Subject: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Richard Bridge Date: 24 Jun 05 - 10:10 PM Every so often some smart Alec says "play a cheerful song". So, let's have some ideas please. Some rules: 1. Cheerful 2. Folk songs or songs in the style of the tradition, not singer-songwriter or pop. 3. No hymns, no spirituals by request. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: sixtieschick Date: 24 Jun 05 - 10:14 PM The Big Rock Candy Mountain |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Richard Bridge Date: 24 Jun 05 - 10:32 PM I'd think of BRCM as an enjoyable piece of contemporary Americana. Wouldn't suit me, although I've been known to add mandolin if Trevor Stephenson plays and sings it. Very much on the borderline of folk from my perspective, but thanks for the idea. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Deckman Date: 24 Jun 05 - 10:53 PM "How do you do", as sung by Rolf Cahn (sp?) Bob |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: YorkshireYankee Date: 24 Jun 05 - 11:21 PM I Wish They'd do it Now Martin Said to His Man Drinking songs: John Barleycorn (well, it's cheerful at the end), Landlord Fill the Flowing Bowl, Drink Old England Dry, Whiskey in the Jar and many others The Fox Hunt (unless you're worried about it not being PC) The Irish Rover The Wild Rover John Blunt Mairie's Wedding I like to Rise When the Sun She Rises Farmer's Boy On Ilkley Moor Bah t'Hat Come Write Me Down (as well as some other Copper family songs) Harbour Le Cou That's it for now -- just the ones I can think of straight away, more later (if I think of 'em) |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Liz the Squeak Date: 25 Jun 05 - 02:40 AM Doesn't 'Come write me down' have a verse about being unfaithful? It always makes me smile when sung to newly engaged/wedded couples..... LTS |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Richard Bridge Date: 25 Jun 05 - 04:23 AM Yes, YY, some good ones there, and some I even do but never think of when put on the spot. But surely in the Irish Rover the poor dog was drowned? And Ilkley Moor is wholly about death and corruption. And Whiskey in a Jar ends on the despairing note "If anyone can help me, it's me brother in the army..." I suppose we could add "Fathom the Bowl", and "Byker Hill" |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Richard Bridge Date: 25 Jun 05 - 04:28 AM Unncle Joe's Mint Balls The Vicar Song quite a range of DonT's repertoire (excluding most of the folk songs in it ;) ! |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: DMcG Date: 25 Jun 05 - 04:54 AM I know the problem, Richard. I have a reputation that every song I sing is about death. I tried "When Spring comes In" from the Coppers ... and the daffy-down-dillies get it. "Daddy Fox" ... and the grey goose is dead. Of course, singing "Digging Graves is my Delight" doesn't necessary help. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: *Laura* Date: 25 Jun 05 - 09:24 AM Cheerful folk songs? Don't talk daft! xLx |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Le Scaramouche Date: 25 Jun 05 - 10:11 AM I posted one last night, the Gallant Hussar. Daddy Fox. Dance to Your/Thee Daddy. A'Begging I Will Go. Rattlin' Roarin Willie. Prickle-Eye Bush. Ramblin' Sailor. Mad Tom of Bedlam. Mr Froggie Went A-Courting. Bonnie Ship the Diamond. Whisky Your the Divil. The Sow Took the Measles (yes, the sow dies, so?) The Utah Iron Horse. Monymusk Lads. The Pirate Song. Old Maid in the Garret. The Grey Goose. Hearts of Oak. The World Turned Upside Down. Tom Browne. Captain Ward. Whiskey in the Jar DOES NOT end on a despairing note, it's rather optimistic. Why is BRMC borderline folk? It's a classic Hobo song! |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: JennyO Date: 25 Jun 05 - 10:15 AM What about a cheerful song about death? Isn't it Grand Boys. Then there's these: I Can Hew Boys (and its parody Ike and Hugh) The Farmer's Toast Widgegorara Joe Ugly Dave Sally Brown Johnson Girls Raise 'em The Merry Ploughboy Lachlan Tigers The Apprentice Song Summer is a'Comin' in Track Linin' Song Galway Races Blaydon Races The Bonny Black Hare The Spotted Cow Bound for South Australia Jim the Carter Lad The Jolly Wagoner Fathom the Bowl Three Drunken Maidens The Rambling Rover Go no more a Rovin' (with you fair maid) Long Time Ago Hurrah for the Black Ball Line No Man's Mama Now Jug Band Blues Any Old Iron What a Mouth Don't Dilly Dally on the Way (Going to the fair with) My Old Man The Holy Ground .....and that's just for a start. