Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 30 May 04 - 06:38 PM

Of course, C-flat. That's what it's here for (as opposed to being locked in a drawer or confined to my hard drive). Share away.
Blessings,
Barbara


Oh, and MMario, I don't think you need the "still" in the last line either -- it is redundant and the verse scans better without.
B,B

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: C-flat
Date: 30 May 04 - 05:37 PM

I have been approached to provide some musical entertainment at a Masonic lodge evening, one of whose members recently died. The man in question was a member of the lodges' choir and a larger-than-life comic character who would usually provide the entertainment himself.
This song seems so appropriate to be sung in his memory that I hope you won't mind if I share it with them.
The tradition of singing at UK lodges is very strong and glasses are raised with great frequency for a multitude of toasts, making your chorus even more poignant.
Thank-you.
C-flat.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 29 May 04 - 06:27 PM

How about "the one who's traveled on" MMario? That way we can sing this for my sex as well as yours, and not have to deal with sticky grammatical issues.
Blessings,
Barbara,
and thank you, Amos. BTW I received permission from Sally Rogers to use the title, and gave her my permission to send the song on to a friend whom she thought the song would help console.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Amos
Date: 20 May 04 - 01:38 PM

Nice job, BB!


A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: MMario
Date: 20 May 04 - 09:06 AM

This may be too well-rooted in my Judeo-Christian background and the Heaven/afterlife mythos for many - but I offer it as a final verse:

so when pints are on the table
Don't forget to raise a glass
And drink a toast to him (he?) who's 'traveled on'
Tho' the unclaimed pint's still standing
at his vacant spot
still his voice will join with ours forevermore

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 05:00 PM

Okay, here's where it stands now, and probably will for a while.
Blessings,
Barbara

THE UNCLAIMED PINT
(Barbara Millikan, copyright 2004)

Eight pints around the table,
Seven singers raise a glass,
As we toast the days that come no more;
But the single chair is vacant
And the sorrow's in our eyes;
Tonight we sing for one who's gone before.

CHORUS:
Raise your voices, raise your glasses,
Sing your sorrows and your joys,
We will sing until they throw us out the door;
For the unclaimed pint is standing
At his empty place,
No, he won't be singing with us anymore.


Many long nights we have lingered
'Round our table at the pub,
And time and trials have bound us to each other;
Wings of songs we sang together
(Will) Carry him across,
Where their echoes ring forevermore.

(CHORUS)

Yet sometimes in the silence
From one verse to the next,
We can almost hear soft laughter there once more
And the echo of his voice is ringing
In the final chord --
Tonight he's singing on the other shore.

LAST CHORUS:
Raise your voices, raise your glasses
Sing your sorrows and your joys
We will sing until they throw us out the door
For the unclaimed pint is standing
At his empty place
No, he won't be singing with us anymore
Now he's singing on the other shore.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Stefn
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 01:35 PM

hi!

now I'm a member - yipee!!!
my tune is almost done - still got to write the fiddle and accordeon part, but the rest already sounds cool.

greetings!

stefan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Ulli
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 11:46 AM

Hi Stefan!

Nice to see and welcome you at the Mudcat Cafe (I'm sure S. is watching "on the other shore") and I can't wait to hear that song.

ulli

PS: it's worth refreshing this thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: GUEST,stefan
Date: 21 Apr 04 - 05:59 PM

hi there!

thanks a lot for the permission - at the moment I'm trying to fix my own tune around the lyrics - unfortunatly my computer can't play music, so I couldn't listen to your tune...
we are planning to record a cd but this will take some time - guess it will be released in autumn 2004. For sure I will send a copy to you barbara - and for the very unlikely case that we will be rich rockstars because of that song - you can move in our big house on the bahamas :-)
soon I will register on mudcat - maybe then conversation is easier! I would like to post some of my lyrics here as well - I'm obviously no native speaker, so it would be very helpful for me to have some people looking at them!

nice greetings from feldkirch, austria!

stefan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 21 Apr 04 - 02:58 PM

I thought about that, Michael.
What I want to say in those first three lines of that verse is --
Singing songs though all the good and bad times of our lives has created a bond between us. All the things we've been through together and kept singing. Breakups, surgeries, marriages, kids growing, losing, finding jobs, getting sick, falling out with each other, mending fences, coming to appreciate what we each are like.

Emphasis on the bond, not the trials.

One other change, at least at the moment, is that I found when I sang it last night "Tonight" worked better than "We know" in the last verse.

