Gerde's Folk City
Gerdes Folk City (sometimes spelled Gerde's Folk City) was a music venue in the West Village, part of Greenwich Village, Manhattan, in New York City. Initially opened as a restaurant called Gerdes, by owner Mike Porco, it eventually began to present occasional incidental music. First located at 11 West 4th Street (in a building which no longer exists), it moved in 1970 to 130 West 3rd Street. It closed in 1987. On January 26, 1960, Gerdes turned into a music venue called The Fifth Peg, in cooperation with Izzy Young, the director of the Folklore Center. The Fifth Peg's debut bill was gospel folk singer Brother John Sellars and Ed McCurdy, writer of the anti-war classic "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream". Porco and Young had a falling-out, and on June 1, 1960, Gerdes Folk City was officially born with a bill featuring folksingers Carolyn Hester and Logan English. At this time Gerdes Folk City was booked by a folk enthusiast Charlie Rothschild (who later became Judy Collins' longtime manager) and English. Gerdes Folk City was suddenly one of the central music venues of the era. It became one of the most influential American music clubs, before finally losing its lease in 1987. "Rolling Stone Book of Lists" called Folk City one of the three top music venues in the world, along with The Cavern and CBGB. Folk City helped to launch the careers of several world-renowned musical stars from Bob Dylan to Sonic Youth, and showcased numerous music styles from folk to alternative rock.
Folk City
Two girls for every boy….
I got a Hohner harmonica and a Vox 12 string.
Folk City here we come.
You know there's lots of protest songs that I wanna sing.
Folk City here we come.
I’m going to sing all the words like Bob Dylan does,
About where it’s at and where it was.
Yeah I’m goin’ Folk City cause I got to unwind
You know I’m goin’ to Folk City, got to blow my mind
You know I’m goin’ to Folk City cause I got to unwind
Yeah goin’ to Folk City got to blow my mind
Two Girls for every boy….
I am getting bugged with this feeling of being uptight.
Folk City here we come.
I’m gunna find me a chick who does everything right.
Folk City here we come.
So take a trip with me and we will be all alone,
In the jingle jangle morning like a Rolling Stone.
And I’m goin’ Folk City cause I got to unwind
You know I’m goin’ to Folk City, got to blow my mind
You know I’m goin’ to Folk City cause I got to unwind
You know I’m goin’ to Folk City got to blow my mind
Two girls for every boy….
So go away from my window come round to my door
Folk City here we come.
Cause if you wanna be in that’s what it’s for.
Folk City here we come.
To be a little more than friends is all I want to do,
And say “I would be me and, and why when were through?”
And I’m goin’ Folk City cause I got to unwind
You know I’m goin’ to Folk City, got to blow my mind
You know I’m goin’ to Folk City cause I got to unwind
You know I’m goin’ to Folk City got to blow my mind