Greg Brown — Canned Goods
Album: The Live OneAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 412
Length: 13:59
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Let those December winds bellow 'n' blow
I'm as warm as a July tomato.
[Chorus:]
Peaches on the shelf
Potatoes in the bin
Supper's ready, everybody come on in
Taste a little of the summer,
Taste a little of the summer,
You can taste a little of the summer
My grandma's put it all in jars.
Well, there's a root cellar, fruit cellar down below
Watch you head now, and down you go
And there's
[Chorus]
Maybe you're weary an' you don't give a damn
I bet you never tasted her blackberry jam.
[Chorus]
Ah, she's got magic in her - you know what I mean
She puts the sun and rain in with her green beans.
[Chorus]
What with the snow and the economy and ev'ry'thing,
I think I'll jus' stay down here and eat until spring.
[Chorus]
When I go to see my grandma I gain a lot of weight
With her dear hands she gives me plate after plate.
She cans the pickles, sweet & dill
She cans the songs of the whippoorwill
And the morning dew and the evening moon
'N' I really got to go see her pretty soon
'Cause these canned goods I buy at the store
Ain't got the summer in them anymore.
You bet, grandma, as sure as you're born
I'll take some more potatoes and a thunderstorm.
Peaches on the shelf
Potatoes in the bin
Supper's ready, everybody come on in, now
Taste a little of the summer,
Taste a little of the summer,
Taste a little of the summer,
My grandma put it all in jars.
Let those December winds bellow and blow,
I'm as warm as a July tomato.
[Chorus]
I'm as warm as a July tomato.
[Chorus:]
Peaches on the shelf
Potatoes in the bin
Supper's ready, everybody come on in
Taste a little of the summer,
Taste a little of the summer,
You can taste a little of the summer
My grandma's put it all in jars.
Well, there's a root cellar, fruit cellar down below
Watch you head now, and down you go
And there's
[Chorus]
Maybe you're weary an' you don't give a damn
I bet you never tasted her blackberry jam.
[Chorus]
Ah, she's got magic in her - you know what I mean
She puts the sun and rain in with her green beans.
[Chorus]
What with the snow and the economy and ev'ry'thing,
I think I'll jus' stay down here and eat until spring.
[Chorus]
When I go to see my grandma I gain a lot of weight
With her dear hands she gives me plate after plate.
She cans the pickles, sweet & dill
She cans the songs of the whippoorwill
And the morning dew and the evening moon
'N' I really got to go see her pretty soon
'Cause these canned goods I buy at the store
Ain't got the summer in them anymore.
You bet, grandma, as sure as you're born
I'll take some more potatoes and a thunderstorm.
Peaches on the shelf
Potatoes in the bin
Supper's ready, everybody come on in, now
Taste a little of the summer,
Taste a little of the summer,
Taste a little of the summer,
My grandma put it all in jars.
Let those December winds bellow and blow,
I'm as warm as a July tomato.
[Chorus]
Comments (128)add comment
The new RP format seems to have changed the lyrics to this song.
A 4.8? It's not a song, really, it's a love story to home and family. Can't speculate who or what would disdain it. Maybe you've not been sufficiently bosomed to death.
7 > 8. A fine, funny, warm observation of life and family and place.
Looks like one either loves or hates this song. I really like it. I suspect those that hate it were somehow never kids and just skipped right over childhood to snarky old age.
I wonder if people who hate this song have listened to the story he tells.
The song is sweet, but it's the patter in the middle of the song that slays me...every southern child of a certain age will be transported by this. <3
I was standing in our farm shop trying to re-wire an old set of computer speakers I use to listen to RP when I clean stalls. I was thinking, "I must be getting old. This is the kind of stuff old guys do" I'd never heard this song. We live on a farm like that one. And so this caught my ears. I can understand why this might not appeal to some (apparently many) RP listeners, but it hits home for me. Getting a taste of summer from the jar is practically a miracle in the winter when the snow is deep, the roads are closed and we go shopping for groceries in the basement. Potatoes, peas, pickles, squash, jams, apples - sweet taste of summer sun that we put in... jars. Thanks Bill. PS - The sweet corn is almost ready. Hope we get some before the raccoons find out.
"We were free." There are so many gems in this song. "Wanting to go in, we were hungry we were starving we were boys."
That was great fun. He reminds me a little of Chris Smither. And Richard Thompson, too. Ramblin' Jack Elliot comes to mind.. and Billy Joe Shaver...Kris Kristofferson, etc. Good stuff!
