The Washington Squares were one of the most influential New York bands of the late 1980s -- leaders of the folk revival and all that.

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FLASH: Squares included on new compilation, Rockin' Patriots, with
artists such as James Brown, Richie Havens and Randy Newman.

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Squares Photo Album Now Online

During their successful performing career, the Squares hung out with lots of cool people -- poets, musicians, artists and activists. The best of the historic Squares archive is now available in digital form.

 

Click!

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"From Greenwich Village: The Complete Washington Squares"

Check the entire Washington Squares catalogue online.

Squares Factoid -- Tom Goodkind, leader of the Squares, had a chance encounter with J. Edgar Hoover shortly before his death in May 1972. It happened like this ... Tom stopped in at a place called "The Steak and Egg Kitchen" in Washington at about 2 in the morning, and J. Edgar was sitting at the counter drinking coffee. Tom invited him to join him at his table and Hoover, hesitant at first, came over and lit a Camel. One thing led to another, and by the time the sun came up, the unlikely duo had penned two songs. Tom acquired the rights to the first song, "If You Could Read My Mind," but eventually lost them to Gordon Lightfoot in a poker game. Lightfoot went on to record the song several years later.

A demo of the second composition, "My Fanny's on Fire" (with Hoover handling the vocals), was secretly recorded in March 1972 by Clyde Tolson, Hoover's confidential assistant. It has never been released.

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