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