello, Ani Difranco, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and many more.

>> This land is my land From California... [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> How do you do?

and welcome to Woody's 100th birthday party.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] We're gonna hear some of Woody's old favorites tonight and some new songs, as well, sung by people from all different parts of the country, but tonight on this stage, we're all singing in one band, and that's Woody's band.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Well, boys, let's kick it off with a song whose time has come even if it ain't come yet.

Like Woody would say, "I'll kick it off and come out here on the bronco."

[ "UNION MAID" PLAYS ] Oh, there once was a union maid She never was afraid of the goons and the ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriff who made the raid She went to the union hall where a meeting it was called And when the boys come up to her, Lord, this is what she said >> Oh, you can't scare me I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union Oh, you can't scare me I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union till the day I die >> Now, this union maid was wise to the tricks of the company spies She'd take the dare She didn't care She always organize the guys And she always got her way when she asked for better pay She showed her card to the National Guard and, honey, this is what they'd say >> Oh, you can't scare me I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union Oh, you can't scare me I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union till the day I die, yeah >> Now, listen here.

Oh, you girls are born to be free Take a little tip from me You got to get you a man that's a union man You can join the ladies' auxiliary Because married life ain't hard if you got that union card And a union life is a happy life if you've got a union wife >> Oh, you can't scare me I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union Oh, you can't scare me I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union till the day I die >> Oh, let's sing it again.

>> Oh, you can't scare me I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union Oh, you can't scare me I'm sticking to the union I'm sticking to the union till the day I die >> Hoo!

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Thank you, Woody.

>> I just want to thank you all for coming and for celebrating my dad's birthday with us.

We've been traveling around the country since January, actually.

We've been doing concerts all around the country.

We figured we're gonna blow out the candles here in Washington, and I would like to thank all of you for coming tonight.

I'd really like to thank the Kennedy Center.

Thank you so much for being here.

>> Happy birthday to Woody Guthrie -- 100 years.

[ APPLAUSE ] This song is called "Ramblin' Reckless Hobo."

A ramblin' reckless hobo left his happy home Wandered away from his parents dear to ramble and to roam His father warned His mother prayed His sweetheart begged him, "Stay" But none could keep this reckless boy from ramblin' far away Now, you see him down in a railroad town His head hung down in shame A bottle of rum to end his gloom He sets in a gamblin' game His life is filled with crime now His thoughts go back to home And all the ones who begged him not to ramble and to roam Upon a moonless midnight, he robbed a travelin' man The jury gave him 21 years in a jail near Birmingham His father's advice His mother's prayers His sweetheart's tears were vain But they never knew what became of him 'Cause he never wrote home again Now all you boys remember These words I'm tellin' you Never forsake your loved ones or the parents kind and true Remember wherever you travel Wherever you may roam That you'll never find what you left behind Your loved ones and your home [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Woody is just Woody.

Thousands of people do not know he has any other name.

He is just a voice and a guitar.

He sings the songs of a people, and I suspect that he is, in a way, that people.

Harsh-voiced and nasal, his guitar hanging like a tire iron on a rusty rim -- there's nothing sweet about Woody, and there's nothing sweet about the songs he sings.

But there is something more important for those who will listen.

There's the will of the people to endure and fight against oppression.

I think we call this the American spirit.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> What an honor and a pleasure to be here.

