(dramatic music) - [Male Announcer] Produced in Athens at the Ohio University Telecommunications Center.

- [Female Announcer] The following program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission and through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council.

(audience applauding) (audience cheering) - [Show Announcer] From Athens, Ohio, "Ramblin' With The Bert Jansch Conundrum".

(audience applauding) (audience applauding) (laid back folk music) ♪ Rain in the summer ♪ ♪ Rain in the fall ♪ ♪ Rain in the springtime's ♪ ♪ The best time of all ♪ ♪ You won't speak good English ♪ ♪ Have all that you need ♪ ♪ But a strange tongue's a burden ♪ ♪ A poor mouth to feed ♪ ♪ Potatoes in the morning ♪ ♪ Potatoes at night ♪ ♪ Potatoes when you're hungry ♪ ♪ They make you feel all right ♪ ♪ All right ♪ ♪ Poor mouth ♪ ♪ I have climbed the misty mountains ♪ ♪ Through river, rain and flood ♪ ♪ And what I brought home with me ♪ ♪ I have paid for with my blood ♪ ♪ Why bring your God and strange ways ♪ ♪ To where troubles thrive and breed ♪ ♪ For a strange tongue's a burden ♪ ♪ A poor mouth to feed ♪ ♪ Potatoes in the morning ♪ ♪ Potatoes at night ♪ ♪ Potatoes when you're hungry ♪ ♪ Make you feel all right ♪ ♪ All right ♪ ♪ Poor mouth ♪ (lyrical violin music) ♪ Potatoes in the morning ♪ ♪ Potatoes at night ♪ ♪ Potatoes when you're hungry ♪ ♪ Make you feel all right ♪ ♪ All right ♪ ♪ Poor mouth ♪ (lyrical violin music) ♪ Rain in the summer ♪ ♪ Yes, it's rain in the fall ♪ ♪ Yeah, it's rain in the springtime ♪ ♪ It's the best time of all ♪ ♪ You won't speak good English ♪ ♪ Have all that you need ♪ ♪ But a strange tongue's a burden ♪ ♪ A poor mouth to feed ♪ ♪ Potatoes in the morning ♪ ♪ Potatoes at night ♪ ♪ Potatoes when you're hungry ♪ ♪ They'll make you feel all right ♪ ♪ All right ♪ ♪ Poor mouth ♪ (audience applauding) - Thank you.

That one was a song about Ireland called "Poor Mouth", which is sort of a descriptive song.

I don't know if you've heard of Flann O'Brien but he's my favorite writer.

(guitar chord strumming) So, if you ever come across him, he's very funny.

It's supposed to be funny, that song, I don't know if you found it funny.

(Bert laughing) (guitar chord strumming) Here's one called "Daybreak", this is us reminiscing of old folk clubs back in London.

(quiet guitar music) (lighthearted violin music) ♪ It's daybreak ♪ ♪ The Olde Mitre is fated to close ♪ ♪ The last of the folkies ♪ ♪ Rises and goes ♪ ♪ As the shock of the morning sun ♪ ♪ Blinds your eyes ♪ ♪ It's Sunday morning ♪ ♪ There's a drunkard woman ♪ ♪ Padding through the streets ♪ ♪ And the fake grant on the doorway ♪ ♪ Is wrapped in a dirty sheet ♪ ♪ Such an air of unreality ♪ ♪ You don't know what it feels ♪ ♪ On a Sunday morning ♪ (uptempo violin and guitar music) ♪ I play then ♪ ♪ But no one to spin the merry-go-round ♪ ♪ But the horses stand silent ♪ ♪ Waiting to be found ♪ ♪ A green van there mirrored so clear ♪ ♪ In broad daylight ♪ ♪ It's Sunday morning ♪ (violin and guitar music) (audience applauding) - Thank you.

(guitar chord strumming) Well, I'm losing my voice.

(laughing) (lighthearted folk music) ♪ Catch a boat to England, darling ♪ ♪ Maybe to Spain ♪ ♪ Wherever I have gone now ♪ ♪ Wherever I've been and gone ♪ ♪ Wherever I have gone ♪ ♪ The blues have run the game ♪ ♪ Send out for whisky, honey ♪ ♪ Send out for gin ♪ ♪ Me and the room service, honey, now ♪ ♪ Me and the room service, baby, no ♪ ♪ Me and the room service, darling ♪ ♪ We're living a life of sin ♪ ♪ When I'm not drinking, woman, now ♪ ♪ You're on my mind ♪ ♪ When I'm not sleeping, darling ♪ ♪ When I'm not sleeping, baby, now ♪ ♪ When I'm not sleeping, darling ♪ ♪ You know you're gonna find me crying ♪ ♪ Maybe tomorrow, honey, now ♪ ♪ Somewhere's down the line ♪ ♪ I'll wake up older ♪ ♪ Somewhere down the line ♪ ♪ I'll wake up older, honey ♪ ♪ Maybe I'll stop all my crying ♪ ♪ Living is a gamble, darling ♪ ♪ Loving is much the same ♪ ♪ Wherever I have played, now ♪ ♪ Wherever I've thrown them dice ♪ ♪ Wherever I have played ♪ ♪ The blues have run the game ♪ ♪ Catch a boat to England, honey, now ♪ ♪ Somewhere's down that line ♪ ♪ Wherever I have gone, now ♪ ♪ Wherever I've been and gone ♪ ♪ Wherever I have gone ♪ ♪ The blues have run the game ♪ (lively violin and guitar music) (audience applauding) Thank you.

(guitar chords strumming) Thank you very much.

What we're gonna do is an instrumental number, now.

This one's called "Bittern", it's the name of a bird.

(guitar chords strumming) That's better, all right.

Yeah, this one's called "Bittern" and it's the name of an English bird which is a sort of a wading bird, or the sort of bird that wades in.

(laughing) (guitar chords strumming) (quiet guitar music) (more intense folk-jazz music) (intense folk-jazz music) (mellower folk-jazz music) (more intense folk-jazz music) (mellower folk-jazz music) (more intense folk-jazz music) (intense folk-jazz music) (mellower folk-jazz music) (audience applauding) Thank you.

(guitar chord strumming) How many people have got children?

I can see, like, all these, who's got children, how many other people have got children?

Look, ah, right.

Um, that's interesting, yeah.

(audience laughing) (guitar chords strumming) So, I'm doing a survey, all right?

(audience laughing) No, matter-of-fact, we're about to do a song which has very much to do with sort of parent/child relationships that I should know about them myself, being both, yeah.

(guitar chords strumming) (audience laughing) This song is called "Ask Your Daddy" in Scottish.

(guitar chords strumming) Does that sound in tune?

- Just a little sharp.

- Yeah, all right.

(guitar chord strumming) I'll shut it off and here we go, it's called "Ask Your Daddy", yeah.

(quiet guitar music) ♪ If you don't understand ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ All that you want to know ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ You'll never learn if you never ask ♪ ♪ What turns the rain to snow ♪ ♪ What makes the flowers grow ♪ ♪ What makes your Mum aggro ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ Why don't the moonbeams kiss ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ Yeah, why don't they kiss ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ You'll never learn if you never ask ♪ ♪ What turns the rain to snow ♪ ♪ What makes the flowers grow ♪ ♪ What makes your Mum aggro ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ Wash your hands and face ♪ ♪ All covered in dirt ♪ ♪ Tie up your laces ♪ ♪ Button up your shirt ♪ ♪ Don't ask me why anymore ♪ ♪ You're making my poor heart sore ♪ ♪ Don't ask me why I cry ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ (lively electric mandolin music) ♪ Go wash your hands and face ♪ ♪ All covered in dirt ♪ ♪ Tie up your laces ♪ ♪ Button up your shirt ♪ ♪ Don't ask me why anymore ♪ ♪ You're making my poor heart sore ♪ ♪ Don't ask me why I cry ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ If you don't understand ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ All that you want to know ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ You'll never learn if you never ask ♪ ♪ What makes the flowers grow ♪ ♪ What turns the rain to snow ♪ ♪ What makes your Mum aggro ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ Ask your Daddy ♪ ♪ Mm, mm ♪ (audience applauding) Thank you.

