a capella songs that kick ass?

Subject: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Dennis D'Asaro
Date: 30 Oct 14 - 10:59 PM

Hello
I have a sort of scrappy little band I enjoy very much and we do this and that, some of it beautiful and some of it fun and some of it sock-you-in-the-ear.

When we get something that stands out, I always wish we had some more in the same category, to repeat the effect but rotate material.

One piece that will shock a barroom into attention, whether it's the song itself or the way we grab it, is "Donkey Riding," which I first heard by the Black Family.

Another in the category which we've all sung in someone else's band (but can't seem to punch out hard enough ourselves) is "Barrett's Privateers."

Looking for more of these. Guess they would be minor-y, modal-y tales or shanties lending themselves to strident group refrains.

Songs I can think of are Haul Away, Joe; Chicken on a Raft; Byker Hill. But either they don't quite do it for me, or I don't quite for them. Might be lack of imagination in arrangement. Maybe I have to get the idea from how someone else does the song. If I'd heard "Donkey Riding" from someone else it might not have sparked me.

Ideas? Tunes themselves, and particular performances?

My first entry here. "TIA."
BTW, I don't know how to get replies from this forum. I'll try to retrofigure that out, or bookmark it.

Dennis

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: michaelr
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 12:45 AM

Well, I certainly think that this kicks ass. Hope it inspires you. [American Tune]

Welcome to Mudcat, Dennis.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 02:45 AM

Welcome
This never fails to kick my ass, so to speak
WE REMEMBER [also posted here]
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 03:10 AM

A capella means ' in the style of the church or chapel ' what you mean is ' unaccompanied '

Dave H

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 03:48 AM

A capella means ' in the style of the church or chapel ' what you mean is ' unaccompanied ' - unless your church is a little unusual! ;>)>

The Latin/Italian term is, of course, frequently used nowadays simply to imply an unaccompanied version of a song.

Welcome to Mudcat!

Regards

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Musket
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 03:56 AM

Or in English, madrigal. (A slightly tighter definition concerning bass, tenor, alto and soprano is also available.)

I was once in a hotel in The Highlands and Robert Plant was staying there. (A recording studio in Strontian he was using) and late in the bar after a lot of cadgoling and persuasion, he stood and sang Stairway to Heaven unaccompanied. Granted, he did it a) because someone asked nicely and b) the only way to get some peace afterwards but it became a red letter day for those of us there

And yes, it kicked err... arse.

In terms of traditional unaccompanied songs, an old friend Fred Foster used to lead us at a folk club years ago with Jones's Ale, Nancy and many a shanty. Fond memories.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: BobL
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 04:32 AM

In the Highlands, wouldn't that be kicking Erse?


I'll get me coat...

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Dani
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 06:12 AM

Oh, I can think of lots, just not all at once.

How about "Paddy Lay Back", especially as our own Abby sings it?

Dani

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: doc.tom
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 06:23 AM

It's the way you sing them!

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 06:41 AM

Some bands enore with I Bid You Goodnite including the Grateful Dead. Blue Murder (the outfit with Martin and Eliza Carthy, not the Rock group) do a powerful version, if you can find it.

[Posted here.]

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 06:58 AM

Other favorites, White Hare of Howden Town by The Watersons, Down in the Valley to Pray by Doc Watson, Wade in the Water by Sweet Honey in the Rock.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Dennis D'Asaro
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 08:31 AM

Lively!
Thank you for such input!

Lemme see, there's also "Doo Wah Diddy Diddy."

Yes, it's how you sing them.

As to the sidetrack: I have for some right several decades used "a capella" interchangeably w/"unaccompanied by an instrument." Other misnomers from my youth: "Natives:" half-dressed black men running single-file through the jungle, ululating and brandishing spears. (Too much 'Ramar'). "Ethnic:" twangy Appalachian singing. "Modal:" no thirds.

