A Shanty for Barry Finn

Subject: Haul Away For Barry - LEJ
From: Genie
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 08:23 PM

(Premature message submission going on.)
I also have a couple of audio files that I could send anyone who would like to hear the tune (without having to watch my mug reading the lyrics). I just need e-dresses. But I figured the YT method would be less time-consuming.

Genie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 08:47 PM

Disregard that last link I posted. This one is better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08lV72FE-5s

G

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 11:19 PM

Genie, great tune. I heard little bits which reminded me of the one that goes, "hey-ho, nobody home, no meat, nor drink, no money have we none, still we will be merry" or some such. It is a catching tune.

LeeJ...grand job! I like Bob's tune, but think it needs to be faster. I think you are spot on re' it being racuous, etc.

Barry would LOVE this folk process...:-) Mudcat at its best!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 11:40 PM

Kat, I hadn't thought of that one, but I do hear snippets of "Rollin' Down To Old Maui" and several others in the tune that popped into my mind.   There are some very familiar-sounding measures that I can't quite put my finger on.

I love the communal folk process too.

Genie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,siochain
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 12:20 AM

It WAS sung tonight at Cameron's (Gloucester), but it was led by David Coffin to a tune he crafted. Cameron's is a weekly venue that Barry attended very regularly. His regular bar stool was adorned with several photos of himself.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 12:34 AM

Is there an audio or video of David singing it?

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 01:14 AM

Siochain, I am very proud to hear that. Would love to have been there.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 02:01 AM

Thanks to Amos as well for his terrific interpretation.

I came up with this in way of a tune. I will try to convert this to a sound file and sing it for those interested. If you have a guitar or such, you'll get the idea by singing the chord/notes on the words following the chord insets.

Well the (E)sails are (A)raised and the (D)anchor (E)stowed
(D)No more shall we (E)tarry
And it's(A) roll and (E)go on the (D)West (G)Sea (E)Road
(D)Sing it (A)again for (G)Mr (A)Finn and (D)haul a(B)way for (E)Barry!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Bupkes
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 02:23 AM

When I arrived at Cameron's, Peter Souza said he'd seen the words, and a number of others knew about it too. David Coffin had printed out his own copy, and said he'd been humming up his own tunes for Barry's shanty since he'd read it this afternoon, and was enthused to sing it. I was happy to defer to his grand voice, and although I can't transcribe the tune for you all here, it was a good rolling tune, using all the words as written, and everyone enjoyed joining in. David promised to send an mp3 file on Wednesday, and we'll get it posted somehow.

Ernie, although we're still in the throes of his eery sudden absence, this song is like having Barry transformed into a constellation in the sky, to make us smile for having known him.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 02:35 AM

Marty, your comments meant a lot to me. I had written the song, then hesitated posting it here, because I was concerned about how it might be perceived and received. To have it sung for your group by people who knew and loved Mr Finn is the ultimate I could have hoped for.

I really like the idea of painting this song on different canvases with different pallets and brush strokes, and I am knocked out by everything I have been sent by people who have written tunes.

I have a wav file I can send with my own tune idea, if anyone interested wants to PM me with their email address.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Justine
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 03:58 AM

What a tribute to Barry. What a wonderful group of friends.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 07:52 AM

Ernie, please send me the .wav file (my e-dress is in the members section).

And since you're still on board with the "different canvases" idea, here is a variation of the tune and tempo of the one I posted earlier.

Haul Away For Barry - more up-tempo

The tune is less important to this variation than the rhythm. It should be done with a bodhran or some drum like that.   (But clapping can work if no one has one.) The idea is to get a strong rhythm going and belt it out (but I'm incapable of belting). You can get the idea from the video* though.

The altered phrasing and rhythm is what popped into my head in the middle of the night and inspired me to re-do my earlier tune.

Genie




*It's really more of an audio file with a darkened screen. YouTube won't let you post just audio files.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: maeve
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 07:58 AM

Justine- Thanks for your post. Many people across the miles valued Barry. I'm glad you've seen Lonesome EJ's song in Barry's honor.

maeve

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: MMario
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 09:37 AM

I'm going to be at a session in Plymouth saturday - I suspect several of the regulars knew Barry - and I hope to do this shanty for them.

I'll probably wimp and use "Leave 'er Johnny" for the tune - so as not to mess up.

