MIKE + RUTHY
The NYC EP
Humble Abode Music
“My New York City,” the lead track
on Mike + Ruthy’s new and all-too-short six-song set, The NYC EP, is yet
another great and previously-unheard song from the Woody Guthrie
Archives. It’s a beautiful love song that celebrates New York City, and more
particularly celebrates New York City as the place where Woody met his second
wife, Marjorie (Greenblatt) Mazia, and where they lived and raised their young
family. Listening to the lyrics, which are not currently listed at
woodyguthrie.org, I assume they probably date from the mid-to-late-1940s when
the family was living in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn.
Interestingly, the songwriting credits list words and music by
Woody Guthrie with additional music by Michael Merenda and Ruth Ungar. This
suggests there was a known tune that Woody used for the song – as opposed to
most of the previously unheard songs from the Archives that various artists
have been setting to music over the past two decades. In any case, it’s a
lovely song, perhaps the best track yet from Mike and Ruthy.
In fact, the EP is probably the best CD yet from Mike and
Ruthy in their post-Mammals career as a duo. Another highlight is their version
of Lil Green’s 1940 classic blues, “Romance in the Dark,” featuring a sexy
vocal by Ruthy and her nimble playing on a resophonic uke while Mike backs her
up on harmonica.
The other four songs are originals, three written by Mike,
one by Ruthy. My favourite of these is Mike’s “On My Way Home,” a banjo-driven,
old-time-meets-rock-‘n’-roll arrangement which uses home as a metaphorical
place to return to after a difficult period in life.
Another favourite is Ruthy’s “Oh Mama,” a fun-blues seemingly
inspired by their infant son’s not wanting to take a nap.
I'm also on Facebook. www.facebook.com/mikeregenstreif
--Mike Regenstreif
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