Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist (Gray/Spaulding)

Subject: The volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,Minstrel
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 11:12 AM

Can someone please help with the lyrics for an English folk song "The volunteer Organist" apparently from the turn of the century.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: Anglo
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 01:05 PM

Written by William Gray, music by Henry Lamb, pub. 1893 - it's in "Just a Song at Twilight, The 2nd Parlour Song Book" by Michael Turner & Anthony Miall. (There's also a "trad" recording on an old Topic LP by Fred Jordan. Sorry, I don't have the words written out, but someone might with the book might have a scanner.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: sian, west wales
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 01:21 PM

Weird. I have it open on the piano - well, it's opposite The Lost Chord which I'm "revisiting" having seen the film "Topsy Turvy".

Anyway, this version says it was written by a Wm. B. Glenroy, and there's a copyright across the bottom for MCMXXXIII by Amsco Music Sales Co., NY City. Also, there's only one verse, but I get the feeling that there should be more ... the one being...

The scene was one I'll ne'er forget
As long as I may live,
And just to see it o'er again
All earthly wealth I'd give.
The congregation all amazed,
The preacher old and gray,
The organ and the organist
Who volunteered to play.

And that's all there is in this book (and it's the first time I've tried the line breaks ... so I don't know if I've got them right.)

If anyone has more verses, please post. I'd kinda like to know how it ends...

Sian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: Anglo
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 05:55 PM

"The scene was one I'll ne'er forget .." is the chorus. There are two long verses, with one of those Victorian tunes that goes all over the place. The chorus is half the length of the verse, and its tune is different from both halves of the verse.

I wonder if it might have fallen out of copyright and your Glenroy copyrighted his arrangement. (Did he write The Lost Chord too ? :-) Or did Sir Arthur's descendants hang on to that one.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIST (Gray/Spaulding)^^
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 08:55 PM

There's a copy (not a very good one) at  The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music  ("Words by Wm. B. Gray. Music by G.L.S. Spaulding. New York: W.B. Gray & Co., 16 West 27th Street, 1893.") (click for sheet music)

The text is as follows:

THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIST

(Gray/Spaulding)

The preacher in the village church one Sunday morning said:
Our organist is ill today, will someone play instead?
An anxious look crept o'er the face of every person there,
As eagerly they watched to see who'd fill the vacant chair.
A man then staggered down the aisle whose clothes were old and torn
How strange a drunkard seemed to me, in church on Sunday morn.
But as he touched the organ keys without a single word,
The melody that followed was the sweetest ever heard.

Refrain:

The scene was one I'll ne'er forget as long as I may live,
And just to see it o'er again, all earthly wealth I'd give;
The congregation all amazed, the preacher old and gray,
The organ and the organist who volunteered to play.

Each eye shed tears within that church, the strongest men grew pale;
The organist in melody had told his own life's tale.
The sermon of the preacher was no lesson to compare
With that of life's example who sat in the organ chair;
And when the service ended not a soul had left a seat,
Except the poor old organist, who started toward the street.
Along the aisle and out the door, he slowly walked away:
The preacher rose, and softly said, "Good brethren, let us pray."^^

---

Click to play

---

Evidently quite a few people have been at this one over the years and claimed a piece of it.   I also found a comic monologue version of the story:

THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIST

(S. W. Foss)

The great big church wuz crowded
Full uv broadcloth an' uv silk,
An' satins rich as cream that grows
On ol' brindle's milk;
Shined boots, biled shirts, stiff dickeys
An' stove-pipe hats were there,
An' doods 'ith troousrloons so tight
They cou'dn't kneel down in prayer.

The elder in his poolpit high,
Said, as he slowly riz:
"Our organist is kep' to hum,
Laid up 'ith roomatiz.
An as we have no substitoot,
As brother Moore ain't here,
Will some'un in the congregation
Be so kin's to volunteer?

An' then a red-nosed, drunken tramp,
Of low-toned, rowdy style,
Give an interductory hiccup,
An' then staggered up the aisle.
Then thro' thet holy atmosphere
There crep' a sense er sin,
An thro' thet air of sanctity
The odor uv ol' gin.

Then Deacon Purington he yelled,
His teeth all sot on edge:
"This man purfanes the house er God!
W'y this is sacrilege!"
The tramp didn't hear a word he said,
But slouched 'ith stumblin feet,
An' sprawled an' staggered up the steps,
An' gained the organ seat.

He then went pawrin' thro' the keys,
An' soon there rose a strain,
Thet seemed to jest bulge out the heart,
An' lectrify the brain.
An' then he slapped down on the thing
'Ith hands an' head an' knees,
He slam dashed his hull body down
Kerflop upon the keys.