(guitar riff music) - Thanks a lot, we're gonna play an old song of Bert's now.

He wrote this song quite a long time ago, I won't tell you how long ago, but he's forgotten the words completely.

(audience laughing) So, I can just about remember the words so I'm gonna sing it first (guitar chords strumming) and, uh, Bert's gonna sing it- - Just about.

- A couple of bars later.

(audience laughing) - Just about.

- Is that right?

(laughing) (guitar chords strumming) I think that's what's gonna happen.

I generally sing it a couple of bars ahead of him.

(guitar chords strumming) You see, I've been chasing him, he's usually a couple of bars ahead of me, I'm chasing him all around the town all day long, one bar behind trying to catch him up.

(laughing) (audience laughing) (audience applauding) That's not true.

(audience laughing) - It is, that's it.

- This ones' called "Running From Home".

(lively mandolin and guitar music) ♪ Running, running from home ♪ ♪ Breaking ties ♪ ♪ Running ♪ ♪ That you'd grown ♪ ♪ Running from home ♪ ♪ Catching dreams ♪ ♪ Breaking ties ♪ ♪ From the clouds ♪ ♪ That you'd grown ♪ ♪ Catching dreams from the clouds ♪ ♪ The city sounds burn your soul ♪ ♪ Turn your head ♪ ♪ The city sounds ♪ ♪ To the cries ♪ ♪ Burn your soul ♪ ♪ Of loneliness in the night ♪ ♪ Turn you head to the cries ♪ ♪ Of loneliness in the night ♪ ♪ The passing image of you ♪ ♪ Reflects a pain to my mind ♪ ♪ The passing image of you ♪ ♪ And disappears into a crowd ♪ ♪ Reflects a pain in my heart ♪ ♪ And disappears in the crowd ♪ ♪ Give me your beauty and age ♪ ♪ A pleasure pleasing my mind ♪ ♪ Give me your beauty and age ♪ ♪ Your heart will shatter ♪ ♪ A pleasure pleasing ♪ ♪ And fall ♪ ♪ My mind ♪ ♪ Your heart will shatter and fall ♪ (lively mandolin and guitar music) ♪ Just like the fly when it's caught ♪ ♪ The spider soon ♪ ♪ Just like a fly ♪ ♪ Takes it's prey ♪ ♪ When it's caught ♪ ♪ The spider dances ♪ ♪ The spider soon ♪ ♪ Round your heart ♪ ♪ Takes it's prey ♪ ♪ Spins a dance round your heart ♪ ♪ Step on pavements so old ♪ ♪ Cast a glance at the young ♪ ♪ Step on pavements so old ♪ ♪ Girls a-making their way ♪ ♪ Step on pavements so old ♪ ♪ Girls a-making their way ♪ ♪ Running, running from home ♪ ♪ Breaking ties ♪ ♪ Running ♪ ♪ That you'd grown ♪ ♪ Running from home ♪ ♪ Catching dreams ♪ ♪ Breaking ties ♪ ♪ From the clouds ♪ ♪ That you'd grown ♪ ♪ Catching dreams from the clouds ♪ ♪ Running, running from home ♪ ♪ Breaking ties ♪ ♪ Running ♪ ♪ That you'd grown ♪ ♪ Running from home ♪ ♪ Catching dreams ♪ ♪ Breaking ties ♪ ♪ From the clouds ♪ ♪ That you'd grown ♪ ♪ Catching dreams from the clouds ♪ (lively mandolin and guitar music) (audience applauding) - Thank you.

(audience applauding) (guitar chords strumming) (guitar riff music) This one is called "Let Me Sing".

This is a song of (guitar chords strumming) was a little bit of a protest song.

Um, I won't tell you too much about it 'cause I might get into trouble.

(guitar chords strumming) - I've got a problem here.

- Just move it.

(guitar chords strumming) - I've got to set it up-stage.

(guitar chord strumming) (Nigel laughing) - This is a song for those of you that might be of political, politically minded but unable to sing because of your political reasons, let's put it that way.

