Barefoot Boy

bycosmicradio

5.9K followers

9 years ago

Legendary Art and Music Supporter, Tom Reese, Opened His Beaux Arts Gallery and Coffee House in Pinellas Park, Florida, in 1950.

It Would Become a Cultural Oasis For Many Famous Performers, Including Novelist and Poet, Jack Kerouac (Author of "On the Road"), Beat Generation Poet, Allen Ginsberg, and Jim Morrison, Poet, Songwriter, and Lead Singer of the Doors.

Morrison Was Attending St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, Florida, at the Time.

His First Attempts at Poetry, Preceeding the Formation of the Doors, Were Tried Out On the Crowd at the Beaux.

Years After a Devastating Fire at the Pinellas Park Gallery, I Performed Many of My Early Songs For an Always Appreciative Crowd at the Second Incarnation of the Beaux, on Central Avenue, in St Petersburg.

Every Saturday Night, For Many Years, Myself and Many Other Local and National Artists Took the Stage at Tom's House and Art Gallery. Tom Was Well Into His 80's By Then.

Tom Ruled the Stage With an Iron Fist, Kicking Out Anyone Who Dared To Be Less Than Courteous to Performers. During Performances, You Could Literally Hear a Pin Drop. Tom Would Accept No Less. We Appreciated It!

Tom Reese, Dedicated Patron of the Arts, Died in 2006, at 89.

One of the Individuals Who Performed Regularly at the Beaux Was a Man Named Andrew. While Undoubtedly Talented, He Invariably Arrived Late, Which Frustrated Tom To No End, and He Then Proceeded To Play Very Long, Drawn Out Songs, Which None of Us Had Never Heard Before.

Andrew and Tom Engaged in Several Loud, Heated Arguments.

Rumor Had It That Andrew Used To Be the Front Man For a Band, Back in the Day.

He Also Never Wore Shoes!

I Wrote the Following Song About Andrew...

BAREFOOT BOY

He's the Singer in a Band,

He'll Tell You All About the Universe,

He's the Singer in a Band,

Stream of Consciousness Permeates His Rhyme and Verse,

Got Nuthin' Ta Lose,

He Don't Wear No Shoes,

People Say He's Just a Barefoot Boy,

People Say He's Just a Barefoot Boy.

Barefoot Boy,

Oh, What a Joy To Behold,

And, Whether the Weather

Is Hot or Cold,

Or the Crowd

Is Young or Old,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy.

He Got an Old Guitar,

Looks Like its Been Through the War,

People Listen To His Songs,

And They Just Want More,

It's Not An Instrument of Salvation,

But, it's More Than a Toy,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy.

Barefoot Boy,

Oh, What a Joy To Behold,

And, Whether the Weather

Is Hot or Cold,

Or the Crowd

Is Young or Old,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy.

And When He Plays,

His Foot Keeps Time,

And the Music Plays

Inside His Mind,

Seeking Truth

To Save Mankind,

Call Him Crazy,

Call Him Sublime,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy.

Barefoot Boy,

Oh, What a Joy To Behold,

And, Whether the Weather

Is Hot or Cold,

Or the Crowd

Is Young or Old,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy.

And When He Plays,

His Foot Keeps Time,

And the Music Plays

Inside His Mind,

Seeking Truth

To Save Mankind,

Call Him Crazy,

Call Him Sublime,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy.

Barefoot Boy,

Oh, What a Joy To Behold,

And, Whether the Weather

Is Hot or Cold,

Or the Crowd

Is Young or Old,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy.

He's Just a Barefoot Boy,

He's Just a Barefoot Boy.