All the ghosts, some old, some new

[sovay]

History, what do you mean that Folkways Records was founded by the son of Sholem Asch who, as one last trick after the scandals of Jewish lesbians and Christian novels, wrote a version of the Nativity recorded for his son's record label by Pete Seeger? What kind of concatenation is that to drop on an unsuspecting person? And is there a reason no artist is credited with the pen-and-ink illustrations depicting the story in 1963 even as the prose sticks to its historical setting, which are maddening me with their sketch-expressive familiarity, although perhaps only because my grandmother had that kind of loose, scribbly, ink-washed line? Ben Shahn at least had the decency to sign his album art. The Claibornes' "Listen, Mr. Bilbo" could have had the luck to lose its relevance since 1946. History, the other kind of convergence was more fun. Listen while I tell you that the foreigners you hate are the very same people made America great.

Comments

[mrissa]

That's. Huh. Well. Goodness, History, you were sure getting up to a lot there, weren't you.

[lauradi7dw]

Have another tangential connection. I worked for Rounder records for a long time. In the early days when it was a summer job for me one of the tasks was to spend a week or two in DC selling records in a tent at the Smithsonian Folklife festival on the Mall. In 1974 and/or 1975 I met Moe Asch at least once, maybe twice. I remember his face and voice, but don't remember which singer people in the group were discussing, although it might have been a blues singer (it wasn't just Moe and me, I was hanging around with other folks from Rounder). I remember being told in passing that he was a regular church-goer.

[sabotabby]

How...odd.

[asakiyume]

Those illustrations are gorgeous; I'll read the text accompanying them next.

I hadn't heard "Listen Mr. Bilbo" before, but very good, Pete Seeger, very good.

[swan_tower]

that kind of loose, scribbly, ink-washed line

My immediate thought was Quentin Blake, but having taken a look, it's not quite like him.

[ethelmay]

Is it Craig Mierop, or did he just do the more general design?

[sovay]

Is it Craig Mierop, or did he just do the more general design?

He's only credited with the cover. It could conceivably be him from these other two, but I couldn't find either a signature or a credit within Nativity itself.

[ethelmay]

There was an exhibition related to the Folkways Records cover art that might have some clues. Interesting anyway.

[sovay]

I worked for Rounder records for a long time. In the early days when it was a summer job for me one of the tasks was to spend a week or two in DC selling records in a tent at the Smithsonian Folklife festival on the Mall. In 1974 and/or 1975 I met Moe Asch at least once, maybe twice. I remember his face and voice, but don't remember which singer people in the group were discussing, although it might have been a blues singer (it wasn't just Moe and me, I was hanging around with other folks from Rounder).

I think it's incredibly cool that you worked for Rounder. Once it went beyond a summer job, what did you do?

I remember being told in passing that he was a regular church-goer.

America gonif!

(Here's how I heard of what other Asch descendants were up to.)

[sovay]

There was an exhibition related to the Folkways Records cover art that might have some clues. Interesting anyway.

I've already learned that Ben Shahn contributed photographs as well as drawings. I grew up with his poster in my grandparents' house.

[sovay]

How...odd.

I was on my way to bed and my brain just stopped cold.

[sovay]

That's. Huh. Well. Goodness, History, you were sure getting up to a lot there, weren't you.

It just didn't quit.

[ethelmay]

Possibly David Stone Martin.

[sovay]

My immediate thought was Quentin Blake, but having taken a look, it's not quite like him.

It also reminded me of Sandra Scoppettone and Louise Fitzhugh's Suzuki Beane (1961).

[sovay]

Those illustrations are gorgeous; I'll read the text accompanying them next.

According to his son's liner notes, it was Asch's only published composition in English.

I hadn't heard "Listen Mr. Bilbo" before, but very good, Pete Seeger, very good.

I just want these songs to be historical artifacts, not reverberating with present-day resonance. Would that be too much to ask?

[sovay]

Possibly David Stone Martin.

I can see why you thought of him! And he did work with Folkways.

Irwin Rosenhouse also suggested himself.

[asakiyume]

Has anybody shown you Planthony, the gay plant store guy, on Instagram? He puts ads for the plant store up, but they're also humorous critiques of ... all this... and he asks similar. (sample video)

[sovay]

Has anybody shown you Planthony, the gay plant store guy, on Instagram? He puts ads for the plant store up, but they're also humorous critiques of ... all this... and he asks similar.

radiantfracture did! Big mood.

[asakiyume]

For real!

[gwynnega]

Wow, history.

I had never heard "Mr. Bilbo" before. I wish it didn't sound as if it had been written last week.

[sovay]

I had never heard "Mr. Bilbo" before. I wish it didn't sound as if it had been written last week.

"Yes, you don't like Negroes, you don't like Jews / If there's anyone you do like, it sure is news / You don't like Poles, Italians, Catholics too / Is it any wonder, Bilbo, that we don't like you?"

It's completely unfair.

[sami]

Maybe the illustrations were by Moses Asch? All the copyright notes for the cover otherwise appear to attribute it to him.

History likes its little jokes.

[sami]

I had the exact same (succession of) thoughts.

[sovay]

Maybe the illustrations were by Moses Asch? All the copyright notes for the cover otherwise appear to attribute it to him.

Interesting! I saw the attribution to Craig Mierop within the liner notes, but as noted only for the cover design. (Tracking him down has been an entire rabbit hole in and of itself. If it's not two people with the same striking name, he seems to have designed fonts as well and died only last year.)

History likes its little jokes.

History must think they're funnier than we do.