No Image

Identification and Creation

Object Number
CW2001.1636
People
Christopher Wilmarth, American (Sonoma, CA 1943 - 1987 New York, NY)
Title
Lyric sheets: song lyrics and music sheets in large manila envelope
Classification
Archival Material
Work Type
archival material
Date
20th century
Culture
American
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/96290

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Black, blue, and colored inks and graphite on various plain and musical papers
Dimensions
33.2 x 25.4 cm (13 1/16 x 10 in.)

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, The Christopher Wilmarth Archive, Gift of Susan Wilmarth-Rabineau
Copyright
© Estate of Christopher Wilmarth
Accession Year
2001
Object Number
CW2001.1636
Division
Modern and Contemporary Art
Contact
am_moderncontemporary@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Large, worn manila envelope addressed in green felt tip from Wilmarth (though his name and address are scratched out by black marker) to JOEL ROSENMAN, / THE WOODSTOCK GROUP, / 47 W. 57 ST. / N.Y. Flap of envelope reads "Hello!" in graphite scrawl.

17 loose sheets and 1 folder (though individually loose) group of musical sheets in folder as follows:

4 large sheets of printed musical bars folded into each other to form a standard-sized, unbound booklet of 8 sheets. The front of these sheets is blank and reads "Five Songs / by Chris James / (Wilmarth)" in black marker. Opening the booklet, the bars of the first lefthand page are empty and the righthand page has musical notes, guitar chords, and lyrics for Diner Life in blue and black felt-tip. Turning that page, the next pair of musical bar pages are empty. The third pair is full of musical notes, guitar chords, and lyrics for She Don't Like My Rainbow, again in blue and black felt-tip. Turning those pages, the bars of the next lefthand page are empty, the righthand page has three lines of musical notes, chords, and lyrics from Johnny High - Johnny Low in blue and black felt-tip. The proceeding pair of bar pages are empty, the pair after that filled with musical notes, chords, and lyrics for American Grease (Ballad of a Grease Monkey) in blue and black felt-tip. The following, and last, lefthand page of bars is empty, the last righthand page filled with notes, chords, and lyrics for Fat Skirts in black and blue felt-tip. The back of that last page is once again a blank sheet.

Just inside the first page of the above booklet are inserted the other 17 loose sheets:
torn half-sheet of printed musical bars with musical notations labeled
"Rhythm of tune" (graphite); on verso: illegible notations (red
pencil)
Diner Life (2 sheets of cream paper:
recto 1 - title page with (c) 1970 CHRIS (WILMARTH) JAMES (blue
ink)
verso 1 and recto 2 - lyrics and guitar chords (blue ink and
graphite with green felt-tip)
American Grease (with chords, blue ink and graphite, cream paper)
Fat Skirst (2 sheets of cream paper:
recto 1 - title page with (c) 1970 CHRIS (WILMARTH) JAMES
(blue ink)
verso 1 and recto 2 - lyrics and chords (xerox)
Diner Life (xerox or other kind of copy of typed lyrics; on verso paper
seems to be printed with scattered blue stylized flowers)
She Don't Like My Rainbow (as above)
American Grease (Ballad of a Grease Monkey) (as above)
Fat Skirts (as above)
She Don't Like My Rainbow (as above; very faded)
Diner Life (as above; very faded)
American Grease (Ballad of a Grease Monkey) (as above; very faded)
Fat Skirts (as above; xerox/copy is very dark and clouded)
Johnny High - Johnny Low (as above; with guitar chords marked in blue
ball-point)
She Don't Like My Rainbow (2 sheets of cream paper:
recto 1 - title page with (c)1970 CHRIS (WILMARTH) JAMES
(blue ink)
verso 1 and recto 2 - lyrics and guitar chords (blue ink and
graphite)
lyric fragments and titles (black ink and blue ballpoint, yellow legal paper;
fragile, much folded)



Subjects and Contexts

  • Wilmarth

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Modern and Contemporary Art at am_moderncontemporary@harvard.edu