At this point, for the last verse, I am singing:

Yet sometimes in the silence
From one verse to the next,
We can almost hear soft laughter there once more
And the echo of his voice is ringing
In the final chord --
Tonight he's singing on the other shore.

The other thing that keeps floating in my mind is -- Do I want to do another verse that says something about the place where the music goes, and the place where we go is the same place. Probably follow after the verse that ends with "Where their echoes ring forever more"

I keep hearing bits of the Si Kahn song, "Here is My Home" (but maybe I shouldn't admit where I'm stealing from). Something along these lines:
"If we can join ourselves in song,...
Our hearts will live when we are gone;

The spirit that finds music here...
Will sing forever in the air."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: michaelr
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 07:36 PM

Barbara -- how about "sore" as a rhyme?

"Though time and trials have taxed us sore" (a little alliteration in there, too)

Great song!

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 05:34 PM

Second verse, first two lines:
Many long nights we have lingered
Round our table at the pub
And (As?)time and trials.... etc.

I'm still not entirely happy with that third line. It would be nice if it rhymed with "forevermore".
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 02:56 PM

Stephan, are you using my tune, too? It's in the post above yours.

I'm amazed and honored that you all want to sing this, before the paint is dry, even. I'm still working on the first three lines of the second verse. The thought is right, but I may find a better way to put it.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 02:28 PM

Sure, Stephan, you have my permission to use it. If you ever record it, I'd love to hear it. Send me an email at
millikan at viclink . com
but remove the spaces and replace 'at' with '@'. And I'll send you a mailing address. ...and in the unlikely event you ever make any money from it, you can send me some.
Or if you join here at Mudcat (free) you can send me PMs -- personal messages, and I'll give it to you that way.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: GUEST,stefan
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 12:48 PM

hello everybody!

this lyric of barbara was sent to me by a friend and it's brilliant! unfortunatly it is dealing exactly with the situation that me and my band is in...our bass player died two weeks ago at the age of 27. a horrible tragedy! Now, what I would like to ask is wether I could use barbara's lyrics for a song of our band? we play irish influenced rock music and we're settled in vorarlberg (very west of austria)- the band's called scallywag.

nice greetings!

stefan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 04 - 01:10 AM

Click to play Barbara's revised tune

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 10:59 PM

Last verse, I discovered when I sang along with my transcription, there are pickup notes between the fourth and fifth lines that could belong to either line, and if I use them, I can get in both "sounding" and "last", though "last" covers two notes, so I could use "final" instead, if that doesn't sound too final.

Yet sometimes in the pause
From one verse to the next,
We can almost hear soft laughter there once more
And the echo of his voice is sounding
In the last chord --
We know he's singing on the other shore.

Neat story, Gareth, and thanks.

Snuffy, I'd love for this to be a part of that anniversary commemoration. Seems like we lost a lot of good people in the last month or so.

Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Gareth
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 07:27 PM

Barabara - A superb effort - I wish I could emulate your talents.

A historical fact.

Not that many years ago, before the citizens of Whitstable paid for a "ready room" for the local Lifeboat Crew, it was the habit of the RNLI crew to drink in a pub called the "Smack" on Island Wall, a 2 or 3 minute sprint from the boat house.

Now as far as "Permitted Hours" went in the "Smack" it was flexible.

What I will always remember is hearing the Marroons go, and the duty crew run for the door, and God Help You if you were in the way !!

As they legged it down the Wall the Landlady would carefully gather thier drinks and place them on the shelf behind the bar - To be sereved later, after the 'Service' had concluded. A local supersician

Fortunatley, even after the capsize of the Whitstable Boat some years ago, there have been no unclaimed pints - But I think there is a Song here.

Gareth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Snuffy
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 07:10 PM

Wonderful, Barabara. There's a first anniversary at the end of the month for which this would be very appropriate: I'm hoping to learn the tune in time for that.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 06:00 PM

Barbara:

Great job! Be prepared to sing this for us at New Years but not until we have our tape recorder at the ready.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 17 Apr 04 - 02:20 PM

Okay, here's the current revision:

THE UNCLAIMED PINT

Eight pints around the table
Seven singers raise a glass
As we toast the days that come no more
But the single chair is vacant
And the sorrow's in our eyes
Tonight we sing for one who's gone before

CHORUS:
Raise your voices, raise your glasses
Sing your sorrows and your joys
We will sing until they throw us out the door
For the unclaimed pint is standing
at his empty place
No, he won't be singing with us anymore.

Good times we spent together
As the years passed by
And time and trials have bound us to each other;
Wings of songs we sang together
(Will) Carry him across,
Where their echoes ring forevermore.