MMario

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Glostaman
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 09:49 AM

Nice Lyrics. David Copper sang this at our Tuesday night Pub Sing at Cameron's in Gloucester. Roger Hussey and Alexander Thompson also wrote songs as tributes to Barry and sang them as well. Some folks brought photos of Barry and put them at his favorite seat at the bar. We members of Three Sheets to the Wind consider it to have been an honor that Barry shared his songs with us.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Glostaman
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 09:55 AM

Apologies to David Coffin for getting his name wrong.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Gloucesterman, David Coffin
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 12:48 PM

By request I have recorded my version of A Shanty for Barry Finn.
It is posted on my website here . It should play automatically and you can download it for free. Lonesome EJ I don't know your real name so I credit you by your screen name. I hope you don't mind my "putting it out there". Seems people wanted it. It's a great song and I tried to balance slow with uptempo. The tune just came to me as I was reading the lyrics so it felt right.
Thanks for a great tribute song to a huge man.
David Coffin

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 12:54 PM

David, that is a beautiful salty rendering indeed!! Nicely done, and a perfect tune. If a couple of hands got rummed up and sang it louder and faster, it would sound just like him!! I love it.


A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 01:05 PM

Quite a stunning rendition, David.

Ernie Johnson

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 01:35 PM

David, that is hauntingly beautiful!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 02:02 PM

David-

Well sung!

I can certainly envision that one being raised in the dance hall at Mystic next June.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 03:27 PM

That's a wonderful song, David. A good tribute to a good friend.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 04:41 PM

Lonesome:

IF they are sailing WNW, aiming for the Eastern SHore, it is a long haul indeed. Maybe they are heading for Shanghai from Cape Horn? I dunno. But man, I love that song the way David does it.


A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 05:16 PM

Jamaica to Galveston?
How about Nassau to Boston? I make it about 290 degrees, right? Of course, allowing for the Gulf Stream drift, maybe we need to head due west until we lose sight of the Great Isaac Light, or consume one liter of Jameson's whichever comes first, then adjust to 290, assuming the wind stays in the South.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 05:54 PM

David, I love your voice no matter what you're singing, but that tune is perfect for a group of strong singers and wanton harmony sluts. It's not fast, but it sure is bold, and I'm sure Barry'd love it and be honored you did that for him.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 06:25 PM

Rumrunners!! Awright!



A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Tony H
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 09:54 PM

Farewell, Barry Finn, one of/if not the finest shanty men I've ever had the pleasure to know and sing with. I will miss your voice on Tuesday evenings at Cameron's. The tremendous heart you put into your songs will echo in my soul always and I will cherish the memories. Rest in peace, you feisty little Irishman. Here's hoping you were in heaven an hour before the devil knew ye were dead!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Janie
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 10:19 PM

Brought tears to my eyes.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 11:02 PM

They could also be running gold from Johannesburg to the Chesapeake shores. I like that fancy.

In any case, well written, and well sung.


A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: SaltyWalt
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 11:12 PM

This is what I get for being busy and only checking once a day at night. I have so many comments that they all may be Moot.

When this thread was first posted I had hoped there would be a number of people offering different "Chanteys for Barry".

No disrespect to Lonesome EJ, it's awesome that so many folks are coming up with tunes for your words, but are there any other words on the horizon?

There are plenty of folks with stuff to say. I'd like to hear some different voices on this, especially since people seem to have different needs in a Barry Chantey.

To that end, the two tunes I associate with late night Barry and used for my tune were "Bye Bye My Roseanna" and "London Julie". In that order. If folks want, I can invert the order to make it more rousing. That was my original take, but I didn't think it did as much justice to the words as mournful first.

I can really hear Barry doing it either way.

I can drop a recording by.

Now that that is said.
I like Genie's; well suited to the words, just the sort of tune that goes with a long 2nd chorus 5 line stanza, but not Chantey like.
I still think the best way to Chantey it up and "rock out" is Clayton's halliard style version.

And plain and simple David's version is awesome and cool and a great reason to move onto other words to come up with tunes for.
I think it's a gonna stick.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: SaltyWalt
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 11:28 PM

P.S.

I didn't get to listen to Genie's 2nd tune yet.
No dispariging words. I don't want to be misunderstood while in the house of Universal Love.

Everyone has been great.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 12:46 AM

Hey Genie! Somehow I missed the rhythmic (2nd)version until I saw Walt's post. Great stuff! I like the tambo, and a bodhran added would be terrific.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 02:55 AM

SaltyWalt, which of my tunes did you mean? ("Now that that is said.
I like Genie's; well suited to the words, just the sort of tune that goes with a long 2nd chorus 5 line stanza, but not Chantey like.
I still think the best way to Chantey it up and "rock out" is Clayton's halliard style version."

The first version I posted wasn't as slow as David's but wasn't very fast or upbeat.

