Chords Req: freeborn man of the travelling people

Subject: Chord/s Req: freeborn man of the travelling people
From: GUEST,latestarter
Date: 14 Dec 07 - 09:39 PM

remember hearing a gypsy sing in 1964. anyone have the song/chords or any knowledge of who might have recorded this song ? merry christmas

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling people
From: Effsee
Date: 14 Dec 07 - 09:53 PM

Is this the one?
http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=2130
Do try the Search facility first before you post!
Top of the page on the right.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling people
From: Effsee
Date: 14 Dec 07 - 09:55 PM

Sorry, top of the page on the left!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling peop
From: Helen
Date: 14 Dec 07 - 10:07 PM

The dots are here:

Freeborn Man of the Traveling People

Chords are here:

chords for Freeborn Man of the Traveling People

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling peop
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 09:55 AM

MacColl wrote the song in 1964 for the Radio Ballad, 'The Travelling People'.
It was included in the programme in fragmentary form, also on the Decca record 'The World of Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, Vol. 2' and 'Freeborn Man' (Blackthorn Records).
Recorded by numerous other singers (particularly popular in Ireland, though ironically, the Travellers aren't).
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling peop
From: Newport Boy
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 05:09 PM

The chords linked to above are rather disappointing. I've always sung this to chords published in "100 Folk and New Songs" by Alasdair Clayre - I think about 1968. I only have about 20 pages left of the 180 or so original. The rest have been lost stolen over the years.

I'm a (A)freeborn man of the (Bm)travelling people
Got no (E7)fixed address with nomads I am (A)numbered.
Country (E)lanes and byways were (A)always (D)my (A)way
(Bm)Never fancied being (G)lum- (A)bered.

I usually drop it a tone to G.

Listening again to the original Radio Ballad, I realise that I (and most other singers I have heard) take the song much more slowly than the original. The tune in the DT is even slower, but taking that as 100, a tempo of about 150 is close to the original.

For the first time, I noticed that the beat is that of a trotting horse, and Peggy Seeger's banjo accompaniment has just that feeling.

Phil

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling people
From: Lowden Jameswright
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 07:03 AM

Published by Wolfe SBN 72340049 0 for the princely sum of 9/6d - Lord knows how I managed to buy it on my salary at the time.

Try it with D chords using Dropped D:

I'm a (D)freeborn man (D/Gb)of the (Em)travelling people
Got no (A)fixed address with (A7)nomads I am (D)numbered.
Country (A)lanes and byways were (D)always (G)my (D)way
(Em)Never fancied being (C)lum- (D)bered.

Em 222000
G 550022

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling people
From: Lowden Jameswright
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 07:06 AM

Ooops .. sorry

G   550033

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling people
From: Shaneo
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 12:18 PM

The chords linked to above are rather disappointing,,,,,,,,,well Newport Boy. that's my site and that's the key I sing it in,
Always change the key to suit your own voice

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling peop
From: Newport Boy
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 12:34 PM

Sorry Shaneo - it wasn't the key. I think the use of all major chords doesn't suit the tune.

Just one thought, though. I've only just noticed the Irish connection, and you include a verse which was not sung, as far as I know, by Ewan MacColl. He did report that the song was collected in Ireland only months after it's first broadcast, with 2 verses added and the tune "Irished" - his word, not mine.

Perhaps you sing the varied tune?

Phil

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling people
From: Shaneo
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 12:49 PM

I have never heard the term 'Irished' before, I suppose sometimes songs get added verses to suit the country it's been sang, who knows'.
Which two verses were added ? I'm sure The Johnstones in Ireland were the first to record The Travelling People, so they may be the culprits.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: freeborn man of the travelling peop
From: Newport Boy
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 01:12 PM

Two apologies in a row - I'm getting punch drunk.

I should have read your version more carefully - your "I've known life hard ..." verse has a number of different words, but I should have noticed that it was the same as the original "O, I've ken't life hard .. "

I've never seen the two verses that MacColl reported had been added, and he certainly never sang them. I know no more than his report:

"Within six months of The Travelling People being broadcast, a collector recorded one of its songs from a group of Irish tinkers. The song had already been subject to the folk process. The tune had been Irished and two extra verses added. It was, the singer said, the work of a Donegal man, a tinker who had also written the well-known song The Shores of Erin."

Phil