Looking forward to checking out these songs, and hearing more suggestions. You've already sent my thoughts down a path or two. (w/o spear)

So is there an e-mail notification of replies, or does one lurk in these threads? (Not a bad thing!)

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 09:58 AM

Almost anything lively by The Watersons, Young Tradition, The Wilsons, Cropper Lads if you can get it.

Royal Earsdon Calling on Song always does it for me.

Almost any haulin'/halyard chantey.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 10:37 AM

After one of my rare forays into the World of Folk I've always loved "My Husband's Got No Courage In Him" by the Silly Sisters. Outstanding vocals. Welcome Dennis.
Charlie Rock'n'roll Stenger

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 10:38 AM

I forgot. The Bert LLoyd S(c)hanteys fromn the 1956 Moby Dick film.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 12:01 PM

The Four Loom Weaver always does it for me, especially when sung by Maddy Prior and June Tabor. Also, While Gamekeepers Lie Sleeping by June Tabor.
Good luck

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 01:56 PM

There are some comments here on the spelling options...
A Cappella, Acappella, Acapella, A Capella, Acapella or A Capela?

Some that have impressed me
Peter Bellamy – Here's Adieu, Sweet Lovely Nancy
Beggars Velvet – The Blackbird
Cockersdale – Barrett's Privateers <<
Roulez Fillettes – Guyane
Magpiety – The Rolling Of The Stones
Magpie Lane – Drunk Last Night
The Witches Of Elswick – Daddy Fox
Chantan – Boser Girls
Zulal – Zinch oo Zinch Dam
The Watersons – Three Score And Ten <<
Cockersdale – Home Lads Home
The Unthanks – Where've Yer Bin Dick?
?? - Sorry the day I was Married
Swan Arcade - Dwelling in Beulah Land <<<<
?? - Chicken on a Raft <<
Melrose Quartet - Come and I will sing you

<< = fave

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Janie
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 05:24 PM

Like Dani - bunches, though they might not appeal so much across the pond. But here is one. Early in the Morning

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Janie
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 05:29 PM

followed in the same stream by Johnny Come Down to Hilo - great rousing chorus easy for people to join.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 07:06 PM

CSH has a Choir. It sings nothing but acapella. It is used to promote CSH, so it can't be crap. Go down the bar a bit after 2130 on a Wednesday evening and you can see for yourself. Yet mirabile dictu, no recordings exist in the wild! I wonder why?

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Janie
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 07:46 PM

?

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,dani
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 08:40 PM

And yes, one lurks. Welcome!
Dani

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Janie
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 08:59 PM

Who or what is CSH? Everyone else may know, but I don't. While google informed this ignorant git of the meaning of mirabile dictu, it was not so helpful with CSH.

And whoever is lurking that Dani references, Welcome from a clueless one.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 12:09 AM

Cecil Sharp House, Janie.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: severed-head
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 05:39 AM

I would suggest Thousands or More by The Copper Family
Thousands or More
A great rousing song although, in my opinion, the current line-up of The Copper Family is only a pale shadow of previous incarnations.
Garry

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Janie
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 06:43 AM

Thanks, Stim.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 08:00 AM

The Parting Glass by the Wailin' Jennys. Not one of my favorite lyrics but I love hearing the Jennys sing it. [Posted here]

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 09:21 AM

The Kilkenny Ass Kicking Song

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 05:22 PM

It's not the song which kicks ass, it's the performer. A crap performer can destroy a decent song, a decent performer can usually make a silk purse out a sow's ear. However, a decent performer probably also has a concern not to waste his time on such and so what you're getting here are decent performers getting something out of decent songs.
Singing is an art, and an art means emotion, putting something more into the songs than just the words. Part of it's technique, in things like timing, but most of it's tone. You've got to get into people, touch them, rip their hearts out even, do what the song demands.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Helen
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 07:14 PM

Hi Dennis,

The vocal group called The Flying Pickets performed only a capella.

