Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Songs Of An Impotent Troubadour

" As urgently as Tiny sought talent, luck, and fame, urging himself to "never give up" the driving force in his journey has always been romance. To hear him speak of the perfect beauty of women and his 50 years of romantic pursuits is to realize that the romantic ballad of the early 20th century has always been his calling card, his elixir, his magic bouquet of flowers. Women born in the '70s can be swayed by his gift for recalling songs from the '20s, it turns out. I've seen it happen time and time again: a young girl will approach him at a shopping mall and introduce herself, and he, in front of whoever is passing by, will sing a song featuring the girl's name in the title or chorus as if she is the only woman on the planet. The girl, usually awestruck, will never again be as easily impressed by, "Hey, I've got Nine Inch Nails tickets-what's your name?" These songs, old and forgotten by the general populace, can paint an alluring, even intoxicating, picture of a perfect and waiting love, if delivered with confidence and mastery by the right troubadour."
Detour Magazine Aug1996. Written by Bucks Burnett.

Tiny Tim Discog

Tracklisting:
1 Welcome To Tiny Tim's World 2 The Ice Skaters Song - 1994 3 Poem For Elizabeth Taylor - 1947 4 You're The Only One - Song For Elizabeth Taylor 5 Tiny Tim's Search For The Magic Princess 6 The Destruction Of The Captain America Collection 7 Tiny Tim's Quest For Elizabeth Taylor 8 When I'm Feeling Sad - 1948 9 Jane - 1948 10 Our Little Secret - 1958 11 Stephanie - 1958 12 Pretty Baby - 1958 13 Don't Call Me Anymore - 1958 14 Whispering Voices - 1958 15 Heaven Only Knows - 1958 16 Dear Tuesday - 1960 17 Tiny Tim At The Café Bizarre 18 Hello Ellie Halsey - 1963 19 Tiny Tim At Page Three 20 If I Could Ride A Spaceship - 1964 21 Tiny Tim Records His 78 Classics 22 Spoiled - 1964 23 Just Another Girl Called Judy - 1964 24 Tiny Tim Receives "Siddhartha" From Miss Bluebell 25 The Tragedy Of Romance 26 Introducing Miss Dixie! 27 Forever Miss Dixie - 1982 28 Tiny Tim Meets The Eternal Princess 29 Jessica Hahn I - 1989 30 I Used To Love Jessica Hahn, But Now I Love Stephanie Bohn - 1990 31 Jessica Hahn II - 1989 32 Santa Claus Has Got The Aids This Year - 1980 33 She Left Me With The Herpes - 1980 34 The Ballad Of An Impotent Troubadour - 1995 - Tiny Tim 35 Just What Do You Mean By 'Antichrist'? - Tiny Tim with Current 93 and Nurse With Wound
info from brainwashed :
Sleeve Notes - An Impotent Troubadour A Valentine's Message From Tiny Tim. Why do I call myself by that name? Because it is true. However, I still yearn and love to sing love songs to young, beautiful girls. My private parts may not function too well, but my heart for love and romance is on fire. May this message give encouragement to those who are impotent - To keep singing Even if your bell stops ringing
Postscript: Since I wrote the above I have found, as the song says, "There may be life in the old boy yet". Certain fluctuations have occurred since I have been with Miss Sue. However, at this writing, things remain fairly the same. I am not encouraging, heaven forbid, sin; but in some sexual moments there has been life. I would still say, on the whole, everything remains the same. I want to thank Mr. Burnett; Mr. Tibet; Mr. Mike Dubonis, my friend for just being there; Miss Sue M. Gardner for the blind faith she has in loving the Impotent Troubadour and by doing so her faith in Jesus Christ exceeds the angels; Miss Barley Vogel for taking the greatest photograph of Miss Stephanie I have ever seen; and Miss Stephanie, the Eternal Princess, for allowing this picture of her and me to be used in this album. It is my pleasure and thrill to have Miss Stephanie's image on the Impotent Troubadour album. Tiny Tim, Valetine's Day, 1995
The Bemused Producer Writes... I FIRST learned that Tiny Tim was a songwriter in September 1982. We met on the 12th at a Dallas performance, and during an interview he played a song that he had written for his then current flame, Miss Dixie. In 1984, he played a song for me about Santa Claus having the "Aids". Around 1990, he played a song he had written about my friend Stephanie Bohn. When he played me another song about Tonya Harding in 1994, I asked him if he would ever consider recording all his of his original compositions for an album to showcase his song writing talent. he said he would undertake the task if I wanted to arrange the session. And so, on July 6, 1994, Tiny told his story. For three hours he spoke of his quest for romance, bursting into song and anecdote, as if he could neither control nor stop the unfolding drama. Amazingly, Tiny recalls each girl that he has met and loved in astounding detail. The humour and the warmth of these stories capture forever the unique experience that is Tiny Tim. The mood of the songwriting varies from serious to hilarious, and presents Tiny in a new light; fans may now enjoy him as a composer, as well as a performer. Big Bucks Burnett, Valentine's Day, 1995
Front cover: painting by Steven Stapleton; photograph courtesy of Donna Rose and Randy Reeves. Photograph on back of booklet by John Gasperick. Inner inlay photograph of Miss Stephanie and Tiny Tim by Barley Vogel. Photograph of Big Bucks Burnett by Stephanie Bohn. Back cover portrait by Danny Hurley for his kindness in letting us use his photograph of Tiny Tim. Recorded July 6, 1994. Engineered by Phil York. Album concept by Big Bucks Burnett © Durtro 1995. all songs (p) Ourbouros 1995, except "Forever Miss Dixie", which is originally (p) Street Of Dreams 1982, and which has been kindly assigned to Ourbouros for the purpose of this release only. All songs by Tiny Tim, except "Heaven Only Knows", which was co-written by Tiny Tim and Bob Gonzalez.
On My Knees Before The Eternal Troubadour From the first moment I heard Tiny Tim, I wanted to give him a Trophy. He arrived straight up into the ranks of my two classic heroes, Louis Wain and Arthur Machen. This is a world where purity dare not show its face; where honesty is crushed by heartless wretches and hypocrites; where the sweet songs and sentiments of yesteryear are cynically scorned. But Thank God for Tiny Tim. A man who is aware of the deepest abysses of human nature - and of the goldentipped heights of heaven on earth to which only romance can bring us. It is my great pleasure and honour to be involved with this album; Tiny Tim sings from the heart - his heart - and from his experience. He's tramped the tearstained streets of showbusiness, looking for that fabled golden paving stone. And he has found it. But not in that Great Beast, that Scarlet Woman, that painted hussy that drips insincerity in her lie-by-numbers "entertainment" industry of today. Let me tell you his secret: he has found it in the fairytale world of beautiful women, where romance is never ending - if only you know how to read her book aright... This album reveals the inner Tiny Tim; listen and you will hear the truth that calls out from the soul of An Impotent - and Eternal! - Troubadour. May God bless Tiny Tim - and never, never stop blessing him!And thank you for your support Miss Kat, Mr. Stapleton, Mr. Burnett, Mr. Sharp, Mr. Balance, Mr. P., Mr. Rice, Miss Allegra, Miss Alison, Mr., Gibson, Mr. Trench, Mr. Blackburn, Miss Babs and, of course, Mr. Tiny Tim himself. Tiny asked me to point out that the "Aids" referred to in his classic composition "Santa Claus Has Got The Aids This Year" refers to the well-known weight-reducing candy bar, not the terrible disease, which came into the headlines some years after he wrote his song. I also wish to mention that this album does not contain all of Tiny's self-penned compositions, such as his wonderful tribute to Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, "Why Did They have To Go?", and a couple of other songs which were felt to be too personal to be included here. For this recording of "Just What Do You Mean By 'Antichrist'?", Current 93 and Nurse With Wound eternally lie and cry: David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, David Kenny, Cho Youngsou, with vocals by Tiny Tim. David Michael Tibet, Tinyland, London, Valentine's Day, 1995

