Bobtalk

November 23, 1978
Norman, Oklahoma
LLoyd Noble Center
Concert

You know, ? told me, he would play at Maggie’s Farm that’s what he would say, so ... (after Maggie’s Farm)

I was taking a long train ride once from Mexico, passing through a place called Monterey. A family got off the train, about twelve kids, and a mother and a father, they got off the train and just let this old man get on the train, wearing a blanket, you know. Anyway, he sat across the aisle from me. I glanced at him once as the train started to roll, through the window. On my side it was kind of like a mirror you know. And when I turned to face him, both his eyes they were, like they were on fire and there was like smoke coming out of his nostrils. I had a million things to ask this man. I just did not know where to begin. (before Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power))

Thank you! A few years ago I was over in the South of France on my birthday. My birthday happens to be a high holy gypsy holiday. It’s true! Anyway, this is when they have their party. All the gypsies from Europe go to this place in the South of France, have a party for a week. So I figured I’d go there, just for checking it out. I thought it was the right thing to do. And as I did, I stayed with them for a week. Boy I got wept out! But they (....) Just for kicks. Anyway, the king of the gypsies was a man, ah, he had 16 wives and 120 children. He still wasn't very faithful or true. Anyway, it was just about time to go to those big valleys below. "What you want Bob, now it’s time to leave?" and I just said ..., I’d done everything in that week, everything that they had. So I just asked for one more cup of coffee for to go. I put it in a little bag and I walked off down into the valley below.

Thank you! I wanna dedicate this song ..., this is about the first girl who broke my heart. I wish you well! (before Girl From The North Country)

I wanna play a request. We don't usually do this one. (before Watching The River Flow)

Thank you! Ladies and gentlemen, on the drums tonight, give him a warm hand, from Kingston, Jamaica, Ian Wallace. On the lead guitar, the oldest member of this group, born in 1921, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Billy Cross. On the rhythm guitar, from Bogota, South America, doesn't speak any English, but he plays his heart out, doesn't he? Ladies and gentlemen, Steven Soles. Looks like we have someone in the band you can't talk to. On the violin and the mandolin, the baby of this group, only fifteen years old, been with me now for five years, getting better all the time. Doesn't smoke dope, drink whiskey, go out with women, but he's going to do all these things tonight! Ladies and gentlemen, David Mansfield! On the tenor saxophone, a legend in his own time, used to play with Duane Eddy. Remember Duane Eddy? Somebody? Anyway, he made money on Phil Spector’s greatest records, also. Ladies and gentlemen, the phenomenal Steve Douglas. On the backup vocals tonight, three young ladies, break my heart every night. On the right, my ex-girlfriend and trusty advisor, ladies and gentlemen, Jo Ann Harris. In the middle, my new girlfriend, and current inspiration, Helena Springs. And on the other side, my fiancée, the very lovely Miss Carolyn Dennis. All right, on the conga drums from Detroit the most amazing ??, Miss Bobbye Hall. I wanna thank you for coming. And we'll see you next time. I hope we played something right. (before It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding))

Anyway, in the Midwest in the 50’s they used to have carnivals come through town. Every carnival had what they called a geek. All right, a geek is a man of lowly, of low ? on the carnival. He eats a live chicken. He bites the head off and he eats that. And he eats the rest of the chicken, live. Anyway, you know if you're working on a job like that, you got yourself at most of the time. A lot of people would pay a quarter to see him. So, anyhow, I never did get too tight with him, but I learned one interesting thing from him and that was he used to look at all these people who came to see him, as being very freaky. I always remembered that if I traveled to some of stranger places. (before Ballad Of A Thin Man)

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