ballad-of-barnes01d.mp3
words and music by Jonathan Ochshorn (copyright 2008 J. Ochshorn)
1. we had gotten our tickets a few weeks before
the crisp morning air was still chilly
through the great garden state down to route 38
and the ben franklin bridge into Philly
2. took a break for some food down on South Street
pretty close to the historic center
then we drove in the car (it was not very far)
and received our instructions to enter
[chorus] one hundred and eighty-one works by renoir
eighteen by henri rousseau
sixty-nine more by the man, paul cezanne
seven by vincent van gogh
3. well the judge says a move wouldn’t hurt anyone
and their architects tell them it’s true
they say “since we’re trendy not hokey, and hyped up as low-key
maybe no one will care what we do” [chorus]
4. they’ve got plans to move down to the Parkway
isn’t anyone fighting this scam
well some neighbors are trying some artists are crying
seems like nobody else gives a damn [chorus]
fade out:
fifty-nine paintings by henri matisse
forty-six by picasso
should cover the hallways remaining there always
as dr barnes wrote long ago
other old masters like rubens and titian
not to mention el greco
metal things without names nailed between all the frames
so it’s more like a working class show
sixteen-odd paintings by modigliani
four each by manet and monet
six george seurats each has got lots of dots
yeah but none are for sale or for loan
Production notes:
arranged and produced by J. Ochshorn
recorded at home with garageBand software April, 2008 (remixed Dec., 2008)
vocals: J. Ochshorn
real instruments (guitar): J. Ochshorn
software instruments played on midi keyboard (piano, drums, bass): J. Ochshorn
Dear Jon,
This is a wonderful wail, The Ballad of the Barnes! I saw it and heard it on YouTube a few days ago and the lyrics were so haunting I went again to the video to copy them down. It took quite awhile, starting and stoping then this morning I found them published properly on your website, what a pleasure. You have the spirit of the plight of the true Barnes, down in music and words. Thank you for this creation, I was a student at the Foundation in the 50’s and as you so well have observed and clearly “sung” this is be a sad cultural disaster for our country and the world. I am most curious, where you obtained the proper number of paintings ascribed to each artist? It took me a while to dream up all 18 Rousseau’s, but I did it!
We will continue to enjoy this, good job my friend.
Bob London
Thanks for the feedback. I obtained the data on the number of paintings in the collection from the official Barnes website (http://www.barnesfoundation.org/c_main.html)