Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup

Subject: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 04 May 20 - 08:25 AM

Does anyone (most likely in the UK) remember a very moving song, I think by Harvey Andrews, from the mid '70s, about a marriage break up. I can now only remember one vivid line: 'You take the kids, I'll take the grand piano'. Recorded it in my tender years on my treasured Grundig 4 track tape recorder, from 'Country Meets Folk'. Many thanks!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: JHW
Date: 04 May 20 - 08:47 AM

Sorry no. Wonder if you've heard 'Your Mother and I' by Loudon Wainwright. Same topic.
(NB this reply keeps your request up the list hopefully for someone else to see)

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 04 May 20 - 09:02 AM

Thank you for your reply/strategic support! However, I can't connect Loudon W with the more sensitive Harvey Andrews (??) treatment of the same subject. Have in mind 'Rufus is a tit man' when Rufus was a baby!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 May 20 - 09:10 AM

Harvey used to be a member & here's the list of his posts, I don't know whether it will help you   
https://mudcat.org/usersearch.cfm?who=harvey+andrews

Index of Harvey Andrews' Songs

good luck in your search

Anon is my favourite of his songs

sandra

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 04 May 20 - 09:18 AM

https://mainlynorfolk.info/harvey.andrews/songs/

The 'Mainly Norfolk' site has a comprehensive listing of Andrews' songs with links to lyrics, etc. Perhaps you could have a look there and see if anything rings a bell, Judith. A generalized search doesn't work on this one I'm afraid. Anyway, 'ave a boo and see.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 04 May 20 - 09:22 AM

" I can't connect Loudon W with the more sensitive Harvey Andrews (??) treatment of the same subject."
Have you actually listened to Loudon Wainwright's song ?, or did you come to that judgement without bothering ?

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 04 May 20 - 09:44 AM

Ok, Kenny, don't want any bad feeling. I have seen the lyrics and have now listened to it. Yes, sensitively sung etc, but my query was about something different. Calm down.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Reinhard
Date: 04 May 20 - 09:53 AM

If you've seen the lyrics, Judith, then which song is it actually? And from which of Harvey's albums?

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 04 May 20 - 10:10 AM

With respect, why are you asking me about the very memorable line, which does not appear in LW111, and if I knew what album it was from I wouldn't be posting. You are drunk or something. I would like to know which of Harvey's albums it appears on. I have had so much rubbish from some posters, I have realised that I can Facebook Harvey Himself. Thank god!! Never known so much vitriolic crap.

---

Judith, your behavior here is churlish, especially for a guest arriving and asking for a favor. YOU calm down and stop scolding others or you'll find yourself out in the cold.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 04 May 20 - 10:17 AM

Apologies to Sandra in Sydney. I cross-posted with you. Anyway, it looks like this thread is shot. Have a good day everyone.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 04 May 20 - 10:34 AM

Hello Starship. Why is this thread shot? Perfectly polite, normal enquiry at the beginning. Other people may well have information to offer.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 04 May 20 - 10:40 AM

I didn't suggest the thread should close or anything like that. I saw your request to Mr Andrews on FB and figure you'll have the answer soon enough. I hope you do and will return to post it here. Best wishes to you and good luck with this.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Helen
Date: 04 May 20 - 11:55 AM

Yes, I agree Doug. Guest, kenny and then Reinhard (are they one and the same person?) seem to be jumping in too quickly with negative comments.

As I see it, Judith was referring to having seen the lyrics of Loudon Wainwright's song, not the Harvey Andrews song she is asking about.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Reinhard
Date: 04 May 20 - 12:03 PM

Sorry Helen, I didn't mean to be negative. And I'm just me, I don't post under other names.

Judith did ask a question and a few postings later told us she'd found the answer but didn't share it with us which I *did* find unpolite.   I was curious and would liked to have known the answer too.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,judith
Date: 04 May 20 - 12:28 PM

this gets worse. I didn't find the answer and so I didn't share it with you. Never been impolite (not unpolite)Can't believe the hostility on this site.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 04 May 20 - 12:33 PM

An innocent teenage influence has been tainted by stupid 'grown up's' horrible comments. Mr Andrews Facebooked me and said it wasn't his line, so I am still curious. Don't think I can be bothered with all this bad feeling.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Helen
Date: 04 May 20 - 12:40 PM

Thanks Reinhard. It appears to be a misunderstanding. The lyrics that Judith referred to were not the lyrics of the song she is asking about.

