Singer-songwriter (1912–1967) best known for such iconic folk songs as “This Land Is Your Land,” which glories in the spirit of the American landscape and its people. Unsigned handwritten lyrics, written in pencil on an 8 x 12.5 vertically lined sheet, April 20, 1946. A rare and thought-provoking find. After the sad and unfortunate death of his daughter Cathy, who lost her life in a fire at the age of just four years old, singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie penciled these heartbreaking lyrics. Guthrie is best remembered for iconic folk classics such as “This Land Is Your Land,” and the poetry that courses through his expressive renditions is made even more obvious in this very personal comment. The untitled and likely unpublished work goes: “Cathy on guitar, guitar lays on rug and Cathy sits playing on strings and talking: Hm hm hm hm/This is how the little kitten sounds/ hm hm hm hm/And this is how the mama cat sounds and the mama cat is in the lake/hm hm hm/and the big daddy cat sees the mommy in the water and here is how he sounds/And he sees hears the little baby cat/Hm hm hm hm/And the little baby cat is crying/He is crying on the sand/He is crying for his Mommy in the water/mmm mmm mmm/And the Daddy kitty goes this way/ mm mm mm/And do you know what the daddy cat done?/no?/mm mm/no?/Don't you?/Don't you know?/Did he jump into the water and pull the mama cat out?/I don't know/ mm mm/I don't know.” The page bearing this sad artistic revelation is in very good condition with three negligible horizontal folds, small tears and creases along the top right, and unobtrusive ink marks at the left edge. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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