I have two of their vinyl albums, and this is my favourite song from the two albums:

Flying Pickets performing Bruce Springsteen's Factory

They do a version of Creedence Clearwater Revival's song I Heard It through the Grapevine, and another one I love is Stand By Me.

It looks like Stand By Me has been hijacked on YouTube by another group's version of it so I can't find a link without a bit of serious searching.)

I saw them perform live in Newcastle, NSW Australia about 25 years ago. Wonderful!

Welcome to Mudcat, Dennis. I've been visiting Mudcat for 20 years and it's a great community to join. Lots of friendly, knowledgeable and helpful people.

Helen

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 01 Nov 14 - 11:29 PM

Have you considered "All About that Bass"?

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 02 Nov 14 - 06:16 AM

If you can get down to London in early February, the annual Acappella Festival is on at King's Place - it's sponsored by the Swingles, and gets some of the top American groups across, looking for tips from Bill Hare, another keen supporter, so it's the lead festival in Europe. Don't wait much longer, though, because the tickets have almost all sold out. Yes, it extends to acappella folk, and thankfully the barbershop form is a bit outside its scope as they have their own scene which rather puts most purist acappellans off. What I'd love is for some early acappella to come back - it's all very well beatboxing today's hits, but what's here may not last long, which is why the Swingles doing Bach means they've got a core repertoire which will not fade. Me, I'd like to get to grips with the Capilla Flamenca which gave rise to the term.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,JJ on tour
Date: 02 Nov 14 - 07:22 AM

If you get the chance have a listen to the Wilson's from NE England.

JJ

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 14 - 08:33 AM

This is all fun, thank you again!

T'other night the band was especially energetic, so I flew Barrett's Privateers and it was pretty good, 'cept for the last chord. (So I had us try it again...)

I play with guys who can sing, not very strong voices, excellent sense of harmony individually....but WON'T sing unless brow-beaten. Bass player claims voice strain. Lead guitar drifts off-mic to watch his hands. [He's one of those players who could play in the dark, or the bathtub, or asleep...but, no, he's gotta look at his hands. I have considered getting him a doggy E-collar, or a Brittney Spears headset]. Banjo player will only learn short parts of choruses.

But we all learned Barrett's in another band, where the leader does brow-beat, so it comes out pretty solid. Except if I stay on the melody for the last chord, there's no powerful high note. If I go up there, there's no melody. Arrgh.

Before you all say the "R" word.....it's a hundred miles, easy, from the banjo player's house to the other two guys', with me not really on the straight line between. And they all think their cars cannot deal with the hill I live on, and, whine, whine, whine. Oh well, we have fun.

But, yeah, I'd like to improve the act. Better get out the whips.

Looking forward to seeing what we might make of some of your suggestions.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Helen
Date: 02 Nov 14 - 01:32 PM

Hi Stim,

I'm not sure if your suggestion was serious but here's a link:

Meghan Trainor: All About That Bass

Helen

Subject: RE: a cBarrett's Privatapella songs that kick ass?
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 02 Nov 14 - 05:29 PM

Guest above mentions "Barrett's Privateers".
It is indeed a kick ass song from a kick ass songwriter!
Stan sings it here:
Barretts Privateers

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 02 Nov 14 - 07:31 PM

Thanks for posting that, Helen. I love that song. It's not exactly a folk tune, but when a folk/traditional group finishes up a set with a folk version of a current hit, especially if it is a capella it usually brings the house down.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Helen
Date: 02 Nov 14 - 11:36 PM

Hi Stim,

Here in Oz we have a music show called Rage, on ABC-TV. Rock, pop, rap, hip-hop, electronic, you name it. On Saturday mornings my hubby & I put the show on, and often record the all night Saturday show to listen to and/or watch on Sundays. That's how I knew which song you were referring to. And that's why I made the comment that I wasn't sure whether it was a serious suggestion.

