I've sung this song, but I'll sing it again,
Of the place that I lived on the wild windy plains,
In the month called April, county called Gray,
And here's what all of the people there say:
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
A dust storm hit, an' it hit like thunder;
It dusted us over, an' it covered us under;
Blocked out the traffic an' blocked out the sun,
Straight for home all the people did run,
Singin':
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
We talked of the end of the world, and then
We'd sing a song an' then sing it again.
We'd sit for an hour an' not say a word,
And then these words would be heard:
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Sweethearts sat in the dark and sparked,
They hugged and kissed in that dusty old dark.
They sighed and cried, hugged and kissed,
Instead of marriage, they talked like this:
"Honey..."
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Now, the telephone rang, an' it jumped off the wall,
That was the preacher, a-makin' his call.
He said, "Kind friend, this may the end;
An' you got your last chance of salvation of sin!"
The churches was jammed, and the churches was packed,
An' that dusty old dust storm blowed so black.
Preacher could not read a word of his text,
An' he folded his specs, an' he took up collection,
Said:
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Of the place that I lived on the wild windy plains,
In the month called April, county called Gray,
And here's what all of the people there say:
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
A dust storm hit, an' it hit like thunder;
It dusted us over, an' it covered us under;
Blocked out the traffic an' blocked out the sun,
Straight for home all the people did run,
Singin':
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
We talked of the end of the world, and then
We'd sing a song an' then sing it again.
We'd sit for an hour an' not say a word,
And then these words would be heard:
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Sweethearts sat in the dark and sparked,
They hugged and kissed in that dusty old dark.
They sighed and cried, hugged and kissed,
Instead of marriage, they talked like this:
"Honey..."
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Now, the telephone rang, an' it jumped off the wall,
That was the preacher, a-makin' his call.
He said, "Kind friend, this may the end;
An' you got your last chance of salvation of sin!"
The churches was jammed, and the churches was packed,
An' that dusty old dust storm blowed so black.
Preacher could not read a word of his text,
An' he folded his specs, an' he took up collection,
Said:
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
This dusty old dust is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Commento alla canzone “So Long It's Been Good To Know Yuh” di Woody Guthrie del 1940.
Woody Guthrie racconta che la gente di Pampa [Texas] non fece tragedie quando si vide piombare addosso il cataclisma. La dignità, la calma, il senso dell’umorismo con cui affrontarono la tempesta, pur nella convinzione di non uscirne vivi, furono una lezione importante per lui. Sopratutto, significativo fu il modo comunitario, collettivo con cui la gente di Pampa mostrò di voler far fronte al disastro che Guthrie mise in evidenza in una delle sue canzoni più grandi.
Questa canzone è il contrario di tutte le infinite “disaster ballads“ fiorite negli anni precedenti.Non c’è moralismo, nè morbosità, nè dettagli orripilanti. Il tono è volutamente tenuto al limite del sorriso, senza sminuire la drammaticità della situazione, ma riportandola ad una dimensione familiare, per mostrare come, anche davanti al “giudizio universale”, la gente continua a vivere, non si lascia schiacciare. Per questo “So Long It's Been Good To Know Yuh” appartiene al numero delle grandi ballate di resistenza contadina; le vittime incrollabili della tempesta di polvere sono come l’indistruttibile insetto di “The Boll Weevil”, come l’immortale oca grigia di “The Grey Goose”.
Fonte:
Alessandro Portelli – La canzone popolare in America.
La rivoluzione musicale di Woody Guthrie – 1975
Pag. 58-59
Woody Guthrie racconta che la gente di Pampa [Texas] non fece tragedie quando si vide piombare addosso il cataclisma. La dignità, la calma, il senso dell’umorismo con cui affrontarono la tempesta, pur nella convinzione di non uscirne vivi, furono una lezione importante per lui. Sopratutto, significativo fu il modo comunitario, collettivo con cui la gente di Pampa mostrò di voler far fronte al disastro che Guthrie mise in evidenza in una delle sue canzoni più grandi.