Have always loved Greg Brown's songs, since long before I ended up living in Iowa.
Saw him perform once in Davis, CA at the Palms.
He was quite sober [to an earlier comment], and connected well with the audience.
I recommend more Greg Brown, he's got a lot of gold nuggets.
And since I tend to think of them in the same mental category, I'll also put in a plug (and a plea) for the late John Hartford.
Every time I hear that song I smile. My Gran lived in Scotland and my experience was exactly the same when I visited. I guess doesn't matter where your from.
Never heard this before today and Yup, checked the Playlist, it got played twice today - totally love it.
Reminds me of David Wilcox concerts watching the sun set over the mountains behind Arvada or Denver, where the stories and guitar riffs go on all evening.Thank You for a New Awesome Song!
Reminds me of David Wilcox concerts watching the sun set over the mountains behind Arvada or Denver, where the stories and guitar riffs go on all evening.Thank You for a New Awesome Song!
That was fun.
I like it - Good Stuff - reminds me of Bullfrog Blues by David Bromberg or Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie.
They just keep on going.
They just keep on going.
There goes Greg again, singing about SE Iowa (that's strange place). In some ways...more strange than Iowa City, where he performed a long time ago.
ARRRGGG -- PSD isn't working!!! HELP!!!
stevealden wrote:
"Talking songs" or "story songs" like this can be more difficult to get into if one is not physically present at the live performance. Recordings of them may not always communicate it the same way - it's more like you have to imagine being there, or just listen to the words and drift away. In the case of this song, I preferred the spoken parts to the actual "song" parts.
Thanks for playing this "Talkin' Song". It's almost a lost art. I love this story. Remember the reality.
"Talking songs" or "story songs" like this can be more difficult to get into if one is not physically present at the live performance. Recordings of them may not always communicate it the same way - it's more like you have to imagine being there, or just listen to the words and drift away. In the case of this song, I preferred the spoken parts to the actual "song" parts.
Thanks for playing this song it reminds me of visiting my grandparents place in Arvada, Colo. as a kid. It was 10acres of rural bliss Old folks inside playing cards, cousins outside running wild playing games in the gathering twilight. Now the whole area has been swallowed by endless stripmall and subdivision. More Greg Brown please! It is good to remember what has been lost in a lifetime.
Death by bosom... I remember it well!
"and we could see the smell of fried chicken wafting out the kitchen door." Yep, brought out good memories.
Thanks for playing music I hear nowhere else.
Thanks for playing music I hear nowhere else.
Ironic much?
aelfheld wrote:
How twee.
I'd like Greg a lot better if my first exposure to him wasn't in a bar before the show. I didn't recognize the guy drinking shot after shot but he was belligerent and surly. We left the bar to go see a concert and here comes the guy from the bar, totally wasted and mumbling incoherently. :shrug:
aelfheld wrote:
Agreed. This became background noise about 10 minutes ago.
How twee.
Agreed. This became background noise about 10 minutes ago.
How twee.
Love this piece of storytelling. For so many of us, he captures our childhoods with this. Thanks for playing it, and keep it in the rotation, Bill.
I Agree. It's homey and reminiscent. It reminds me of Thanksgiving with my family, Granny, all the aunts, uncles and a bunch of cousins, happy to see each other again. My Uncle would fire off his cannon. We'd start with the prayer, then Black Bean Soup with a slice of boiled egg and a slice of lemon. After soup then the Turkeys. This last Thanksgiving we had 128 people for Thanksgiving. All descendants of my Great Grandfather who was captured during the Civil War and survived to return home. That is what Thanksgiving means in my family. The young are happy and the old men reminisce and cry.
Pure American folk poetry. He had me at Grandpa's sawmill run by a steam engine locomotive.
I've always loved this song & Greg Brown--happy to hear it this morning! 
I'll easily take this interesting slice of Americana over a 13 minute set of World Music that I just can't connect with...even if that makes me seem ethnocentric...
Sorry to hear that this song isn't more popular with your listeners. There's not a lot of music in the world that makes me stop what I'm doing, sit down and just get carried away by the songwriter's story. This is one.
Thanks for playing this "Talkin' Song". It's almost a lost art. I love this story. Remember the reality.
stand-up comedy boring song? :)
13 minutes of talking..
13 minutes of talking..
