Wooden Ships-II

[Nikki Stone1]

Run time: 06:27 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIccZsURyLc   Posted on YouTube: April 17, 2008 By YouTube Member: JeffersonJukebox Views on YouTube: 106427   Posted on DU: June 21, 2010 By DU Member: Nikki Stone1 Views on DU: 658

 
This is my fave, though the CSN&Y version is still nice.

[madrchsod]

1. either one is fine with me....

especially on the vinyl....

[Nikki Stone1]

2. Yeah, I miss vinyl too.

Scratches and all.

[Ken Burch]

3. The aching quality in the backing vocals of the chorus always gets me.

Grace and Marty really nailed it.

[Ken Burch]

4. I heard an interesting interpretation of the lyrics

(It might have been offered by Steven Stills himself, but I'm not sure)

Which was that some of the imagery was about helping Jewish refugees escape from Europe in World War II(on the "wooden ships", such as the St. Louis).

In this interpretation, the "silver people" were the Nazi officials and officers barring escape(and, also, possibly, their collaborators among the European and Anglo-American capitalists who backed Hitler in the name of "anticommunism" and who then barred the Jewish refugees from sanctuary, thus consigning them to death).

Someone should make a video based on that take on the song. It would be incredibly poignant and damning.

[Nikki Stone1]

8. That would not be surprising actually considering

the timing. I'd love to see that interview if you can find it.

Thanks.

[mattvermont]

5. still have both

originals in vinyl...love mostly the airplane version

[saged52]

6. J A is my favorite, also

but I have both on vinyl - thank you for the reminder to listen - very haunting.

[Nikki Stone1]

10. I listened to this all through 2003 as the Iraq war went into full swing.

The pain really reflected that year for me.

[aikoaiko]

7. Thank you for posting this. I can listen to Jorma play his guitar all day.

And I haven't listened to him in a long while.

[Nikki Stone1]

9. Amazing stuff, isn't it?

So much soul in all this.

[Ken Burch]

13. Here's some more Jorma, then:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sC0cWMo4TY

[aikoaiko]

14. very nice.

One of the most underrated and under appreciated guitarists, in my opinion.

I love me some Hot Tuna.

[slipslidingaway]

11. knr nt

[Nikki Stone1]

12. Lyrics

If you smile at me
I will understand
'Cause that is something
Everybody everywhere does in the same language

I can see by your coat, my friend
You're from the other side
There's just one thing I've got to know
Can you tell me please, who won

Say, can I have some of your purple berries
Yes, I've been eating them for six or seven weeks now
Haven't got sick once
Prob'ly keep us both alive

Wooden ships on the water, very free, and easy
Easy, you know the way it's supposed to be
Silver people on the shoreline let us be
Talk'n 'bout very free, and easy

Horror grips us as we watch you die
All we can do is echo your anguished cries
Stare as all human feelings die
We are leaving, you don't need us

Go take a sister, then, by the hand
Lead her away from this foreign land
Far away, where we might laugh again
We are leaving, you don't need us

And it's a fair wind
Blowin' warm out of the south over my shoulder
Guess I'll set a course and go