Newsletter, June 2008 – The Kitchen Musician

Hello Friends!

Welcome to the June 2008 issue of The Kitchen Musician, my monthly folk music newsletter featuring “The Eensie-Weensie Spider” — an allegory of hope and encouragement.

Tom at TCAN with Banjo
Photo: Phil Knudsen

Etch-a-Sketch
Etch-a-Sketch Portrait: by Heather Smith
Thanks for the full head of hair, Heather.

Upcoming Shows

Following a musically active spring, my summer show schedule is very light. Lots of “real life” things happening. If you know of a venue that would be compatible with my music, or if you can suggest a house concert host, please send the information along to my booking agent.

July 1, Tuesday, 7:00 pm. I will be performing a mini-set (about 15 minutes) at the Sweet Bites Cafe in West Concord, MA. Click for details.

July 15, Tuesday, 8:30 pm. I am featuring at the Twice Told Tales open mike at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center in West Concord, MA. Hosted by John Ferullo and Betsi Mandrioli. Click for details.

Sept. 6, Saturday, 8:00 pm. Opening for Bill Staines. I am a long-time admirer of Bill’s music. It is an honor to share the stage at the Amazing Things Arts Center. Click for details.

Click to view all upcoming shows.


Recent News

Last week I had the pleasure of participating in Wake Up and Smell the Poetry, a wonderful local cable television program hosted by Cheryl Perreault. This will be televised next month via Hopkinton Community Access TV.


This Month’s Song: The Eensie-Weensie Spider

Lyrics: © 1995 Bob Blue, Tom Smith and Traditional
Music: “The Mary Ellen Carter” © Stan Rogers
Lyrics in the comments below

As many of you know, I usually record music for The Kitchen Musician in, well… my kitchen. This month I have a song that requires a live audience so I took my video camera to several local open mikes. Thanks to all of my friends who sang along with gusto. The performance you see here is from the Parish Center for the Arts in Westford, MA. This particular evening was a sultry 95 degrees, so you can hear the large fans, and the street sounds through the open front door of this large church hall. Our host was the talented and supportive, John Ferullo. John is a wonderful singer and songwriter, with a relaxed and engaging presentation style. This evening, John also displayed his talent on the sound board.

In 1994 or 1995, my friend Bob Blue and I discussed inspirational songs at the Children’s Music Network conference. We were both fans of “The Mary Ellen Carter”, the great Stan Rogers song about a ship that sank and the heroic efforts of the crew to raise it against all odds. The chorus is a rousing “Rise Again, Rise Again”!

Here is a wonderful clip from the film One Warm Line, in which Robert Cusick, the Chief Mate of the capsized ship “Marine Electric” describes how “The Mary Ellen Carter” helped him when he thought all was lost. Following Mr. Cusick’s story is Stan Rogers himself singing his wonderful song.

And below is a YouTube video of Amy singing the traditional “Eensie-Weensie Spider” song. A joyful rendition.

Bob Blue was an amazing person. A talented teacher and musician, he was loved by many well beyond the Children’s Music Network, which he co-founded. He had Multiple Sclerosis, a condition in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, but one rarely left a conversation with Bob thinking that he “suffered” from the disease. Of course, living with MS is very difficult, and Bob’s life with MS was no different. However, his incurable optimism and joy for life was what I took away from every interaction with him, even when he was in the final stages prior to his death in March of 2006.

I was interested in how music encouraged Bob to keep his spirits up. Being one to see connections that were invisible to the rest of us, Bob commented how one could sing the traditional children’s song, “The Eensie-Weensie Spider” to the tuned of “The Mary Ellen Carter”. We shared a laugh, and eventually went home after the conference.

After returning home, I e-mailed Bob a verse and chorus that combined these two songs. I didn’t think too much about this at the time. Bob and I frequently communicated about songs and teaching. Months later, Bob called me on the phone and said “our song” was published in Sing Out! Magazine, and also Sassafras, the publication of The People’s Music Network. I had nearly forgotten that I had written Bob about our “Eensie-Weensie Spider” conversation. He had reworked the verse I offered, added two more verses, and used my chorus. He told me it was a bit of a hit in the folk underground, and he was kind enough to include me as co-author.

Last month, I was asked to perform at a benefit to raise money for a friend who is experiencing serious medical and financial problems. “The Eensie-Weensie Spider” immediately came to mind as a song that combines all of the best tools for dealing with difficult life challenges – hope, encouragement, and humor.