SO many memories, family visits, prowling around with cousins, traditions - beyond what happens on an Iowa farm - which this song brings vividly and richly to life. Congratulations Bill for playing what speaks to you, even if listeners don't always agree. That's RADIO.
You start talking in a song, I start looking elsewhere.
Please make it stop.
Is there any other song in the RP playlist with more "1" votes than any other number?
As of today, 106 votes of 3 or lower, 102 votes of 4 or higher.
The public has spoken, and BillG thumbs his nose at them. It's good to be the king. :-)
As of today, 106 votes of 3 or lower, 102 votes of 4 or higher.
The public has spoken, and BillG thumbs his nose at them. It's good to be the king. :-)
This is genius: "No one ever got boosomed to death." "We didn't want to go back to civilization and its discontents.... we were boys."
AbileneTexas wrote:
Texas talk radio includes guitar accompaniment? Out here on the West Coast talk radio generally involves talking. Boring, I know, but even the musical components are more episodic than consistent.
I thought I‘d mistakenly tuned into a talk radio station. Not a fan of this piece.
Texas talk radio includes guitar accompaniment? Out here on the West Coast talk radio generally involves talking. Boring, I know, but even the musical components are more episodic than consistent.
Sucks. And way too long. And not funny either.
flipchurn wrote:
Yes.
Arlo does this style better.
Yes.
I thought I‘d mistakenly tuned into a talk radio station. Not a fan of this piece.
SeriousLee wrote:
Waaaaaaayyyyy to long....
but im more impressed Winamp still works....
Not a very good song for background music while doing work on the computer. Actually very annoying. And damn is it ever long.
I'm listening with Winamp, so i can't PSD or hit NEXT.
I'm listening with Winamp, so i can't PSD or hit NEXT.
Waaaaaaayyyyy to long....
but im more impressed Winamp still works....
This, really cheered me up.
Not a very good song for background music while doing work on the computer. Actually very annoying. And damn is it ever long.
I'm listening with Winamp, so i can't PSD or hit NEXT.
I'm listening with Winamp, so i can't PSD or hit NEXT.
One of my favorite songs of all time - evokes so many memories. Plus Greg Brown is a great singer-song writer and to finally have heard this song live in Seattle (Thanks to Triple Door!) was amazing. Keep playing these great artist RP!
robca wrote:
Storytelling? That is not why I'm here. I'm here for the variety of music and haven't really listened to lyrics in years. It's all about the music and this song is seriously slow and his voice as an instrument is grating.
What has happened to the RP audience? Is it all frat boys now? This is seriously GOOD storytelling by Greg Brown. The kind of thing that will be remembered long after the crappy hits-of-the-day have passed into oblivion. Very disappointed with my fellow RP listeners right now. Why are you here?
Storytelling? That is not why I'm here. I'm here for the variety of music and haven't really listened to lyrics in years. It's all about the music and this song is seriously slow and his voice as an instrument is grating.
David Bromberg-like story teller tune that has me listening and remembering and laughing along with tears welling up feeling soft and warm damn
hayduke2 wrote:
Cheers!
beyond the music are the stories, the experiences of an artist and the beautifully played instruments nurturing effect on our senses, at the right time it's joy
terrific storytelling...shades of Arlo Guthrie and his dad. PLUS, you had to love the line "no one ever got bossomed to death"
Cheers!
beyond the music are the stories, the experiences of an artist and the beautifully played instruments nurturing effect on our senses, at the right time it's joy
terrific storytelling...shades of Arlo Guthrie and his dad. PLUS, you had to love the line "no one ever got bossomed to death"
Totally charming.
robca wrote:
Cheers!
beyond the music are the stories, the experiences of an artist and the beautifully played instruments nurturing effect on our senses, at the right time it's joy
What has happened to the RP audience? Is it all frat boys now? This is seriously GOOD storytelling by Greg Brown. The kind of thing that will be remembered long after the crappy hits-of-the-day have passed into oblivion. Very disappointed with my fellow RP listeners right now. Why are you here?
Cheers!
beyond the music are the stories, the experiences of an artist and the beautifully played instruments nurturing effect on our senses, at the right time it's joy
After a number of goes on the PSD button this popped up, I am off to music somewhere else free of Pink Floyd and Greg Brown
I love the storytelling in this song, beautiful. By far the best version of it is on his One Night Album, makes me smile every time 
DrGonzo wrote:
Only 13 you wimp!
i wouldn't really mind it, if it were just 7 or 8 minutes long... perhaps that's all it is, but it seems like 20!
