Bobtalk

December 2, 1978
Nashville, Tennessee
Municipal Auditorium
Concert

You remember those carnivals we used to have those carnivals? I remember those carnivals we had in the 50’s. Every carnival that came through town, or I traveled to, had what you called a geek. You know what a geek is? A geeek is a man. In those days it cost a quarter to see him. These days it’s probably about 5:50, but back then it cost a quarter to see him. He'd eat a live chicken. He’d bite the head off, he’d eat that. Then he'd continue till he was finished with the whole chicken. Heart, blood everything. Anyway, then he'd sweep the feathers up with a broom. One day I was talking to the bearded lady after breakfast. And she said that this man wasn't funky, but he was low down. As low down as you can get. People would always be insulting him for no good reason really. But she told me that he used to look at everybody else as being very freaky. Without having to stop to think about it. Anyway, as I travel around the world, that idea has given me a ot of encouragement as I go here and there. (before Ballad Of A Thin Man)

Thank you. This is a song I played at the Newport Folk Festival, 1963. And they booed me out of town, for playing that then. Anyway, it hasn't stopped me now. I keep playing it night after night. It's called I Ain't Gonna Work On Maggie's Farm No More. (before Maggie's Farm)

I was riding on a train one time to Mexico, going up north to San Diego. I fell asleep on the train and woke up and it was about midnight. And the train had stopped at a place called Monterrey. You know where Monterrey is, right? There was a bunch of children getting off the train. There must have been about 17 children and the mother and the father. And they was getting off the train and at the time I was watching it all through the glass. It was like the whole side of the train was like a mirror. So I was watching it all happen and I saw this old man stumble onto the train. He was getting on and was walking down to the seat right across the car from me. So, I felt a vibration in the air, it was certainly the time. So I turned to look at him, and I could see he wasn't dressed in anything but a blanket. He was just wearing a blanket, and he must have been 150 years old. I took another look at him an I could see that both his eyes were burning out. They was on fire. And there was smoke coming out of his nostrils. Ah, well this is a man that I want to talk to. (before Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power))

Thank you. I was over in France for about four or five weeks, I don’t remember how long. My particular, ah the day I was born just happens to be the high holy gypsy holiday. I know it sounds strange but it's true. Anyway, I went over there to see what they were doing on my birthday, seeing it was some kind of holiday. So, they all meet, all the gypsies from all over Europe. From France, England, Holland, and ah, Romania, all these different countries come and meet in the South of France. So I stayed over there with them for about a week, they partied for a week. I was fortunate enough to meet a young man who was the king of the gypsies. A young man who had 16 wives an 120 children and a whole lot of girlfriends. He held court every day, and he kind of took me under his wing, but sooner or later it got time to go, so I was heading off this way and he was going down that way. He said, "Well Bob, we have to go our separate ways, what would you like?" And I had done everything that week at least twice. Anyway I said, "Just One More Cup Of Coffee". He said , "All right, black?" And he put it in a bag for me and give it to me, and I headed off down the road.

Thank you, all right. The first girl I ever loved, she broke my heart, left me for an older man, way back then. A few years later I wrote a song about her. (before Girl Of The North Country)

Thank you! Ladies and gentlemen, on the drums tonight, give him a warm hand, Mr. Ian Wallace. On the bass guitar, Jerry Scheff. On the keyboards, from Trinidad, the one and only Alan Pasqua. On the lead guitar, the oldest member of this group, born in 1921, ladies and gentlemen, there is nothing he hasn’t done, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Billy Cross. On he violin, electric violin, electric mandolin, sometimes electric lead guitar, the youngest member of this group, fifteen years old, been with me for five years. Doesn't smoke dope, drink whiskey or chase women. All that's gonna change tonight. David Mansfield! On the rhythm guitar, a man from Bogota, South America. Doesn't speak any English, but he plays his heart out doesn't he? Mr. Steven Soles. Gave up a career as a racing car driver to join this band. When he stops playing guitar he’s gonna have to drive the bus. On the tenor saxophone, a man who is actually a legend in his own life time. He made many of Phil Spector’s greatest records. He used to play with Duane Eddy. Ladies and gentlemen, the phenomenal Steve Douglas. All right, on the backup vocals, three young ladies who make me sound so good. I know I haven't got the greatest voice in the world, but they make it sound even worse than it is! My three girlfriends. I don't have to look very far to chase some women. On the right, Jo Ann Harris. In the middle, Helena Springs. An on the other side, Miss Carolyn Dennis. On the conga drums from Detroit City, the most amazing Miss Bobbye Hall. (before It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding))

Thank you! Well, thank you very much! We’ll be back soon, we gotta go now, but we’ll be back. I’m not ready to be put out in the pasture just yet, so ... Anyway. I made some records in this town. I think I'm gonna come back and do some more. But, until then, thanks for coming. Here’s a song I wrote for one of my babies when he was a baby. He's not a baby anymore and he's not here, but I wanna play it anyway. (before Forever Young)

I'd like to introduce Pete Drake who's here! (before I'll Be Your Baby Tonight)

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