Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap

Subject: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Dec 15 - 07:36 PM

Does anyone know if the tune used for Adieu John Barleycorn is traditional (public domain) or if copyright exists on it.

It can be heard here:

Adieu John Barleycorn

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Dec 15 - 08:52 PM

LYRICS ? ? ?

Please post.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Dec 15 - 10:55 PM

The lyrics are on the link in the opening post.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Dec 15 - 11:28 PM

It's not the same, but has some similarities to the tune used for Fairport Convention's "Reynard the Fox". I don't know where that came from either.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: Artful Codger
Date: 14 Dec 15 - 11:46 PM

From what I gleaned when researching this song, the tune was written by members of Willard's Leap. The words appear in Yorkshire Anthology: Ballads & Songs Ancient & Modern (p. 418f.) edited by Joseph Horsfall Turner, 1901, where they're attributed to Matthew Harman of "Scarbro'". I would have sworn there was an earlier thread about this song, but I'm unable to find it with either Mudcat search or Google.

Terrific rendition by Jeff Gillett and Ron Taylor on their album Both Shine as One.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 12:32 AM

Sorry - I seem to be writing as "guest" - it's Weasel.
On the YouTube page it says that members of the group set it to a tune which may or may not mean that they wrote it. This girl s why I'm asking if anyone knows for certain - I wish to make an arrangement of it.

Cheers,

Weasel

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 01:09 AM

If you google

I've done with you John Barleycorn

it will take you to a page that shows

Wayside blossoms [verse]. - Page 121 - Google Books Result

Open that. I think you may find the preface helpful regarding the Harman attribution. The melody would ahve come later because it was originally a poem.

Note also that the original work seems to have been done in 1867 and the book above was printed in 1883 (I think). Hope that helps. And the complete poem starts at p. 121. Hope that helps.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 06:05 AM

Lyrics Added


JOHN BARLEYCORN
by Mathew Harmon Scarbro

I've done with you, John Barleycorn!
Forever, John, adieu!
We've had some trade together, John,
And I have cause to rue.
You're not the friend I thought you, John
In life's gay sunny morn
You charmed my heart, then knocked me down:
Adieu, John Barleycorn!

I once had gold, John Barleycorn,
Bright guineas not a few,
But now I've empty pockets, John,
Since I've had trade with you.
My dearest friends have left me, John,
And treat me now with scorn:
You've brought disgrace upon my head,
Adieu, John Barleycorn!

No more in life, John Barleycorn,
Will I your charms pursue;
Such false pernicious friendship, John,
I never will renew
The world a man once thought me, John.
A nation to adorn,
But you have made me what I am,
Adieu, John Barleycorn!

I've found a friend, John Barleycorn,
A better friend than you:
We've made some trade together,John,
And I have cause to rue.
You're not the friend I thought you, John,
In life's gay, sunny morn:
You charmed my heart the knocked me down,
Adieu, John Barleycorn!



Yorkshire Anthology: Ballads & Songs Ancient & Modern, (with Several Hundred Real Epitaphs,) Covering a Period of a Thousand Years of Yorkshire History in Verse; with Notes Bibliographical, Biographical, Topographical, Dialectic &c., and Quaint and Original Illus
Joseph Horsfall Turner
Harrison publisher , 1901, p 417-18.
accessed through Google Books December. 15, 2015





http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=19412#280333

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 06:33 AM

PREFACE



This little volume is a revised and enlarged edition of one bearing the same title, which was published in the year 1867. I am perfectly aware that there is nothing in my verse to recommend it to the literary World. It is simply the spontaneous effusion of a self-educated man—one who has had many disadvantages to contend with; having spent the early part of his life at sea, as a fisherman. Those inclined to be censorious may say such rugged effusions are little worth, when we have so many eminent writers. True, some are more favoured with literary abilities than others; but is that a sufficient reason why the lowly bard should not pour out the warm emotions of his soul in feeling, unadorned language? In this land of boasted freedom there ever was, and ever will be, poets of every degree. All cannot be stars of the first magnitude; and the work of a minor poet, if it serve no other end, must have a tendency to make the work of a major one shine with greater brilliancy.
That this unassuming book will at least afford some little amusement to those who may take the trouble to peruse its pages, is the sincere wish of The Author.