A few weeks ago, I went to a celebration of the 150th year of the high school I went to (over 40 years ago). A small brass band played some tunes and one of them was a very good arrangement of

Fireflies by Owl City

It was an experience hearing a popular tune re-made into a different format. I liked it a lot. So I know what you mean about re-working current hits into different music styles.

Helen

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Genie
Date: 03 Nov 14 - 02:57 AM

Not folk, but I think Billy Joel's a cappella "For The Longest Time" really kicks ass, and I would love to perform it as part of a doo-wop kind of quartet!

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 03 Nov 14 - 08:23 AM

@Guest playing Barretts
There's another way out: you don't mention tone. Get that tone meld right and the volume will come from it. Singing isn't about belting it out (a comment which some will chose to deride: I'd question if they're singers or yellers, an extreme version of narrators typified by Lee Marvin's Wandering Star performance - he lives on the edge of unsupported gravel, compare him with his backing).

Technically, start with your breathing, just use the belly to drive the diaphragm to power the larynx. If you're singing bass, then you'll need to create a huge body column for the resonance that creates to amplify within, but for higher voices, the chest cavity suffices. Take that to the sinuses for amplification, too, and to polish the tone: you'll need to adapt that for what the others you're singing with are doing. For example, I was working with some ecclesiastic-sounding tenors at the weekend, needing a folk sound. I could hear where we were, and I had an idea of where the Choir Director wanted us to be, and my job was to fill the gap. No problems. The end result was synergetic, creating more volume than we could produce as individuals, powerful though we are. Five tenors balancing twenty basses and about fifty or sixty ladies.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 03 Nov 14 - 11:51 AM

So it was just you five, against seventy or eighty? Amazing, really.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Helen
Date: 03 Nov 14 - 02:05 PM

There's something incredibly powerful about a cappella singing. It speaks to the soul, I think, in a way which is different to musical instruments alone.

I've told this story many years ago on Mudcat, but at the Australian National Folk Festival, sometime in the late 80's I think, I went to a workshop with about 20 harp players. The workshop was in the large rehearsal room below the main stage of the auditorium. It had a concrete floor and walls, and it was very long and narrow. The harps were set up in a long line against one wall, and because I was a rank beginner, and also had not brought my harp, I was more of a listener than a player.

I sat across the room from the harps and listened, and then realised that the harmonics from the harp strings were combining to create the effect of an angelic choir. High, clear, but very close harmonies (like the Hollywood version of an angelic choir) and indescribably beautiful.

Because the harps were set along one long wall, and because of the acoustics, the harp players couldn't hear the effect, I think. I was sitting opposite so I heard the full effect.

That's the closest I have heard to musical instruments creating that soul-stirring effect which a cappella music can do.

Helen

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Nov 14 - 03:48 PM

I have heard a kick-ass version of "I'm Gonna Be an Engineer" belted out by Sally Fingerett.

~Susan

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 03 Nov 14 - 04:01 PM

I tried to post something earlier which got eaten. Anyway, to keep it short and sweet, I'd like to follow Helen's post above regarding 'soul stirring' with a bit of what I said before about, the 'appeal' of unaccompanied song, by which I'd like to eschew the more commonly understood meaning of 'attractive' and draw upon the word 'appeal' in terms of it's sense of being 'an appeal', a petition, a cry demanding of attention.

There is nothing so powerfully demanding of human attention than the human cry; when appealing for aid, for protection, for sustenance, or for embrace. It's something every mother will no doubt recognise. I think there is something that the unaccompanied singer taps into here, something pretty primal so to speak. It can definitely be powerful. And pretty much any song can be powerful unaccompanied, just be careful in it's placing within a set, use contrast for impact.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 Nov 14 - 04:20 PM

John Barden (our own "Barden of England") does a monster rendition of "I Can Hew".

Knights and Mageean do some totally in your face unaccompanied socialist songs.