(CHORUS)

Yet sometimes in the pause
From one verse to the next,
We can almost hear soft laughter there once more
And the echo of his voice is
Sounding in the chord --
We know he's singing on the other shore.

LAST CHORUS:
Raise your voices, raise your glasses
Sing your sorrows and your joys
We will sing until they throw us out the door
For the unclaimed pint is standing
at his empty place
No, he won't be singing with us anymore.(either substitute the following line, or add it -- same tune.)
Now he's singing on the other shore.

(Barbara Millikan, 2004)

Stuffy, I had trouble with starting the line with "There". Didn't work for me. But great suggestions. I appreciate the help. Right now I'm leaving the second verse without a pickup on the line that begins "Carry ..) If you want one, use "Will". I will probably know after I have sung this for a while which way I like it best.

I should probably say that my inspiration for this was also Merritt's version of "Who Will Sing for Me?", and especially his rewrite of the last verse:
"When you're singing for your friends
Whose lives on earth are through,
They'll be gathered up above,
Where they're singing songs for you."

Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 16 Apr 04 - 03:37 PM

I think you're right, Snuffy, on all counts. Especially the less downbeat chorus end. I'm going to think a bit more about the alternate line, though. Yours doesn't quite make it work for me. It's basically what happens when you write things in pieces, and one bit comes to you before the others.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Snuffy
Date: 16 Apr 04 - 10:16 AM

The chorus seems to end on a downbeat tone. At least for the last chorus I would like to sing something a bit more hopeful, like

Though the unclaimed pint is standing
At his empty place
Still we'll hear him singing with us evermore.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Snuffy
Date: 16 Apr 04 - 08:37 AM

"As the years passed by, And time and trials..." sounds good to me.

Couple of suggestions for the end:

The echo of his voice is
There in the last chord
We know he's singing on the other shore.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 16 Apr 04 - 02:00 AM

Okay. I've had a day or so to test drive this, and here's what I learned.
1. Sometimes I start the line on the downbeat, sometimes on the upbeat. If this throws you, add an "Oh" or a "Well" or your favorite pickup word where it is missing.
For example, the first line of the first verse has has a pickup beat, as does the second. Not the third. So if you want the third to scan the same way, add "And" or "But" or whatever.

2. I don't like this line in verse 2:
"Around the glass stained table". It's irrelevant, and it doesn't scan.
How about "As the years pass by, And time and trials..."

3. this line in verse 3 has too many sylables:
"Singing in the last chord"
Here are some alternatives. Which do you like best?
"Singing in the chord."
"Ringing ..."
"Sounding..."
"Filling the last chord"

4. I go back and forth on the last line of the 3rd verse.
Is it "And know he's...." or is it "And hear him....."?

What do you think?
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 12:50 AM

I just tried singing this, and I think I have a few modifications to make yet, like adding the word 'will' in front of 'carry' in the second verse. It will work either way, but without the word, you need to drop the pickup notes.
Now it needs a bit of seasoning. That is to say, I'll sit with it a few days and see if I want to change anything.
blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 11:16 PM

Wonderful song Barbara, it certainly says a lot ~~ Many thanks.
There's an occasion coming up where I'll have to sing your song and I know its going to be very difficult because the unclaimed pint in this case will belong to a very close friend who played in our band for several years.   

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 10:47 PM

THE UNCLAIMED PINT

Eight pints around the table
Seven singers raise a glass
As we toast the days that come no more
But the single chair is vacant
And the sorrow's in our eyes
Tonight we sing for one who's gone before

CHORUS:
Raise your voices, raise your glasses
Sing your sorrows and your joys
We will sing until they throw us out the door
For the unclaimed pint is standing
at his empty place
No, he won't be singing with us anymore.

Good times we spent together
Around this glass-stained table
As time and trials have bound us to each other;
Wings of songs we sang together
Carry him across,
Where echoes of them ring forevermore.

And sometimes in the pause
From one verse to the next,
We can almost hear soft laughter there once more
The echo of his voice is
Ringing in the last chord
We know he's joining from the other shore.
(Barbara Millikan, 2004)


I think maybe this is it.

Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 10:40 PM

I suppose you're right, Jim, but since this is about an imaginary song, I can imagine whatever kind of pint I want, right?

Here's a middle verse. Maybe THE middle verse. I'm still mulling.

