“The Car Song” by Woody Guthrie

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With the Indy 500, Formula 1 at Monaco, and Nascar at Charlotte, all this weekend, HarryShots is featuring car songs for the weekend, and howzabout the original car song, “The Car Song” by Woody Guthrie.

I just got back from the A.R.T (American Repertory Theatre) in Cambridge, the show was “Woody Sez,” – a four musician dust bowl tour of Woody’s life, travels, and troubles wrapped inside a goodly chunk of Woody’s songs.  Woody Guthrie was part Norman Rockwell, Babe Ruth, John Steinbeck, Garrison Keillor, and Richard Petty.  He could tell stories, write songs, entertain, inspire others with his common touch and his humor, but he was more than all that.  Woody had a point to make.  And even though his life was hard, filled with great personal sorrow, he got to make  those points, influence lives, and be one voice for many who had no voice at all.

The “Car Song” is just a silly thing, it seems shallow for a Woody Guthrie song.  Thank God for happy, silly songs.  And here’s to you, Woody Guthrie.    HL