Townes Van Zandt Trivia

1. Which Townes Van Zandt song starts with this line? "Living on the road my friend..."

From Quiz Townes Van Zandt, First Lines of his Songs

Answer: Pancho and Lefty

His most famous song, covered by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, and also by Emmylou Harris, among others. From the album "The Late Great Townes Van Zandt".

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Nanci Griffith

Nanci Griffith has covered songs by Townes Van Zandt. Norah Jones, meanwhile, said of him: "Townes Van Zandt is one of the most poetic songwriters I can think of...and his songs sing themselves." But of course, the most famous of all testimonies was that of Steve Earle who said: "Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." Van Zandt's reaction was: "I've met Bob Dylan's bodyguards and if Steve Earle thinks he can stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table, he's sadly mistaken."

From Quiz The Songs of Townes Van Zandt

Answer: sunshine walked beside her

This is the first song I ever heard Townes sing, back in the mid eighties, at the Edmonton FolkFest. I'd heard his name before, because of "Pancho and Lefty", but was unfamiliar with his music otherwise. But, he was on the same workshop stage as Guy Clark, a favorite of mine, so along I went. I'll never forget that - a hot summer late morning, and Townes holding the crowd spellbound, singing with his eyes closed.

From Quiz Townes Van Zandt, First Lines of his Songs

Answer: To Live's to Fly

This was Townes' personal favourite. From the album "High Low and In Between". It tells of his love to be on the road.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard

"Livin' on the road my friend Was gonna keep you free and clean Now you wear your skin like iron And your breath's as hard as kerosene" "Pancho and Lefty" - note the correct spelling of the first of those names - topped the country charts for Nelson and Haggard in 1983. Others to cover Van Zandt songs included Norah Jones, Hoyt Axton, Doc Watson, Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith, Arlo Guthrie and Don Williams.

From Quiz Townes Van Zandt, First Lines of his Songs

Answer: Rake

A lovely yet haunting Townes' song - "I used to wake and run with the moon, I lived like a rake and a young man..." From the album "Delta Momma Blues".

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: John Townes Van Zandt

John Townes Van Zandt was born on March 7 1944 in Fort Worth, Texas. He was a fourth generation Texan. The family arrived in America from Holland and settled in Pennsylvania shortly before the Revolution. Succeeding generations made huge contributions to the history of the state. Isaac Van Zandt was charge d'affaire to the USA when Texas was still a Republic. Van Zandt County was named after the family.

From Quiz Townes Van Zandt, First Lines of his Songs

Answer: Kathleen

One of his saddest songs. Each verse ends with him going to see the mysterious Kathleen. From the album "Our Mother The Mountain".

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Manic depression

After a nervous breakdown at university, Townes Van Zandt was diagnosed as a manic depressive with schizophrenic tendencies. He received electric and insulin shock "treatment". This left him with memory losses. "I had a nice childhood...I don't remember it, but that's what I've been told," he later said.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Elvis Presley

Townes Van Zandt was, at a young age, fond of singers like Williams, Hank Snow, Lefty Frizzell and Ray Acuff. He recalled though: "It definitely started with Elvis. That just flipped me out."

From Quiz Townes Van Zandt, First Lines of his Songs

Answer: Waitin' Around to Die

One of his first songs, the sentiments of which surprised his first wife, who was expecting a love song! From the album "For the Sake of the Song".

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Wrestling

Townes Van Zandt was something of a misfit, and although never openly disrespectful, he had his quirks, never shining shoes and wearing his hat at a rakish angle, for example. He was a good athlete, playing football and baseball, but excelling in wrestling. His intoxicating effect on the females of the species dated from this time - and so did his drinking. (Another famous graduate of the academy was Marlon Brando.)

From Quiz The Songs of Townes Van Zandt

Answer: kerosene

"Pancho And Lefty" was covered in 1982 by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, and went to Number One on the Billboard charts. I first heard it in a cover version by Hoyt Axton on 1977's "Snowblind Friend".

From Quiz Townes Van Zandt, First Lines of his Songs

Answer: Tower Song

Another early Townes' song, which seems to prophesise an impending split in his marriage. From the album "Delta Momma Blues".

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Robert Frost

In the authorized biography 'To Live's To Fly: The Ballad Of The Late Great Townes Van Zandt', John Kruth noted "Discovering Frost's 'My December Girl' was one of the most significant experiences Van Zandt gleaned from his time at Shattruck Academy. That influence can be seen in songs such as 'She Came And She Touched Me'" Van Zandt was later to remark: "Robert Frost once said ' worry about the phonetics and the meaning will take care of itself'" Van Zandt's lyrics: "She came and she touched me With hands made of heaven Reflections sent spinnin' Through a face laced in mist Now I stand where she left me Buried deep 'neath her shadow And the mirror pleads sadly Has it all come to this? And I wonder: will she call my name? Where the wind careens madly Through wide windows paneless Fragrances mingle In a room full of shade The peons pick partners And waltz 'cross the ceilings But the violins whisper That I've been betrayed Tryin' not to look ashamed Well the drunkards drink deeply From cups full of nothingness Ghost lovers laugh At the games that they play While the moments do somersaults Into eternity Cling to their coattails And beg them to stay Saying I got nothing to hide..."

