WOODY GUTHRIE, JEFF TWEEDY, RYAN HARVEY, ANI DIFRANCO,

TOM MORELLO, JOHNNY IRION, US ELEVATOR

Although these songs were written more than half a century ago in 1952,
to be sure, they are songs for here and now.

The Guthrie family lived in the Trump apartment complex Beach Haven in Brooklyn, NY in the early 1950s. Disgusted by the discovery that the apartments were being systematically denied to black renters by the owner, Fred Trump, Woody Guthrie penned a number of angry lyrics. They were recently re-discovered by Guthrie scholar Will Kaufman at the Woody Guthrie Archives.

The first version of “I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me” is from a 1952 home demo reel to reel tape recording. The second version includes added musical accompaniment provided by Jeff Tweedy.

The song “Old Man Trump” is a composite of two separate lyrics which were combined by Ryan Harvey— the title being derived from one of the lines in the lyrics. We feature two approaches to the song on this release, one with music by Ryan Harvey featuring Ani DiFranco and Tom Morello, and the other by U.S. Elevator, led by Guthrie’s grandson-in-law Johnny Irion featuring Mac McCaughan and Tim Bluhm.

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~ A SPECIAL NOTE FROM NORA ~

On the 50th anniversary of my father’s passing on October 3rd, 2017, I am remembering what a young man once said about Woody. “You can listen to Woody Guthrie songs and actually learn how to live.” 

I’ve been surrounded by my father’s songs my entire life. And today, I want to think about and remember how – specifically – how have I “learned how to live” from his songs?  Most of them have messages – political, social, worldly, personal – ideas and ideals. Values. Do’s and don’ts. Warnings. Encouragements. Pleas. Confirmations. Affirmations. For the most part, even as a child, these are teachings that I take for granted without giving it a second thought...

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