Joshua Gone Barbados

[Andy Howell]

A bit cheeky this. This is on the Deluxe version of Martin Simpson's new LP Trails and Tribulations. I used to do this for years and it always went down really well with audiences. I wondered how my version (a bit rusty) would stand up to the Simpson version. I am a bit disappointed with the Simpson version on this CD. He recorded this song centuries ago on one of his first LPs and I think the guitar arrangement was better then — I remember it as being less intricate. Anyhow, my version isn't as polished and the guitar isn't as good — though I do prefer my own voice ;-)

This was written by Eric Von Schidt, a Greenwich Village stalwart of the 60's. He was something of a polymath being not only a great guitarist and songwriter who influenced many) but a faine painter and illustrator. He died in 2007 so never got to hear my version :-)

The song is based on a true story though Mr Joshua may have been given a bad wrap by Eric. It would appear he was not on holiday but at a conference about the development of more productive strains of banana and arrowroot. It is suggested he was desperately searching for a crop that would be more productive than sugarcane. He was a trade union leader before becoming Prime Minister and is apparently still revered today on St Vincent as something of a hero. But don't let that spoil a good song :-)

[Glennwillow]

Nice job Andy! Well done!

- Glenn

[Andy Howell]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Nice job Andy! Well done!

- Glenn

Thanks Glenn!

[murrmac123]

I was quite surprised to see "Joshua Gone Barbados" here on Show and Tell ... you definitely do the song justice ... very fine arrangement and vocal.

I had never even heard of the song until maybe six or seven months ago, when I saw Martin at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh. He introduced the song by saying he had recorded it years ago, and had just recently reinstated it into his repertoire. He explained what the song was about and then proceeded to play and sing it ... I have to say, I was absolutely blown away, as was everybody else in the audience.

For me , it was the finest song rendition I had ever heard him do ...easily equaling his incredible version of "Highway 61 Revisited" which I saw him do in a festival which I helped organize in Homestead FL in 2000, which up till now was the best live performance I had ever seen from him ... and I have seen a lot of his concerts.

I immediately searched for the album on which he had recorded the song, found out it was "Special Agent" recorded in 1981, and ordered it from the States, in CD format ( it was unavailable in the UK) .

I have to say I was sorely perplexed when I listed to the song on the CD for the first time. My recollection of the rendition he had given in the Traverse was nothing like the one on the CD, so I emailed him and asked him what tuning and what key he had used in the Traverse. He was gracious enough to respond and tell me he was using C modal (Csus2 ...CGCGCD) with the capo at the fourth fret, so singing it in the actual key of E.

On the "Special Agent" album he was playing the song in G with a lot of slide, so I assume he was using open G, which is a tuning he has utilized several times in the past.

I have listened to the new recording on Spotify (I will buy the album next time I see him) and I have to say that it doesn't hit me in quite the same way as his live performance did , but maybe that's just my crappy computer speakers.

I also found it interesting that he is singing and playing the song in D on the new album (same as you do) ... I will have to email him again and find out why he has dropped a tone.

[Andy Howell]

Voices change over the years I guess. When I used to play this years ago I played it in Dropped D. This recording is in C sus 4 sus 9 (CGCFCD) which I learnt from Martin. Capo at 2nd fret so still in D.

Martin's early albums are always the subject to analysis of his singing but I loved them, especially the quirky selection of material. Try also Grinning in Your Face and Sad and High Kicking.

Thanks for the comments by the way. I haven't played this for about 5 years but it always gets comments when played live.