First Blues

Allen Ginsberg | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 6, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Water
• ASIN: B000CSULX6
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,781 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #59 in Music > Miscellaneous > Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews > Poetry

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Going To San Diego

2. Vomit Express

3. Jimmy Berman (Gay Lib Rag)

4. NY Youth Call Annunciation

5. CIA Dope Calypso

6. Put Down Yr Cigarette Rag

7. Sickness Blues

8. Broken Bone Blues

9. Stay Away From White House

10. Hard-on Blues

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Everybody Sing

2. Gospel Nobel Truths

3. Bus Ride Ballad To Suva

4. Prayer Blues

5. Love Forgiven

6. Father Death Blues

7. Dope Fiend Blues

8. Tyger

9. You Are My Dildo

10. Old Pond

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Beat generation poet Allen Ginsberg was also a singer/songwriter who was encouraged to write and record by none other than Bob Dylan, who took Allen into the studio his first ever music recordings. Those 1971 recordings with Dylan, as well as sessions from 1976 with members of Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review band produced by maverick John Hammond (Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin and Bruce Springsteen), and additional recordings from 1981 were gathered together and released as the double LP First Blues in 1983. Many of the recordings feature cello player Arthur Russell (known for his 1970's Flying Hearts band and his ground-breaking 1980's solo recordings). First time on CD, with 24 songs on 2 discs. 2006.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best guest award is to : Dylan, November 10, 2006

By 

Freddy Ordonez Araque "Fre Fred Freddy" (Caracas, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: First Blues (Audio CD)

it's a great work of Allen Ginsberg with Bob Dylan in many songs,..., ironic songs, protest songs, poetic songs, amazing

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Joie-de-vivre undimmed by time..., March 6, 2010

By 

Ronald E. Drumm "Moe Loogham" (Binghamton, N.Y.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: First Blues (Audio CD)

Allen Ginsberg's style of poetry and certainly his singing voice may not appeal to those used to hearing their music homogenized and autotuned. I may not be in the right mood for these songs every day. What appeals to me, as a long-time listener, is his unique sense of humor and the undeniable quality of the musicianship on display here. You have to be a student of history to recognize all of the people and events that are namechecked throughout this lengthy album. Ginsberg always aims to educate as well as entertain. To really get a sense of the man's genius, go check out the four-CD career retrospective, Holy Soul Jelly Roll. But First Blues is the largest collection of his songs ever released, so it deserves a special place in his recorded canon. The late John Hammond Sr. had the guts to release it on his own label, when Columbia Records refused to touch it. There will not be another Allen Ginsberg. Listen and see why!

5.0 out of 5 stars Beware!, February 10, 2010

By 

James D Kirk Jr (Culloden,, WV United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: First Blues (Audio CD)

This album is great musically, and the lyrics are outstanding.

It is also like most of Ginsburgs stuff fairly profane.

So if you listen to this album much after you buy it, and you will, you have to be careful cause the tunes are so darn catchy you will find yourself singing them without thinking in public places, which may get you arrested!