[ "PRETTY BOY FLOYD" PLAYS ] If you'll gather 'round me, children A story I will tell 'Bout Pretty Boy Floyd, the outlaw Oklahoma knew him well It was in the town of Shawnee On a Saturday afternoon His wife beside him in the wagon And into town they rode There, a deputy sheriff 'proached him in a manner rather rude Using words of anger and his wife she overheard So Pretty Boy grabbed a log chain, and the deputy grabbed his gun And in the fight that followed, he laid that deputy down So he took to the trees and timber to live a life of shame Every crime in Oklahoma was added to his name But many a starvin' farmer, the same old story told How the outlaw paid their mortgage and saved their little homes Others tell you 'bout a stranger that come to beg a meal And underneath the napkin laid a $1,000 bill It was in Oklahoma City It was on a Christmas day The whole carload of groceries come with a note to say "Well, you say that I'm an outlaw You say that I'm a thief Here's a Christmas dinner for the families on relief" Yes, through this world I've wandered Seen lots of funny men Some will rob you with a six-gun, and some with a fountain pen As through your life you travel As through your life you roam You won't never see an outlaw drive a family from their home [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> We are so honored to be here this evening to help celebrate the 100th birthday of Woody Guthrie.

Farther along we'll know all about it Farther along we'll understand why Cheer up, my brother Live in the sunshine And we'll understand it All by and by >> I've got to know, yes >> I got to know Hungry lips ask me wherever I go Comrades and friends all falling around me >> Yes >> I've got to know, yes I've got to know Got to know >> Why do your warships sail on my oceans?

Why do your death bombs fall from the skies?

Why do you burn my farm and my house down?

I got to know, friend I got to know, yeah >> What makes your boats haul death to my people?

Nitro blockbusters Big cannons and guns Why doesn't your ship bring some food for my people?

Yeah, yeah I've got to know Ohhh-ohh I've got to know >> Ooh ooh ooh >> Well, I've got to know >> Yes I got to know >> Whoa >> Hungry lips ask me Wherever I go Comrades and friends all falling around me I've got to know, yes I got to know Got to know >> Why can't my two hands get a good payin' job?

'Cause I can still plow, and I can still sow Why did your lawbook chase me off of my good land?

Oh, I'd like to know, yeah I got to know >> Ooooooooooooooooooh >> You keep me in jail now And then you lock me in prison Your hospital's jammed now And your cra-a-a-zy house is full Tell me, what made your cops kill my union trade worker?

You have to talk to me now You see, I got to know >> Ooh ooh ooh >> Talk to me now >> I got to know >> I got to know >> I got to know >> Come on, y'all.

>> Hungry lips ask me wherever I go Comrades and friends all falling around me I got to know, yes I've got to know Got to know Said I got to know, yeah I got to know Got to know Well, I got to know, yes I got to know >> I got to know >> I got to know >> I got to know >> I got to know >> I want to know I want to know Mm-mmmm [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ "EASE MY REVOLUTIONARY MIND" PLAYS ] >> One.

Two.

One, two, three.

>> Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh >> Night is here again, baby I'm stretched out on my bed Seein' all kinds of crazy notions Runnin' through my head I need a progressive woman I need an awfully liberal woman Ain't no reactionary baby can ease my revolutionary mind One hand is on my pillow One hand is on my head I see a million nightmares runnin' 'round inside my head I need an anarchistic woman I need a brick-throwing woman Ain't no reactionary baby can ease my revolutionary mind If I could only make you see, babe, how I ache and pain and bleed I know you'd come a runnin' if you blistered both your feet I need a nature-loving woman >> Yeah!

>> I need a social-conscious Woman >> Yeah!

>> Ain't no reactionary baby can ease my revolutionary mind Hey!

>> Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh >> If you could see me here, baby Broke out in salty sweat No matter where you go, I know you never could forget I need a progressive shipmate >> Yeah!

>> I need a liberous, nature-lover >> Yeah!

>> I need an open-minded mama to ease my revolutionary mind I ain't no Lumpen proletariat I ain't no petty bourgeoisie but I'm gonna be a cold corpse if you don't run here to me I need a Weather Underground woman >> Yeah!

>> I need a Zapatista woman >> Yeah!

>> Ain't no Fox-News-watchin' female can ease my revolutionary mind [ GUITAR SOLO ] If you're a Republican or a Democrat Or a white-hood Ku Klux Klan No use to ring my doorbell 'Cause I'll never be your man I need a union-working woman >> Yeah!

