He was best known as a pioneer of the acoustic blues revival, but his work ranged from old English ballads to Bertolt Brecht, rock, New Orleans jazz, and swing. He was a pioneer of instrumental ragtime guitar, as well as an early supporter of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, among many others. Van Ronk was very influential on the music scene in New York City in the 1960s.
His professional musical career started when he moved from Brooklyn to Queens in 1951 and started doing pick-up work in traditional jazz outfits.
Van Ronk died of colorectal cancer (colon cancer) in 2002.
Last Call
Dave Van Ronk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of poetry and poses,
And each man knows hell be alone
When the sacred ginmill closes.
And so well drink the final glass
Each to his joy and sorrow
And hope the numbing drink will last
And when we stumble back again
Like paralytic dancers
Each knows the question he must ask
And each man knows the answer.
And so well drink the final drink
that cuts the brain in sections
Where answers do not signify
And there arent any questions.
I broke my heart the other day.
It will mend again tomorrow.
If Id been drunk when I was born
Id be ignorant of sorrow.
And so well drink the final toast
That never can be spoken:
Heres to the heart that is wise enough
To know when its better off broken.
The song "Last Call" by Dave Van Ronk is a melancholic and nostalgic tribute to the end of a night of drinking and poetry. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the piece, as the singer reflects on the fleeting nature of human connection and laments the inevitability of loneliness. Despite the camaraderie and shared experience of the evening, each man present knows that come closing time, he will be left to face his own inner demons alone.
The second stanza continues in this vein, expressing a hope that the alcohol will provide a temporary respite from the painful realities of life. The motif of dancers who can barely stand, weaving and stumbling their way home, creates a vivid mental image of the physical and emotional toll that the night's revelries have exacted on the men. The final lines of the stanza emphasize the individual nature of people's struggles, even in the midst of a social gathering. Each person has their own questions to ask and answer, and the alcohol only serves to give them temporary escape from such introspection.
Line by Line Meaning
And so weve had another night
Of poetry and poses,
We have finished another night of superficial interaction and performance.
And each man knows hell be alone
When the sacred ginmill closes.
Every person realizes they will be alone when the bar closes.
And so well drink the final glass
Each to his joy and sorrow
And hope the numbing drink will last
Til opening tomorrow.
We will drink our final drinks, toasting to both happy and sad moments, hoping the effects of the alcohol last until the next night at the bar.
And when we stumble back again
Like paralytic dancers
Each knows the question he must ask
And each man knows the answer.
When we return next time, stumbling like uncoordinated dancers, we all know what question we need to ask ourselves and we all know our own answer.
And so well drink the final drink
that cuts the brain in sections
Where answers do not signify
And there arent any questions.
The last drink we have is so strong that it makes our brains numb, rendering answers and questions meaningless.
I broke my heart the other day.
It will mend again tomorrow.
If Id been drunk when I was born
Id be ignorant of sorrow.
I recently experienced heartbreak, but I know it will heal in time. If I were born drunk, I wouldn't know or understand what sorrow is.
And so well drink the final toast
That never can be spoken:
Heres to the heart that is wise enough
To know when its better off broken.
Let's toast to the people who have the wisdom to recognize when their heart is better off shattered and broken.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: DAVE VAN RONK, WRITER UNKNOWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gergely Rozs
And so we've had another night
of poetry and poses,
and each man knows he'll be alone
when the sacred ginmill closes.
And so we'll drink the final glass
each to his joy and sorrow
and hope the numbing drunk will last
til opening tomorrow.
And when we stumble back again
like paralytic dancers
each knows the questions he will ask
and each man knows the answers.
And so we'll drink the final drink
that cuts the brain in sections
where answers never signify
and there aren't any questions.
I broke my heart the other day.
It'll mend again tomorrow.
If I'd been drunk when I was born
I'd be ignorant of sorrow.
And so we'll drink the final toast
that never can be spoken:
Here's to the heart that's wise enough
to know when it's better off broken.
bodpet71
A versek és a pózok után
Az éj már a végére jár,
És mindenki magára marad,
Ha a szent kocsma is bezár.
Ledöntjük hát utolsó italt,
Ki búra, ki örömre iszik,
Reméljük, hogy eltompít a pia
Egészen másnap reggelig.
Aztán megint betántorgunk,
Béna táncosok hada,
Mindenki tudja a kérdést,
S a választ is mindenki tudja.
Szóval ledöntjük az utolsó piát,
Ami jól szétmarja az agyat,
Ahol már nem érdekes a kérdés,
És egy válasz se marad.