Questa canzone è il contrario di tutte le infinite “disaster ballads“ fiorite negli anni precedenti.Non c’è moralismo, nè morbosità, nè dettagli orripilanti. Il tono è volutamente tenuto al limite del sorriso, senza sminuire la drammaticità della situazione, ma riportandola ad una dimensione familiare, per mostrare come, anche davanti al “giudizio universale”, la gente continua a vivere, non si lascia schiacciare. Per questo “So Long It's Been Good To Know Yuh” appartiene al numero delle grandi ballate di resistenza contadina; le vittime incrollabili della tempesta di polvere sono come l’indistruttibile insetto di “The Boll Weevil”, come l’immortale oca grigia di “The Grey Goose”.
Fonte:
Alessandro Portelli – La canzone popolare in America.
La rivoluzione musicale di Woody Guthrie – 1975
Pag. 58-59
Pluck - 2025/9/18 - 06:33
Language: English
Trascrizione del testo della canzone: “So Long It's Been Good To Know Yuh (Dusty Old Dust)” di Woody Guthrie del 1940, come cantata da Judy Collins al Concerto Tributo a Woody Guthrie tenutosi il 20 Gennaio 1968 alla Carnegie Hall.
SO LONG IT'S BEEN GOOD TO KNOW YUH (DUSTY OLD DUST)
I've sung this song, and I'll sing it again,
Of the place that I lived on the wild windy plains,
In the month called April, in the county called Gray,
Here's what all of the people did say:
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
This dusty old dust storm is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Well the dust storm blew, an' it hit like thunder,
It dusted us over, an' it dusted us under,
Blocked out the traffic an' blocked out the sun,
Straight for home all the people did run,
Singin':
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
This dusty old dust storm is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Well the sweethearts they sat in the dark and they sparked,
They hugged and they kissed in that dusty old dark,
They sighed and they cried, they hugged and they kissed,
But instead of marriage, they talked like this,
Singing:
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
This dusty old dust storm is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Well, the telephone rang, an' it rang off the wall,
And that was the preacher, a-makin' his call,
He said, "Kind friend, this may the end,
An' you have your last chance of salvation of sin!"
Well the churches was packed, and the churches was jammed,
An' that dusty old dust storm it blew so black,
And the preacher could not read a word of his text,
He folded his specs, an' he took up a collection,
Singin’:
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
This dusty old dust storm is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
I've sung this song, and I'll sing it again,
Of the place that I lived on the wild windy plains,
In the month called April, in the county called Gray,
Here's what all of the people did say:
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
This dusty old dust storm is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Well the dust storm blew, an' it hit like thunder,
It dusted us over, an' it dusted us under,
Blocked out the traffic an' blocked out the sun,
Straight for home all the people did run,
Singin':
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
This dusty old dust storm is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Well the sweethearts they sat in the dark and they sparked,
They hugged and they kissed in that dusty old dark,
They sighed and they cried, they hugged and they kissed,
But instead of marriage, they talked like this,
Singing:
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
This dusty old dust storm is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Well, the telephone rang, an' it rang off the wall,
And that was the preacher, a-makin' his call,
He said, "Kind friend, this may the end,
An' you have your last chance of salvation of sin!"
Well the churches was packed, and the churches was jammed,
An' that dusty old dust storm it blew so black,
And the preacher could not read a word of his text,
He folded his specs, an' he took up a collection,
Singin’:
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
So long, it's been good to know yuh,
This dusty old dust storm is a-gettin' my home,
And I got to be driftin' along.
Contributed by Pluck - 2025/10/9 - 11:27
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Album: Dust Bowl Ballads
Esiste anche una versione con parole alternative: vedi So Long, It's Been Good to Know You (World War II Version)
The Great Dust Storm (Dust Storm Disaster) / I Ain't Got No Home / Talking Dust Bowl Blues / Vigilante Man / Dust Can't Kill Me / Dust Pneumonia Blues / Pretty Boy Floyd / Blowin' Down The Road (I Ain't Gonna To Be Treated This Way) / Tom Joad (Part 1) / Tom Joad (Part 2) / Dust Bowl Refugee / Do Re Mi / Dust Bowl Blues / Dusty Old Dust (So Long It's Been Good To Know Yuh)