Lost Gem: "Steve Forbert's Midsummer Night's Toast" - Steve Forbert (1978)


"Here's to money in my hand
and where it went."
~ Steve Forbert ~ 


Steve Forbert, as I've referred to him on many occasions...is the bruised-knuckled optimist with a camera eye. The singer who..."makes it all so real."

With his unique stutter-step vocals, he delivers his timeless songs with an ageless wisdom. The good stuff. The bad stuff.  Steve is an observer of life and reports what he has learned.

"Alive On Arrival" (1978) was this Americana troubadour's debut and thirty years later he is still sharing his thoughtful observations.
Me, Steve & the coffee pot in Kansas

...immediately strikes the..."we've got a lot in common"...chord in all of us. This catchy declaration will easily have new ears nodding heads in familiar understanding. 
A great introduction to an underrated songwriter.

Have you heard this one?


Here's to all you lucky dogs, it's heads or tails.
Here's to all you filthy rich, I wish you well.
Here's to all the pretty women made for cash.
And here's to dashing daddy's son he's such a flash.

Well, I been lookin' and walkin' 'round the
sunset square,
Singin' an' talkin' with my friends down there,
sittin' an' lis'nin' with a young man's ear,
to all the rainbow dreams

Here's to all the shitty jobs that I despise.
Here's to two-bit guarantees and other lies.
Here's to roads of burning tar and hot cement.
Here's to money in my hand and where it went.

Well, I got my fingers a-tapping on the hard,
stone steps.
I'm waiting for lightning and the rains to fall.
Young lovers are loafin' with their sidewalk smiles
And all their rainbow dreams.

Amy Alice in the summer
With a sack lunch and a punch card.
See my sister with a drag job.
Man, she feels like she's a hundred years ago.

Here's to people living lives that they regret.
Work your fingers to the bone and sink in debt.
Here's to all those shaky tricks that hustlers try.
You know their easy money is oft' times hard.
You know they flash a grin an' they wink their eye, well...

I been livin' an' breathin' in the rat trap town.
Tryna get over where the wall breaks down.
Holdin' my head up with my thin tired arms
and all my rainbow dreams.

Steve Forbert Official Site

Good stuff!

Comments

thesis writing said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
July 19, 2010 at 7:22 AM
Anonymous said…
Nice picture!
But Is your head small, or is Steve's head big???

Harry
March 4, 2011 at 6:43 AM
Casey said…
Anon....Ha! Objects may appear larger...(smaller)...blah, blah, blah...anyway thanks for dropping in!
March 4, 2011 at 9:12 AM
creative logos said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
February 21, 2012 at 1:32 AM
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