(audience laughing) I don't know, I don't know what I'm talking about.

(guitar chords strumming) (audience laughing) (intense guitar music) ♪ Let me sing about love ♪ ♪ Love you can feel ♪ ♪ Love you can hold onto your breast ♪ ♪ Like the warmth of her hand ♪ ♪ Makes you feel good ♪ ♪ Makes you feel alive ♪ ♪ And I have to live ♪ ♪ Your life without crying ♪ ♪ You're singing til the day you die ♪ ♪ Oh, let me sing ♪ ♪ And let me live and love ♪ ♪ My friends at home ♪ ♪ I'm gonna sit out beneath the stars above ♪ (lyrical violin music) ♪ Let me sing about love ♪ ♪ Love without fear and terror raining ♪ ♪ Raining like a storm ♪ ♪ Like the timbers burning ♪ ♪ At the sign of the devil ♪ ♪ Devil take my life ♪ ♪ You can cut off my hands ♪ ♪ But I still keep singing ♪ ♪ Singing til the day I die ♪ ♪ Oh, let me sing ♪ ♪ Let me live and love ♪ ♪ My friends at home ♪ ♪ I'm gonna sit out beneath the stars above ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ (intense violin and guitar music) ♪ Oh, let me sing about love ♪ ♪ Love you can feel ♪ ♪ Love you can hold onto your breast ♪ ♪ Like the warmth of her hand ♪ ♪ Makes you feel good ♪ ♪ Good to be alive ♪ ♪ And life ♪ ♪ Live your life without crying ♪ ♪ Oh, singing til the day you die ♪ ♪ Oh, let me sing ♪ ♪ And let me live and love ♪ ♪ My friends and my sweetheart ♪ ♪ Under the stars ♪ (audience applauding) Thank you.

(audience applauding) (guitar chords strumming) - Thanks very much.

At this point in the proceedings I think it's time for Nigel and I, we're gonna go and have a tea break and let Bert do something on his own.

- You won't get paid, you know, if you do.

(audience laughing) They won't get paid anyway!

(laughing) All right.

Oh, of course they will.

Uh, I'm not quite sure what to do, actually.

I think, uh, (guitar chords strumming) I'll play a traditional song.

(quiet guitar music) This one's called "Blackwater Side, this one.

(quiet guitar music) ♪ One morning fair ♪ ♪ I took the air ♪ ♪ Down by black waterside ♪ ♪ Was in gazing all, all around me ♪ ♪ The Irish lad I spied ♪ ♪ All through the fair part of the night ♪ ♪ We lay in sport and play ♪ ♪ Til this young man arose ♪ ♪ And gathered his clothes ♪ ♪ Saying, fare thee well today ♪ ♪ That's not the promise that you gave to me ♪ ♪ When first you lay on my breast ♪ ♪ You could make me believe ♪ ♪ With your lying tongue ♪ ♪ That the sun rose in the west ♪ (lively guitar music) ♪ Well, then go home to your father's garden ♪ ♪ Go home and weep your fill ♪ ♪ And then think on your own misfortune ♪ ♪ That you've wrought with your wanton will ♪ ♪ One morning fair ♪ ♪ I took the air ♪ ♪ Down by blackwater ♪ ♪ It was in gazing all, all around me ♪ ♪ The Irish lad I spied ♪ (lively guitar music) (audience applauding) Thank you.

(audience applauding) What I'm gonna do now is swap over to Martin, so I'll leave you in the capable hands of Martin Jenkins.

Here he is.

(guitar riff music) - Got it, boss.

- That's you, chief.

(audience laughing) It's on camera.

(audience laughing) - I'm gonna play you some tunes, some tunes and reels.

Do you like tunes and reels?

- [Audience Member] No.

- No?

(audience laughing) Gonna get 'em anyway.

(audience laughing) (mandolin chords strumming) The first one is a tune that I learned from a very fine Scottish guitarist called Dick Gaughan, who you might have heard of, and it's called "Clutha" and the second one's an English clog dancing, "The Hornpipe", and we were going to bring along The Eastern Male Clog Dancing Team but they wouldn't let us bring 'em on the airplane with us to dance this for you (laughing) and the third tune is another one.

(mandolin chords strumming) It's a reel of some sort but I can't remember the name of it.

(audience laughing) (mandolin chords strumming) Some slight rhythmic accompaniment would be appreciated.

(lively folk mandolin music) (audience rhythmic clapping) (lively folk mandolin music) (audience rhythmic clapping) (faster folk mandolin music) (audience rhythmic clapping) (faster folk mandolin music) (audience rhythmic clapping) (faster folk mandolin music) (audience rhythmic clapping) (faster folk mandolin music) (audience rhythmic clapping) (faster folk mandolin music) (audience rhythmic clapping) (faster folk mandolin music) (audience rhythmic clapping) (audience applauding) (audience cheering) Thanks, love.

(mandolin chords strumming) - Martin actually never writes songs in any other time.

Well, he writes 'em all sorts of times but never sort of normal, like 4/4, 3/4, anything like that.

- Just 'cause you went to school and I didn't, that's... (audience laughing) This one's called "Nightfall".

(guitar chord strumming) (upbeat mandolin and guitar music) ♪ Night begins to fall ♪ ♪ Shadows on the wall ♪ ♪ Evening summer breeze ♪ ♪ Kinda light and cool ♪ ♪ I wanted to sing a love song ♪ ♪ A lullaby ♪ ♪ Somehow I had the words wrong ♪ ♪ Stranded in a smile ♪ ♪ Strangers for a while ♪ ♪ Here is the hope ♪ ♪ Time alone will tell ♪ ♪ Whenever I lose my reason ♪ ♪ And my rhyme ♪ ♪ I mean to be only teasing ♪ ♪ I'm in the cold light of dawn ♪ ♪ Thoughts of love come easy ♪ ♪ Bringing a song of their own ♪ ♪ And feelings warm and lazy ♪ ♪ But in the change of the moon ♪ ♪ Comes the old stranger who ♪ ♪ Will rearrange the flow ♪ ♪ And only you and I know ♪ ♪ Night begins to fall ♪ ♪ Shadows on the wall ♪ ♪ Evening summer breeze ♪ ♪ Kinda light and cool ♪ ♪ I wanted to sing a love song ♪ ♪ A lullaby ♪ ♪ Somehow I had the words wrong ♪ (audience applauding) (audience murmuring) - Sorry, I forgot the guitar.

(guitar chord strumming) - I don't know what we're gonna do so it won't pick up.

(audience laughing) - I'll kick out the cable.

(audience laughing) We'll attempt one called "Sylvie", whether we get it right or not I've got no idea but... (audience laughing) Yeah, this is a traditional song wherein the lover- - [Audience Member] Do you do those a lot?

- Yes, I do, yeah.

(audience laughing) His girlfriend has given him a ring as a sign of love, token of love, (guitar chord strumming) but she doesn't trust him so she dresses up as a highwayman or a highwayperson (laughing) (audience laughing) and, uh, hold on, she goes out and she holds up the coach that he's traveling in and steals all his money and everything and then she asks for the ring, you see.

He won't give her the ring, silly fool, (audience laughing) actually he wasn't, actually, 'cause she would have shot him dead you see, if... (guitar chord strumming) So, what kinda love is that?

That's what I'd like to know.

(audience laughing) (guitar chord strumming) I certainly wouldn't like a girlfriend like that, no offense.

(guitar chords strumming) It goes vaguely like this.