Pár napja széttört a szívem,
De rendben lesz holnapra.
Most nem érezném a fájdalmat,
Ha részegen születtem volna.
Szóval koccintunk egy utolsót,
Köszöntő nincs, csak a pohár,
Igyunk a szívre, amely elég bölcs,
Hogy tudja: meghasadva jobban jár.
(Pék Zoltán fordítása)
😀😀😀
Mke Wbr
I saw the Mayor of McDougal Street four (i think) times at Blind Willy's here in Atlanta.
The first time was two days after i saw The Washington Squares at the Cotton Club - and it was fascinating to hear such different versions of such songs as "He Was a Friend of Mine". (The Squares were great - an excellent tribute band, as it were, to van Ronk's original era and music in the Village).
The last time i saw van Ronk, i took my girlfriend (now my second wife), who really didn't know about him; it was something like six months before he died; and it was a great set, as always. If he was there at all, he gave 110%.
=====
One of the times i saw him, he told a story about this song - he was outdrinking with Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell (and isn't THAT a three-way parlay), and the next day, he found this written in his pocket notebook.
And he didn't recognise the handwriting.
And neither did Cohen or Mitchell.
He said that they told him that, since it was in his notebook, he was stuck with it.
翁放
可能因為有點年紀了，這幾個月，晚上幾乎不出門，朋友邀宴也都不太起勁。白天到圖書館陸續借了勞倫斯．卜洛克寫的「馬修．史卡徳」系列共17本推理小說，晚上窩在床上細細的看，若眼乏稍息則覆書胸前閉目假寐，或許床燈未滅不知不覺就墜入夢鄉循著書香到紐約與馬修把酒言歡。
勞倫斯．卜洛克（Lawrence Block）被譽為歐美當代冷硬派偵探小說書寫第一人。1938年出生於紐約水牛城，並以該城為主要背景，從事推理文學創作，並獲得「紐約犯罪風景的行吟詩人」美譽。
卜洛克曾七度榮獲愛倫坡獎、十次夏姆斯獎、四次安東尼獎、兩次馬爾他之鷹獎、2004年英國犯罪作家協會鑽石匕首獎，以及法、德、日等國所頒發推理大獎。2002年，繼1994年愛倫坡獎當局頒發終身大師獎之後，他也獲得夏姆斯終身成就獎。2005年，知名線上雜誌《Mystery Ink》警察獎（Gumshoe Award）同樣以「終身成就獎」表彰他對犯罪推理小說的貢獻。
「馬修．史卡徳」是卜洛克最受歡迎的系列。馬修．史卡徳是書中主角也是一名酒鬼，因為一件意外，他辭去任職15年的警察而改做私家偵探。然而酗酒的問題揮之不去，在無數次酒後喪失記憶的痛苦經歷中，他終於覺悟必須戒酒。因此，他每天去戒酒無名會（匿名）報到，藉著聽聽別人的戒酒經驗或說說自己的酗酒糗事，最後終於成功戒酒。也因此，他偵察案子的過程不時穿插有他的戒酒經歷。我懷疑作者卜洛克以前也是酒鬼，不然他對紐約的戒酒協會不會那麼如數家珍！對紐約的酒店不會那麼瞭若指掌！所描寫酗酒的經驗，不是過來人也不能寫得如此真切！
我這幾天在看那本「酒店關門之後」，其中提到一首歌－Last Call（最後的點酒），歌詞描寫在酒店喝酒的心路歷程。我年少輕狂歲月也和馬修一樣，曾經沈迷酒鄉難以自拔，現在回頭看歌詞意境別有所感。Last Call的詞曲作者及演唱者都是Dave Van Ronk( 戴維·范·洛克，1936~2002)，他是美國民謠浪潮中的重要歌手。這首Last Call據說是他和其他歌手徹夜狂歡飲酒後，發現一張紙上寫著這首歌的歌詞，在無人承認的情況下，他只好假設是他寫的。
*********************
Last Call的歌詞中譯如下：
於是，我們又過了一夜，
吟誦表演什麼都來，
每個人都知道他終會孤寂，
在酒店關門之後。
於是我們乾掉這最後一杯，
敬每個人的歡喜與哀愁，
但願這杯酒的勁道，
能撐到明天酒店開門。
我們踉蹌走出酒店，
像一群麻木不仁的舞者，
每個人都知道他必須問什麼，
每個人也都知道答案會是什麼。
所以我們乾掉這最後一杯，
酒如利刃腦子碎成片片，
反正答案一點也不重要，
問題也就無人提及。
我那天心碎不已，
但明天自然又能修補完好，
如果我帶著醉意出生，
我或許會忘掉所有悲傷。
所以我們乾掉這最後一杯，
有一句話我們永遠不說出來：
誰有一顆玲瓏剔透的心，
他就會曉得何時心碎。
*********************
以前，愛喝酒的我們也都曾有過同樣經驗──
夜深舉杯看錶，不是怕太晚回家，而是怕酒店太早打烊；
酒店關門前的最後一杯永遠喝不完，酒保無奈的看我們不停的去拿最後一瓶酒，或許我們也都沒把握，最後一杯酒的勁道能否撐到明天酒店開門時；
我們都知道，杯觥交錯間的詰問是必要的，明知答案是什麼也得問，不是因為答案是什麼，而是乾杯總得要有個理由；