Judith, please let me apologise on behalf of Mudcatters. This is usually a good resource for people seeking information on music and songs, but sometimes a thread takes a wrong turn. It would be a sad day if you as a Guest turned away from Mudcat because of a misunderstanding.

Can we start again, please, and see what we can find out about the Harvey Andrews song?

I don't know his songs at all, so I'm not much help.

Do you think the titles of the songs listed in the links provided by Sandra in Sydney and Starship ring any bells for you?

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Helen
Date: 04 May 20 - 12:44 PM

It appears that we cross posted.

I'm hoping you'll come back to the thread. Do you have any more information on the song?

What type of musical accompaniment, e.g. solo guitar or a band, anything at all which could help with the search?

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 04 May 20 - 12:44 PM

Well, it ain't the answer ya wanted, but it is an answer. Was the song with just acoustic back-up, were there voices on the chorus, if there was a chorus? Tenor, baritone? That kind of info would sure be a help.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 04 May 20 - 12:49 PM

Many thanks, Helen, for being understanding. Harvey Andrews got back to me on Facebook and said it wasn't his song. I am still curious and hoped that other 'folkies' would be understanding and helpful enthusiasts! In the greater scheme of things it doesn't matter, but I would appreciate anything to enlighten me.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 May 20 - 12:53 PM

GUEST,Judith - Polite reminder - ignore terseness from others. If they haven't got you nearer it wasn't useful anyway. The best way is to stick to the subject and don't react. There are others who may dig a bit if the atmosphere is conducive. They like a challenge - especially during lock down. If it is a Harvey Andrews song, finding Lyrics listed on the web may be difficult. IME. Unlikely to be a song on "Life!" the best guesses were blank. Best of Luck.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Jeri
Date: 04 May 20 - 01:03 PM

Interpersonal reactathon comments will be deleted.
We all have stuck-in-the-house semi-permanent wedgies right now.

Be nice. Answer the question, or walk on by.
Thank you.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Helen
Date: 04 May 20 - 04:45 PM

And Reinhard, sorry for casting possible nasturtiums about Guest, kenny in relation to you. It was the middle of the night (here in Australia) and I had woken from a crazy dream and couldn't get back to sleep, and as Jeri said we are all a little stir crazy from the social isolation. I'm especially off balance because of not being able to play music regularly with my friends.

My apologies.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 04 May 20 - 05:12 PM

I don't think anyone here has anything to apologise for, I used to listen to "country meets folk" regularly but how are we expected to remember one line out of hundreds of songs....the line has a country feel to it and there was quite a lot of country music in the programme.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this?
From: Helen
Date: 04 May 20 - 06:44 PM

Well akenaton, I'd prefer to strive to be a good human, take responsibility for my mistakes and errors of judgement, and apologise.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,allanwill
Date: 05 May 20 - 01:30 AM

whoops!

I may be wrong but wasn't there a reference to being able to download some episodes of Country meets Folk recently.

Allan

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Helen
Date: 05 May 20 - 01:42 AM

I did a search in the Lyrics & Knowledge Search box at top left of the main Mudcat Forum screen using Country meets Folk as the search term, and only ticking the Forum and not DT:

A lot of threads came up in the results but this one might be promising:

Country Meets Folk - 1970s

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Mr Red
Date: 05 May 20 - 02:30 AM

but how are we expected to remember one line out of hundreds of songs....

Weeeeeeeeeeeeell. Sometimes things that wring (sic) true can stick. If there is particular reason, in your life at the time, to resonate. The mind is a strange beast. Though memory can be stranger. Like Harvey Andrews being conflated with one stanza. There was a maybe in the OP.

BTW Helen, your URL is garbled. The blickie should be https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=159485 - Country Meets Folk - 1970s

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Helen
Date: 05 May 20 - 03:03 AM

Thanks Mr Red,

I should have checked the blickie. I could blame it on the blickifier below, but I should have also remembered that the blickies for Mudcat threads always double up on "mudcat.org" for some reason.

I may be wrong but I'm assuming that the singer of the song may have sounded similar to Harvey Andrews which may explain the mix up. It's difficult to identify performers from a recording on a tape.