>> I need an Occupy-Wall Street woman >> Yeah!

>> I need a Woody-Guthrie-lovin' woman to ease my revolutionary Ease my revolutionary Ease my revolutionary mind >> Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhh Ah-ahhhhhhhhhhhh >> Hey!

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Hello, hello.

I'm singing a song that I recorded in 1965 from the "Woody Guthrie Children's Songs," and this song is called, "Riding in the Car."

[ APPLAUSE ] Take me riding in the car, car Take me riding in the car, car Take me riding in the car, car Riding in my car I wanna sit in the front seat I wanna sit in the back seat Front seat, back seat When you're riding in my car The engine goes vroom vroom The engine goes vroom vroom The engine goes vroom vroom When you're riding in my car Well, the horn goes beep beep beep The horn goes beep beep beep Well, the horn goes beep beep beep When you're riding in the car "I wanna sit in the front seat," said the kid I wanna sit in the back seat Front seat and the back seat When you're riding in the car So, a lot of these songs have us singing along.

Wasn't it Woody that invented the word hootenanny?

You want to try?

And here comes the chorus.

Take you riding in the car, car Take you riding in the car, car Hey!

Take you riding in the car, car Riding in the car One more time.

Take you riding in the car Riding in the car [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Woody Guthrie!

Washington, D.C., thank you!

>> Woody Guthrie was born in Okemah, Oklahoma, in 1912.

At the age of 15, with his family broken apart, he hit the road.

The Depression and the Dust Bowl had a profound influence on his early writing, and he had a real empathy and respect for the hardworking people that had lost their jobs and their homes.

He spent his life writing songs that gave a voice to all people who were left out or left behind, the disenfranchised, and the oppressed.

>> He said, "All you can write is what you see," and the music that emerged would forever change the path that generations of song writers would take.

[ "DEPORTEES" PLAYS ] >> Crops are all in and the peaches are rotten The oranges piled up in their creosote dumps They're flyin' you back to the Mexican border To pay all your money to wade back again And my father's own father waded that river They took all the money he made in his life My brothers and sisters came working the fruit trees And they rode that truck till they took down and died Yes, goodbye to my Juan Goodbye, Rosalita Adis mis amigos, Jesus y Maria You won't have a name when you ride the big airplane All they will call you will be deportee Some of us are illegal Some are not wanted Our work contract's out and we have to move on 600 miles to the Mexican border They chase us like outlaws, like rustlers, like thieves And we died in your hills And we died in your deserts We died in your valleys We died on your plains We died 'neath your trees, and we died in your bushes Both sides of the river We died just the same Oh, goodbye to my Juan Goodbye, Rosalita Adis mis amigos, Jesus y Maria You won't have a name when you ride the big airplane All they will call you will be deportee And the sky plane caught fire over Los Gatos canyon A fireball of lightning that shook all our hills Who are these friends who are scattered like dry leaves?

The radio says, "They are just deportees" Is this the best way we can grow our great orchards?

Is this the best way we can grow our good fruit?

To fall like dry leaves and rot on the topsoil To be known by no name except deportee Oh, goodbye to my Juan Goodbye, Rosalita Adis mis amigos, Jesus y Maria You won't have a name when you ride the big airplane All they will call you will be deportee Yeah, all they will call you will be deportee [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Mr.

Ry Cooder and Mr.

Dan Gellert.

>> Some of the worst dust storms in the history of the whole world, I guess, broke loose.

That was the big middle of the Dust Bowl.

After I was on the highway to California, and every time I saw hundreds and thousands of my relatives and the Okies that couldn't live in the drought and in the dust and in the conditions back down in there anymore -- they owed more money to the banks than they could ever pay.

So they just packed up what little goods they had and took out down the road.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> You know, a lot of folks say they like Woody's songs, you know, and they like to sing Woody's songs, but more than Woody's songs, I liked what Woody stood for.

