1629 I BID YOU GOODNIGHT

I have taken this tune from the Incredible String Band's 1968 LP The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter. 'A Very Cellular Song' is 12m.55sec and 'I Bid You Goodnight' starts 0:45 into it and runs to 2:37. Mike Heron receives songwriting credit for the whole song, but there are several other ISB songs which incorporate parts of the Bible, the Prayerbook or religious songs.

Their words are pretty close, but the ISB omit two lines that are in the DT text. (or, as their version is 12 years earlier, perhaps two lines have been added in the DT version :-}).

The Good night, good night, good night lines are effectively sung as a backing: I have included only two of them in the tune - the third one being sung at the same time as the start of the next line.

I BID YOU GOODNIGHT

Lay down, my dear sister, won't you lay and take your rest
Won't you lay your head upon your saviour's breast
And I love you, but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Lord I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

One of these mornings, bright and early, and fine
Good night, good night, good night
Not a cricket, not a spirit going gonna shout me on
Good night, good night, good night
I go walking in the valley of the shadow of Death
Good night, good night, good night
And Thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me
Good night, good night, good night
Oh, John the wine he saw the sign
Good night, good night, good night
Oh, John say, I seen a number of signs
Good night, good night, good night
Tell A for the Ark, that wonderful boat
Good night, good night, good night
Y'know they build it on the land, gettin' water to float
Good night, good night, good night
Oh, tell B for the Beast at the ending of the wood
Good night, good night, good night
Y'know he eat all the children when they wouldn't be good
Good night, good night, good night
I remember quite well, I remember quite well
Good night, good night, good night
When I was walking in Jerusalem just like John
Good night, good night, good night

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ABC format:

X: 221
T:I Bid You Goodnight
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:126
S:part of "A Very Cellular Song", by Mike Heron
N:Filename [BIDGNITE
D:The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, Elektra EKS 7258, 1968
K:G
B2|
B4 d2d2|G2B2-B2BA|G2G2 G2E2|D4 z2BB|
B4 c4 |d4 B4 |B2A2 A2B2|A4 z2B2|
d4 B4 |G4 z2E2|G2G2 G2GE|D2DD EGE2|
G4 z2G2|(EG3)z2A2|G4- G4 |z2BA BdB2|
G4 z2G2|(EG3)z2A2|
Gddd dddd|dde2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)dd|
dddd dddd|d2e2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)dd|
dddd dddd|dde2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)dd|
ddd2 d2dd|d2e2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)d2|
d2dd-d4 |ded2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)d2|
d2dd d2d2|dde2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)d2|
d2dd d2d2|dde2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)dd|
dddd d2dd|dde2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)dd|
d2dd d2dd|ddee B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)dd|
d2dd dddd|dde2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)dd|
ddd2 d2dd|dde2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G)ddd|
dddd ddd2|d2e2 B2A2|G4- G2G2|(EG3-G2)A2|
G8||


WassaiL! V

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