PoliceAndThieves #5
(Woody Guthrie – Pretty Boy Floyd)
Have to be quick with today’s post..man on a mission ! so without further delay hold this cut from Master Woody Guthrie who I am a BIG fan of. Regulars to the musical diary might have already guessed that I hunger for authenticity whether in music or in life..too much bullshit angers me which is why ‘news’ doesn’t interest me at all. At the risk of seeming indifferent the conventional propaganda machine or to use it’s common name..the media has an agenda…the promotion and pursuit of Capital over happiness…money ain’t worth the paper it’s printed on…how much has been printed over the last year? something like 20 Billion?? and yet still the poor are getting poorer while the rich are getting richer. make no mistake the gap between the two is widening…how can that be?
Anyway…before I get involved hold this cut from Woody about outlaw Pretty Boy Floyd. Recorded in 1939 the song highlights Floyd’s apparent generosity to the poor which considering Guthrie’s Oklahoma roots and the mans authenticity I would imagine was true. Floyd’s funeral remains the States most attended funeral so he most have been popular for more than mere infamy… the outlaw is generally respected amongst the poor community and also revered for his generosity while his nefarious activities are often overlooked.
themusicologist 
Hi,
Mississippi John Hurt’s Stackolee would fit well in this theme if it’s not too late. I have several versions, the oldest from 1928. What do you think?
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Ian,
great tune from seminal bluesman good shout ..and yes it would fit. sadly today is the last of this theme, (they normally run for a week), and the final cut is lined up..
keep the ideas coming though !
themusicologist
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“money ain’t worth the paper it’s printed on…how much has been printed over the last year? something like 20 Billion??”
correction…. Merv’ the King of Threadneedle Street has issued about 200 billion alone… yep 200 billion (that’s just the UK’s contibution so it’s called sterling – or pounds, depending on choice). The whole deal is called Quantative Easing….
In case of misunderstanding, here are the four rules of QE (short for Quantitive Easing).
1. First, with the permission of the Fed/Treasury/Finance Ministry the Central Bank creates lots of money. It does this by simply crediting its own bank account.
2. The said Central Bank then spends the cash, mainly on buying government bonds from “normal” banks, although it has also spent some of it on buying bonds issued by big companies.
3.The idea is that the “normal” banks will take that money and lend it to companies and individuals. They in turn will spend the money on things like expanding their businesses or buying new homes, which boost the economy.
4. Theoretically, when the economy has recovered, the Central Bank sells the bonds it has bought back to the banks and destroys the cash it receives. That means in the long term there has been no extra cash created.
As Tommy Cooper famously said “just like that”.
Sorry, off theme I know… but hey wouldn’t life be boring sticking to the “rules”!!
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what a good song!….there’s a bravery in Woody Guthrie songs that swells the heart .
re the ‘cool’ 200 billion.they’ve certainly got some neck!
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