- The idea behind this series is a pretty simple one. It's to give Bloomington's best performers a chance
- to do their stuff in a real comfortable environment. I can't think of two performers to do that better
- with than Jan Henshaw and Bob Lucas. I think that's Bob's car right now. Welcome to Back Porch Bloomington.
- of living the way I've been. Gotta get back to my roots again. Clapboard house in a good used car. Take
- me back where the plain folks are. Smith and Jones and Johnson and Brown, a couple long names that you
- can't pronounce.
- Welcome it back to the neighborhood Where the casserole dish and the neighbor cook Folks next door,
- the kids grown up Inviting me down to the Polish court Drink a little beer, maybe play a little cards
- Take me back where the plain folks are
- 12 on Friday night, Saturday morning head outside. Take the shutter, say mow the lawn, as they wash
- the car with the radio on. Head inside round 6-0, sold for a home-cooked dinner, then a TV show. Back
- on the road port, stare at the stars, take me back where the plane folks are.
- Let's think of what I've learned. Open them up and the calendar turns. Folks grow older, they move away.
- Think about facts from day to day. So when I'm tired of the life I've led, since I'm living inside my
- head, you find me talking about a brand new start. Take me back where the plain folks are. Take me back
- where the plain folks are. Thank you.
- The name of this tune is The Have Mores Live Next Door. It's about the capitalist struggle. And if this
- gets on videotape and Channel 3, they'll be in trouble all over again, I guess.
- My position on the outskirts of town In a total spill level with the grass growing round At my nose
- or the grindstone, my feet on the ground Because the handfuls live next door One job, two cars,
- three kids, one wife
- These are the numbers I've chosen in life. Some people take chances while others make stride because
- half moles live next door. Oh, don't knock it till you try it. Don't hock it till you buy it. This game
- is played by rules. And the first one you learn with the money you earn. This game ain't played by fool.
- So I look over my shoulder, and what do I see? It's a healthy consumer, and it's gaining on me. I could
- spend my whole lifetime on the price to be free, because I have more slip next door. Take it!
- Don't knock it till you try it Don't knock it till you buy it This game is played by rules And the first
- one you learn With the money you earn This game ain't played by fools So I look over my shoulder
- And what do I see? It's a healthy consumer and it's gaining on me. I could spend my whole lifetime on
- the price to be free because I have more sleep next door.
- Don't knock it till you try it. Don't hock it till you buy it. This game is played by rules. And the
- first one you learn with the money you earn.
- This game ain't played by fools. So I will take my position on the outskirts of town. In a total spill
- level with the grass growing round. Have my nose on the grindstone, my feet on the ground. Because the
- half moles live next door. The half moles live next door. The half moles live next door.
- Thank you. Thank you. This song is entitled, Wind Up as Mr. Jones.
- Nothing special, just one house and a load of houses in another town. You step inside and what you'll
- see is pretty much what you expected it to be. Go looking for answers, wind up as Mr. Jones.
- You want a guru, but you've never found him. You want a life that keeps you constantly astounded. You
- have a vision, bathing white light. Why, it's just your neighbor digging worms up with a flashlight.
- No looking for answers. Wind up as Mr. Jones.
- It's an old story. Got a degree from a good school. Got a job in New York City. Formed a two-carer home
- with someone conventionally pretty. Every year, climbed another rung up the corporate ladder.
- Reached the top. Look around and said, hey, what the hell's the matter here? No looking for answers.
- Wind up as Mr.
- Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, our guests for this evening, Ms. Jan Henshaw, Mr. Bob Lucas,
- to hear on our back porch, isn't it? Well, I'm Bob. I'm the Bob part. Hi. The Jan part's coming up soon.
- I was kind of wondering about, gee, that was a really big sound. And this is going to be a lot smaller
- sound. But I want you guys to know that I want you guys to kibitz and have fun. Don't let these lights
- fool you. This is still just a honky tonk. Got my good side.
- Sorry to have to tune, but this is an old band.
- The huckleberry pickin' boys got drunk and Susie got a-lickin' Some got drunk, some got boozy I went
- home with black-eyed Susie Hey, hey, don't go home Hey, hey, black-eyed Susie, hey
- working nine vacations. Hey, hey, ho ho. Hey, hey, black-eyed Susie, hey. All I need to make me happy
- is two little boys to call me Pappy. One named Sam, one named Davey, one love biscuit, the other love
- gravy. Hey, hey, ho ho. Hey, hey, black-eyed Susie, hey.
- Listen to the peepers. They sing so sweetly and seem to say, oh, wake, you drowsy sleepers. Come with
- us, fill the air. The singing is everywhere. There's nobody listening. Come with us, fill the air. We
- lied to the thoughts you were and sat the night listening, listening.