Scarsborough, November 6, 1883


Wayside blossoms [verse]
Matthew Harman - January 1, 1883
A. Harman - Publisher


Sincerely,
Gargoyle

accessed google books. December 15, 2015.


[

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 10:03 AM

Thank you, Gargoyle.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: nutty
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 10:21 AM

The tune to this song was written by members of Willards Leap. An extra verse was written by Jeff Gillett and Ron Taylor for their recording of the song.
Any further info can be obtained from Pete Wray - now living in Cornwall and performing in a group called Baldrick's Plan.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 11:59 AM

Weasel, if you have the skills to make an arrangement of that tune, then you must know some music theory and are probably able to read music.

That's a cute tune, but it's nothing remarkable - just a pleasant little jig in 6/8.   Why don't you just compose a new tune, arrange it, and then have nothing to worry about?

Memorize the words, start singing them, and when you get a jig you like, note it down. Try not to go up and down the scale a lot, because music that does that doesn't lend itself to chords.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 03:14 PM

Harman's 'Wreath of Rhymes' was a very popular book in its own time. I used to come across copies a lot at one time.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 07:45 PM

Leeneia

Yes, I can do all these things (I'm a classical musician) but I like the tune they use and would like to arrange it for my group (no words). I could easily write another tune but I like that one. I don't like using someone else's work without permission.

Nutty - thanks for that.

Cheers,

Weasel.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 08:58 PM

GUEST,#

Mudcat is at it greatest...when we all give a piece.

You had the resource...I had the time.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

is fun to knit a stich together

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Dec 15 - 09:16 PM

Hey, man, you will never know how much I appreciate and actually treasure that post. Thank you :-)

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,Peter Wray
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 04:59 AM

Hi. I was a member of W|illard's Leapback in the distant but not so dim past. I found the words of the song in a book in Eston Library, near Middlesbrough in the early 1970s and liked the contrast with the normal sentiments expressed in songs of the 'John Barleycorn' genre. It had no tune, so I wrote one.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 10:03 PM

Hi Peter,
Thank you for responding. Is there some way I can contact you privately please?

Weasel.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 10:15 PM

JOE OFFER (mudcat) ...is a common connect ... for screening communicators that would like to remain incommunicado.

However, if the private discussion adds more information concerning this topic....please return and post into this thread.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

This thread is in the top one percent of MC 2015.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 10:21 PM

I agree with that ;-)

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: Weasel
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 05:54 AM

Cookie reset

I'm myself again (I hope)

Weasel.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: Weasel
Date: 18 Dec 15 - 11:44 AM

Just to clarify (since several "guests" have joined this thread) I am the original poster and would like to contact Peter Wray if possible.

Thanks,

Weasel.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Dec 15 - 01:43 PM

Pete Wray easy enough to find, he is very handsome and lives in cornwall recently did a gig at wilsons club, contasct mike wilson on facebook, he must have a contact for the lovely man

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: nutty
Date: 18 Dec 15 - 03:00 PM

Pete can be contacted via facebook or by his website featuring his and his partners impressive artwork. http://www.handprintstudio.co.uk/

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,Peter Wray
Date: 08 May 17 - 05:37 PM

I wrote the tune to Adieu John Barleycorn. I was a member of Willards Leap, and found the lyrics of the dong in a book in Eston library, near Middlesbrough. In order to fit it to the tune I did a little bit of tweaking, but the words remain, pretty much,true to the original.

Subject: RE: Adieu John Barleycorn - Willard's Leap
From: GUEST,Peter Wray
Date: 18 Feb 18 - 12:48 PM

Hi Weasel. You can contact me at [e-mail]