According to Bob Dylan's autobiographical Chronicles, Woody Guthrie gave his unpublished songs to Dylan but Bob was unable to get them from Guthrie's family (he tells a story about a reluctant babysitter).
Nora Guthrie's liner notes in Mermaid Avenue indicate that it was her intention that the songs be given to a new generation of musicians who would be able to make the songs relevant to a younger generation. She therefore contacted singer-songwriter Billy Bragg in spring 1995 about recording some unreleased songs by her father, folk singer Woody Guthrie. Most of the songs were written late in Guthrie's life when he was unable to record due to the motor impairments of Huntington's disease. By the 1990s, Woody Guthrie had become a "relic" to the MTV generation, and Nora sought to establish a different legacy for the musician. To Nora, Bragg was "the only singer I knew taking on the same issues as Woody." Bragg was concerned, however, that his fans would not realize that the songs were written by Guthrie when he performed them on tour, so he decided to record the album with another band.
Bragg contacted Tweedy and Bennett about co-recording the album while Wilco was on the European segment of their Being There tour. Bragg was particularly fond of Being There because their influences extended farther back than the 1950s. Although Tweedy was indifferent to the offer, Bennett was enthused about recording songs of one of his idols—Bennett's previous band Titanic Love Affair was named after a Billy Bragg lyric. A recording contract between Bragg and Wilco was signed after a show at Shepherd's Bush Empire. Bragg mostly recorded the politically-charged lyrics, while Tweedy preferred to record lyrics that showcased Guthrie as a "freak weirdo." The recording of Mermaid Avenue began on December 12, 1997, and was the topic of BBC's Man in the Sand documentary film.
Tempers flared between Bragg and Wilco after the album was completed. Bennett believed that Bragg was overproducing his songs, a sharp contrast to Wilco's sparser contributions. Bennett called Bragg about the possibility of remixing Bragg's songs, to which Bragg responded with "you make your record, and I'll make mine, fucker." Eventually Bragg sent copies of his recordings to Chicago for Bennett to remix, but Bragg refused to use the new mixes on the album. The two parties were unable to establish a promotional tour and quarreled over royalties and guest musician fees.
Despite these conflicts, the album was released on June 23, 1998, and sold over 277,000 copies. The album received rave reviews from Robert Christgau and Rolling Stone, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. It also placed fourth on the Pazz & Jop critics poll for 1998 (right behind Bob Dylan's Live 1966).
Joe DiMaggio Done It Again
Billy Bragg & Wilco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Clackin' that bat, gone with the wind
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Some folks thought Big Joe was done
Some just figured Joe was gone
Steps to the platter with a great big grin
I'm gonna tell you just the way I feel
Man can't run without his heel
Watch that raggy pill split the wind
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
All three fielders jumped their best
Trying to climb that high board fence
They all growed whiskers on their chins
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Up along the clouds where the eagles roam
Joe cracked that ball to whine and moan
His buddies all laugh as they trot on in
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Grandma's home by the radio
On the television watching Joe
She jerks the beard off of Grandpa's chin
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
The puppy dog barked at the pussycat
How does it look from where you sat?
Looks like a cyclone slidin' in
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
The song "Joe DiMaggio Done It Again" is a tribute to the famous baseball player Joe DiMaggio, who was an icon in American culture during his time. The lyrics revolve around the excitement and amazement that people felt when they saw DiMaggio's accomplishments on the field. The repetition of the first line, "Joe DiMaggio's done it again," emphasizes the impact that DiMaggio's successes had on people, and how it was always a surprise when he achieved something new.
The second and third stanzas address the doubt that some people may have had about DiMaggio's abilities, but then contrasts that with his confident demeanor as he steps up to the plate. The fourth stanza speaks to the power and speed of DiMaggio's swing, while also referencing the importance of having strong footing. The fifth stanza describes the futile attempts of the fielders to catch the ball, and how even their facial hair seemed to grow as they scrambled to reach it. The sixth stanza paints a vivid picture of the baseball soaring into the clouds, and DiMaggio's teammates laughing with glee as they score.
The last stanza provides a bit of levity, as it describes an older couple, with the woman elatedly watching Joe on the television, and yanking on her husband's beard in excitement. Finally, the song ends with a whimsical image of a dog barking at a cat, while DiMaggio's latest achievement is likened to a "cyclone sliding in." In essence, the song pays tribute to a beloved sports figure who inspired awe and wonder among his fans.
Line by Line Meaning
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Joe DiMaggio, an American baseball player, has succeeded again
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Joe DiMaggio, an American baseball player, has succeeded again
Clackin' that bat, gone with the wind
Joe DiMaggio hit the ball far with the sound of his bat clacking
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Joe DiMaggio, an American baseball player, has succeeded again
Some folks thought Big Joe was done
People assumed Joe DiMaggio was no longer talented
Some just figured Joe was gone
Others thought Joe DiMaggio was no longer in the game
Steps to the platter with a great big grin
Joe DiMaggio walks to the home plate with a wide smile
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Joe DiMaggio, an American baseball player, has succeeded again
I'm gonna tell you just the way I feel
The singer states his feelings about Joe DiMaggio's success
Man can't run without his heel
Joe DiMaggio's success is essential to the song's speaker
Watch that raggy pill split the wind
The baseball flies far and fast through the air
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Joe DiMaggio, an American baseball player, has succeeded again
All three fielders jumped their best
The three fielders all tried their hardest
Trying to climb that high board fence
The fielders attempted to catch the baseball as it flew over the fence
They all growed whiskers on their chins
The fielders started to grow beards out of stress from trying to catch the ball
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Joe DiMaggio, an American baseball player, has succeeded again
Up along the clouds where the eagles roam
The baseball goes high into the sky
Joe cracked that ball to whine and moan
Joe DiMaggio hit the ball so hard, it made a sound as if it were moaning
His buddies all laugh as they trot on in
Joe DiMaggio's teammates laugh and walk back to the dugout
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Joe DiMaggio, an American baseball player, has succeeded again
Grandma's home by the radio
Grandma is listening to the baseball game on the radio
On the television watching Joe
Someone else is watching the game on TV
She jerks the beard off of Grandpa's chin
Grandma pulls Grandpa's beard out of excitement
Joe DiMaggio's done it again
Joe DiMaggio, an American baseball player, has succeeded again
The puppy dog barked at the pussycat
A dog barked at a cat during the game
How does it look from where you sat?
Someone asks a spectator for their perspective on the game
Looks like a cyclone slidin' in
The action and excitement of the game are compared to a natural disaster
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEPHEN WILLIAM BRAGG, WOODY GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind