Saturday, May 17, 2008

Mooses for Youses



Arlo Guthrie was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1947. He is the son of the famous folk singer, Woody Guthrie. (Seen here with brother Jack) Woody is in the driver's seat.

Arlo has been performing since he was 13. He had an interesting time at the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Bethel, NY when he walked out and fell into a deep cable hole in the stage.

Over the last four decades Guthrie has toured just about everywhere, telling amusing stories, playing the piano, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, and other instruments. He has performed with his bright and talented children, Cathy, Abe and Sarah Lee Guthrie. Cathy performs hilarious naughty songs in a serious folk style with her group Folk Uke.


He was nominated for a grammy award for Best Musical Album for Children in 1997. And sang "This Land is Your Land" alongside the voice of his father Woody Guthrie.

He is also author of an award-winning children's book "Mooses Come Walking" illustrated by the talented Alice May Brock who was immortalized by Guthrie in the song "Alice's Restaurant." Brock's sweet illustrations of friendly mooses ambling around the hills and looking into the window of a house they come across are perfect for the short simple text. Little ones love this book and find the poem easy to memorize.

"Mooses come walking over the hill

Mooses come walking, they rarely stand still

When mooses come walking they go where they will

When mooses come walking over the hill

Mooses look into your window at night

They look to the left and they look to the right

The mooses are smiling, they think it's a zoo

And that's why the mooses like looking at you

So, if you see mooses while lying in bed

It's best to just stay there pretending you're dead

The mooses will leave and you'll get the thrill

Of seeing the mooses go over the hill."
~ Arlo Guthrie

Guthrie at bar with Baez, Elliott, and Dylan.