The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #54069   Message #835249
Posted By: IanC
26-Nov-02 - 07:16 AM
Thread Name: Quiz: Not ANOTHER Alphabet Quiz
Subject: Lyr ADD: Volunteer Organist
Well done!

Y - Ye Cannae Shove Y'r Granny Off A Bus
K - Kelly, The Boy From Killanne

Keith - BJD fits the clue all right, but it's not the answer!

Some notes

"Kelly, The Boy From Killann"
John Kelly is remembered in the ballad by P.J. McCall. Kelly is one of the mystery men of 1798. Both friends and foes admired him as brave and good, but there are few facts about Kelly recorded in history. He served in the rebel army for no more than a week and fought twice. He and the men of Killann marched through The Leap to the camp at Vinegar Hill on 29th May after the battle at Enniscorthy. He was one of the leaders who led the rebels from Three Rocks and beat the government troops on 30th May.   He fought and was badly wounded at the Battle of New Ross. From there he was brought to Three Bullet Gate and then to Wexford. There he remained until General Lake entered the town, when he was tried by court martial and hanged.

"The Volunteer Organist" by Henry Lamb is pure period sentiment but none the worse for that. Wherever and whenever this type of ballad is performed, it is not long before Lamb's song is mentioned. Recorded Ada Jones (US) 1893/4 (http://www.garlic.com/~tgracyk/ada.htm). Recorded - (Henry Lamb / William B. Glenroy) - Peter Dawson / organ / O - Edison cyl. BA 23026 (mx. 4M-12015-1) - London, early 1909 ... Ada's earliest recordings were brown wax cylinders made for Edison in late 1893 or early 1894 (no recording logs of this period exist). Two surviving cylinders are "Sweet Marie" (North American 1289), a song by Raymon Moore, and "The Volunteer Organist" (North American 1292). Piano accompaniment is presumably by Edison's house pianist, Frank P. Banta. A male does the announcement for each record.


MairSea - here's the words anyway (I learned this off my dad)

The Volunteer Organist (sung by George Spicer)   (Roud 5378)
(Recorded 12.11.59 at The Oak Tree, Ardingley)

The preacher in the village church one Sunday morning said
"Our organist is ill today; will someone play instead?"
An anxious look crept o'er the face of every person there
As eagerly they watched to see who'd fill the vacant chair.
An old man staggered down the aisle, his clothes were old and torn
A stranger drunken seemed to be in church on Sunday morn
But as he touched those organ keys, without a single word
The melody that followed was the sweetest ever heard.

Chorus:
The scene was one I'll ne'er forget as long as I may live
And just to see it o'er again, all earthly wealth I'll give
Our congregation all amazed, the preacher old and grey,
The organ and the oganist who volunteered to play.

Each eye shed tears within the church, the strongest men grew pale.
The organist, in melody, had told his life's own tale.
The sermon of the preacher was, no lesson to compare
With that of life's example who sat in the organ chair.
And when the service reached its close not a soul had left his seat
Except the poor old organist, who started for the street.
Down the aisle and to the door he slowly made his way
The preacher rose and softly said "Kind brethren, let us pray."

:-)