A Child's Garden of Verses

Subject: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 07 Sep 00 - 10:59 PM

When I was a kid, my mom had a recording of two women (sisters, I think) who had appeared on the Mickey Mouse club. One side was all songs from Stevenson's "Child's Garden of Verses" and I think that was the title of the record. The flip side was folk songs from around the world. "I had a little nut tree" and "At the Gates of Heaven" are two I remember.

Thing is, I've asked mom to try to find the record, so I can look for a copy, but she's not sure where the cover is anymore. And she doesn't remember the names of the performers either. (Although I remember that they could whistle most amazingly.)

Anyone out there have any idea who I'm looking for -- or better yet, know a place where I could find a copy of the record?

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 12:13 AM

Hi, RR - while we're looking, you might enjoy reading the text here (click). Something makes me thing the Simon Sisters (Carly and ?) did a recording of a lot of songs from "Garden of Verses." There was also a record called "A Child's Garden of Verses and Other Songs for Children" by Frances Archer and Beverly Gile. You might watch World Wide Wax for it to come up for sale used. Now if you check for "Child's Garden" at Amazon, you'll find three CD's of songs from the book, all done by male singers. At least two of them have recordings of my favorite, "The Lamplighter."
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: SINSULL
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 02:16 PM

Never heard the record but lived on the book as a child. "The Swing" was my favorite. Thanks for the smile.
Mary

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: Margo
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 03:39 PM

Don't forget about the "Vinyl Resting Place" where you can find old records. They're easy enough to find with a search engine. They have links to other collecting places too... Margo

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 03:42 PM

Joe, I think you've hit the nail right on the head. World Wide Wax had two other recordings done by them, both from Disney, so I went ahead and ordered them -- and I'll keep looking for the one I really want.

I can't read the poems that they set to music without hearing the music. Especially "Dark Brown is the River". It's kind of frustrating wanting to sing them, tho, since I was never sure which was the melody and which was the harmony.

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: GUEST,dan evergreen
Date: 11 Sep 00 - 02:24 PM

who put them to music? Any one person? do the tunes to justice to RLS's great poetry? My favorite is "Goodbye to Everything." It evokes a sense of wonder that makes one feel like a child again.

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Sep 00 - 04:51 PM

You know, Dan, I can't imagine getting satisfaction from any tune for any of these poems. My grandmother read them to me fifty years ago, with her nasal, nonmusical voice; and that's the way I learned to love them. Adding a tune and making a recording seems like heresy to me. I might be tempted to sing these poems to my own tunes for my own grandchildren, but all the recordings I've heard make the poems sound commercial.
To my mind, these poems are perfect for grandparents to read to grandchildren. For some reason, I didn't think I could do a credible job of them for my children, so I'm afraid my kids didn't get them. I can hardly wait to have grandchildren, so I can try the poems out on them. Say, maybe I'll try them out on my Friday morning preschoolers.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 11 Sep 00 - 07:48 PM

I love the poems read aloud, but I also love the songs that I learned from this record. (The Archer and Gile, one, I do believe.) Maybe not all of them were perfect, but I think that most of the tunes did perfect justice to the words.

And I do use some of the poems on my preschoolers, Joe, so go for it. They love "My Shadow" best, especially when I let them be the "india rubber" balls.

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: Giac
Date: 11 Sep 00 - 07:58 PM

My favorite is The Land of the Counterpane. I also loved The Swing, and frequently scared the devil out of a small cousin by holding him and reciting the poem while swinging really high.

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: Margo
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 12:37 AM

Heh heh. I'm putting these poems to music also! Funny thing. They have such wonderful charm and so many people have fallen in love with them. My inspiration for melodies and song genre is traditional Scottish music. What are the songs like that you recall? Have they any hint of a Scottish flare? Margo

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 13 Sep 00 - 12:54 AM

Not that I remember. They actually did about a dozen of the poems, and the most common touch to the lot was the close harmony.

Maybe "Marching Song," tho...

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 13 Sep 00 - 01:11 AM

My gosh Joe Offer is quick on the draw.If the Old West had been ruled by fast answers to musical queries instead of hot lead,Joe would have been Wild Bill Hickok.

Subject: RE: A Child's Garden of Verses
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Sep 00 - 02:04 PM

Well, maybe I'm fast on some things, LEJ, but not on everything. I plumb forgot that I was supposed to add your list of Mudcat Classic Threads to the FAQ. I'll get right on it.
Thanks.
-Joe-