We’re happy to announce a newly remastered single from Ellen’s personal archives: “On the Rim of the World,” a powerful and poignant song by legendary songwriter Malvina Reynolds.

The recording, originally performed by Ellen at her home in 1980, was never intended for commercial release—distributed only among a small circle of friends. Decades later, the track has been carefully brought to new life by California singer-songwriter Ross Wylde, who used AI technology to enhance the original tape. The result is a haunting and intimate version of Reynolds’ song that feels as immediate and urgent as when it was first sung.

The single’s cover features a photo taken by Ellen herself—capturing Reynolds deep in thought and mid-song on a ferry from Vancouver to Hornby Island in 1973. The two were close during Stekert’s time as a Visiting Professor at UC Berkeley in the early ’70s, often traveling and performing together.

“On the Rim of the World” is a striking commentary on homelessness, loss, and the vulnerability of life on the margins. Written by Reynolds after the death of her husband, Bud, it is—like much of her work—both deeply personal and broadly political.

“As with most of Malvina’s songs, the song is not primarily a statement about her situation,” Stekert explains. “It is about a woman, a girl, a child without means, about homelessness and bare despair. This song is as pertinent today as when she wrote it in the 1970s.”

“On The Rim of the World” is now available on major streaming platforms and Bandcamp. This intimate recording, half a century in the making, is not just a tribute to Malvina Reynolds—it is a testament to the endurance of folk music as an art form that speaks across generations.

About the song

Below, Ellen tells the story of her friendship with Malvina Reynolds and her version of “On the Rim of the World”:

Malvina Reynolds was one of the overlooked treasures of the Folksong Revival days. Perhaps it was because she was from the early West Coast “Topical Song” writing days, or perhaps because she was a white-haired “grandmother” when the East Coast Revival was at its peak. Regardless, she was a magnificent performer and had a remarkable and overlooked musicality.

She captured every audience she ever had with her wit, her charm, and her remarkable insight into humanity. Her audiences roared their appreciation of her. She died at the age of 77 in 1978, but she still sings to us! She was simply a remarkable person. I spent a good deal of time with Mal during 1971-1972, when I was a Visiting Professor at U.C. Berkeley. In the summer of 1972, when she had a short tour in Canada and spent some time on Hornby Island, off Vancouver, she asked me to go with her, and so I did.

The cover photograph for “On the Rim of the World” is one I took when on the ferry from Vancouver to Hornby Island. Mal was busy writing a song (typical of her) even as the boat cut through the water, and the seagulls were busy swooping overhead. The slide that is the picture has my hasty writing on it identifying its content — that is, if you can read my printing! Although you have an introduction to “On the Rim of the World” in an accompanying recorded selection with the song, let me tell you about it briefly again: When Malvina first sang the song for me, I thought to myself that the song was both a topical song about homelessness and a song about her own life— since she had just lost her husband, Bud Reynolds. As with most of Malvina’s songs, the song is not primarily a statement about her situation; it is about a woman, a girl, a child without means, about homelessness and bare despair. This song is as pertinent today as when she wrote it in the 1970s. It is a beautiful musical statement and a poignant social comment. Malvina has been gone since 1978, but her work will last a long, long time — and if you ever have a chance to hear one of her performances, you will know why both her songs, as well as her wit and charm totally won over anyone within the sound of her voice.

—Ellen Stekert

Credits

Recorded in 1980. Photograph of Malvina Reynolds taken by Ellen Stekert in 1973 en route to Hornby Island, British Columbia.
Released July 18, 2025
Guitar, Vocals: Ellen Stekert
Composer: Malvina Reynolds
Producer: Ross Wylde
Production Assistant: Bates Detwiler
Editorial & Publicity Manager: Christopher Bahn