The organ roared, the music flood
Went sweepin' high an' dry.
It swelled into the rafters
And bulged out into the sky.
The ol' church shook an' staggered
An' seemed to reel an' sway
An' the elder shouted,
"Glory!" an' I yelled out "Hooray!"

An' then he tried a tender strain
That melted in our ears,
That brought up blessed memories
And drenched 'em down 'ith tears.
An' we dreamed uv ol' time kitchens,
'Ith Tabby on the mat,
Uv home, an' luv, an' baby-days,
An' mother, an' all that!

An' then he struck a streak uv hope-
A song from souls forgiven-
Thet burst from prison bars, uv sin,
An' stormed the gates uv Heaven.
The morning stars they sung together --
No soul was left alone,
We felt the universe was safe
An' God wuz on His throne!

An' then a wail uv deep despair
An' darkness come again,
An' a long, black crape hung on the doors
Uv all the homes uv men;
No luv, no light, no joy, no hope,
No songs of glad delight.
An' then-the tramp, he staggered down
And reeled into the night!

But we knew he'd tol' his story,
Tho' he never spoke a word,
An' it wuz the saddest story that
Our ears had ever heard.
He hed tol' his own life history,
An' no eye was dry thet day,
W'en the elder rose an' simply said:
"My brethren, let us pray."^^

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: Anglo
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 11:02 PM

Oh well spotted, Malcolm! The Levy copy, you'll notice, has words by W.B. Gray (Wm. B. Glenroy), music by G. L. Spaulding (Henry Lamb) so I'd assume these are noms de plume.

(Reading the notes to the song, which I had failed to do before, I see that is indeed the case).

The Levy arrangement seems to be copied note-for-note into my book, transposed up from C into Eb (though songs were often transposed and published in several different keys to fit different voices, so thay may just have copied a different edition).

I have "An anxious look..." in the first verse.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,Minstrel
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 03:27 PM

Thanks a lot Mudcatters thats made my mother in law extremely happy thanks a lot

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 10:12 AM

I have the mp3 of it. Its a little "Country-ish" but the words are all there! if anyone cares to hear it give me a shout. [e-mail]

Subject: ADD: The Lost Chord^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 05:01 PM

My future mother-in-law asked about this song, so I found it and thought I'd post it. It was a standard in songbooks in the late 19th Century and early 20th. I thought it has something to do with the Moody Blues...

You'll find a MIDI at the Cyberhymnal here (click)

-Joe Offer-

---

THE LOST CHORD
(Words: Adelaide A. Procter Music:Sir Arthur Sullivan)

Seated one day at the organ,
I was weary and ill at ease,
And my fingers wander'd idly
Over the noisy keys.

I know not what I was playing,
Or what I was dreaming then,
But I struck one chord of music,
Like the sound of a great Amen,
Like the sound of a great Amen.

* * *

It flooded the crimson twilight,
Like the close of an Angel's Psalm,
And it lay on my fevered spirit,
With a touch of infinite calm,

It quieted pain and sorrow,
Like love over-coming strife,
It seem'd the harmonious echo
From our dischordant life,

It link'd all perplexed meanings,
Into one perfect peace,
And trembled away into silence,
As if it were loth to cease;

I have sought, but I seek it vainly,
That one lost chord divine,
Which came from the soul of the organ,
And enter'd into mine.

It may be that Death's bright Angel,
Will speak in that chord again;
It may be that only in heav'n,
I shall hear that grand Amen.

It may be that Death's bright Angel,
Will speak in that chord again
IT MAY BE THAT ONLY IN HEAV'N
I SHALL HEAR THAT GRAND AMEN.

Words by Adelaide A. Procter (1825-1864)
Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842 - 1900)

@music
filename[ LOSTCHOR
JRO^^


Durante version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q0Ce6Jjqsk

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: nutty
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 05:08 PM

Further to Malcolm's post here is a Bodleian Broadside of the Gray/Spaulding song

Volunteer Organist

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 05:39 PM

That second version Malcom posted is from Sam Walter Foss (1858–1911). There's a line from it in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 07:10 PM

Oddly enough, these were both on the radio last Sunday (4th) night.....

Spooky or what? Or did you all also hear it and get reminded of it..... doo dee doo doo, doo dee doo doo(theme from The Twilight Zone.....)

