paul robeson

Subject: paul robeson
From:
Date: 23 Sep 97 - 07:40 AM

I am looking for a recording of the song "Bluebird of Happiness" by Paul Robeson. I do not want the recording by Jan Pierce. If anyone knows if this exists on LP, cassette, 78, CD, ...please, let me know. Thank you.

Nancy Terrat [e-mail]

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Sep 97 - 04:08 PM

I couldn't find the song in the sources I have, Nancy. I'll keep looking.
While I'm thinking of it, I swear that years ago, I heard a recording of Paul Robeson singing "The Holy City." The chorus goes something like this:

Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
Hear how the angels sing
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna to our King!

This was an absolutely fantastic rendition of the song, and I've been looking for it ever since. Anybody know if Robeson ever recorded this song?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Wolfgang (Hell)
Date: 24 Sep 97 - 09:51 AM

Hi Joe,

look here for Paul Robeson recordings. The second item listed, Ballads for Americans, has on its tracklist "Jerusalem". Could it be the one?

Nancy, Bluebird of happiness was not among the few tracks listed.

Cheers Wolfgang

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Sep 97 - 04:23 PM

Yeah, Wolfgang, I saw that song on a Robeson CD a couple of years ago and got all excited because I thought I had finally found the song I was looking for. It IS a good song, but it ain't "The Holy City." "Holy City" is a real roof-raiser of a hymn. You can really belt it.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: GUEST,Ray Va
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 12:17 AM

Can anybody lead me to a comprehsive online source of Paul Robeson lyrics and Real Audio recordings. Thanks much. RV

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Anglo
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 12:58 AM

Slight thread creep. Joe, the music of "The Holy City," words by F.E. Weatherly, music by Stephen Adams, (1892) is in the Lester Levy collection.

http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/bibliosearch.html

(and do a title search for Holy City).

I agree, it's brilliant. Could almost get one believing in God. I remember it from when I was a kid. (Not 1892 - but I did get to see Paul Robeson when I was a lad, doing Othello at Stratford).

Sorry no blue clicky, one day....

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 03:19 AM

Thanks, Anglo - I hadn't thought to look at Levy for the sheet music. I had found the tune and lyrics somewhere, but it's much more interesting to see it on old sheet music at The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music - Click here for THE HOLY CITY. I still haven't found a Robeson recording of the song, though.

---

Ray, you can click here for a Google Search for Paul Robeson, and you can find a few RealAudio files if you Click here.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: MartinRyan
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 03:59 AM

You learn something every day, here! I never knew the "Holy City" was written by the guy who wrote Danny Boy!
Many years ago, in what was known as the showband era in Ireland, that song was often sung as a sort of party piece by the band, with the dancers standing around and joining in the chorus1

Regards

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: GUEST,John Hill
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 06:42 AM

I acquired some old music last night and noticed that F.E.Weatherly also wrote the english words to "On with the Motley" from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 01:45 PM

Admirers of the great Paul Robeson should go to the National Museum in Cardiff, (UK) between now and June 3rd to see a wonderful exhibition about the man and his life. I was there today and was brought to tears by it. What a man he was! There is a 'Paul Robeson Tribute concert' by Willard White on April 8th at the Reardon Smith Theatre, which is housed in the museum. Phone [phone].

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Greyeyes
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 04:44 PM

I've searched fairly thoroughly on the UK National Sound Archive site, but have drawn a blank on Robeson recording either Joe or Nancy's song. The site is pretty much definitive for UK recordings, but I'm not sure how comprehensive it is for US. It may be worth someone else checking as the site is new to me & I may have missed something (link posted by Roger the Skiffler a few days ago).

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 06:47 PM

Could Joe Offer be wrong (again, hehe)?

The second line of your chorus to "The Holy City" should be "Lift up your gates and sing" (at least in some versions)

And, I found a record with Paul Robeson singing "Ol Man River" and another guy singing "The Holy City" here. Could Joe's memory be failing? It's OK, Joe, happens to the best of us.

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 10:13 PM

Well, actually, Mary, Joe Offer is rarely wrong. You will note that in my 1997 post above, I qualified my statement and said that the lyrics were "something like" what I posted. After 25 years of work as a government investigator, I learned to be very careful to document sources, and to qualify information if I couldn't guarantee its accuracy. You will notice that there are a number of people here who take care to qualify or document the information they post. I think it's a good policy.
So, yes, I'm almost always right - or else I'll tell you if I'm guessing.

You will also note that Art Thieme, the most accomplished liar ever to grace the threads of Mudcat, is a complete fraud as a liar. He documents everything he posts, and you can rely on the accuracy of every word he types. Ah, but his lies are works of art.... (that wasn't supposed to be a pun, but I guess it came out that way)

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Greyeyes
Date: 31 Mar 01 - 09:05 AM

Librarians, of course, are trained to provide sources to the information they supply (preferably more than 1), in case they get blamed for it being wrong. The current Roddy McCorley thread is a case in point. 2 people have quoted different dates of death for the songwriter, both from highly reputable hard-copy resources.

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: Amos
Date: 31 Mar 01 - 11:06 AM

Not only are his lies works of Art, but they share a common Thieme!

A

Subject: RE: paul robeson
From: GUEST,Kangaroo
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 09:45 PM

Came across this discussion searching for lyrics for The Holy City.
Did you ever find a Paul Robeson recording of The Holy City?