Down in Washington Square: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection







Called “The Mayor of MacDougal Street,” Dave Van Ronk (1936-2002) was a leading figure in the Greenwich Village music scene for more than four decades. He epitomized the urban “folksinger”— apprenticing through immersion in the music revival’s New York City epicenter of Washington Square Park. Drawing from and developing a wide repertoire of songs, guitar techniques, and performing skills, he mentored younger musicians and songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Jack Hardy, Suzanne Vega, Christine Lavin, and many others. Down in Washington Square includes 16 never-before-released recordings coupled with tracks from the Smithsonian Folkways archive, spanning early live recordings made in 1958 (one year before his first Folkways album) to his final studio recordings in 2001, just months before his death. It paints a musical mosaic of Van Ronk’s artistry and expands his legacy, keeping alive the genius of a legendary performer who inspired audiences, musicians, and a major motion picture — Inside Llewyn Davis, written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Three CD box set, 54 tracks, nearly three hours of music, 40-page booklet with extensive notes.
RELATED VIDEO
Dave Van Ronk performs “Spike Driver Blues” (previously unreleased)
FREE DOWNLOAD
Please enjoy a free download of the song “Mean Old Frisco”
Mean Old Frisco | MP3 | FLAC |
Track Listing
101
|
Duncan and Brady | Dave Van Ronk | 3:06 | |
102
|
River Come Down (Bamboo) | Dave Van Ronk | 3:48 | |
103
|
Spike Driver Blues | Dave Van Ronk | 3:15 | |
104
|
John Henry | Dave Van Ronk | 2:29 | |
105
|
Backwater Blues | Dave Van Ronk | 3:04 | |
106
|
K.C. Moan | Dave Van Ronk | 3:03 | |
107
|
Haul on the Bowline | Dave Van Ronk | 1:21 | |
108
|
Just a Closer Walk with Thee | Dave Van Ronk | 3:03 | |
109
|
Gambler’s Blues | Dave Van Ronk | 2:46 | |
110
|
Sweet Substitute | Dave Van Ronk | 2:34 | |
111
|
Bed Bug Blues | Dave Van Ronk | 2:48 | |
112
|
Winin’ Boy | Dave Van Ronk | 2:40 | |
113
|
Georgie and the IRT | Dave Van Ronk | 3:33 | |
114
|
Betty and Dupree | Dave Van Ronk | 3:38 | |
115
|
Come Back, Baby | Dave Van Ronk | 3:55 | |
116
|
My Baby’s So Sweet | Dave Van Ronk | 2:36 | |
117
|
Black Mountain Blues | Dave Van Ronk | 4:04 | |
118
|
Yas-Yas-Yas | Dave Van Ronk | 2:06 | |
201
|
Willie the Weeper | Dave Van Ronk | 2:51 | |
202
|
Dink’s Song | Dave Van Ronk | 3:46 | |
203
|
Santy Anno | Dave Van Ronk | 1:46 | |
204
|
Leave Her, Johnny | Dave Van Ronk | 1:31 | |
205
|
Tell Old Bill | Dave Van Ronk | 4:30 | |
206
|
Careless Love | Dave Van Ronk | 2:58 | |
207
|
Standing by My Window | Dave Van Ronk | 4:58 | |
208
|
Please See My Grave Is Kept Clean | Dave Van Ronk | 2:58 | |
209
|
Had More Money | Dave Van Ronk | 3:09 | |
210
|
If You Leave Me, Pretty Mama | Dave Van Ronk | 3:09 | |
211
|
Hesitation Blues | Dave Van Ronk | 2:35 | |
212
|
In the Pines | Dave Van Ronk | 3:09 | |
213
|
Oh, What a Beautiful City | Dave Van Ronk | 3:16 | |
214
|
Mean Old Frisco | Dave Van Ronk | 2:57 | |
215
|
Stackalee | Dave Van Ronk | 2:46 | |
216
|
How Long | Dave Van Ronk | 3:52 | |
217
|
Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down | Dave Van Ronk | 4:53 | |
218
|
House of the Rising Sun | Dave Van Ronk | 6:10 | |
301
|
Hootchie Kootchie Man | Dave Van Ronk | 3:15 | |
302
|
Reckless Blues | Dave Van Ronk | 2:31 | |
303
|
Trouble in Mind | Dave Van Ronk | 2:26 | |
304
|
Oh Lord, Search My Heart | Dave Van Ronk | 3:57 | |
305
|
God Bless the Child | Dave Van Ronk | 3:18 | |
306
|
Losers | Dave Van Ronk | 3:18 | |
307
|
Another Time and Place | Dave Van Ronk | 4:30 | |
308
|
Garden State Stomp | Dave Van Ronk | 2:52 | |
309
|
Motherless Children | Dave Van Ronk | 3:13 | |
310
|
Don’t You Leave Me Here (I'm Alabama Bound) | Dave Van Ronk | 4:43 | |
311
|
Spike Driver Blues | Dave Van Ronk | 6:50 | |
312
|
Down South Blues | Dave Van Ronk | 5:12 | |
313
|
St. James Infirmary (Gambler’s Blues) | Dave Van Ronk | 4:26 | |
314
|
Ace in the Hole | Dave Van Ronk | 4:23 | |
315
|
Going Down Slow | Dave Van Ronk | 3:29 | |
316
|
Buckets of Rain | Dave Van Ronk | 3:55 | |
317
|
Jelly Jelly | Dave Van Ronk | 3:03 | |
318
|
Sometime (Whatcha Gonna Do) | Dave Van Ronk | 2:37 |