I'm hoping that the OP, Judith, returns to this thread. I wanna know the answer, darnit!! :-)

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 05 May 20 - 02:54 PM

Am I mistaken or is this closed? If so, don't know why. A more recent thread asks for identification of a few notes of a tune, whereas one poster is exasperated that I might ask about a line of a song. Most unreasonable post by someone who may as well have said nothing. I can't be the only one who heard this song. Keep it open and someone may enlighten me.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 05 May 20 - 02:57 PM

I doubt it!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 05 May 20 - 03:02 PM

Judith, if the thread were closed you wouldn't be able to post to it.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Helen
Date: 05 May 20 - 03:45 PM

Judith, just ignore that little buzzing sound from the pesky little fly. This thread is still open.

Further up the thread, Starship said, "Was the song with just acoustic back-up, were there voices on the chorus, if there was a chorus? Tenor, baritone? That kind of info would sure be a help."

And I said, "Do you have any more information on the song?

What type of musical accompaniment, e.g. solo guitar or a band, anything at all which could help with the search?"

It always helps if we can find out more of what you remember. Are you still able to listen to the tape that you recorded, or are you just remembering what you heard back then?

Did you see the link to another thread posted wonkily by me and then corrected by Mr Red on Date: 05 May 20 - 02:30 AM? There is a partial list of some of the songs on the Country Meets Folk programme in the '70's. Do any of those songs ring any bells for you?

We're here to help and some of us enjoy a challenge.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 05 May 20 - 04:31 PM

"Little fly", "unreasonable"? I politely asked for the notation of a well know song providing the author's name, now had I provided two words from a forty year old radio broadcast without any idea of who sang or wrote the song in question,    that would have been unreasonable.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Helen
Date: 05 May 20 - 04:37 PM

We're here to help and some of us enjoy a challenge.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Jeri
Date: 05 May 20 - 05:32 PM

Ake, your dots are in your thread.
I tried to find the song Juldith asked about. I couldn't. Perhaps someone else will be more successful.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 06 May 20 - 02:32 AM

Thank you Jeri.....much appreciated...

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 06 May 20 - 10:38 AM

I apologize for interrupting this thread, but needs must:

GUEST,akenaton might be interested in the following thread:

"Tune Req: 'Taking His Chance' recording". It's to do with a Henry Lawson poem.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 06 May 20 - 11:22 AM

Thanks starship, I've been out in the sun but will look it up after tea.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Helen
Date: 06 May 20 - 05:54 PM

I've sent a PM to a member who posted to the Country Meets Folk thread. He may not be checking in very often to Mudcat so I'll wait and see if he responds.

I'm hoping Judith will come back to the thread to check on our progress.

I have to say, I like the line from the song, 'You take the kids, I'll take the grand piano'. In fact it reminds me of a friend of mine whose relationship broke down and he got the grand piano and she got the kid.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 06 May 20 - 06:50 PM

I have looked for over two hours, maybe more than that. Until the OP returns and answers the questions we've both asked, I don't see any reason to continue looking. Best wishes to you and good luck. .

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Helen
Date: 06 May 20 - 07:19 PM

Thanks Starship. I agree. We don't know if Judith will return to the thread.

It's unfortunate that a Guest was not treated more respectfully on the thread. She may have been scared away.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Jeri
Date: 06 May 20 - 10:34 PM

It was a case of mutual disrespect. Or Covid-19 crabbiness. She's been back since then.
I can't help but think with just a little bit more info... Of course, I've seen threads like this sit for years, and all of a sudden, somebody finds the answer. Hope it doesn't take that long!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Helen
Date: 07 May 20 - 03:03 AM

Yes Jeri, a little bit more info would possibly help - or maybe not.

It's at the stage where if Judith doesn't come back into the thread it will drop off the list.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 07 May 20 - 04:28 AM

Hello, I'm back, nearly scared away but not quite!

I asked the question because Country Meets Folk was essentially a show that drew attention to new LPs, and somebody on here may actually have the record. I was not expecting anyone to remember one line of a 45 year old song after hearing it only once. I also assumed there might be other keen listeners like me recording on reel to reels. I still have the tapes but the Grundig didn't survive.

