Roy Zimmerman is taking his live show on tour aiming for all 50 (or settling for lower 48) states before the election. His website says: "Funny songs about ignorance, war and greed"

Tom Lehrer thanks Roy Zimmerman for "re introducing literacy to comedy songs"

He is funny, political and has a great voice that can mimic and carry off broadway and folk feel.

1. Roy Zimmerman - Saddam Shame
Faulty Intelligence - Meta4Records

2. Roy Zimmerman - I Approve this Message 501
thanks for the Support - Meta4records@aol

Live:  with Roy Zimmerman on the phone **[highlights of interview below]

Roy spoke about his state tour and he is now at about 22 States.

Is it all fair game in political satire?
R: Sure, though some issues are more tender

What is crossing a line?
R: I like to find the absurdaty in a situation (pleanty going around) and point it out.

Do you worry about offending? 
R:  used to feel audiences out, but they objected to that, so now I just do my show.

Is there a typical red and blue state audience reaction?
R: No. It depends more on the venue than the state.

Talk about Phil Ochs and the influence he had on you.
R: I discovered folk era through my uncle's record collection. I loved the theatrics of it. The slick show... etc.. then I listened in ernest and the heart of it popped out too. I wrote the foreman stuff and then my songs became more political.

Talk about visiting Tom Lehrer
R: A great chance to visit for a bit over an hour. We talked about rhymes, language, offensive songs, and I asked if he was heckled. He wasn't. He was just pointing out absurdity, and I was doing more of an agry young man kind of thing

Do you agree?
R: I'm politcally more intense than what he did. He made it a habit to keep the lights up so he wouldnt' see the audience. He felt more comfortable doing his show annonymously.

He suggested Phil's Circle of Friends completely caught my ear, out of the blue, satirical, rough language, a revolation to me at that point. The song goes on to the apathy of the general public. IT was a hit for 12 minutes cuz of the marijuana and was taken off radio.
He requested Vatican Rag. It entered my conciousness. I grew up in a conservative household, so older brothers of friends would play this. I learned so much from these songs.

We spoke about Karen and Charles cover of his defenders of marriage
I asked him who he would like to cover what.

He said Bruce Sprinstien covering ChickenHawk. "I just hear that in my head"

Speak a bit about Molly Ivans.

R: "I just love her, she was such a spirit. theres a quote of hers I put on my album liner notes...Keep on challenging the authorities, but don't forget to have fun"

Whats your next idea for a song thats not cooked yet?
R: Oh, people keep saying .. "where is your impeachment song?"


......So you have a few hours before you go tonight at 7pm...


3. Roy Zimmerman - Chickenhawk
Faulty Intelligence - www.royzimmerman.com

4. Phil Ochs - Small Circle of friends 343
Best of Phil Ochs: Millennium Collection - A & M
About the murder of Kitty GenoveseThe New York Times article  read: "Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didn't Call the Police"

5. Tom Lehrer - The Vatican Rag 214
That Was the Year that was - Reprise

6. Charlie King and Karen Brandow - (Zimmerman) Defenders of Marriage
On the Journey - charlieking.org

7. Chad Mitchell Trio - John Birch Society 346
At the Bitter End - Folk Era

Leaving the Zimmerman highlights to folk cuts about [and in] New York State.

8. Jen Cass - Standing In Your Memory (For Phil Ochs) 447
Accidental Pilgrimage - Blind Justice Music
(Bitter End on the cover)
I used Jen's cut as a good segue from the Roy Zimmerman portion of the show to the songs about New York State and New York City

9. Rod MacDonald - On the Road in New York Town 801
No Comercial Traffic- rodmacdonald.net

10. Kingston trio - New York Girls 237
From the "Hungry i" - Capitol

11. Tom Paxton - Daily News 221
Best of - Electra
The Daily News of New York City is the fifth most-widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 703,137, as of March 30, 2008. The first U.S. daily printed in tabloid form, it was founded in 1919.

12. We're about 9 - Brooklyn 235
I Stop Listening- WA9.org

13.  Car Talk Guys singing Coney Island Song .36

14.  Christine Lavin - Waiting for the B Train 320
Suway Series - christinelavin.com

15. Joe Crookston - Brooklyn in July
Able Baker Charlie and Dog - joecrookston.com

16. Erik Frandsen - Christmas in Brooklyn 322
Antiques:New and used - fresnoslim@netzero.net

17. Lou Reed - New York Conversation

18. Joni Mitchell - Chelsea Morning
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located to the south of Hell's Kitchen and the Garment District, and north of Greenwich Village, and the Meatpacking District that centers on West 14th Street. The Clinton's say that they named their daughter partly due to loving this song.

19. Suzanne Vega: Tom's Diner
Solitary Standing -  notes at: http://www.vega.net/rustedpipe/toms_diner.htm

20. Ellis Paul - Angel in Manhatton
Translucent Soul - Philo

21. Lucy Kaplansky - Brooklyn Train
Red Thread - Red House

22. Eric Garrison - Lehigh Valley Line
Looking for Egypt -  http://www.ericgarrison.net/

23. David Francey - Border Line 316
Torn Screen Door - www.davidfrancey.com/

24. We're About 9 - Albany
Engine - circanine.com

25. Joe Crookston - Blue Tattoo 453
Able Baker Charlie and Dog - joecrookston.com

26. Garnett Rogers - (R. MacDonald) American Jerusalem
The Outside Track - Snow Goose records

27. Julie Gold - Goodnight, New York 537
Dream Loud - Gadfly