Band, The - Furry Sings The Blues Lyrics






Old Beale Street is coming down
Sweeties' Snack Bar, boarded up now
And Egles The Tailor and the Shine Boy's gone
Faded out with ragtime blues
Handy's cast in bronze
And he's standing in a little park
With a trumpet in his hand
Like he's listening back to the good old bands
And the click of high heeled shoes
Old Furry sings the blues
Propped up in his bed
With his dentures and his leg removed
And Ginny's there
For her kindness and Furry's beer
She's the old man's angel overseer

Pawn shops glitter like gold tooth caps
In the grey decay
They chew the last few dollars off
Old Beale Street's carcass
Carrion and mercy
Blue and silver sparkling drums
Cheap guitars, eye shades and guns
Aimed at the hot blood of being no one
Down and out in Memphis Tennessee
Old Furry sings the blues
You bring him smoke and drink and he'll play for you
lt's mostly muttering now and sideshow spiel
But there was one song he played
I could really feel

There's a double bill murder at the New Daisy
The old girl's silent across the street
She's silent - waiting for the wrecker's beat
Silent - staring ar her stolen name
Diamond boys and satin dolls
Bourbon laughter- ghosts - history falls
To parking lots and shopping malls
As they tear down old Beale Street
Old Furry sings the blues
He points a bony finger at you and
"I don't like you"
Everybody laughs as if it's the old man's standard joke
But it's true
We're only welcome for our drink and smoke

W.C. Handy I'm rich and I'm fay
And I'm not familiar with what you played
But I get such strong impressions of your hey day
Looking up and down old Beale Street
Ghosts of the darktown society
Come right out of the bricks at me
Like it's a Saturday night
They're in their finery
Dancing it up and making deals
Furry sings the blues
Why should I expect that old guy to give it to me true
Fallen to hard luck
And time and other thieves
While our limo is shining on his shanty street
Old Furry sings the blues





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Band, The Furry Sings The Blues Comments
  1. J.... F....

    One person never singing the Blues.

  2. P.... M....

    Just back ' home ' from a overstay in Japan, married, happy and young and ... her marvels kept flowing-out ! ... Pure magic being alive in those times and ... nowaday's ...

  3. P.... M....

    Incredibly ... beautiful!!!

  4. H.... T....

    winterland

  5. N.... G....

    nei l young  pay harp tribute for the  joni mitchell's amazing chorus on Helpless

  6. B.... H....

    I miss Jaco, what a player.

    B.... H....

    So do I ,and he's not playing on this song..Note for note the greatest Bassist ever..Some like Wooten got more chops..But in terms of refinement and making a song flow, color and taste ..JACO is still KING

  7. J.... S....

    Goodness, Robbie's guitar playing on thi
    s is exceptional and subtle.

  8. j.... s....

    Right! No bass. That's what makes Joni so great, her open tunings are so orchestral that a lot of her earlier tunes don't need a bass, just Joni.  This live arrangement with Neil's creepy harmonica and Robbie's moanful noodling is a real serious gem for Joni fans, love youtube.

  9. D.... B....

    Three Canadians.

  10. J.... D....

    holy shit. had this on a cassette in 1983. I fucking love youtube.

  11. c.... b....

    My love

  12. j.... b....

    Who played Bass here ??? Certainly not Rick Danko.

    j.... b....

    I presume Rick would have played upright bass because Joni asked him to. Can I prove Joni asked him to play upright bass? No, but I hear bass on this track (as does j bouley) even if you do not, and Danko must be the one playing.

    j.... b....

    I can't weigh in on this because I was upstairs at the Winterland bar during this tune and the preceding song. I don't hear any bass here-- I hear Robertson playing some muted notes on the low strings-- and I'm a bass player. As for this song, my memory is the night was beginning to drag a bit following Clapton's set. After this came Neil Diamond. I was gazing out over the balcony at the crowd when Van Morrison came on and kicked the night back into high gear.

    j.... b....

    Hey nice. Someone who has ears!

    j.... b....

    You mean malbuff has ears even though he is in clear disagreement with you? You attributed the low notes to Joni, and malbuff attributes the low notes to Robbie. I attribute the low notes to someone whose job it was to take care of the low notes... bassist Rick.
    At the very least it is certain that the low notes aren't from Joni's guitar, as the low notes don't have the chorus pedal sound that is heard from her guitar playing here.

    j.... b....

    No bass here.

  13. J.... N....

    Old Beale Street is coming down
    Sweeties' Snack Bar, boarded up now
    And Eagles The Tailor and the Shine Boy's gone
    Faded out with ragtime blues
    Handy's cast in bronze
    And he's standing in a little park
    With a trumpet in his hand
    Like he's listening back to the good old bands
    And the click of high heeled shoes
    Old Furry sings the blues
    Propped up in his bed
    With his dentures and his leg removed
    And Ginny's there
    For her kindness and Furry's beer
    She's the old man's angel overseer
    Pawn shops glitter like gold tooth caps
    In the gray decay
    They chew the last few dollars off
    Old Beale Street's carcass
    Carrion and mercy
    Blue and silver sparkling drums
    Cheap guitars, eye shades and guns
    Aimed at the hot blood of being no one
    Down and out in Memphis Tennessee
    Old Furry sings the blues
    You bring him smoke and drink and he'll play for you
    It's mostly muttering now and sideshow spiel
    But there was one song he played
    I could really feel
    There's a double bill murder at the New Daisy
    The old girl's silent across the street
    She's silent, waiting for the wrecker's beat
    Silent, staring are her stolen name
    Diamond boys and satin dolls
    Bourbon laughter, ghosts, history falls
    To parking lots and shopping malls
    As they tear down old Beale Street
    Old Furry sings the blues
    He points a bony finger at you and
    "I don't like you"
    Everybody laughs as if it's the old man's standard joke
    But it's true
    We're only welcome for our drink and smoke
    W.C. Handy I'm rich and I'm fay
    And I'm not familiar with what you played
    But I get such strong impressions of your hey day
    Looking up and down old Beale Street
    Ghosts of the darktown society
    Come right out of the bricks at me
    Like it's a Saturday night
    They're in their finery
    Dancing it up and making deals
    Furry sings the blues
    Why should I expect that old guy to give it to me true
    Fallen to hard luck
    And time and other thieves
    While our limo is shining on his shanty street
    Old Furry sings the blues

  14. J.... J....

    Best ever recording of a wonderful song.

  15. d.... ....

    incredible footage :)))) !!!!

  16. a.... a....

    neil young, harmonica

  17. J.... ....

    One of my favorite Joni songs.