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The Ballad of Lee Harvey Oswald (Single, 2014)

by RAMBLIN MATT

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1.
THE BALLAD OF LEE HARVEY OSWALD (Music & Lyrics by Mateo Garcia) Here's the Ballad of a man that could had been king But he lived like a pawn and died like a wimp Was the bullet of a mobster with the name of a jewel Whit his hands tied in cuffs that the police had give him He's a bad, bad man tell the parents to their children He's a lonesome nut thinks LBJ and his men That the man was a Communist, spy for the Russians That he supported Castro, down in New Orleans (chorus) Lee Harvey Oswald was his name And he was just a patsy (a pawn in the game) But everybody says that he shot JFK Three shots in six seconds and a life to waste He killed freedom with a shotgun And raped the American Dream He scattered his brains in Texas A magic bullet did the trick He could have lived in glory, with interviews in jails And all the papers guessing if he really was the man Write a book, shot a movie and get all the rights But the only right he got was a bullet in his gut It was November down in Dallas, when Lee was on the run Til they got him in the movies, and cuffed him on the ground Police Brutality! He screamed but no one heard Cause he was the bad man, that shot JFK Lee Harvey Oswald was his name He said he was Qjust a patsy (a pawn in the game) But everybody says that he shot JFK Three shots in six seconds and a dream that ends He killed freedom with a shotgun And raped the American Dream He scattered his brains in Texas (Spoken; ...and JFK was dead, dead...)
2.
VIGILANTE MAN (Woody Guthrie) Have you seen that vigilante man? Have you seen that vigilante man? Have you seen that vigilante man? I been hearin' his name all over the land. Rainy night down in the engine house, Sleepin' just as still as a mouse, Man come along an' he chased us out in the rain. Was that a vigilante man? (solo) Preacher Casey was just a workin' man, And he said, "Unite all you working men." Killed him in the river some strange man. Was that a vigilante man? Oh, why does a vigilante man, Why does a vigilante man Carry that sawed-off shot-gun in his hand? Would he shoot his brother and sister down? I rambled 'round from town to town, I rambled 'round from town to town, And they herded us around like a wild herd of cattle. Was that the vigilante men? Have you seen that vigilante man? Have you seen that vigilante man? I've heard his name all over this land.

about

(En Español mas abajo)

Yeah, this is what happens when you are a stubborn mind and your friends come telling you (with all their good intentions, bless em!) "Why don't you write songs to sell them and make money?", "Get yourself in a cover band to make more money" or "Why the hell you never have money?" (some people must think I have a stash hidden) and this type of advice, then the Wild Indian takes over me and I write even more instropective and personal material.

These two songs are in a way representative of the times that we live today in which it seems that "the more society evolves as a unit" the more alienates the individual and degenerates more towards fierce capitalism and the neo liberalism that rules our lives and economy nowadays.

One was written nearly a century ago by Woody Guthrie about the feared Vigilantes, cops, company hired men and such which didn't doubt to cobble a hobo, a worker, a desperate human being...the other song, well I humbly wrote it a few months ago but society hasn't changed that much, right?

I choose a theme that fascinates me and I think has had strong influence on the shape and direction that America has taken nowadays, where the ruling class holds secrets on others of their kind and are afraid of each other. And everybody makes profit and live happily. I talk about the magnicide in Dallas in November 1963 when JFK was shot and killed (apparently and according to the Warren Comission despite the many facts and doubts that show contrary) by Lee Harvey Oswald, a clerk with a communist and probably CIA background. Taking the life of someone on who a new and different type of government could have been built on.

Lee was accused of the murder but before trial was shot and killed by Jack Ruby, a wise guy with doubtful connections, burying this way the secret...forever? we hope not. Lee always said that he was a patsy and regardless the Warren Comission huge and unbelievable report (it supported things like a "magic bullet" that went through seven trajectories to shot Kennedy dead and wound another person...and was found in the car nearly intact) is widespreadly believed that it could have been the CIAs work as a punishment to his weakness in Cochinos Bay and light hand with war and communism.

These are historical facts and I've written and sung them as I believe they happened. Maybe we will never know but I've written a ballad for good old Lee. I think he deserves it.