Photograph below from Detour and by Stephen Stickler.

p.s.I can't find Tiny's Christmas album. If anyone could lend a hand...



8 comments:

Perro D Chrome said...

Your blog is very wonderfull, I added to mi blog list

armeur H said...

i like so much this guy ! when I heard to antony & the johnsons, i always think about Tiny Tim ! thanks waso !

wassonii said...

i love tiny tim and it's a pleasure to share the oop herein!

b3A7n1k said...

I saw Tiny Tim play in 1988 with the Moody Blues as part of a national holiday celebration that used to happen in the park in Austin every year. The show was FREE! He was a really weird guy but his devotion to the old crooners of the 'teens and '20s was very exciting to behold. No one remembers Nick Lucas or Billy Murray anymore but these crooners of the past were Tiny's heroes. I just may be able to get my hands on some Christmas music of his. If it's not already posted, it'll eventually make it on Kamikaze Conniptions. I'll let you know either way. Keep up the good work!

wassonii said...

Fudgeland has a great set of his from 1968. I think the link is still good. Amazing show. Each song has an intro and little story.
Really good quality, too.
You are lucky to have gotten to see Tim. Odd and eccentric, for sure, but a walking, playing catalogue. I've got a copy of Record Collector with a great article from David Tibet. I'll try to find that and post.
Tiny's Christmas album from World Serpent is what I seek most.
Thank you. I'm keeping an eye out for hard copy, too.

Anonymous said...

http://rapidshare.com/files/167526187/Tiny_Tim_-_Christmas_Album.rar

found it

wassonii said...

SCORE!
Thank you:)

Anonymous said...

Tiny Tim was amazing!!!