Good times we spent together
Around this glass-stained table
As time and trials have bound us to each other
Wings of songs we sang together
Carry him across,
Where echoes of them ring forevermore

Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Apr 04 - 09:44 PM

Actually, the pint that Sally Rogers had in mind was a pint bottle of liquor, not a glass of beer. That's what "pint" generally means in America, or meant at the time the album came out. Pint-size glasses used to be rare here but are becoming more common.

Not that it matters.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 08:49 AM

very singable tune - Thank you Barbara.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 12 Apr 04 - 11:21 PM

I posted a tune to Joe, is he back from the wilds of Florida yet?
If so, it should show up here shortly.
I'm still working on verses.
Blessings, Barbara

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 12 Apr 04 - 07:52 AM

goosebumps.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 12 Apr 04 - 05:45 AM

It's getting even better Barbara. Write on!!
Johnny :0)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 05:53 PM

There's at least one middle verse, not done yet, and I think this is more or less the last one.
This is a little scary. I don't often write songs, and I've never composed in public before. But suggestions are welcome, as long as I don't have to take them.

But sometimes in the pause
From one verse to the next,
We can almost hear soft laughter there once more
The echo of his voice is
Ringing in the last chord
We hear him joining from the other shore.

Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Sooz
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 12:35 PM

Looking forward to seeing the finished product. If it approaches being as good as Thirteen Florins as sung by Mick Pearce it will be worth waiting for.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 12:15 PM

I thought of Mike Sparks' "13 florins on the bar" when I saw this thread - the money left at the pub by the men of Hartest, who had volunteered to go to Flanders in WW1, to pay for their drinks when they got back. Actually it was half-crowns, but Mike thought florins flowed better...

Nice song, Barbara!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: GUEST,Steve
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 05:27 AM

refresh - worth being continued

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 12:58 PM

You are welcome to join in, or start your own version, McGrath.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 12:41 PM

Great title - I opened the thread, and when I found there wasn't a song for it I was all set to have a go. But Barbara got in first. Nice song too. I look forward to see the rest. (That pint has to get drunk after all - they'd pass it round the table and drink a toast to the next time they'll drink together, up yonder, where he'll have the drinks all set up...)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 12:31 PM

Nope.
When I read the thread title I knew what the song was about, and was dissappointed to learn it didn't exist. So I'm attempting to change that. You are welcome to join me.
My inspiration, besides Merritt's death, was that Tuesday night seven of us met to sing for him, bought him a pint and set it at the empty chair (a tradition I am familiar with) and then after one rousing round of "Free and Easy", one of Merritt's favorite songs, we were asked to tone it down or go somewhere else, people were trying to talk.
So it didn't actually take us that long to get thrown out the door. We did eventually end up at the Rosebud and Raindrop, in the back room that we couldn't use earlier because of the Republicans.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 12:07 PM

Nice one Barbara. Had you already started the song before seeing this thread?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 01:47 AM

Barbara - love it! I've PM'd you.
Johnny :0)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 01:27 AM

Uhm, actually, the song is about 2 hours old, and the tune is coming, coming. Probably more verses, too. Check the "Goodbye, Merritt" thread for context.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Warsaw Ed
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 01:04 AM

Thanks, Joe! I feel better now that I know someone else made the same assumption as I did.   And thanks, Barbara, for the lyrics.   Where did you find them?   Is there a melody? Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Barbara
Date: 08 Apr 04 - 11:33 PM

Eight pints around the table
Seven singers raise a glass
As we toast the days that come no more
But the single chair is vacant
And the sorrow's in our eyes
Tonight we sing for one who's gone before

Raise your voices, raise your glasses
Sing your sorrows and your joys
We will sing until they throw us out the door
For the unclaimed pint is standing
at his empty place
No, he won't be singing with us anymore.

Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Apr 04 - 03:15 AM

Dang. I don't know how many times I've played that album, and I never noticed there was no "Unclaimed Pint" song. The songs on the album are mostly traditional, and I assumed "Unclaimed Pint" must be a traditional song, too.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Warsaw Ed
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 07:36 PM

Thanks, Geoff, for the explaination. I just assumed there is a song for the album title. Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 05:49 PM

If you had posted on the first of the month instead of the seventh I would not have responded because on Sally Rogers' LP The Unclaimed Pint there is no song of that name. The sleeve notes explain that the title derives from the unclaimed prize she offered for a suitable title for the LP. But perhaps she later went on to write the song of the title ? We should be told.- Geoff

Subject: Lyr Req: Unclaimed Pint
From: Warsaw Ed
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 02:31 AM

Anyone have the Lyrics for this Sally Rogers song?