PS: yeah, I know that if I continue writing these type of songs I'll never be on TV.

I think I still don't giving a flying fuck about it.

Dedicated to the ones that are angry and tired of being used and abused. And to the working class and patsies of this world. And thanks to Oliver Stone for the inspiration.

Regards to all.


ESPAÑOL

Es lo que tiene ser tan testarudo y que cuando los colegas te vienen con el tema (con todo el buen rollo del mundo, gracias gente:) de que "porque no escribes música y canciones para sacar pasta?" "Métete en una orquesta para ganar más pasta" "porque no tienes más pasta!!!" (algunos que piensan que debo tener plata debajo de un ladrillo, vamos) y consejos similares, a mi me sale el Indio y escribo material mas instropectivo y personal, así como las versiones que hago, al igual que con Sarita , que son elegidas en parte por su contenido emocional y sus letras aparte de su ritmo, claro.

Estas dos canciones son representativas en cierto modo de la realidad que vivimos en el mundo hoy, en la que parece ser que cuanto mas "evoluciona la sociedad en conjunto" más se degenera y aliena al individuo en favor del capitalismo y neoliberalismo que nos gobiernan y rigen nuestra economía hoy en día.

Una fue escrita como protesta a los Vigilantes que controlaban a porrazo limpio a trabajadores, road men, hobos y desesperados similares en los años de la depresión americana, por el gran Woody Guthrie hace casi un siglo, la otra mas humildemente hace tres meses...pero la sociedad no ha cambiado tanto, no es así?

Para ello elegí un tema que siempre me ha fascinado y que sin duda ha tenido mucho que ver en la forma y dirección que la América de hoy en día ha tomado, en la cual las clases gobernantes tienen tanto poder y están tan temerosos unos de otros por los secretos que poseen. Hablo de el asesinato de JFK, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, presidente de Estados Unidos en el mes de Noviembre de 1963, sesgando de un tiro la vida de un hombre que podría haber sido la piedra sobre la que edificar un mejor y más justo sistema de gobierno.

Lee Harvey Oswald fue acusado del crimen y asesinado a su vez de un tiro a bocajarro mientras iba escoltado por la policía y esposado, el crimen cometido por Jack Ruby, un wiseguy con conexiones dudosas. Oswald siempre mantuvo que fue un patsy, un cabeza de turco y aunque lo afirmo la Comisión Warren todos o casi todos los hechos y testimonios lo contradicen y se cree que fue una conspiración o venganza de la CIA por su política de mano blanda con la guerra y la izquierda.

Son hechos históricos y me remito a narrarlos tal y como los he entendido. Tal vez nunca lo sepamos, pero yo le he escrito una balada al bueno de Lee. Creo que se la tiene ganada.

PD: y si, ya sé que si sigo escribiendo este tipo de material nunca voy a salir por la tele...

Creo que me la sigue sudando.

Dedicado a todos los que sentís ira y estáis cansados de ser pisados y abusados. Y a la clase obrera y los cabezas de turco de este mundo. Y gracias a Oliver Stone por la inspiración.

credits

released January 13, 2015

MATEO GARCIA aka RAMBLIN MATT

RAMBLIN MATT: Vocals, 1948 Melodija Acoustic Archtop, Lap Style Dobro Hound Dog Resonator with Jim Dunlop Steel Bar, Harmonica.

"The Ballad of Lee Harvey Oswald" Written by Ramblin Matt

"Vigilante Man" Wrtten by Woody Guthrie. Inspiration by Ry Cooder and Blnd Wllie Johnson

Recorded, mixed and publshed in Valencia, Spain using an iPad with an external stereo Sony Mini Microphone. Live, no overdubs.

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Ramblin Matt Valencia, Spain

Mateo Garcia, aka Ramblin Matt. Valencia in 1966. Delta Blues, Rockabilly and Southern Rock are the genres that he favors, alone or with his different bands since the 80s in Spain, 90s in the US (Chicago) and between 2006 and 2013 in London. His current project along Sara Gee has produced three albums and he has released "Early in the Morning" with friend and superb harmonicist Danny Boy Sánchez. ... more

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