From Quiz Townes Van Zandt, First Lines of his Songs

Answer: Flyin' Shoes

Lyle Lovett sang this at Townes' memorial service. From the album "Flyin' Shoes". A song about being on the road, which Townes loved.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Economics

Van Zandt's father had been employed in the oil industry as vice-president of a corporation. The family probably hoped that Townes was putting his wild youth behind him and would become 'normal'.

From Quiz Townes Van Zandt, First Lines of his Songs

Answer: Sad Cinderella

A beautiful Townes song, with a tremendous chorus. From the album "For the Sake of the Song".

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Barefoot Charlie's

Initially Van Zandt sang traditional folk tunes and covers of Dylan songs. Incidentally, my comment in the introduction that Van Zandt left behind "a legacy ranging from the beautifully heartbreaking, to the darkest of places" is acknowledged as a precis from the authorised biography.

From Quiz The Songs of Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Ain't Leavin' your Love

"I ain't leavin your love Ain't leavin your love Not for heaven above babe I ain't leavin your love The rich man's got him an airplane Cruising through the traffic jam A poor man's got him a Chevrolet I'm stayin' right where I am"

From Quiz Townes Van Zandt, First Lines of his Songs

Answer: Sixteen Summers, Fifteen Falls

Also from his first album "For the Sake of the Song". A beautiful narrative. Well done if you got that right.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Jerry Jeff Walker

At that time, Jerry Jeff had written more songs than Van Zandt. Their first concert was in January 1966. Van Zandt wrote 'Close Your Eyes, I'll Be Here In The Morning' for that concert - a delicate love ballad much in contrast to some of his darker, bleaker songs. Incidentally, if Van Zandt was to become a hard-drinking, substance abusing hellraiser, Walker was not far behind - until he cleaned himself up.

From Quiz The Songs of Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Bob Dylan's

Steve Earle, Guy Clark, and Townes played a benefit at the Bluebird cafe in Nashville in September, 1995. Susanna Clark had put the show together to raise money for the Interfaith Dental Clinic, and I wish I'd have been there. On the CD "...Together at the Bluebird", you'll hear songs like Clark's "Randall Knife", Earle's "Copperhead Road", and "Tecumseh Valley". Townes Van Zandt died of a heart attack on January 1, 1997. He was 52 years old.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Mr Gold and Mr Mudd

This was a song that stunned many contemporary songwriters into silence, but inspired others to stretch the envelope of their ability. Van Zandt often maintained that he had no idea where his songs came from, he just wrote them down. He claimed to have written 'If I Needed You' in his sleep. The song was a big hit for Emmylou Harris and Don Williams, reaching number three in the country charts. The first verse of 'Mr Gold and Mr Mudd' was: "The wicked king of clubs awoke it was to his queen turned his lips were laughing as they spoke his eyes like bullets burned the sun's upon a gambling day his queen smiled low and blissfully let's make some wretched fool to play plain it was she did agree"

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: For The Sake Of The Song

To say that Townes Van Zandt had few smash hit records would be an overstatement. During his life, none probably sold more than 20,000 copies. Some friends believe that Van Zandt was poorly managed, though he never openly criticized his management. Certainly, 'For The Sake Of the Song' was vastly overproduced and Van Zandt Later said "I wasn't too happy with what they did on the album". Overproduction, according to his friend Guy Clark, was to ruin many more Townes Van Zandt albums. To be fair, Van Zandt often gave the impression of not really caring about what happened at recording sessions. He seemed to believe that all he had to do was to write and sing the songs.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: A copy of his second album

That meeting took place when Ely gave Van Zandt a lift in his car in Lubbock, Texas, in 1971. At their destination, Van Zandt opened his backpack and gave Ely a copy of the record. The backpack contained about 25 copies of the record. Van Zandt was known for his generosity, frequently giving possessions and money away.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Carnegie Hall

In November 1969, Poppy Records put on a showcase of its three leading talents, Townes Van Zandt, Dick Gregory and Mandrake Memorial. In 2002, 'A Gentle Evening With Townes Van Zandt' was released featuring his nine-song set.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Heroin

There were few substances that Townes Van Zandt did not take. Codeine was a favourite - and he drank copious amounts of alcohol. His first wife, Fran, told John Kruth: "I knew that Townes was into something and that's when he overdosed on heroin and was pronounced dead on arrival at Bentaub Hospital in Houston...They had knocked his front teeth put to put the tubes down his throat. It was a terrible mess. But the amazing thing was he came back without any brain cell loss. His constitution was amazing." The next Van Zandt album, the sixth, was ironically named 'The Late Great Townes Van Zandt'.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Gideons' Bibles

As John Kruth, the authorized biographer noted: "If the cover was odd or unusual in any way or a different color from the standard black, he'd snap it up for his collection. Townes would point out 'you're supposed to take them.'" Van Zandt's younger song, Will, remarked that although not especially religious, his father would often sit reading a Bible.

From Quiz The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Answer: Van Gogh

Townes Van Zandt's second son, by his third wife Jeanene, was named Will Vincent. Van Zandt and Jeanene also had a daughter, Katie Belle. He had another son, J.T., with his first wife, Fran. With the royalties he received from Emmylou Harris's version of "If I Needed You", Van Zandt bought a sailboat that he named 'The Vincent'.

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