Lyr/Chords Req: The Arran Convict (Alan Reid)

Subject: chords please, The Aran Convict
From: DonMeixner
Date: 04 Aug 99 - 12:52 AM

Some days I'm denser than others, I can't get a handle on this tune. I have the words OK but the chords are eluding me. Can anyone give me a hand, please?

Don

Subject: The Aran Convict
From: DonMeixner
Date: 31 Mar 00 - 11:15 PM

Hello All,

I'm looking for the lyrics and chords to this song. I heard it from The Battlefield Band. Also known as Long Legged Mary by some.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Aran Convict
From: The Beanster
Date: 01 Apr 00 - 02:15 AM

Don,

Been looking for this song but have had no luck yet, although I have found sites for the band itself and fan sites, etc. Will keep trying or maybe someone else will know it.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Aran Convict
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 01 Apr 00 - 05:13 PM

I have the BB recording and have long wanted to take the words down - I just don't have the time. I'll see what I can do till Easter. It may help to know, though, that it's Arran in Scotland, not Aran in Ireland the song refers to. - Susanne

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: THE ARRAN CONVICT (Alan Reid)
From: GUEST,Victoria
Date: 01 Apr 00 - 09:28 PM

Ahhh...from the pen of the wonderful Alan Reid...great song, isn't it though? Here's the lyrics...

(Chorus:) I wish I was back on the Loch Ranza ferry
With long legged Mary, breathing the spray and the sweet island air of the morning
But I’m wasting away in this sweltering prison
The mercury's rising and freedom's a dream that arrives and escapes with the dawning.

It seems just like yesterday, sailing from Brodick
Across the Atlantic in search of a wife and some land
But the New Brunswick winters are lonely and hard
So I followed the wagons out west with no money or plan. (Chorus)

I worked on the railroad with Chinese and Irish
I slept in the pine woods and heard the wolf creep to the door
But a Scotsman in Portland took all of my money
He sold me a cartload of candles he robbed from a store.

I fell in with gangsters and dealers in moonshine
And soon they involved me in driving their wagons of booze
One night we were ambushed and I killed a black man
Now I’m in the jail-house and one of the hard labour crews. (Chorus)

Sometimes when it's dark I remember Loch Ranza
The days when the rain from Kintyre was a sheet without end
And long legged Mary, who smiled at me slyly
And if they release me I think I’ll go back there again. (Chorus)

The chords are as follows; G C G D Em A7 G D G C G D C G D G D A D G Em D C D A D G Em D C

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Aran Convict
From: DonMeixner
Date: 02 Apr 00 - 12:24 AM

Thanks Victoria,

Is the Black Man mentioned in the song an Afro-Canadian(?) or is Black Man euphemistic for some kind of cop?

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Aran Convict
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 02 Apr 00 - 05:49 PM

Thank you, Victoria!

Subject: The Arran Convict- The chords please
From: DonMeixner
Date: 18 Jan 02 - 11:25 PM

I am still looking for the chords to The Arran Convict by Alan Reid of The Battlefield Band.

This also brings up a question. Why is it that we don't think of giving out the chords to songs as a rule? In most cases, even for songs deep in the public domain, we don't supply chords in Digitrad. How come? Is it because they are hard to align with the words. Or are there copyright or other restrictions?

Don Meixner

Subject: RE: Help: The Arran Convict- The chords please
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 12:37 PM

For the chords, start bugging one of these people who says they have Sing Out! collections. Convict, v.41#3 ... p.42. Mick, BillD., etc.

As for your chord question, I can only say why I don't post them. Usually, I find only lyrics, not chords. If I find chords, I haven't mastered the html to post them correctly. (lazy).If I find chords, I'll post a link and let somebody else paste them.

I don't do guitar, etc. so I don't need them, therefore I don't know them. Also, quite often, I think they are so easy (I, IV,VII, etc.) as to not be necessary.

Subject: RE: Help: The Arran Convict- The chords please
From: DonMeixner
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 04:45 PM

Sorcha,

I can gnerally figure out the chords to any tune I need. But for some reason I find the simple ones to be the hardest. May be its because I expect a chord to be in a spot that has a passing tone through it. (By the way, I figured out the chords to Long Journey Home this moring, after three days of antibiotic cleared out the ear infection in my one fuctional ear.)

Also., for some reason I find Battlefield Band songs to be remarkable obtuse. Still great songs, just odd. And as you found the Arran Convict by searching Google and getting to the Sing Out! site you will have also found that for $3.00 bucks I can get a copy of the lead sheet. I don't begrudge the $3.00, its the turn around time of six days: I want it Noooooooooowww!

And you only find lyrics too. Which is my question, why only lyrics? I know I spoke of the digitrad but that isn't really this forum. I'm not speaking of the catters in the forum and accussing them of not being a help to me. These are the most generous and considerate folks in the entire civilized world and parts of France. Just the greater world of music out there.

Is there a legal reason why lyrics are posted and chords.

But thanks Sorcha for all the help in the past for my chording questions, you are always in the fore front with a helpful suggestion or a good site to try. I'll try and be less of a pest about this stuff and bugg no one.

Don

Subject: RE: Help: The Arran Convict- The chords please
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Jan 02 - 04:57 PM

Like I told ya, Don, PM BillD (or Bill D--I'm not sure which). He has this humongous collection of SingOut! and you could bug him into posting the chords.......(*BG*)

Subject: Chords Add: THE ARRAN CONVICT (Alan Reid)
From: GUEST,Kernow John
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 05:15 PM

Hope it's in time

Ch. Oh I (G)wish I was back on the (C)Lochranza (G)ferry
with long legged (D)Mary
(Em)Breathin in the spray and the (A7)sweet island air of the (G)mor(D)nin'
But I'm (G)wastin away in this (C)swelterin (G)prison The mercury's (D)rising
and (C)freedoms a dream that a(G)rrives and escapes with the (D)dawn(G) in

1. It (D)seems like just yesterday (A7)sailing from Brodick
a(G)cross the Atlantic in (Em)search of a wife and some (d)lan(c)d
But the (D)New Brunswick winters are (A7) lonely and (D)hard
so I (G)followed the wagons out (Em)West with no money or (D)plan(C)



KJ

Subject: RE: Help: The Arran Convict- The chords please
From: DonMeixner
Date: 20 Jan 02 - 11:06 PM

Thank you KJ, you are truly a good person.

Don Meixner