Bobtalk

November 14, 1978
Oakland, California
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
Concert

In the Midwest in the fifties they used to have these carnivals come through town. There always used to be someone in the carnival they called a geek. A geek is somebody, a man, who eats a live chicken. Bites the head off a live chicken an eats it. Anyway it cost a quarter to see him. If you think you’re funky this dude was really low-down. Anyhow, I didn't get too tight with him but ..., he did leave me some message and that was, he used to think of other people as being freaks. That used to really knock me out. Anyway, I remembered that years later when I wrote this tune. (before Ballad Of A Thin Man)

Thank you. I tried to escape out of Mexico once. Like everybody else. I took a train ride from Monterey to San Diego. Right out of San Diego I found this song written in my back pocket. (before Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power))

One year on my birthday I went to France where they have a big gypsy festival. All the gypsies from all over the world go there, and they party for a week. It just happens to be on my birthday. Anyway, I met the king of the gypsies a little ways away from there. He had 16 wives and 100 children and he still wasn't faithful and true. Anyway I did get mixed up with someone over there. I don't remember what was happening but in the morning they said, "Would you like anything for the road?" And without thinking I just said “one more cup of coffee.” I wasn’t sure if I could say anything else, but it was dangerous territory. (before One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below))

Thank you. You know the first girl I ever fell in love with was way back when. She left me to be a movie star. An then she left me after that, for an older man. She said she wanted to be with an older man, how old? 21! Anyway I never get to see her anymore, but she's here tonight, so I'm wanna play this. (before Girl From The North Country)

Thank you, that was All Along The Watchtower. That was David Mansfield on the smoking violin.

All right, I don’t know, maybe some of you heard this one or not. This is a single record. I don't really make singles too much. But ahh, I've released this as a single. I think it sold 100 copies. 25 in the Bay area. So seeing as it sold so many up here we're gonna play it. It's a little ballad called Baby Please Stop Crying. (plays Baby Stop Crying) Thank you. Wanna say hello to Van Morrison tonight. I know he's out there somewhere. Van, I want you to record some of my songs now!

All right, I'm gonna introduce you to some of the players in the band. On the drums from Kingston, Jamaica, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Ian Wallace. On the bass guitar, Mr. Jerry Scheff. I know we've been written about, these shows as showbizzy. Disco. But it really isn't any of those things, you know that. Anyway, on the keyboards, the one and only Alan Pasqua. On lead guitar, Billy Cross. On rhythm guitar tonight, ladies and gentlemen, from Bogota, doesn't speak any English, but plays his heart out. A man who gave up a career as a being a sports car driver down there to join this band. Ladies and gentlemen, Steven Soles. On the violin, the youngest member of this group, fifteen years old. Been with me now for five years. Doesn't smoke dope, go out with women or drink whiskey, he's a real bore. Ladies and gentlemen, David Mansfield. On the tenor saxophone, a man who really now almost invented the style that everybody is bodies playing in nowadays. Played on most of Phil Spector’s records. Used to play with Duane Eddy. Ladies and gentlemen, the phenomenal Steve Douglas. On the backup vocals tonight, three young ladies who have been with me so long now I don't know what I'd do without them. On the right, my ex-girlfriend, Jo Ann Harris. I like to eat an she can't cook. Anyway, my current girlfriend in the middle, Helena Springs. Helena can sing too. On the left, that's my fiancée Carolyn Dennis. All right, on the conga drums, from Detroit, the most amazing Miss Bobbye Hall. I'll sing you a song now called It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding.

All right, we gotta get out of here. Anyway we wanna leave you with this song. I wrote this for one of my babies when he was a baby. He's not a baby no more but I wanna play it anyway! (before Forever Young)

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