Fee Fi Fo Fum / Americana (Painting On A Car Hood By Keith Greco)
I have cobbled together the similitude of the live performance of Fee Fi Fo Fum for a benefit for 23 Press. 23 Press was an underground L.A. magazine that published vanguard poetry. Unfortunately nothing exists of that publication now.
Fee Fi Fo Fum was:
Donald Johnson / Keys and Vocals
Javier Hernandez-Miyares / Guitar and Vocals
Alberto Hernandez-Miyares / Bass
John Millspaugh / Drums
All songs were written by Donald Johnson and Javier Hernandez-Miyares
The video was shot at Cats Paw recording studio in NYC, and the tracks were recorded at Spectrum Studios in Mineola. Most of this song was recorded on new years eve in the hours that arced between 1985 and 1986.
The song was written by Lou Reed and this version was arranged and produced by Javier Hernandez-Miyares
Fee Fi Fo Fum will always be:
Alberto Hernandez- Miyares – Bass
Donald Johnson – Vocals
Javier Hernandez-Miyares – Guitar
John Easter Mills – Drums
Mary K – Keys and Vox
While your mother wears the jackboot,
You have no time to lose.
Slip away in your rat drawn shoes
To live to fight another day.
With the students in the streets,
you’ll rain petrol on their heads.
The iron fist wants to bust your balls,
and make your brother eat some lead.
Your lips are dry and your eyes are burning
as the crowd starts to disperse.
It was the summer of your first love,
until the curfew fell.
Backstabbing bastards were wearing the necklace,
and burning in the fields.
Riot police smoking lucky strikes,
as they flirted with the girls.
While the president of some foreign country
told you everything was well.
I bet you felt very macho
all the time you were raising hell!
Jackboot summer you will never forget.
The sound of rubber bullets
as they pass by your head.
It was a jackboot summer.
You spent time in a closet
discovering what you need.
Then like the bulls of Pamplona,
you chased it in the streets.
Electronic eyes of nations
were present at the scene.
Recording every moment
for the folks that watch tee vee.
You never thought for a moment that
you were winning anything.
Jackboot summer you will never forget.
The sound of rubber bullets
as they pass by your head.
It was a jackboot summer.
lyrics and music by Javier Hernandez-Miyares
I wrote this song in praise of the first intifada, and it is deliberately ironic, because we were watching it on our distorted tee vees.
The style of the tune is tropical blues. Jackboot Summer
I was a child of Rock and Roll, and i wrote a song about Rock and Roll.
Donald Johnson co-wrote the lyrics. This performance of the song took place in 1986 in Elmont. This is from our last gig in New York. You can hear the crowd chant “bullshit” shortly after we finished the song; i guess that they wanted us to keep playing.
Fee Fi Fo Fum was:
Alberto Hernandez-Miyares: Bass
Donald Johnson: Vocals
Mary K: Keyboards, Backing Vocals
John Easter Mills: Drums
Javier Hernandez-Miyares: Guitar, Backing Vocals
This performance was recorded at February’s in Elmont in 1986.
The drawing above is by jhm, and it is pencil on the back of an envelope.
i wrote this song after i returned from a trip to Peru. While there i encountered the writing of Gustavo Gutierrez and he inspired this tune.
The greatest love that i have known
Is the love that knocked the king
From his throne
The greatest love that i have seen
Is the love that put the Queen
Under the guillotine
If you want it all:
You have to know where the pieces fall
The greatest love in the world
Is locked away
In a prison cell
The greatest love some people say
Is just a change
That’s waiting to be made
If you want it all:
You have to know where the pieces fall
If you want that love at all
You have to know where the pieces Fall
The greatest love in the world:
People drinking from
Their own wells
If you want that love at all
You have to know where the pieces Fall
The following click is the first recording of Where The Pieces Fall:
Recorded in Kunkletown Pennsylvania in 1986, on an 8 track Fostex.
Fee Fi Fo Fum were:
Donald Johnson – Voice and Keys
Javier Hernandez-Miyares – Guitar and Voice
Alberto Hernandez-Miyares – Bass
John Easter Mills – Drums
Mary k – Keys and Voice
Song about the first intifada and how the msm covers issues of life and death. this is a grossly ironic song about the gross indulgence of infotainment. since i wrote and recorded this song in 1989, this situation has gotten worse.
Jackboot Summer was recorded at Paramount Studio in Hollywood California, and engineered by Ralph Miller.
John Easter Mills : Drums and Percussion
Alberto Hernandez-Miyares : Bass
Donald Johnson : Keyboards and Vox
Javier Hernandez-Miyares : Guitars and Lead Vox