臨走時，不適宜帶回家的記憶就留在酒店裡，明天再來會合。今天帶著醉意回家或許就會忘掉所有自我期許卻屢屢落空的悲傷。日本人說：酒店是守護記憶的場所！我認為更貼切的說法是：酒店是存放記憶的倉庫，但不負保管之責。我們也曾纏綿宿醉酒精未退而於夢中驚醒，眼泛紅絲，口乾舌燥，頭痛欲裂，張目四望卻不知身在何處？只記得昨天傍晚的萬丈豪情，其後的記憶一片空白。消失的記憶或許曾經停佇在酒店某個角落，也或者曾經在酒店椅腳下彳亍，但現在消失不見，好像不曾存在過，再也找不回來了。這種無法掌控自己的驚恐終於趨動馬修戒酒。
我已年逾花甲，不再保有玲瓏剔透的心，長年養成的自衛機制讓心肌日漸軟軔，只會胸悶、胃脹、心肌梗塞，心不再能像玻璃般碎裂。然而不會心碎的日子，只能垂著頭窩在籐椅上，眯著渾濁的雙眼，看著日子快速流逝！
Dave Van Ronk的歌聲，蒼涼、粗獷、沙啞，刻意不用伴奏，好像遠處荒原傳來的狼嚎。在漆黑的土丘上，月白風清，形單影孤的老狼，伸長脖子卻又佝僂後背，費力嘶吼唱出酒鬼的心聲！
《Last Call》原文歌詞
And so we've had another night
of poetry and poses,
and each man knows he'll be alone
when the sacred ginmill closes.
And so we'll drink the final glass
each to his joy and sorrow
and hope the numbing drink will last
Til opening tomorrow.
And when we stumble back again
like paralytic dancers
each knows the question he must ask
and each man knows the answer.
And so we'll drink the final drink
that cuts the brain in sections
where answers do not signify
and there aren't any questions.
I broke my heart the other day.
It will mend again tomorrow.
If I'd been drunk when I was born
I'd be ignorant of sorrow.
And so we'll drink the final toast
that never can be spoken:
Here's to the heart that is wise enough
to know when it's better off broken.
Bill L
As with everybody else Lawrence Block brought me to Dave Van Ronk. As with Last Call most of his songs are very raw. It's a shame he didn't get more recognition
DaveGilmour
Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder novel, When The Sacred Gin Mill Closes brought me here. I didn't expect this. It's really very good, I've listened to it 3 times already!
Bill Barnes
Yep, followed the same path to hear this song.
Skwert Ball
I had a similar experience with the author, book, and locating the song. It means a lot to me, since I am SUCH an alcoholic.
Mathieu Smeets
Lawrence Block made me look this up.
Simcha Baruch
Kurt Vonnegut brought me here.
I think he would have liked YouTube, it is a lot like calling "information" to find an old friend.
Caren Wierenga
Same reason brought me here...re-reading Block’s Matthew Scudder.
wuhts
Just finished re-reading When The Sacred Ginmill Closes and had to hear this. Perfect. Love Lawrence Block and his Matt Scudder.
Daily Devotiona Diva
I love Lawrence Block and series character Matthew Scudder. "When The Sacred Gin Mill Closes" is my fav of his many books, so I was curious about this song. Glad I found it!
Mathew Gruman
As with the other two, Lawrence Block brought me here. Definitely a song I could see being used as the trailer for a possible When The Sacred Ginmill Closes movie. And probably the end credits, too.
I'll have to go check out more of this guy's stuff, I like his voice.