(laughing) (intense folk music) ♪ Sylvie, Sylvie ♪ ♪ All alone today ♪ ♪ She dressed herself in rags of red ♪ ♪ With sword and pistol all by her side ♪ ♪ To meet her true love ♪ ♪ Meet her true lover when she rides ♪ ♪ But she was riding over the plain ♪ ♪ She spied her true love ♪ ♪ And bide him stand ♪ ♪ Stand and deliver, kind sir, she said ♪ ♪ And if you do not ♪ ♪ And if you do not your life I'll have ♪ ♪ He delivered up his gold in store ♪ ♪ But still she craved for one thing more ♪ ♪ That diamond ring that I see you wear ♪ ♪ Oh, hand it over ♪ ♪ Hand it over and your life I'll spare ♪ ♪ My diamond ring I would not part ♪ ♪ For it's a token from my sweetheart ♪ ♪ Shoot and be damned, you rogue, said he ♪ ♪ You'll be hanged ♪ ♪ And you'll be hanged for murdering me ♪ (lively violin music) ♪ This morning in the garden green ♪ ♪ Young Sylvie and her true love were seen ♪ ♪ She spied his watch hanging from his clothes ♪ ♪ Which made him blush as ♪ ♪ Made him blush as like any rose ♪ ♪ Why do you blush, you silly young thing ♪ ♪ I ought to have had your diamond ring ♪ ♪ Twas I who robbed you along the plain ♪ ♪ So here's your watch, love ♪ ♪ Here's your watch and your gold again ♪ ♪ I only did it for to know ♪ ♪ If you would be a man of love ♪ ♪ If you'd given me that ring, she cried ♪ ♪ I'd pull the trigger ♪ ♪ Pull the trigger and shot ya dead ♪ (lively violin and guitar music) (audience applauding) Thank you, we're gonna wind up now with a little number.

Before I do that, this is Nigel Smith on the bass on this side (audience applauding) (audience cheering) (audience member whistling) (audience applauding) and on my other, on my right hand side, Martin Jenkins on mandolin, fiddle, all right.

(audience applauding) (audience cheering) (audience member whistling) Ah, for the last number I'll let Martin sorta take over and tell you what this one's about 'cause it's a bit weird.

(guitar chords strumming) - It's, um, it's kind of a blues, this one.

We generally dedicate this one to Mick Jagger, bless his heart, (mandolin chord strumming) and to a lot of the people who didn't put their hands up earlier on.

It's called "Alimony".

(audience laughing) (mandolin chord strumming) (laughing) You can join in this one like you did in all the others and, uh, make a lot of noise and thanks for being a lovely um, ah, what you are.

(laughing) (audience laughing) (bluesy folk music) ♪ Well, look at this one ♪ ♪ Look at that one ♪ ♪ And tell me do they ♪ ♪ Look like me ♪ ♪ All my friends said don't worry ♪ ♪ Saying they'll testify for me ♪ ♪ Well, I wonder ♪ ♪ Which of my friends ♪ ♪ Had it in for me ♪ ♪ Alimony, alimony ♪ ♪ Alimony's killing me ♪ ♪ And I don't want six extra children ♪ ♪ When there are two that look like me ♪ ♪ Now, please have mercy ♪ ♪ Judge, Your Honor ♪ ♪ Alimony is killing me ♪ ♪ Please have mercy ♪ ♪ Judge, Your Honor ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm poor as I can be ♪ ♪ I ain't had money in my pocket ♪ ♪ Since way back in '53 ♪ ♪ And can't you cut down ♪ ♪ All my payments ♪ ♪ Alimony is killing me ♪ ♪ Alimony, alimony ♪ ♪ Alimony is killing me ♪ ♪ Well, I don't want six extra children ♪ ♪ When I've got two that look like me ♪ ♪ Please have mercy ♪ ♪ Judge, Your Honor ♪ ♪ Alimony is killing me ♪ (bluesy folk music) ♪ Well, look at this one ♪ ♪ Look at that one ♪ ♪ And tell me ♪ ♪ Do they look like me ♪ ♪ All my friends said don't worry ♪ ♪ Saying they'll testify for me ♪ ♪ And I wonder which of my friends ♪ ♪ Had it in for me ♪ ♪ Alimony, alimony ♪ ♪ Alimony's killing me ♪ ♪ Well, I don't want six extra children ♪ ♪ When I've got two that look like me ♪ ♪ Please have mercy ♪ ♪ Judge, Your Honor ♪ ♪ Alimony is killing me ♪ (bluesy folk music) (audience applauding) (audience cheering) - Good night, folks, thank you.

See you later.

(audience applauding) (audience cheering) (guitar chords strumming) (audience applauding) (audience cheering) - [Female Announcer] The preceding program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission and through a grant from The Ohio Arts Council.