BS: Folksinger's License

Subject: Folksinger's License
From: Pappy Fiddle
Date: 26 Feb 20 - 11:09 PM

A folksinger or troubador sings for his supper, or just for fun, to make people happy, maybe himself.

Generally this person can't sing the words to a song the same way twice. Maybe they never did get the "right" words and maybe they have intentionally changed them because they wanted to.

Now if you feel you'd like to be like that but also feel some hesitancery or trepication, I suggest you print out the following and keep it handy:

---------------------------
This license certifies that
   
is a Poet & Folksinger

and has the right to
- create or modify any lyrics or tune
- put any lyrics to any tune
- perform such old, new, or modified songs
- in any place at any time*
- and print up licenses like this
---------------------------

Our job as folksingers is partly to preserve the old songs as they were, but also we're spose' to improve them.

* There be some caveats to this if money is changing hands. Copyrights, lawyers; but a person can sing anything they want for free

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 Feb 20 - 03:56 AM

As Martin Carthy (touches forelock) said:
You can do anything to a folksong, anything at all, and it will survive. Anything except ignore it.

But sure ain't a licence to print money.

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 28 Feb 20 - 04:40 AM

Free beer's good though.

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Feb 20 - 12:48 PM

I sing a given song with the same words to the same tune, but I am told, not always in the same key.

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Feb 20 - 03:50 AM

You can do anything to a folksong, anything at all, and it will survive. Anything except ignore it.
i think you have misquoted

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Feb 20 - 03:59 AM

That’s what folk music is: the intuitive nature of the whole thing among people who love messing about with stuff and coming up with something else to keep the continuity going; people who aren’t intimidated by how venerable it is. A song cannot survive if it is not being played – it is either played or it perishes.”Carthy.
the other quote was more like.. you cant harm Tradtional SONGS ONLY BY NOT SINGING THEM

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Feb 20 - 04:24 AM

in my opinion CARTHYS statement was an over simplification i think he meant in the long term harm cannot be done, i have heard much harm being inflicted on songs in the short term[ and at the time] wished the perpetrators would desist, however i would rather hear someone who might improve but is only just beginning attempting a trad song... than fifth rate imitations of pop songs ,which incidentally very rarely seem to get folk processed.

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Feb 20 - 04:36 AM

Isuppose the only place popsongs get folk processed is football matches

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Feb 20 - 08:36 AM

You can do anything to a folksong, anything at all, and it will survive. Anything except ignore it.

He may have said "anything you want". But that is about as accurate I can get from an incidental memory. I didn't put the dramatic pauses in, but Carthy was passionate with a text pretty much as reported.

It was in a BBC Four documentary, it is on record. That's the problem with pedantry, you hear it differently, at another moment/audience and assume your hearing is not only perfect but at a unique juncture. Or maybe a little circumspection is in order, if rarely present.

So your challenge, should you wish to be accurate (and knowing), is to find the documentary.

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Feb 20 - 08:45 AM

The Folk process is predicated on:

1) misheard copying
2) artistic preferences, and abilities
3) current fashions
4) prevailing laws & politics (eg PC, racism etc)
5) copyright &/or its abuses
6) boredom and creativity
7) memory plays tricks
8) playfulness (eg shanties - skippers name in this boat)
9) others, please specify "..................................."

cat, pigeon, lob :)

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Feb 20 - 11:36 AM

much as i respect Carthy as a performer , i certainly do not treat everything he says as if it was gospel

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 01 Mar 20 - 08:53 AM

Of course you must!

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Mr Red
Date: 02 Mar 20 - 03:30 PM

It doesn't have to be Gospel, even if he is a notso minor Deity. His words just have to be tested, in the field as well as in tiny minds.

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Mrrzy
Date: 02 Mar 20 - 06:31 PM

This thread should totally be above the line, no?

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Bill D
Date: 02 Mar 20 - 10:33 PM

The 'folk process' is sort of an automatic thing... it just happens naturally. What is not natural is setting the *folk processor* on PUREE.

Subject: RE: BS: Folksinger's License
From: Mr Red
Date: 03 Mar 20 - 04:44 AM

funnier than setting it on PURE