The Enlightening of David California
When Ruthie says come see her
In her honky-tonk lagoon
Where I can watch her waltz for free
'Neath her Panamanian moon
An’ I say, "Aw come on now
You must know about my debutante"
An’ she says, "Your debutante just knows what you need
But I know what you want"
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
("Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again" ~ Bob Dylan)
"Rome: a group of people were in the audience one night at the Folk Studio. After my set: "Darlin Companion", "Mobile.." etc. they invited me to join them for dinner in nearby Santa Maria - this happened quite frequently fortunately ! They were filming "The Statue" with David Niven and. I got friendly with Roger Christian, one of the art directors on the movie.
Now then, by now I was well versed in the art of Rome, not sculpture or paintings, but the colourful places and people. So I showed Roger around! (He returned the favour when I got back to England by putting me up in his garden flat in the house of Jon Pertwee (Dr. Who) in Hammersmith, London ). Christian and I both had a scene with a French woman called Danielle, a beauty who was married to a handsome but staid Californian businessman: David! These affairs were always short lived and as it happens David took a shine to me - he wanted to get out there, taste reality and burn his tie! So he suggests a trip down South to the Island of Capri: me with my guitar to pull the chicks, and him with his bread that had ruled his life and he was sick of. Say no more!
Up he rocks, in his convertible Alfa Romeo and we buzz on down to Capri. A short boat ride and all his dreams came true! We stopped in fabulous Naples for a couple of nights on the way back.
This reminds me - I'm pretty sure I was an extra in Fellini's Satyricon movie not long after, or before! I remember being one of a herd of hippies, caverns, make up and film sets, free food and a handful of Lira - oh and someone saying Fellini a lot. One of the guys was a rich hippy, Gypsy Caravan with a sound system. We got stoned and listened to "Nashville SkyLine": "Lay Lady Lay" and so on.
Anyway, David and I returned to Rome where normal service was resumed. Him enlightened and me with a bag of grass he gave me! He had scored it himself ! Proud of him I was.
Job done."
Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile
Why wait any longer for the world to begin
You can have your cake and eat it too
Why wait any longer for the one you love
When he's standing in front of you.
("Lay, Lady, Lay" ~ Bob Dylan)
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