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: ranger1 Date: 25 Jun 05 - 10:16 AM The Whistling Gypsy |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 25 Jun 05 - 10:23 AM Mockingbird Hill Spring has now unwrapped the flowers Listen to the mockingbird Polly wolly doodle Camptown races How can I keep from singing - Jesuit style Seeing Nellie Home Solomon Levi + Spanish cavalier |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Don(Wyziwyg)T Date: 25 Jun 05 - 12:44 PM I was going to suggest some of mine Richard. The Prince and the Maiden Oi! The Little Weatherman. Two Policemen. Ernie Hook. Awfully Well for the Shape That I'm In. Before you ask, I'd be flattered. Let me know if we need to get together on tunes. Better yet, buy my CD, now reasonably priced at £8.00. (grins) Don T. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Big Al Whittle Date: 25 Jun 05 - 05:10 PM The Nightingale the Cornish Nightingale As I roved out The tailors britches Blow away the morning dew Lincolnshire poacher Creeping jane |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Polly Squeezebox Date: 25 Jun 05 - 06:15 PM Martinmas Time - not so happy for men maybe, but I love the way she gets the better of the men's evil intentions and 'Gallops home a maiden'. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Richard Bridge Date: 25 Jun 05 - 06:19 PM Surely the Tailor's Breeches is very miserable. The poor little tailor is very embarrassed and swears off alcohol and women for ever. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Le Scaramouche Date: 25 Jun 05 - 06:26 PM Wouldn't call As I roved Out particularly cheerful either, when broken shells make Christams bells you and I might well get married? |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: The Barden of England Date: 25 Jun 05 - 07:44 PM Some of my songs are happy Richard, but then again I don't suppose they can be called 'Folk Songs' - but Round and around My Lady in Green However, certainly not Refugees Welcome to Hell The likes of you and me Which are 'Folk songs' of a sort. Perhaps I should sing them more often. John Barden |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Hrothgar Date: 25 Jun 05 - 09:38 PM How many of the cheerful ones are politically correct? |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: JennyO Date: 25 Jun 05 - 11:11 PM Certainly not "Isn't it Grand Boys" :-) Kitty, I only just saw your PM. I'll reply with some detail when I get time. The Aussie ones in that bunch are: Widgegoweera Joe (spelt it wrong before) Ugly Dave Lachlan Tigers Bound for South Australia (? - well although it mentions Australia, it's more of a universal shanty. I'll see if I can find tunes and lyrics for them. Jenny |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Janice in NJ Date: 26 Jun 05 - 12:34 AM So many to choose from! Here are just a few: The Darby Ram What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor? Our Good Man The Roving Gambler Mama Don't Allow The Three Drunken Maidens Nine Times a Night Putting on the Style The Rock Island Line Heave Away, Santy Ano Sadie Brown Whoop 'Em Up Cindy Cripple Creek Oh, I Wish They'd Do It Now Ida Red Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy Sally Ann C-H-I-C-K-E-N A Jug of Punch Kansas City Here I Come Hey Lie-Dee Lie-Dee Lo Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight? John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt Good Old Mountain Dew A Spoonful (of Your Sweet Love) The Hootchy Kootchy Man |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: JennyO Date: 26 Jun 05 - 01:12 AM Oh yeah - Chicken on a Raft. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Big Al Whittle Date: 26 Jun 05 - 03:35 AM well I always thought they were quite jolly - if you see it as searing indictment of the misuse of cockleshells - fair enough I suppose - we all take what we want from these things. The little beggarman chicken on a raft is of course cyril tawney's - I think they said they didn't want singer song writers on the list for some reason. why, I wonder - I mean someone must have written evry song at some point, and they probably sung it. otherwise we wouldn't be singing it now. or is there a fault in that logic? |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: GUEST,Nellie Clatt Date: 26 Jun 05 - 04:02 AM The Last Of The Great Whales, well it makes me laugh. