HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE

Created on 22/11/2003
Latest update on 20/12/2023

Artist: Rolf Cahn & Eric Von Schmidt
Author: traditional
Label: Folkways
Year: 1961

Rolf was into negro spirituals and flamenco guitar; Expo '58, Brussels' World Fair, made his reputation. He Was A Friend Of Mine shows lyrical resemblance with the prison song Shorty George, cut by Smith Casey on Clemens State Farm, Brazoria.

Covers:

1961:

Bob Dylan [during sessions for his debut album, saved up for Bootleg Series Vol 1-3]

1963:

Eric Von Schmidt [recorded in the London jazz & folk record shop Dobell's, along with Richard Farina and 'Blind Boy Grunt', alias Bob Dylan, who owed Eric one: it was Von Schmidt's version of Baby Let Me Follow You Down that convinced Dylan to record it]

1963:

Dave Van Ronk

1963:

Briarwood Singers

1964:

Bobby Bare

1964:

Judy Roderick

1966:

Byrds [dedicated to John F. Kennedy]

1998:

Nanci Griffith [with Dave Van Ronk, who gets credits for his arrangement of the original]

1998:

Rambling Jack Elliott

1999:

Mercury Rev

2000:

Vera Coomans & Tom Theuns

2001:

Billy Bob Thornton

2002:

Lyman Family

2003:

Hans Theessink

2005:

Willie Nelson [in film Brokeback Mountain]

2015:

Tom Jones

See also: Joshua Gone Barbados.

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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