Wishing you hope, encouragement and humor,

-Tom

You can learn more about Bob Blue and purchase his recordings, video, and writings at BobBlue.org.

What do you think?

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6 Comments
  • Tom
    June 12, 2008

    Several people asked me to post the lyrics to this song. Here you go! Sing On!
    -Tom

    The Eensie-Weensie Spider
    Lyrics: © Bob Blue, Tom Smith & Traditional
    Music: “The Mary Ellen Carter” © Stan Rogers

    The eensie-weensie spider went up the water spout
    Down came the rain, and washed the spider out.
    Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
    And the eensie-weensie spider climbed again
    She would not let the elements distract her from her goal
    The purpose of her struggle was imbedded in her soul;
    Now see the sun shine down on beasts, on women and on men
    And see that eenie-weensie spider rise again!

    CHORUS: Rise again! Rise again!
    She will not let misfortune keep her
    From doing what she can.
    So whether your legs number two, four, six, or eight or ten
    Be like that eensie-weensie spider,
    Rise again!

    This eensie-weensie metaphor is a lesson to us all
    We cannot be defeated if we rise each time we fall
    And if you think this story’s one you learned too long ago
    Then think about some other ones you know:
    You know the myth of Sisyphus, and you know Jack and Jill
    It’s such a potent image, going up and down a hill.
    So every time you fall, or lose some skin off of your chin
    (Note: for children I sing: So every time you fall and lose some skin from on your chin)
    Be like that eensie-weensie spider,
    Rise again!

    Perhaps you think this allegory goes a bit too far
    Climbing up a pipe is not like reaching for a star
    But whether it’s a water spout or mountain that you climb
    You’ve come this far: indulge me one more time,
    It could be said that each of us climbs up a water spout
    The downward push of gravity is not what it’s all about
    The upward pull of hope is what will save us in the end
    Be like that eensie-weensie spider
    Rise again!

    Final chorus:
    Rise again! Rise again!
    Never let misfortune keep you
    From doing what you can,
    And whether your legs number two
    Or four or eight or ten
    Be like that eensie-weensie spider,
    Rise again!

  • Todd
    September 2, 2010

    Great song! I have been really diving into the works of Stan Rogers and different covers and versions. I like this one quite a bit. I’m glad I came across it.

  • Ann Morse
    January 11, 2011

    Tom, Great to read how you and my dear friend Bob collaborated on the “Eency Weency Spider” and to hear your rendition of it. I also appreciate and totally agree with your description of Bob. By the way, I took that photo of him.
    Ann

  • Tom
    January 11, 2011

    Hello Ann,

    How wonderful to hear from you. Thank you for your kind comment and for helping me to give credit to your photography. I have added that to the photo of Bob Blue.

    I miss Bob, as do many others. A remarkable man.

    – Tom

  • Debbie
    May 30, 2015

    Thank you — it’s good to learn more about the history of one of my favorite songs!

  • Nyanna Susan Tobin
    September 6, 2018

    Shalom. I share with . many others the humongous, sacred space that Bob Blue

    created and enjoy hearing about his many gifts. I did not know him well, or as long as Tom did. But I did see one of his plays at Schofield School where he taught
    fourth grade. It was a parody and Alice In Wonderland. The heroine found a bottle with a mysterious liquid. The sign on the Bottle said Read This. There were many cast members singing his adapted songs and praising different books that they had consumed. Once,I went to a Children’s Network Gathering in the late 90’s and
    asked Bob for support and help. I was very, very upset about what the previous day at work.
    I was working with Adults who were in and Adult Day Program, run by a local small health organization. Located in the basement of an old large building that the town had given to a corporate run assisted living in exchange four housing our programs.
    Almost daily we wold go for a walk upstairs , and around the grounds. One of the visiting corporate managers called me over and said, ” Do not bring “Those
    people upstairs any more.” Those People in wheelchairs and simple clothes upsetting his clients. Angry and indignant, I went down to my supervisor who was an R. N. She said there was nothing we could do. I could not accept the idea of nothing . The conference was the next day and I knew that I had to talk to Bob. That Saturday he sat in his scooter and listened to my sad tale.
    He understood my pain and anguish.With his calm blue eyes and slow speech,Bob was able to calm me down. In his soothing way, Bob said, “You win some, and you looses some.” But those of us ho played with Bob, never lost.
    His memory is a blessing.