Only 13 you wimp!
My nephew learned the Freedom Of Childhood this past summer. He stayed a month and a half back home with my Mom and Dad.
He was able to go out into the woods (not quite a 100 acre wood any longer, but close enough) and just play until dinner time.
Home is in the western portion of the Eastern Time Zone,in the U.P. of michigan. It doesn't get dark umtil 9-10 o'clock.
He's anounced he "Will Be Doing This Again Next Summer".
He even picked up a few "eh"s and "Yaknow"s while there.
He was able to go out into the woods (not quite a 100 acre wood any longer, but close enough) and just play until dinner time.
Home is in the western portion of the Eastern Time Zone,in the U.P. of michigan. It doesn't get dark umtil 9-10 o'clock.
He's anounced he "Will Be Doing This Again Next Summer".
He even picked up a few "eh"s and "Yaknow"s while there.
Ok, nice joke, now play some music?
Personally I find laughter infectious - I'll give it a 7 as it's just gone 9.30am in the UK and I needed cheering up 
ranesjr wrote:
What this "song" lacked in quality it more than made up for in length.
What has happened to the RP audience? Is it all frat boys now?
This is seriously GOOD storytelling by Greg Brown. The kind of thing that will be remembered long after the crappy hits-of-the-day have passed into oblivion.
Very disappointed with my fellow RP listeners right now. Why are you here?
meloman wrote:
But you're not alone. First time I've heard this, and find it every entertaining. Unfortunately, the spoken word and story-telling has taken a beating in the States over the past fifty years, as evidenced by the negative comments here.
i wouldn't really mind it, if it were just 7 or 8 minutes long... perhaps that's all it is, but it seems like 20!
paganpete wrote:
ITS CALLED FOLK MUSIC AND GREG BROWN DOES IT WELL!
i agree
it's too bad this wasn't the right time to hear this for so many, but I'm clock watching on a beautiful sunny day between the weekend and mid week civic holiday here in Montreal, and this song reminds me of being lakeside on a beautiful sunny day
Waaaaaaaaaaaay too long.......
(and not very good either)
What this "song" lacked in quality it more than made up for in length.
That was like a black hole in RP's flow 
redtex wrote:
This is a looooooooooong song.
Or does it just seem like it?
14 minutes or so, in case you want to take a break
esweazey73 wrote:
Alice's Restaurant is a song, with rhythem and melody -- this is spoken word to a guitar. It's jsut really hard to deal with at work.
There is a big difference between this and Alice's Restaurant, as you point out.
This is really hard to deal with anywhere.
I hope Bill shelves it for another 6 years.
I was just saying to myself, "Dear God, make this end!" and Bill cues up XTC's petulant "Dear God" to follow it.
Bill, whatever I did to deserve this, I'm sorry.
reason06 wrote:
do you think they are trolling for " I will pay if you just stop it now" pledges?
Hope not. Probably not. I was just trying anything I could think of to make it go away.
hey, I was desperate!
It really stopped!!!!
do you think they are trolling for " I will pay if you just stop it now" pledges?
Actually , I had the mute on for my last three posts,
the memory of it would not fade!
Okay! I'll support RP. Any amount. Promise.
Just please make the bad man stop talking!!
If you don't stop this now I will blow my head off. I'm holding the gun to my temple even now.
ITS CALLED FOLK MUSIC AND GREG BROWN DOES IT WELL!
This simply sucks. 
Alice's Restaurant is a song, with rhythem and melody -- this is spoken word to a guitar. It's jsut really hard to deal with at work.
big_gare wrote:
I love this tune. Reminiscent of Alices Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie maybe? Kind of cool though. Haters need to relax & let the tunes flow... Your faves are just around the corner.
:-)
This is really painful. It is like midly interesting, but horribly boring. I am trying to clean my house, and this is breaking my Mojo. I have to keep coming back to my computer and turing off mute to see if it is finally over.
This is just awful. Maybe if I had time to sit down and listen to the words, I could appreciate it. But, like many others, I listen to RP as background music while I work. And for that purpose, this "song" sucks.
big_gare wrote:
I love this tune. Reminiscent of Alices Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie maybe? Kind of cool though. Haters need to relax & let the tunes flow... Your faves are just around the corner.