The second version (the video with the dark screen) can be a bit faster, "brighter," and definitely more rhythmic and rollicking (calling for a bodhran backup or at least foot stomping).

(Note: I'm a little embarrassed to share such amateurish and slapdash videos when there are such wonderful and professional recordings as David's out there. Please understand that my only aim was to suggest a couple of possible tunes, and I don't know how to make MIDI files quickly on my MacBook. YouTube is the easiest way to share audio but the file has to be in video form.)

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Gloucesterman, David Coffin
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 09:51 AM

Genie,
I appreciate your kind words but the most important aspect to all of this is that you keep singing. Life is way to short to be embarrassed about stuff like this. Besides, my recording is anything but professional. That was 20 minutes worth of work, a small digital recorder and a good song. Go to it!
All the best,
David.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 12:06 PM

David-

You are much too modest. You even provided harmony!

Hey, it's about time that you became a member here, and that way people could also send you Personal Messages, or not!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Ferrara
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 12:40 PM

LEJ, this is just right, I'm so glad you had the urge to write this song for Barry.
David Coffin, I think your tune is perfect. It carries the feel of a traditional shanty and I can hear Barry singing it.

I like the last line a little better as
Sing it again for Mr Finn and we'll haul away for Barry!
Rita

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: mg
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 04:02 PM

I like it too and it is quite similar to tunes that jumped into my head when I first saw the lyrics...bye bye my Julianna///Roseanna?? thought it was J. Anyway, I would sing it a bit faster but it seems to be a definitive tune. mg

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Ferrara
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 05:28 PM

Haven't heard LEJ's tune. Have you posted it yet? If so I'm overlooking it. David C's tune seems so perfect but if you had a tune in mind it would be nice to know how it goes too.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 07:11 PM

The tune is in the hands of the folk process and anyone who wants to sing the shanty, Rita. But send me your email and I'll send my concept to you on a wav file.
It's hard to compete with David's version because it's just so damned expertly done. He said he knocled it off in 20 minutes, but I think he bought studio time and had Daniel Lanois produce it. Walt's is also dandy if you want a terrific heartfelt version that's really well sung. Genie's is raucous and quite Barry-like, as is Amos' jaunty version.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Ref
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 07:26 PM

I didn't know Barry except through here, and we didn't necessarily see eye to eye, but I respected his opinions tremendously and can see what a grand, passionate fellow he was by the way so many remember him. I think your shanty is absolutely superb as is and I immediately imagined a tune for it in my head, as did so many others here. Well done!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Genie (sans cookie)
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 07:42 PM

David, I don't doubt you made that recording in 20 minutes. You're just good at it. LOL
(And your voiceover programming may be less SNAFU-prone that iMovie is. Sometimes I have to do a voiceover several times to get the synch with the first track right. DK why.)
You also have a great voice for the kind of songs that Barry did.   Your recording seems to be professional quality, no matter how quickly you threw it together.

As for my tossing out some tune ideas, I'm not wed to any of them. It's kind of "brainstorming," hoping that as people hear various takes on the song, more and better melodies and arrangements will be created.    I really like your version. Still, I would love to hear Ernie's own version of the song, either with a tune he heard someone else do or suggest or with one of his own.   

Genie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 07:45 PM

See, Ernie, I haven't yet gotten your .wav file (I PM'd you my e-dress). Nor have I got to hear Amos's version. I would like to.

Genie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 08:32 PM

A rough recording of Amos' version can be heard here.


A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 09:28 PM

Love it, Amos.

See, comparing the various tunes is kind of an apples v. oranges thing.   Not unlike hearing several different tunes to "Matty Groves."

Genie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Gloucesterman, David Coffin
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 10:08 PM

Amos,
Really like your tune and your voice. Reminded me of Gordon Bok. Nicely done. Please don't think me presumptuous; my ear wanted the last note to end down on the fifth. Haul away for Barry (moving by syllable:1-1-1-6-6-5) See what you think. It leaves it kind of unresolved. Like maybe....?
David

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 10:26 PM

Been enjoying this thread. Thanks for all the creativity, good job everyone. Let's keep this "bumped."

I've some ideas myself, maybe I'll sketch them out when I get more time.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 10:43 PM

David, did you take the tune down from your website? I missed it and didn't hear anything nor see anything on which to click to hear it following your link. I'd love to hear it and love this about Mudcat. At its best, this IS Mudcat!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: ClaireBear
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 01:45 AM

It;s still there, Kat, and it does play automatically. Did you try using another browaer?

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: KT
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 02:08 AM

Wonderful, Lej!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 06:39 AM

100