- as cool and smooth as Christmas candy. We sing our song and have no fear. The tune is very handy. It
- comes from the ageless sea. We know all the harmonies and sing this night nighty. We sing in the nursery.
- Learning to play the fiddle is a great thing to do alone. It's the kind of thing that if you have a
- good friend and you want to keep them, ask them to leave when you start to play the fiddle. I was fortunate
- enough to be living out in the woods when I was learning to play the fiddle. And I would just take off
- and find a tree that looked like it could stand it.
- A big tree. So here's a tune that I made up so I could learn how to play the fiddle. And like most tunes
- that I make up, eventually I start to sing along with them, because instruments are just sort of tools
- for me to sing with. So that's that.
- country song I wrote. Like an angry cloud the dust is flying can't see the road
- got in your eyes and now you're crying thought we were in love but we were just kicking up dust kicking
- up dust thought we were in love but we were just kicking up dust she's lost some way
- Yes, I knew my heart would burst Thought we were in love But we were just Kicking up dust Kicking up
- dust Thought we were in love But we were just Kicking up dust Kicking up dust I just can't go on this way
- Kicking up dust, I just can't go on. If God is love, Lord, tell me what is lust. Kicking up dust, with
- kicking up dust. Thought we were in love, but we were just kicking up dust.
- Somewhere along that road I traveled the woods trying to pull that load I guess I knew my heart would
- burst Thought we were in love but we were dust Kicking up dust Kicking up dust Thought we were in love
- I just can't go on this way. I just can't go on this way.
- Kicking up dust Thought we were in love But we were just Kicking up dust Oh, we're kicking up dust now
- Kicking up dust now Oh, we're kicking up dust now Kicking up dust Kicking up dust
- This song is about a love affair that began down at the Woolworth store. It's called Love at the Five
- and Dine. See, it can happen anywhere, anytime.
- 16 years, hazel eyes and chestnut hair, she made the Woolworth counter shine. And daddy was a sweet
- romancer and a darn good dancer. They'd waltz the aisles of the five and nine. And they'd sing, dance
- a little closer to me, dance a little closer now.
- Dance a little closer tonight Dance a little closer to me Cause it's closing time And love's on sale
- tonight At this five and dime Now Eddie played the steel guitar
- Mama cried because he played in bars and kept young Rita out late at night. So they married in Abilene,
- lost a child in Tennessee, but still that love survived. They'd sing, dance a little closer to me, dance
- a little closer now.
- Dance a little closer tonight. Dance a little closer to me. Cause it's closing time and love's on sale
- tonight at the spa and dine. And then a guy in Eddie's band took a shine to Rita's hands. So he ran
- off with the bass man's wife.
- came back that June singing a different tune and sporting Miss Rita by his side and he sang dance a
- little closer to me dance a little closer now dance a little closer tonight dance a little closer to
- me cause it's closing time
- with a traveling band till arthritis took his hands now he sells insurance on the side Rita's got a
- house to keep dime store novels and a love so sweet at night they dance with the radio on and they sing
- dance a little closer to me dance a little closer now
- Dance a little closer tonight. Dance a little closer to me. Cause it's closing time and love's on sale
- tonight at this five and nine. Dance a little closer to me. Dance a little closer now.
- a little closer to me cause it's closing time and love's on sale tonight at this five and dime yes love's
- on sale tonight at this five
- I cannot stay, here labor is in vain. I'll leave the mountains of my birth to seek the fertile plain.
- I'm going to the West, you say you will.
- Say you will not go with me no matter what I say. I'm going to the west. Let's try that again.
- Going to the West. Do you say you say?
- Blossoms are blooming and music fills the air. I'm going to the West. They say you will
- I just got back from Virginia. And you know, you see the signs for different towns along the way, and
- they're usually pretty amusing. And there was one sign, and it's spelled, two words, it's spelled B-U-E-N-A,
- V-I-S-T-A, Buena Vista. And that's what they say, Buena Vista. So this song is very Buena. And it starts
- right out with a chorus. A lovely Agnes, so won't you go with me?
- in style. And we'll cross Lake Michigan so blue and so wild. We'll cross over Lake Michigan till we
- come to the shore. And our orchards will blossom for our babies as they're born. Okay, let's try that
- now. Now you've had a chance to learn it. Lovely Agnes, so won't you go with
- So blue and so wild. We'll cross over Lake Michigan till we come to the shore. And our orchards will
- blossom for our babies is there.