Helen, that's interesting that you knew a couple in that very situation. Anyway he was a British solo singer songwriter who played an acoustic guitar. Don't remember any regional accent. Perhaps the writer is a Catter and will see this thread!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: JHW
Date: 07 May 20 - 04:41 AM

Country Meets Folk - Those were the days. Back then no one had a smart**** phone to tell Covid where you are. When Country Beats Folk was on we didn't even have a phone in the house. No one did.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Helen
Date: 07 May 20 - 04:43 AM

Thanks for the extra information Judith. I'm hoping that the person I sent a personal message to will come into this thread when he reads the message. He may be able to help with the search.

Did you look at the other thread about Country Meets Folk? There is a list of a few songs in that thread.         Mr Red corrected my hyperlink on Date: 05 May 20 - 02:30 AM

There are also some other Mudcat threads which mention the show if you do a search in the search box on the top left of the main Forum screen. Note: just tick the Forum and not DT which is Digital Tradition, a collection of songs and tunes based on what Mudcatters have posted about over the years.

As to my friends, I'll never forget when he installed a grand piano in the living room. The room was fairly small and the piano only just fitted in. There was hardly room for any other furniture at that end of the room. (I hope neither of them read this thread! :-D )

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 07 May 20 - 05:35 AM

No but "I'm working on my next broken heart"!!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 07 May 20 - 09:39 AM

Judith, did the singer sound old at the time you heard the song--which I think you said was about 1975?

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Mo the caller
Date: 07 May 20 - 11:52 AM

The grand piano line rings bells for me too. My daughter was a guest at an extravagant wedding, but within a year the bride decided she preferred another man. She told her ex that he could keep the lot, but didn't expect him to claim the grand piano she'd had before they married.
Not that it helps with the question.
We used to record folk (country meets f, f on whicheverday)on a Grundig reel to reel too then copy the bits we wanted to keep.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 07 May 20 - 12:15 PM

Not old, but not young, old enough to sound like he might know the experience of the song's subject matter (though I'm not assuming it was autobiographical). That's why I mistakenly had Harvey Andrews in mind. I realise now that Mr Andrews was probably only 31 or so at that time - not old but a wee bit older than some of the other 'contemporary' songwriters of the time. This all sounds a bit silly, but in my mind the singer was at least 40! No attacks please!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 07 May 20 - 12:51 PM

Heck, Judith, nothing silly about that. We're now looking for a male UK singer, possibly deceased. However, because of that dating we now know he was born near 1935, give or take a few years. And that will certainly narrow things down a bit in terms of who the songwriter may have been. Thank you.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 07 May 20 - 12:53 PM

NB I am not ready to assume the singer and writer(s) of the song are or aren't the same person.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 May 20 - 06:13 AM

I should have also remembered that the blickies for Mudcat threads always double up on "mudcat.org" for some reason.

if the http:// protocol is left off usually. Other omissions are available.

I did offer JavaScript lines to Max to add to a blickifier that would check/correct for this, I never got a response. Nowadays you have to check for https:// as well. Maybe that is what needs updating. In which case defaulting to correct with http:// would work IME. & www. usually can be omitted (also because subdomains confuse the issue).

I post this often to remind peeps to think. Particularly now the URL field (aka box) of browsers acts as a search engine &/or appends the missing protocol.

I did do a bit of digging, also in the context of Harvey Andrews, and gave up after probably 2 hours. Is this a known cerebral phenomenon? 2 hours search limit?

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: GUEST,Judith
Date: 12 May 20 - 03:43 AM

Hello, Mr Red.

Can't say I understood any of the tech stuff, but regarding Harvey Andrews, I FaceBooked him and he confirmed that he didn't write or sing the song I asked about, so we are still at square one!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember this? -song about marriage breakup
From: Mr Red
Date: 12 May 20 - 04:33 AM

Techie stuff is just to make it easier for others to follow. If it is blue and can be clicked, we often call it a blickie and we can make them on threads in this parish. But there are ways to get it wrong, and it helps to alert people if trying.

There are a few song lyrics out there that mention grand piano** but none that seem to include keep and kids, maybe you have to advance to deeper pages of search results, and play with words that might say the same thing like children instead of kids.



**there are a few other fillips we can play with, if you know yer website stuff. (:-}