Lyr Req: There Was a Time (Tom Paxton)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There Was a Time (Tom Paxton)
From: GUEST,Thomas
Date: 07 Nov 11 - 04:51 PM

Thanks a million, Phil. I hunted all over for this. Now I have it just in time for Remembrance day. (I sing at an old folks home on Fridays)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There Was a Time (Tom Paxton)
From: Newport Boy
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 01:04 PM

It looks as though There Was a Time & Six Men Riding haven't been recorded by Tom. I did heard him sing them both in the late 60s and added them to my repertoire.

Phil

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There Was a Time (Tom Paxton)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 10:44 AM

Doesn't seem to be recorded. Lyrics and music are in

Ramblin' Boy and Other Songs by Tom Paxton

Copyright 1965 Oak Publications, 165 West 46th St., New York,NY
Library of Congress Card Catalog Number: 65-26580

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There Was a Time (Tom Paxton)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 10:32 AM

Thanks for the lyrics, but I can't find a song by that title on any Paxton album. Didn't he record it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a time when cannons roared
From: Newport Boy
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:27 AM

I've just noticed Tom's introductory note for the song:

It began with rocks and clubs. With the invention of the spear they all agreed that war was now impossible, for here was a weapon too terrible ever to be used.

It's in a section of Topical & Protest Songs, with Six Men Riding, When Morning Breaks and The Willing Conscript. I sang all of these regularly during the 60s & 70s.

Phil

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: THERE WAS A TIME (Tom Paxton)
From: Newport Boy
Date: 05 Nov 11 - 06:19 AM

Sorry, Joe - I went straight to bed after my post.

THERE WAS A TIME

There was a time when cannons roared
And bugles sang a song of war
And nations rose to win or die
They shook the earth with battle cries

Chorus
And I can hear their spirits cry
This was a cruel way to die.
The spirits of these fallen men
Reminds us of what might have been.

The cities fell in smoke and flames
And children cried their mothers' names
And nations died and were no more
The victors were the gods of war

They left their homes and went to war
And died upon some foreign shore
Their sons grew tall and soon were men
And bugles sang their songs again.

Tom Paxton 1962
from Rambling Boy and Other Songs, Oak Publications 1965

Chords

(Dm)There (C)was a (Dm)time when (C)cannons (F)roared
And bugles (C)sang a song of (Dm)war
And (C)nations (Dm)rose to (C)win or (F)die
They shook the (C)earth with battle (Dm)cries

Chorus
(Dm)And I can (F)hear their (C)spirits (Dm)cry
This was a (F)cruel (C)way to (Dm)die.
The spirits (F)of these (C)fallen (Dm)men
Reminds us (F)of what (C)might have (Dm)been.

Phil

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a time when cannons roared
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 08:45 PM

What's the title of the song, Newport Boy? (if you're not in bed already)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There was a time when cannons roared
From: Newport Boy
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 06:30 PM

It's a Tom Paxton song. If nobody beats me to it, I'll sort the words tomorrow morning (bed calls).

Phil

Subject: Lyr Req: There was a time when cannons roared
From: GUEST,Thomas M
Date: 04 Nov 11 - 05:43 PM

I am trying to find this song by the phoenix singers. I don't know the title, but I think the chorus goes:

And I can hear their spirits cry this was a cruel way to die
The spirits of these fallen men remind us of what might have been

If anyone can help with the words to this, it would be much appreciated.