:-)
most of the time , I would agree with you, but you can't do that with a song that lasts more than 10 minutes. And you don't fool me , you have things that irritate you too!
Ntropy wrote: 
I posted this, after 5 minutes of this song. made a work related phone call lasting approx. 3 minutes. And it's not done yet. Kill me now.
And in that time, the rating went from 4.3 to 3.4. An RP first. UGH.
I posted this, after 5 minutes of this song. made a work related phone call lasting approx. 3 minutes. And it's not done yet. Kill me now.I seem to remember this being played much more frequently years ago on RP; certainly it's been long enough since I heard it that I'm totally enjoying it now.
How the f*uck long is this?!?
QueenLucia wrote:
It will never end. It's been playing for at least 10 hours already and shows no signs of winding down. 
This could be the worst thing I have ever heard on RP...
Al_Koholic wrote:
Second time played in 6 years. I wonder why?
That's one too many if you ask me.
stop it.
Jelani wrote:
Ugh! I just had to drop this from a 2 to a 1.
You started with a 2?
Why do we cut slack for Alice's Restaurant but not this? For my money, to me this is funnier!
Maybe I'll tune into the local rush hour radio show. I'm positive the endless, breathless traffic reports will be more interesting than this. Man! It is still going! Please, make it stop.
Second time played in 6 years. I wonder why?
I love this tune. Reminiscent of Alices Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie maybe? Kind of cool though. Haters need to relax & let the tunes flow... Your faves are just around the corner.
:-)
eastcoast wrote:
pleeaase let it end!!!!!!! 
It will never end. It's been playing for at least 10 hours already and shows no signs of winding down.
Cy wrote:
I'm really surprised at the negative reaction to this piece. Yeah, it's a little on the long side, but I think it's an interesting and funny story song. Guess I'm swimming against the tide here... 
But you're not alone. First time I've heard this, and find it every entertaining. Unfortunately, the spoken word and story-telling has taken a beating in the States over the past fifty years, as evidenced by the negative comments here.
ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! music please :)
Yeah. OK. I have to agree. That one repetitive little riff and this interminable pointless story really goes on forever.
Ugh! I just had to drop this from a 2 to a 1.
phillips wrote:
UGH. is this over yet? i'm sure it might be funny if i could listen to the words, but while working, it's nice to actually have MUSIC. and, obviously, by looking at the ratings, most people agree.
HERE Here!!
What ever this is...it's making me sick
Ramble on.....can I throw a tomato?
Ramble on.....can I throw a tomato?auburntigerrich wrote: 
Garrison would handle this one well.
TOTALLY!!!
Garrison would handle this one well.UGH. is this over yet? i'm sure it might be funny if i could listen to the words, but while working, it's nice to actually have MUSIC. and, obviously, by looking at the ratings, most people agree.
pleeaase let it end!!!!!!!
I love story songs.
he should start talking about the Killer Whale Tank, methinks.
Jelani wrote:
You think this is funny?
No but half of the song is people laughing so I assumed that was the intent...
This is a looooooooooong song.
Or does it just seem like it?
Cool, a song about talking...? 
Bit over blown. James McMurtry could make three really good songs out of this.
Garrison would handle this one well.
Arlo does this style better.
sirrus wrote:
Mumbling comedy act?
You think this is funny?
This song is about as exciting as this "State of Iowa" he sings of. Is that in Canada?
SHUT UP.
TELL IT TO YOUR CHILDREN, NOT US.
I posted this, after 5 minutes of this song. made a work related phone call lasting approx. 3 minutes. And it's not done yet. Kill me now.Not a lot of Greg Brown lovers on here, very strange...
This song reminds me of my Grandma's farm house, she always had stuff in jars too... Those were happy times. Grandma is still kicking but lives by herself and can't garden or do much of anything anymore... I like how this song takes me back to those happy times...
Mumbling comedy act?
Cy wrote:
I'm really surprised at the negative reaction to this piece. Yeah, it's a little on the long side, but I think it's an interesting and funny story song. Guess I'm swimming against the tide here...
I want to hear music, If I wanted to hear inane chatter about boring subjects, I would take off my headphones and listen to my coworkers.
Is this Alanis Morissette in drag?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I\'m really surprised at the negative reaction to this piece. Yeah, it\'s a little on the long side, but I think it\'s an interesting and funny story song. Guess I\'m swimming against the tide here... :roll:
Oh good lord. I think I don\'t ever want to hear this song again.