LTS

Subject: Tune Add: THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIST^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 07:10 PM

Here's the tune for the songs Malcolm posted. I think it fits both of them.
-Joe Offer-

---

---

Click to play

---

ABC format:

X:1
T:The Volunteer Organist
M:2/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
G8|c2B2A3E|G2F2F3F|E3FE2D2|C6C2|D3D^D3^D|
E2c2B2A2|G2D2E2F2|E6G2|c2B2A3E|G2F2F3F|E2E2^G2B2|
A6A2|c3cB2A2|A2G2c2E2|G2G2F2E2|C6C2|D2^F2E3D|
G2A2B2B2|B2E2B2c2|A6A2|c3cB2A2|A3GG2G2|c2A2B2c2|
B6G2|c2B2A3E|G2F2F3F|E2E2^G2B2|A6A2|c3cB2A2|
A2G2c2^F2|G2^G2A2G2|c6E2|E3DE2G2|F3EE2G2|
A2A2G2F2|E6G2|c3cG2A2|G2F2E2E2|F2A2G2E2|D6G2|
E3^DE2E2|F3EF2G2|B2G2A2B2|c6c2|c3cc2c2|d2c2B2A2|
G2E2E3D|C11/2||

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 22 Feb 02 - 07:38 AM

Jeez guys. I seem to have opened a can of worms. It's hard to believe that a song I thought was so obscure was actually so well recognised. Yes Liz it is somewhat spooky. And GUEST Minstrel all the best to your mother in law.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From:
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 01:03 PM

Hi i would like to know where i can purchase a LP or Cd with the song The Volunteer Organist on it.
thank you in antisipation.
sean griffin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 04:31 PM

In UK, the cd, Nicholas Folwell, "A Dream of Paradise," has it as track 11: Voiceprint Group of companies, www.voiceprint.co.uk/catalogue.php/release/1171/
No idea if it is any good or not.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 04:53 PM

The great Peter Dawson recorded the song in 1909 (Edison cylinder). Eighteen Dawson songs, including "The "Volunteer Organist," are available on a cd from www.truesounds.de, for US $15.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 05:00 PM

Sorry! Should be www.truesoundtransfers.de/allissues.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From:
Date: 04 Oct 03 - 11:49 AM

I've been looking for the music for thr Volunteer Organist for quite some time now, I once seen it in a book of Scots songs. I would like to find said music,any ideas?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 04 Oct 03 - 11:54 AM

One thing you could do is read the earlier part of this thread, where you will find a link to sheet music available online.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From:
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 02:48 PM

The Volunteer Organist

The preacher in the village church
One Sunday morning said
Our organist is ill today
Can someone play instead?
An anxious look crept oe'r the face
Of every person there
As eagerly they watched to see who'd
Fill the vacant chair.

A man then staggered down the aisle
His clothes were old and torn
How strange a drunkard seem to be
In church on Sunday morn
But as he touched the organ keys
Without a single word
The melody that followed was
The sweetest ever hear

The scene is one....etc.

Then the parson recognises him as his brother and says something like "My only brother can it be, so long we've lived apart....

Sorry -don't know any more       Vee

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 03:02 PM

It doesn't matter; the whole thing was posted earlier in this very thread, which presumably you didn't read before reviving it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From:
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 02:24 PM

The Center for Popular Music in Murfreesboro, TN is working on a project to digitalize some of their broadside collections. Since I'm the cataloguer on the project, I can tell you for a fact that we have a copy of "The Volunteer Organist", as well as others. See our site, http://popmusic.mtsu.edu/dbtw-wpd/textbase/broadsides.htm , for lyrics & information.

Christi Underdown
CPM NEH cataloguer

---

Thanks for the information, Christi. I added your site to our Links section.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 06:30 PM

I think Jimmy Durante did a humourous send up of 'The Lost Chord' - I remember hearing it as a child in the early 1950's - I had not heard the original then.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From:
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 12:00 AM

I am a great fan of Peter Dawson, so I naturally have both of these versions in my collection of about 270 of this great singer. If anyone would like to exchange chit-chat about this man, who actually composed several of his own songs and sang under many different names, or would like he words to other songs of his I can always write them down from any song in my library.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From:
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 12:43 AM

I have no idea how to start a new subject, so may I put in a request of my own here? Thanks!

Several years ago I had a song by Peter Dawson called A Niner's Dream of Home, in which the first two lines went something like

It is 10 weary years since I left England's shore
In a hot tropic island to roam ...

And in it he stuttered badly over the sequence "hot tropic' so it came out as 'hot-a-tot-tropic. He often experienced trouble with Ts and Ds close together, so that even in 'The Lost Chord" he sings "And my fingers wander-dud idly over the noisy keys."

Back in the early days however, I didn't know this, and so as soon as I came across a "clean" version of Miner's Dream, where 'hot tropic island' is replaced by 'far distant country', I threw away my original. Now I can't find a replacement anywhere to add back in to my library. Anyone have any leads? Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: ard mhacha
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 08:18 AM

Taffy, "The Miners dream of home", can be had at Evergreen Melodies, PO Box 52, Cheltenham Gloucester. GL50 1YQ.

