Dave Van Ronk - Sporting Life Blues

[@Bojarsbard]

If you ever saw him in person, he always said where he got a song. He went on and on about Skip James, something you never heard from Cream when they made a million bucks on "I's SO Glad," another great Skip James song. Dave and Eric Von Schmidt always gave credit wherever it was due.

[@dbitgood1]

Cream made sure Skip James got royalties for their version of "I'm So Glad" according to what I read here on youtube.

[@MrEclecticity]

Definitive. Dave owns every song he ever sang. RIP Dave Van Ronk.

[@wildbill3638]

Met him a number of times in Greenwich Village in the 60's.Very much a gentlemen tunester....

[@talister106]

As only he can, Dave rips through this soulful tune. Thank you for your talent to inspire.

[@debgodfreyo301]

he was wonderful ! love to hear him....

[@bobbobarann]

Here's to a great artist.

[@bilrux]

Dave was one of my earliest influences when I was starting to play, way back in the 1960s. I had his first two albums on the Folkways label, and didn't realize he was white until his LP on Prestige came out with a photo of him on the cover. This recording is one of his many masterpieces.

[@peterbfield]

Since I discovered Van Ronk as a college student in 1969, I've been blown away by "Come Back Baby" and his brilliant soulful guitar on that recording. Now I've heard Sporting Life Blues, it's right up there at the top. What a performance,.

[@MrMusicguyma]

DVR got "Come Back, Baby" from Ray Charles. We may have at least one mutual friend, bass player John Schulman, who claims he went to HS with you. :)

[@ellywininger2178]

I keep getting reminded what a huge influence DVR had on me....

[@kittenclawsguitarvideos6147]

great music

[@Sandy24417]

David. Just the fact that Dave grabbed inspiration from such a 'Master' as Brownie is delightful to hear. I met Brownie once, along with Sonny Terry, and I've gotta think that Brownie was one of the finest gentlemen I've ever met. As for Sonny, I can't say the same thing. Struck me as irascible, but man can that cat play a harmonica.

[@rosaliemakesmusic]

Where is this from? I just got the urge to hear this song again and this was the video I picked- not the one I've been hearing since I was 5! I love it! Couple more verses. Beautiful - guitar and voice - so beautiful. I also had the privilege of meeting Dave a couple times. So glad to have another recording that's so good. Now to find out which one was the one in my head...

[@davidwilson2184]

Dave Van Ronk, who was scrupulous in his song scholarship, always referred to it as a Brownie McGhee song. Dave used to tell a strory about learning the song when he was about 17 and then putting it aside because he didn't think that a 17-year-old had the life experience to sing it. Many years later, Dave said, Brownie told him he'd written the song when he was 17.

[@Sandy24417]

What you've reported there brings a very broad smile to my face. I met Brownie McGhee along with Sonny Terry at the 'River Queen' on Davie Street in Vancouver, where they were performing in the early 70's. He was a real character, unlike Sonny, who didn't seem to want to associate with anybody.

[@fivethumbsfrank]

thnx for this.

[@johnnybx3254]

Oh yeah! Treasure!👍

[@MrMusicguyma]

Great singing and ragtime piano-like guitar arrangement by DVR (maybe be some original lyrics added, too) RIP

[@nelsonlugo45]

the one and only mayor

[@MrMusicguyma]

Willie Nelson's "Night Life" while not identical, owes a lot to this song from Brownie McGhee. Dave does a nice job, too. :)

[@gurianguy]

This is sublime. What album is it on? Having trouble finding it. Thanks for posting this.

[@guitarnara]

쥑이네요

[@lamper2]

is his version where the spoonful got the one they recorded or did they go further back?

[@shelleydonovan7703]

So tasty. Always.

[@nelsonlugo45]

...kinda

[@nelsonlugo45]

just kidding

[@nelsonlugo45]

I actually do this tune better