Wilco did the music world a service by teaming with Billy Bragg and releasing two stellar albums of folk music set to unearthed Woody Guthrie lyrics from the Woody Guthrie Archives. Nine years after Mermaid Avenue II, Wilco are dipping back into the Archives, this time to cover an already written Guthrie song, “The Jolly Banker.” The song is currently available for download on Wilcoworld.net on a pay-what-you-want basis, with proceeds going to the Foundation and Archives. The band recorded the song at the request of Nora Guthrie, Woody’s daughter.
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“A couple of months ago when things really started to get hairy financially and economically for the country,” Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy explained in a radio interview. “That song had begun to get a little bit of attention. And she felt like somebody was going to cover it. And she called us because she wanted it to be us.”
The band recorded it this February in their Chicago Loft, with Feist on “additional percussion (garden weasel).” Feist appears on the upcoming Wilco album.
“What would Woody write about now? — everything,” says Tweedy. “I’m sure that some of the stuff we were just talking about would strike him. The fact that everywhere he went looked a little bit more alike than it did when he was traveling around the country. I notice that even from the 20 years that I’ve been on the road.”
There are three options for download listed on Wilcoworld.net:
1. Thanks for the track. I’m happy to support the Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives (sugessted minimum donation; two bucks)
2. Sorry, I’m unemployed/underemployed or otherwise broke. I’ll download the track and make it up to you, I promise.
3. I am/was a banker /hedge fund manager/credit card default swap trader. I know times are tough, but I’m just fine, thank you. (Suggested minimum donation 100 dollars.) 
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