Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune

Subject: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: Zebedee
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 03:29 PM

Unless my memory is defective (which is certainly possible), there's a totally different song which uses the same tune as "The Black Velvet Band"

I've got a feeling that Steeleye Span did it, my mind can hear Maddy Prior singing it.

This may (or may not) be a really obvious question, but I'd be grateful for any help.

Thanks,

Ed

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 04:35 PM

The only song I can find is 'In a Neat Little Town (They Call Belfast)', written by Matt McGinn. It's on his album 'Tinny Can On My Tail' but I haven't listened to it very often and haven't got the words down so I can't tell you what it's about. I doubt Steeleye Span ever sang this one.

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 05:40 PM

Was it a parody, or a "filk" version of the song? I don't think this is it, but there is a parody thing here.

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: Zebedee
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 05:54 PM

Sorcha,

No, it's a case of someone singing 'The Black Velvet Band' to me last night, and my mind suddenly associating with something else.

As I said Maddy Prior came to mind, but who knows...

It may possibly be the case that it's just a song with a very similar melody, I'm not sure.

But it's bugging me like hell, I've racked my brains more than brains should healthily be racked...

Ed

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 06:38 PM

ahh. I have had that happen, too. Be careful, and don't rack yourself too much, (grin)Could be painful!!

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 06:47 PM

That's always happening to me when I'm singing songs I wrote - I suddenly notice a similarity of tune to some other song.

I do have a song called The Stain on the Blue Velvet Dress which uses the tune. But that's another matter entirely.

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 06:54 PM

I just went to the DT and listened to it again, parts of it sound just a little bit like Foggy Dew.....could that be it?

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: paddymac
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 10:14 PM

There's one called "The Black leather Band". Doesn't appear to be in the DT. I've got it somewhere and would be glad to post it if that might be the one.

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 10:58 PM

Hi, Paddymac - "Black Leather Band" was posted in this thread. The ^^ marks mean it's been harvested for a future edition of the DT.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 10:55 AM

Anyone have all words to "The Black Velvet Gland"? Hamish Imalach sings one verse about Hairy Mary. He says on the record that it was the only verse he was allow to sing.

Nick

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: Matt_R
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 11:03 AM

Here's a different version that I wrote, here.

I know that Spider Tom had written one too...I'm still looking for it.

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: alison
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 01:58 AM

Spidertom wrote "the black velvet skirt"... which should be in a thread somewhere... I'll go look...

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: alison
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 02:03 AM

found it black velvet skirt.... great song.....

if you put velvet into the filter box and set it to 1 year... you get a few variations....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: Grab
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 07:19 AM

I've got a song recorded by Brier called "The old Morris van" which is a comedy version ("Her headlights they shone like diamonds").

Grab.

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: paddymac
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 09:52 AM

Thanks, Joe. I found the file I had downloaded it to, and inadvertently posted it to AggieB's Bawdy Music thread. Must of been a bad ice cube in my glass. Interesting thing, though- I downloaded from MMario's original post, but when I cut & pasted to the new thread, the line-breaks disappeared. Just one of life's little mysteries.

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: MartinRyan
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 10:23 AM

See's a pity to actually answer the original question but... I think it was a version of "Ratcliffe Highway"! Not that its actually "totally different"

Regards

Subject: RE: Help: Song sung to 'Black Velvet Band' Tune
From: IanC
Date: 22 Jan 01 - 12:37 PM

Don't know any other songs currently sung to this tune except parodies. However, the original tune is called "Tars of the Blanche" and appears to have been written as part of an opera in 1795.

The tune was obviously well known by this name, as the earliest versions of the BvB broadsides just say "Tune: Tars of the Blanche".

More info about the tune in this thread : Lyr Req: Old versions of Black Velvet Band

Cheers!
Ian