[ APPLAUSE ] [ "DO RE MI" PLAYS ] Lots of folks back East, they say, are leavin' home every day Beatin' that dusty hot way to the California line 'Cross the desert sands they roll Gettin' out of the old Dust Bowl They think they're goin' to the Sugar Bowl This here's what they'll find Now, the police at the port of entry say "You're number 14,000 for today" Yeah, if you ain't got the do re mi, boy If you ain't got the do re mi Well, you better go back to beautiful Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee California's the Garden of Eden A paradise to live in or to see But believe it or not You won't find this place so hot if you ain't got the do re mi Yeah!

Now, if you want to buy a house or farm, you can't do nobody harm Take a vacation to the sea Don't swap that old car for a cow You better off where you are Better take this little tip from me 'Cause I look through the want ads every day And the headlines in the papers always say Well, if you ain't got the do re mi, boys If you ain't got the do re mi Well, you better go back to beautiful Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee California's the Garden of Eden A paradise to live in or to see But believe it or not You won't find this place so hot if you ain't got the do re mi But believe it or not You won't find this place so hot if you ain't got the do re mi [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] >> It's a great pleasure to be here tonight to celebrate Woody Guthrie's 100th anniversary of birth.

This is my good friend, Rob Wasserman.

You've seen him come on and off the stage all night, and he's the collaborator on this song.

He brought this lyric to me from the Guthrie family, and we set it to music.

At the time, they told me it was a song that hadn't been put to music yet.

Later, it turned out that it was a letter.

[ CHUCKLES ] Yeah, so...we worked on this for a while.

I guess the idea was I was gonna trim it down and get it down to sort of song length, but it's so autobiographical.

It turned out to be about 15 minutes long.

And, uh... We cut it down.

We tried cutting it down every which way, but we finally got it down.

We played it on TV the other night.

We played it.

It's about four minutes long.

This is a song about the night he met his wife, Marjorie, and it's called "You Know the Night."

You know the night I met you My eyes had been looking for you all over everywhere Over low roads Down highways Bald deserts You know the night >> You know the night >> You know the night >> You know the night >> Your eyes had this same shine about them I noticed when I first looked through the wild wayward mist I felt such a warm, friendly, cool, sunny smile I wanted to look in your eyes for all time I just felt like you feel like you feel when you feel like the angels are curling your hair And you feel like the devil is scratching your heel I just felt like you feel like you feel when the angels are curling your hair And you feel like the devil is scratching your heel Did you feel this way, too, when I met you?

You know the night >> You know the night >> I first met you >> You know the night >> Did you look at me and think, "Here's this guy that hopes like I hope And sees the same kind of dreams I see"?

'Cause you wondered, I know If your hopes would find shape by the words that we used there to work back the fog Your hopes and your plans for the good of the people Could all of your 101 dreams just as bright as the sun and all of your wants and your hottest desires find shape in the flow of my talk?

You know the night >> You know the night >> I first met you >> You know the night >> You know the night >> You know the night >> You know the night I met you My eyes had been looking for you all over everywhere Over low roads Down highways Bald deserts And I felt like you feel when you feel that the angels are curling your hair And you feel like the devil is scratching your heel I just felt like you feel when you feel like the angels are curling your hair And the devil is scratching your heel You know the night >> You know the night You know the night >> You know the night >> You know the night You know the night I met you >> You know the night >> You know the night You know the night >> You know the night >> You know the night You know the night I met you [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ "SO LONG, IT'S BEEN GOOD TO KNOW YUH" PLAYS ] >> I've sung this song, but I'll sing it again Of the place that I lived on the wild windy plains In the month of April County called Gray Here's what all the people there say >> So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home And I got to be driftin' along >> Well, a dust storm hit and it hit like thunder Covered us over and dusted us under It blocked out the traffic and blocked out the sun Straight for home All the people did run Singin' >> So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home And I got to be driftin' along >> We talked of the end of the world and then we'd sing a song and then sing it again We'd sit for an hour and not say a word And then these would be heard >> Singin' so long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home And I got to be driftin' along >> Well, the sweethearts, they sat in the dark and they sparked They hugged and they kissed in the dusty old dark They sighed and they cried They hugged and they kissed But instead of marriage, they talked just like this Singin' >> So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home And I got to be driftin' along >> Ah, yeah, man.