- warm in your arms. Lovely Agnes, won't you go with me? We'll be married in style and we'll cross Lake
- Michigan so blue and so wild. We'll cross over Lake Michigan
- strong willed and kind. Oh lovely Agnes, won't you go with me? We'll be married in style and we'll cross
- Lake Michigan so blue and so wild. We'll cross over Lake Michigan till we come to the shore and our
- orchards will blossom for
- have gone and passed like the fruit on the tree. And her children have children with babes on their
- knees. And they gather in the summertime by the Crystal Lake shore to greet lovely Agnes, now 12 years
- and four store. Oh, lovely Agnes, won't you go with me? We'll be married in style. And we'll cross Lake
- Michigan, so blue-eyed
- We'll cross over Lake Michigan till we come to the shore. And our orchards will blossom for our babies
- as they're born. Oh, lovely Agnes, won't you go with me? We'll be married in style. And we'll cross
- Lake Michigan so blue and so wild. We'll cross over Lake Michigan till we come to the shore.
- Awesome for our babies.
- still the one for me and my heart is gonna be with
- And then it goes out to my good friend, Evan, because he always likes traditional ballads. It's words
- written by Richard Frenia, which were put to a traditional Irish melody. As gentle tides go rolling
- by, along the salty stride,
- together. And often do.
- drive the stallion down. The roses bleed both
- Thank you. Thanks, Tom. This is a song I wrote about a Civil War time love letter that I saw written
- by a soldier named John to his sweetheart, Eleanor, who was waiting for him back here in the hills of Indiana.
- based on a real letter that a friend of mine's grandmother found in the attic. Very beautifully written.
- Anybody know Bob Herring? His grandma found this in the attic. And I still have a copy of it somewhere
- at home. It's beautiful to look at and very beautiful manuscript. Civil War. Yeah.
- And he had written little poems in it and drawn pictures and just talking about his life as a soldier
- and how everybody was real sick and tired and all they wanted was to be back home. And as I read this
- letter, I started thinking, too, about the soldiers when they're out there. They've been gone such a
- long time that they might be wondering if their sweethearts are going to be there waiting for them when
- they get back. So the letter inspired me to write this song called Dear Eleanor.
- Dear Eleanor, I take pen in hand to write a few lines from this battle scarred land. In this ragged
- old tent, I lie here alone without you, my dearest of friends. My dear, I have a fever. My health, it is bad.
- Sickness has gripped all the men here in camp. Still, I think it would cure me to see thy sweet face.
- But thou art a lifetime away. Will you still love me when I'm back from the war? Will you throw your
- arms round me like so
- the hills that I left. And in my daydreams I see thy sweet self. And I think of those pleasures that
- once we have known, the happiest times of my life. Will you still love me when I'm back from the war?
- Will you throw your arms around me like so
- dreams I see the earth. Though many long hours have passed since we met, though my hope turns to joy
- and grief turns to tears, I'll dream though my heartstrings may break. Will you still love me?
- Thank you for the big band. Thank you very much. Last time we were with Jan was down the street and
- she did a number of tunes with the band. We wanted to save one so we could play it for you. And I ought
- to mention too before I forget, 28th of June here,
- Uh, we're going to have Kathy and Kathy, Kathy's viagra, Kathy Norton, and Art Heckman. Uh, so it's
- going to be a good show. Come back and join us. Tuesday night. This is a song written by Holly Dunn.
- Bob Lucas. Comb your hair, paint and powder. You act proud and I'll act proud. You sing loud and I'll
- sing louder. Tonight we're setting the woods on fire. You're my girl and I'm your fella. Dress up and
- hand your crop a yellow. I'll look swell but you'll look swell. Setting the woods on fire.
- They're gonna show the folks a brand-new dance that never has been done. I don't care who thinks we're
- silly. You bet they'll think I'll be deli. We'll order up two bowls of chili. Send the words on.
- We'll sit in the woods on fire. We'll sit close to one another. Up one street and down another. Now
- we'll have a time, old brother, sitting in the woods on fire.
- Show the folks a brand new dance that never, never, never, never has been done. Clap your hands, I'll
- start a bowing. We'll do all the laws allowing. Tomorrow I'll be right back plowing. Sittin' on the
- woods. Sittin' the woods on fire. Mama!
- Thank you. One, two, one, two, three. Let me be stoned. Let me be stoned.
- Let me stand as sturdy as a rock. No matter what hard knocks life has in store for me. God, I might
- face those times alone. Let me be stoned. Let me be stoned.
- Well, let me be stoned When I'm walking through this world with eyes and ears And all I see and hear
- is what I can buy right now Oh, if it's something I don't already own Then let me be stoned
- The stranger's voice is giving. The friendly voice says thanks. I'm underpaid at my weekly wage. I'm
- holding a drone at my bank. Now the man by the name of Uncle Sam is trying to hit me for a loan. Lord,
- when it's time to squeeze that final drop,
- Let me be stoned
- Let me be stoned. Let me be stoned. So I don't participate in what they say is the greatest chance that
- man has ever known. Go on. Let that raging river keep on
- Here we go. The stranger's voice is gimme. The family voice is thanks. I'm underpaid at my real wage.
- I am overgrown at my bank. Now the man by the name of Uncle Sam, he's trying to