The singer is boy soprano Joe Peterson, Peter Dawson is also on this Cassette singing ,"Friend `o mine", it is a boxed series which includes all of the old popular Victorian and Edwardian numbers, have a large hanky handy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: ard mhacha
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 08:24 AM

Taffy, It would help if I included the name is "In search of a song" the three cassettes include 40 songs.
PM me if you have trouble obtaining this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: ard mhacha
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 08:33 AM

And to correspond with the subject of the thread, Peter Dawson is included in the list of fine singers on these cassettes and he is singing, "The Volunteer organist".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From:
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 01:41 PM

Thanks, ard, but I'm looking specifically for this song sung by Peter Dawson AND with the slightly garbled "hot-a-tot-tropic island" bit, as it's PD alone that I'm interested in and not a different singer. I could kick myself now for throwing it out, but at the time I thought it was a FLAWED recording. Now that I'm aware of PD's speech impediment, however, I realise it was the genuine thing! Sigh!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: open mike
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 04:42 PM

welcome, guest,taffy.
if you want to know how to start a new thread,
go back to the main forum page, and see the
box just below the search window. If you sign
up as a member here, you can receive personal
messages, and can conduct conversation about
music, etc. off list. If you incude info in
a thread about something else, it is likely
to be passed over. If you do start a new thread,
it is best to search to forum and data base to
see if we have discussed it already. enjoy!@
and do not feed the trolls and flamers...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,D.Illingworth
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 11:35 AM

The word you cant make out is anxious

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From:
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 05:14 PM

thanks to all who have contributed to the The Volunteer Organist
this is my first visit to this site but it wont be the last. I well remember playing this piece as a teenager some 60years ago and had forgotten most of the words but I shall be back for the words when I have my printer back in operation thanks again    AS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,Malcolm Howe
Date: 16 Jun 06 - 05:26 AM

In case you haven't found it already, my Grandmother used to sing this song beautifully. I've put the words as I know them in UPPER CASE here. I think there may be more verses, but hope this helps:

The preacher in the village church one Sunday morning said:
Our organist is ill today, will someone play instead?
AN ANXIOUS look crept o'er the face of every person there,
As eagerly they watched to see who'd fill the vacant chair.
A man then staggered down the aisle, HIS clothes were RENT and torn
How strange a drunkard seemed to BE, in church THAT Sunday morn.
But as he touched the organ keys without a single word,
The melody that followed was the sweetest ever heard.

Refrain:

The scene was one I'll ne'er forget as long as I may live,
And just to see it o'er again, all earthly wealth I'd give;
The congregation all amazed, the preacher old and gray,
The organ and the organist who volunteered to play.

Each eye shed tears within that church, the strongest men grew pale;
The organist in melody had told his own life's tale.
The sermon of the preacher was no lesson to compare
With that of life's example who sat in the organ chair;
And when the service ended not a soul had left HIS seat,
Except the poor old organist, who started toward the street.
Along the aisle and out the door, he slowly walked away:
The preacher rose, and softly said, "Good brethren, let us pray."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,l davison
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 03:39 PM

If interested Bamforth song cards have the three verses on seperate cards ,got mine on e-bay and carefully framed ,these display beautifully

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Dec 07 - 10:34 PM

We were sitting discussing the words to "The Volunteer Organist", that our father used to perform as a monologue many years ago. Thrilled to come upon the whole song by Wm B Gray. We believe the missing word on the third line is.....an "anxious" look. Pat and Mags, Northern Ireland.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: Newport Boy
Date: 05 Dec 07 - 07:32 AM

This is an old favourite of mine, which I used to sing and play on the American Organ (about 60 years ago).

There's a nice performance - voice and piano - by Derek B Scott at   
Volunteer Organist - Scott

Professor Scott dates the song as 1893, from Tin Pan Alley.

Phil

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 10:48 AM

The missing word is *anxious*

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Volunteer Organist
From: GUEST,Suffolk Miracle
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 08:33 AM

The late Jack Elliott of Birtley had a parody of this which went something after this fashion:

The Deputy at our main flat one Saturday morning said
'Our putters are all off today. Can someone putt instead?'
An anxious look came to the face of every miner there
To see who on a Saturday would bloody volunteer.
An old man staggered down the pit his clothes were old and worn.
How strange it seemed to have a miner there on Saturday morn.
And when his fingers touched the tubs without a single word
The language then that followed was the worst I ever heard!

CHO: The scene was one I'll not forget as long as I may live
And for to see it all again my earthly wealth I'd give.
The hewers standing all amazed, the Deputy old and grey
And the putter there who volunteered to work on Saturday.

And when it all was over he vowed he'd putt no more.
The Deputy said, 'You've done alright lad; you've putt seven score'.
He said, 'That very well may be, but I know what I feel like.
If you want a volunteer next week you can come round for the wife.'
CHO