Yeah.

>> Now the telephone rang It jumped off the wall That was the preacher He's a-makin' his call He said, "Kind friend, this might be the end You've got your last chance for salvation of sin" >> The churches was jammed, and the churches was packed And the dusty old storm blowed so black Preacher could not read a word of his text And he folded his specs and he took up collection and said >> So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home And I got to be driftin' along >> Singin' >> So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh So long It's been good to know yuh This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home And I got to be driftin' along >> Hey!

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> "I hate a song that makes you think you are not any good.

I hate a song that makes you think that you were just born to lose, bound to lose, no good to nobody, no good for nothing, because you were too old or too young or too fat or too slim, too ugly, too this, too that.

And I'm out to fight those songs till my very last breath of air and my last drop of blood.

I'm out to sing songs that will prove to you that this is your world, and that if it's hit you pretty hard and knocked you for a dozen loops, no matter what color, what size you are, how you are built, I am out to sing the songs that make you take pride in yourself and in your work."

Woody Guthrie.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ "THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND" PLAYS ] >> As I was a-walkin' that ribbon of highway Saw above me that endless skyway I saw below me that golden valley This land was made for you and me >> I've roamed and rambled and followed my footsteps To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts And all around me a voice was sounding This land was made for you and me >> This land is your land This land is my land From California to the New York island From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters This land was made for you and me >> When the sun came shinin' and I was strollin' With the wheat fields wavin' and the dust clouds rollin' The fog was lifting And I was chanting This land was made For you and me >> As I went walking that endless highway I saw a sign there, said "No trespassing" But on the other side, it didn't say nothin' This side was made for you and me >> This land is your land This land is my land From California to the New York island From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters This land was made for you and me >> In the shadow of the steeple, I saw my people >> By the relief office I saw my people >> As they stood there hungry >> I stood there askin' >> Is this land made for you and me?

>> This land is your land This land is my land From California to the New York island From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters This land was made for you and me >> Nobody living can ever stop me As I go walking that freedom highway Nobody living can make me turn back now 'Cause this land was made for you and me Tell 'em!

>> This land is your land This land is my land From California to the New York island From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters This land was made for you and me [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Take it easy.

But take it.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ "THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY" PLAYS ] >> This train is bound for glory, this train This train is bound for glory, this train This train is bound for glory Don't carry nothing but the righteous and the holy This train is bound for glory, this train >> This train don't carry no gamblers, this train Triple-dealing and Wall Street ramblers, this train Well, if you catch 'em with their hands in deep, cast them out and then repeat This train is bound for glory, this train >> This train don't carry no liars, this train This train don't carry no liars, this train Well, this train don't carry no liars She's streamlined and a midnight flyer This train on a path for glory, this train >> Well, this train don't carry no smokers, this train >> This train don't carry no smokers, this train >> Well, this train don't carry no smokers >> Two bit liars >> Small-time jokers >> This train don't carry no smokers, this train >> This train don't carry no con men, this train This train don't carry no con men, this train This train don't carry no con men No wheeler-dealers, here and gone men This train don't carry no con men, this train >> This train don't carry no rustlers, this train This train don't carry no rustlers, this train Side-street walkers, two-bit hustlers This train is bound for glory This train is bound for glory, this train >> This train is bound for glory, this train This train is bound for glory, this train This train is bound for glory Don't carry nothing but the righteous and the holy This train is bound for glory, this train >> Bring it around.

>> Oh, this train is bound for glory Don't carry nothing but the righteous and the holy This train is bound for glory, this train [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] -- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com