"My Union" is one, and
"Roll the Union On" another.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Helen
Date: 04 Nov 14 - 01:12 AM

I got the name wrong of one of the Flying Pickets song. It's Lean on Me, and not Stand By Me.

It's the first song on this clip, and the next song is a cracker, too - Mockingbird.

Flying Pickets TV show

Guest CS, I like your use of the word "appeal". Very apt!

Helen

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 04 Nov 14 - 04:43 PM

Ah, but then again, Helen, I have three harps in the house...gut, nylon and doppia. Yes, they talk when in good tune. What I try to do singing is to fill a colour palette, and that can differ according to the sensibilities of the song. A shanty, for example, needs a filling of robustness, whereas a spiritual, one of delicacy. Simply chucking voices at it is often counterproductive, the harmonies are clearer when there are fewer but more accurate singers: choirs rarely listen enough to what's going on around them.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Sean Belt
Date: 05 Nov 14 - 09:53 AM

The band I play with, The Mound City Slickers, do a pretty killer version of "I'm A Rowdy Soul" unaccompanied or a cappella (choose your own). It's available on our CD,
MADE GOOD FOR YOU. We also throw in "Shawnee Town" when the mood suits us and it seems to work pretty well. [Posted here]

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Helen
Date: 06 Nov 14 - 07:07 PM

Hi Rahere,

Another cool thing to listen to is a tuned harp set crosswise to the wind so that the wind plays the strings, like an Aeolian harp. Even cooler is if the harp is in pentatonic tuning so that every string is in harmony with every other string.

When my 34 string harp was first made, the harp maker was getting ready to load it into his car on a windy day and he set it down in the wind as he was organising everything. The sounds it was making were amazing.

I know what you mean about matching the singing style to the song. I am not a singer but I am an avid fan of singing, especially of the soul-stirring variety, whatever emotion is being conveyed.

This is totally not relevant to a Folk & Blues forum, or a thread on a cappella songs, but this one is the bomb!

Vivaldi - Gloria RV589 - VI.Domine Deus rex coelestis

I want it played at my funeral. I have had the 5 CD set of Vivaldi's Complete Sacred Choral works for about 30 years. I play them a lot.

Helen

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 06 Nov 14 - 07:55 PM

You should hear me soon in action on the Park Records trailer for this year's Maddy Prior/Carnival Band tour. There's some talk of building this into a serious workshop to see what happens when we've time to really work on the dynamics, an hour a piece isn't really long enough.

There's more to do on staging Vivaldi, though, now Pavlo Beznosiuk's reaction to my hint about the need to work to the scale of the Pieta is becoming normalized: the tempi create echoes for that exact scale. Which reminds me, this weekend's the EM Festival!

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Elmore
Date: 06 Nov 14 - 08:21 PM

(when we go) Rolling Home. Beggar's Velvet or Roy Bailey. Written by John Tams.

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 06 Nov 14 - 09:28 PM

What are you talking about, Rahere?

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: Helen
Date: 07 Nov 14 - 01:14 PM

I have to admit, Rahere, I don't fully understand what you are saying abour Vivaldi although I think I know what you are referring to about scale. I fall into the category of "I don't know much about music theory, but I know what I like". LOL

I seriously regret not learning music properly when I was young enough to pick it up easily.

Maybe this thread isn't the right place for the discussion. I don't want to hijack someone else's thread - which is probably too late, because I might have done that already. Sorry folks!

Maybe we could start another thread.

Rahere, I'll be very interested to hear your work on the Park Records trailer for this year's Maddy Prior/Carnival Band.

Have you visited Mudcat much? As I said above on 1 November to Dennis, it's a great community to join. Lots of friendly, knowledgeable and helpful people.

Helen

Subject: RE: a capella songs that kick ass?
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 07 Nov 14 - 05:32 PM

Don't force Max' hand, he has his own thoughts. If he wants to, he knows how to contact me.