Allen Ginsberg Releases Reissue of His Spoken Word Record Titled ‘The Lion For Real, Re-Born’

Allen Ginsberg, internationally renowned, visionary American Beat Poet, was a figurehead of the global youth movement in the late 1960s, a devoted teacher and scholar, inspiring generations of young poets. He was a racial activist, pacifist, and one of the most politically engaged poets for decades. During this time, he has used his voice and international platform as a campaigner for human rights, gay liberation, ecology, and free speech. Nearly all his books remain in print to this day.

In celebration of his legacy, Shimmy-Disc has announced a remixed and remastered reissue of Allen Ginsberg’s 1989 album of spoken-word pieces, entitled The Lion For Real, Re-Born.

Now, the label shares the full LP, along with a video for its focus track, “Don’t Grow Old.” It’s a beautiful meditation on the fragile, fleeting quality of time enhanced by Allen’s melancholic delivery of the title as a mantra, a call resonating out from his heart deep into our present. The track also features original music composed by Shimmy-Disc founder Kramer for this release.

The LP was kicked off with the release of “To Aunt Rose” in September, followed by Shimmy-Disc sharing a new track titled “The End,” complete with an Ambient-Cinema video crafted by Kramer.

This new LP finds Allen Ginsberg, the voice of a generation, fierce, gentle, profound, and profane, paired with music created especially for his work by some of the guiding lights of Jazz in the modern era: Mark Bingham, Bill Frisell, Arto Lindsay, Marc Ribot, and others. All masterfully coordinated and produced by the mad scientist of collaborations, Hal Willner.

First released as The Lion For Real in 1989, this time capsule surges forth into the now with eight additional tracks never included on the original release. These are timeless works, a garden of Eden on vinyl to wander through repeatedly, guided by the founding father of Beat Poetry. Graced by an irresistible coda co-written with Shimmy-Disc founder Kramer, his lyrical mantra of “Don’t Grow Old.”

The Lion For Real, Re-Born Track Listing:

1. The Lion For Real
2. **Bricklayer
3. Refrain
4. **Cosmopolitan Greeting
5. **Night Gleam
6. **Squeal
7. Cleveland, The Flats
8. Complaint of the Skeleton to Time
9. The Shrouded Stranger
10. Stanzas – Written at Night in Radio City
11. Guru
12. Gregory Corso’s Story
13. **Pull My Daisy
14. The End
15. **Hadda Be Playing on the Jukebox
16. Xmas Gift
17. Sunset
18. To Aunt Rose
19. Scribble
20. Hum Bom!
21. Kral Majales
22. **Bai Juyi – Part 7
23. **Don’t Grow Old
24. C’mon Jack (X-Rated Version) [Digital Download Only]
25. C’mon Jack (Radio-Friendly Version) [Digital Download Only]
26. Ode to Failure [Digital Download Only]
** 8 tracks not included in the original release

Allen Ginsberg ‘The Lion For Real, Re-Born’ album artwork