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Richard Bridge Date: 26 Jun 05 - 04:45 AM In order to avoid unnecessary dissension I am prepared to accept "in the style of the tradition" - and that lets many Tawney things in. Chicken on a Raft of course is pretty damned miserable, about the sufferings of a submariner's life (as much of Tawney's output was), in this case the misery of Monday morning after the weekend on the booze, and the faithlessness of women, the only high point being the possibility of future adultery with sister from Maryhill. My traditions, since I am English, militate against the inclusion of too much material from other traditions, and therefore I am likely to be less enthused about material from the American tradition, although I do do some (including "Fall RIver Hoedown, which is not traditional, but might be thought of as in the style of the American tradition). Hootchie Cootchie Man, for example, is quite alien to the English tradition, and somehting similar could be said about many of the usgestions of Janice from NJ (but thanks anyway). Quite a number of the American suggestions here I've never heard at all. While I'm on that list, I'm puzzled by the inclusion of Santa Ana "Heave away, Santa Ana, they're killing your soldiers below...(etc)", and while I enjoy a bit of skiffle, I don't think Putting on the Agony or Rock Island Line really qualify (although I have a friend who does quite a lot of enjoyable material from the extended category of folk-meets-skiffle (sometimes dubbed "Fiffle")). Drunken Sailor is of course a list of the Navy's more unpleasant punishments: some idea of cheerful! However, we do indeed have some cheerful traditional stuff, and I suppose one might add the Threshing Machine and Maids when you're Young, too, and quite a bit of consciously West Country Comic material from (for example) Adge Cutler. From Australia I guess another possible would be "Rye Buck Shearer" if I could only carry all of the tune... |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Stu Date: 26 Jun 05 - 05:16 AM Hal-An-Tow Good Ale |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Le Scaramouche Date: 26 Jun 05 - 05:55 AM Screw politicaly correctness. The Keach in the Creel is another good one. Would you allow Peter Bellamy? If so, I would add the Robber's Song. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: GUEST,Mrs Miggins Date: 26 Jun 05 - 06:13 AM Who put you in charge Richard Bridge ? I therefore suggest'Foggy Mountain Top' [ Carter Family ] |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Le Scaramouche Date: 26 Jun 05 - 06:55 AM It's his thread, so I guess that does make him in charge. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: gnomad Date: 26 Jun 05 - 07:12 AM Gloucester Wassail Candlelight Fisherman Coffeepot Song (ok, not exactly trad, but getting there) Quare Bungle Rye The Cornstalk Haul Away Joe Keeper of the Eddystone Light Farmer's Arms Malloney Wants a Drink Granny's Old Armchair Old Dunn Cow The Happy Man While Gamekeepers Lie Sleeping Pub With No Beer (tragic of course, but very cheerfully so) Cottage Well Thatched With Straw Interesting question, I'm surprised how many there seem to be, but then I'm one of the pessimists! |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: JennyO Date: 26 Jun 05 - 07:48 AM Yes of course, Richard - how could I forget Ryebuck Shearer? Then there's these: Flash Jack from Gundagai Lime Juice Tub Jones's Ale Four Little Johnny Cakes Springtime Brings on the Shearing Click Go the Shears |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Richard Bridge Date: 26 Jun 05 - 08:02 AM This is getting good! Never let it be said again that folks songs are a competition to see who can kill the most people! Now all I need to do is research the ones I don't know at all, and start learning! Actually, I'm surprised at how many on this list I either already do or at least sort of know and so could probably get up without too much difficulty (just a bit of time and diligence). Maybe there's a thought for a lawful use of Kazaalite. Everyone interested creates a "cheerful folk song" folder, and puts a simple version of relevant songs (performed by the creator of the folder, of course) in said folder. Would have to be limited to non-copyright arrangements of non-copyright songs. Then permit Kazaa access to that folder only. What a splendid learning resource. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Le Scaramouche Date: 26 Jun 05 - 08:51 AM Have a listen to Spiers & Boden's "Prickle-Eye Bush" and "Ramblin' Sailor". Spiers & Boden |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Janice in NJ Date: 26 Jun 05 - 09:13 AM In response to Richard's statement: While I'm on that list, I'm puzzled by the inclusion of Santa Ana "Heave away, Santa Ana, they're killing your soldiers below...(etc)", and while I enjoy a bit of skiffle, I don't think Putting on the Agony or Rock Island Line really qualify (although I have a friend who does quite a lot of enjoyable material from the extended category of folk-meets-skiffle (sometimes dubbed "Fiffle")). Drunken Sailor is of course a list of the Navy's more unpleasant punishments: some idea of cheerful! You have a different song in mind from the Heave Away, Santy Ano that I listed. The song I refer to is not about the Battle of the Alamo, but is about the California gold rush. It is very cheerful indeed: There's plenty of gold, so I've been told, Heave away, Santy Ano! Plenty of gold, so I've been told, We're bound for Californ-I-O! Both Putting on the Style, as we call it in the USA, and The Rock Island Line are considered traditional folk songs on this side of the Atlantic. The former may have derived from a 19th century pop song, and the latter may have been composed by Huddie Ledbetter (at least the version we are all used to), but they are both accepted as in the North American tradition. Yes, The Drunken Sailor describes some rather nasty punishments, but it is always sung tongue-in-cheek with a rollicking humor. The good cheer comes from imagining how the sailor got so piss ass drunk in the first place. But technically you are right. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: GUEST,TonedeafDave Date: 26 Jun 05 - 09:21 AM Brigg Fair Short Jacket and White Trousers (unless you're the captain) and all those stupid broken token songs which end in happily ever after - I personally would have advised her to kick him in the (deleted) and stuffed my half of the token where the sun never shines - but I suppose standards of behaviour were different in those days. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Le Scaramouche Date: 26 Jun 05 - 09:21 AM Not quite sure about that. Ships work by teams, someone is so selfish as to screw his mates and get drunk, deserves what he gets. This is about getting drunk on watch, not shore leave. There is also quite a bit of jealousy, I think. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: GUEST,Reveler! Date: 26 Jun 05 - 10:10 AM Jolly Ploughboys Now is the Month of Maying Padstow May Song Oh How Lovely is the Evening (in a round) Sumer is Icumen In |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: GUEST,Nellie Clatt Date: 26 Jun 05 - 10:44 AM Minnie the Moocha. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Janice in NJ Date: 26 Jun 05 - 05:58 PM Minnie the Moocher was written by Cab Calloway to the tune of a traditional song called Willie the Weeper. Willie the Weeper is not a particularly cheerful song. It's about a drug addict who is destined to die of an overdose. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: GUEST Date: 27 Jun 05 - 01:46 PM All the best trad. songs are miserable so I've decided just to go with the flow. My theory is that there are so many miserable songs because the people who made them tended to live a miserable, dirty, dangerous, painful hand-to-mouth existence. My suspicion is that we'll all find out about this soon enough when the oil runs out, the sea rises, the bomb drops, the super volcano goes off, the asteroid collides with us, the bird 'flu pandemic arrives, the developers build on every scrap of land so there's nothing left to grow food on etc., etc., etc. and this whole absurd house of cards comes crashing down around our ears! Right, I'm off for my tea before any of the above happens...perhaps after tea I'll write a song... |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: frogprince Date: 27 Jun 05 - 10:26 PM "Wild Rose of the Mountain", by Si Kahn. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: GUEST,Seonaid Date: 27 Jun 05 - 11:42 PM Re above: Copper Family are *so* positive, so often -- even "Spencer the Rover" ends happily, after dealing with homelessness and probably mental illness! Other ideas: Galway Shawl Rambles of Spring Blow ye Winds Westerly (Fish of the Sea) Little Brown Jug A Farmer Boy for Me (Beers Family) Bandon Blarney Stone (Margaret Barry) |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Cat in Plymouth Date: 27 Jun 05 - 11:48 PM John Barleycorn - oysterband, the big session (it's about beer... how can it not be cheerful?)*grin* |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Muttley Date: 28 Jun 05 - 02:28 AM Here's a selection: Drink Down The Moon One Misty, Moisty Morning Hail The Ball The Railway Porter Song Battle of New Orleans Coat of Many Colours King of the Road Australian Songs: Across the Western Plains |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Muttley Date: 28 Jun 05 - 02:44 AM Sorry: hit the wrong button and accidentally suffered "pre-posticulation" I'll re-do the list. One's from the earlier posting Drink Down The Moon One Misty, Moisty Morning Hail The Ball The Railway Porter Song Battle of New Orleans Coat of Many Colours King of the Road Australian Songs: Across the Western Plains Billy of Tea Blame it on the kellys Click Go The Shears (even though I HATE this one) Flash Jack From Gundagai (already mentioned, I think) Gold In The Ground Home Among The Gumtrees ('chintzy' but cheerful) The Lachlan Tigers (Again, already mentioned, I think) Lime Juice Tub Aussie Barbecue (modern folk) Poor Ned (triumphant at the end) Ryebuck Shearer and (if you're desperate) Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport Banjo Patterson poems put to music: Been There Before It's Grand The Man From Ironbark Mulga Bill's Bicycle Reverend Mullineaux John Williamson Songs: Big Bad Bushranger The Budgie Song Chain Around My Ankle Charters Towers Cracker Night A Flag of our Own Malle Boy Old Man Emu Station Cook When We Were Kids Why They Call Him Sundown and another one called Teach Me To Drive - but I don't have the chords for that one. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Le Scaramouche Date: 28 Jun 05 - 03:25 AM The Galway Shawl? But it always sounds so miserable. |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: Snuffy Date: 28 Jun 05 - 09:08 AM Battle of New Orleans is not a happy song - we lost!!! |
Subject: RE: Cheerful Folk Songs From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts Date: 28 Jun 05 - 09:14 AM Folksongs aren't meant to be cheerful. When you're feeling good you just get on with it. It's only when you're revolution's failed, your hero's been hanged, your lover's left you or the train has left you behind that you write songs about it. That said, I used occasionally to give audiences a little relief with a thing called 'The Poor Young Girl'. I admit with shame that I can't recall the writer. iT went to the tune of 'The Poor Young Boy', thiswise: Oh, there was a poor young girl Who left her country home And went into the city to seek employment. She was forced to leave her home Because the wolf was at the door, And her father had fallen down and hurt his knee. BNefore she went to the city, Her sweetheart (whose name was Jack) Said, 'When you're in the city I fear you'll not be true to me', So before she boarded the train, She had to faithfully promise him, That every night at eight o,clock she would burst into tears. She arrived in the city And she was riding upon an omnibus, When a gentleman got up to offer her his seat. She refused his offer with scorn, Because she saw that he wore a ring And she did not know if he might be a married man. Then up sprang the Conductor, Saying, 'I knew you would be true!' And tore off his false whiskers and it was Jack, And that day she got a letter To say her father's knee was much, much better, And her Aunt had died and left her about fifty-eight million pounds. Now, isn't that the happiest ending you ever heard of? |
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