Lyr Req: Phoenix (Bill Staines)

Subject: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 03:27 PM

Only if you already have them written out, please. I have it on CD, I was just hoping someone already had them to cut and paste. Couldn'f find them in SuperSearch.

This song has great significance for me right now and I want to SING it!

Thanks,

kat

Subject: Lyr Add: PHOENIX (Bill Staines)^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 01:46 AM

PHOENIX
(Bill Staines)

There's a dreamer coming down;
He's lighting up the town,
A flashing spectacle
Of light and love and living.
When he falls away,
Nothing follows but the day
And all the memories
Of better times for giving.

Oh, Lord, have mercy on this poor, poor heart;
Keep it from the ashes,
And teach it how to fly again;
Oh, Lord, have mercy on this poor, poor heart.

It's hard to wish upon a star
When you see that star is falling;
It's hard to hold on to a dream
When it comes crashing down;
But they fill the empty nights,
And the cost ain't much for trying,
Just a tear or two
To a heart that's known some crying.

Oh, Lord, have mercy on this poor, poor heart;
Keep it from the ashes,
And teach it how to smile again;
Oh, Lord, have mercy on this poor, poor heart.

Look into the night:
Another dreamer's taking flight,
And he's shining with the stars
And all the heavens.
Listen to the wind:
There's another song beginning,
And it's looking for a friend,
Someone to sing to.

Oh, Lord, have mercy on this poor, poor heart:
Keep it from the ashes,
And teach it how to fly again;
Oh, Lord, have mercy on this poor, poor heart.

Copyright 1980, Folk-Legacy Records and Mineral River Music
From If I Were a Word, Then I'd Be a Song, Songs by Bill Staines, Folk-Legacy Records, 1980.

filename[ PHOENIX
JRO
Apr01 ^^

---

Later note added:
On the First Million Miles CD, Staines sings "take it from the ashes" in the chorus. In the songbook, it's "keep it from the ashes."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 06:35 AM

Thanks, Joe, in more ways than one.:-)

Subject: Chords Add: PHOENIX (Bill Staines)
From: Musicman
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 12:11 PM

Here's the chords Kat......

There's a [G]dreamer [G+7]coming [Em]down;
He's [C]lighting up the [G]town,
A flashing [Am]spectacle
Of [C]light and love and [D4]living.[D] When he falls away, Nothing follows but the day And all the memories Of better times for giving.

Oh, [Em]Lord, [D] have [C]mercy on this [D]poor, poor [Em]heart;[D]
[C]Keep it from the ashes,[G]
And [Am]teach it how to [C]fly a-[G]gain;
Oh, [Em]Lord, [D]have [C]mercy on this [D]poor, poor [G]heart.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 12:48 PM

Thanks, Paul! I'll try to figure that out on my dulcimore.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: nutty
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 12:53 PM

Sounds like a great song -- any chance that anyone has a MIDI file of the tune

I'd be ever so grateful

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 01:04 PM

Nutty, I may be able to figure out how to do one from CD to midi. Let me fiddle with it this evening and I'll let you know. It is a beautiful song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: nutty
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 01:17 PM

Thanks Kat - I have Noteworthy and can handle MP3 as well as MIDI

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: Musicman
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 03:15 PM

nutty, i can put the melody into noteworthy for you and send it to you.... email me [e-mail]

musicman

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 03:24 PM

Nutty, I've got a midi of it, now, so PM me, if you'd like that, too. Egads, Musicman, you are good! **BG**

BTW, Joe, slight change in the lyrics. Bill Staines sings "Take it from the ashes."

Thanks, ya'll,

kat

Subject: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 03:27 PM

Or, the other thing you could do is call Sandy and Caroline Paton at Folk-Legacy at [phone] and order a songbook. The book was published in 1980, so it's Bill's older stuff - but I think his early songs were his best ones.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: Musicman
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 04:02 PM

kat... the book says: Keep it from the ashes..... (mute point)

Joe, I think the first book is out of print ( i have one....)

MM

Subject: Ethical Considerations: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 04:50 PM

I posted the lyrics to the song, but I didn't post the tune because it's in a Folk-Legacy songbook. Musicman says the songbook is out of print, and it isn't listed in the Folk-Legacy catalog right now, so maybe that's a consideration.
I always have mixed feelings on this. It doesn't bother me at all to post a song that's 40 years old and owned by a corporation. If it's the work of somebody who's still trying to make a living as a musician, that's another matter. Still, I think that posting songs of smalltime songwriters can help the songwriters, within limits. I've certainly made my contribution to Bill Staines - I bought the songbook and 11 or 12 CD's. Still, if ALL of the popular Staines songs are available at Mudcat, what's the use of even printing a songbook?
I suppose there's even a case for respecting the copyright on those 40-yr-old songs. If I wrote the song, it's nice that I can make income by selling it to a corporation - but a corporation isn't going to want to buy it if their rights expire in ten years.
What do you think?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: nutty
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 06:00 PM

Joe - I hadn't heard of Bill Staines until I became a member of Mudcat - I doubt there are many people in England who have

I know the copyright issue is important particularly to singer/songwriters trying to make a living but in my case it's a little of try before you buy and is no different to hearing an MP3 or sound clip.

If I were to perform the song then full credit would be given and dues paid

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 12:37 PM

I really appreciate your concern, Joe (and I got your PM about it). In this case, Musicman is right, the book is not available right now and we can't afford to reprint it at this time. But Bill Staines is not the type to play "dog in the manger" with his songs. I'm reasonably sure, Kat, that he would be happy that you were eager to sing one of his songs. I would think that putting the tune into a personal message would be okay with him. I'm not so sure, on the other hand, as to how the publisher of his "First Million Miles" (it was Rounder, wasn't it?) would feel about having his performance of it spread about as an MP3 freebie, thereby side-stepping their product. Bill does make his living with his music, you know, and we all should bear that in mind.

Bill holds all of his own copyrights now, through his publishing company, Mineral River. You might want to go to his web site and inquire about your concerns.

Bill's other songbook, published by Hal Leonard, is still in print. Check it out.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 12:59 PM

Well I sent it to nutty as a midi, so no mp3 concerns there as I am sure nutty will attest, too. Thanks, though, Sandy, for the additional information and I would certainly give him credit whenever I sing it, which, at this point, will only be on my mic at home to udder Mudders.

Thanksluv...kat

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: Jeri
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 01:03 PM

The discography at Bill's website lists two songbooks, and how to order them. (No on-line ordering.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phoenix by Bill Staines
From: nutty
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 01:18 PM

SORRY FOLKS - if I have upset anyone by my request, I apologise - but believe me, there was no sinister intent

THANK-YOU to those who helped but got caught in the crossfire

Joe and Sandy, your comments have been noted