Sentimental Song Contest

Subject: Sentimental Song Contest
From: GUEST,Rana
Date: 02 May 01 - 05:56 PM

Bit of an ad I suppose for the Ian Robb Memorial Sentimental Song Contest, sponsored by Mariposa to be held in Toronto at the Mariposa Night at the Flying Cloud. However, those who can't enter (or make it to Toronto) may wish to nominate their favourite sentimental songs here.

This event has been going on for a fair time and Ian Robb and the late David Parry were the judges. A good time is usually had by all.

Rana

Ian Robb Memorial Sentimental Song Contest
Sunday, May 13 - 8pm
presented by Mariposa @ the Cloud at the TRANZAC, 292 Brunswick Ave, Toronto

We're sorry, we couldn't help it, its time! The Ian Robb Memorial Song Contest is back, ruining another perfectly good Sunday night. (And it's even Mother's Day!). Dust off your sickly sweet, your maudlin, your so-bad-it's-funny (we hope), or maybe even just your plain old sweetly sentimental songs and enter the contest. The previous winner, Charlie Cares, returns to sing his twisted take on "My Favourite Things" and brings along his bandmates in Heartwood - Alex Sinclair & Anne Lindsay to help him judge the best (and the worst) and sing a short introductory set. The grand prize is a bottle of single malt scotch & a box of Kleenex, presented by the MC, Tam Kearney. Believe it or not, contest spots usually go fast so don't forget to register with David Warren (416 781 3922)..

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 02 May 01 - 06:25 PM

I'm in the odd situation of having won an award (everyone does) as a performer and next year dumping it on someone else when I was a judge. It's a fun time.

Rick

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: GUEST,Rana
Date: 03 May 01 - 09:49 AM

What, no takers for people to suggest their favourite Sentimental Songs? (I did suggest 'Catters might wish to nominate some here).

In my wanderings around the web, I did come across a review of Julia A. Moore - the sweet Singer of Michigan, published in Manufacturer and Builder, 9(12), (Dec. 1877) - found on Cornell U. Library web page.

sentimental song book review from 1877

also found complete song list at Western Michigan University

Julia A. Moore

So be inspired - nominate a song!

Cheers Rana

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Bardford
Date: 03 May 01 - 10:01 AM

Gotta be "Teddy Bear" by Red Sovine.
Click here.Have a hankie ready.

10-4 good buddies,
Bardford

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: GUEST
Date: 03 May 01 - 10:19 AM

I nominate John Prine's song: "Hello In There"

At least I *think* it was John Prine?

~ Jande

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Lyndi-loo
Date: 03 May 01 - 10:22 AM

I endorse Bardford's choice. When I first heard this song my husband bet me £20 that I would cry. Wel being a hardened old cynic I took the bet on but I'm afraid that my well hidden sentimental side overcame my mercenary one and I would defy anyone to say that they could listen to this and remain dry eyed

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Matt_R
Date: 03 May 01 - 10:33 AM

"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" always gets me...

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Mark Clark
Date: 03 May 01 - 11:04 AM

I'll have to go find lyrics to this one but we surely should nominate "The leaves mustn't fall." I have it on an album by Sam and Kirk McGhee (from sunny Tennessee). It tells of a young boy asking a passing stranger to help him tie the autumn leaves back up on the trees. The boy's mother and father are already dead and the doctor has told the boy that his ailing sister is going to die "When the autumn leaves have turned and start to fall."

The refrain goes:

The leaves mustn't fall, oh no they mustn't fall,
I'm tying the leaves so they will stay,
I've lost my mom and dad, now sister's all I have,
Don't let the falling leaves take her away.

Whaddya think? Does it have a chance?

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Lyndi-loo
Date: 03 May 01 - 11:37 AM

Oh God! I don't know how much more of this I can take!

Subject: Lyr Add: WILLY ROY THE CRIPPLED BOY
From: Mark Clark
Date: 03 May 01 - 12:05 PM

Thought of another one. I have a feeling this is going to be too easy.

      - Mark

WILLY ROY THE CRIPPLED BOY

His age is seven years today,
He don't know what it is to play,
Each night before he goes to bed,
This little prayer he always says.

Refrain:
Now I lay me down to rest,
Dear God please give me happiness,
I'm praying so my dreams come true,
So I can walk and play with you.

His name they call him Willy Roy,
He's just a little crippled boy,
But now the tears roll down his cheeks,
I wipe them off so he can sleep.

(refrain)

Someday I hope you can go out,
And play with me and walk about,
I won't scold if you should cry,
So soon, be good, my son good night,

(refrain)

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: RWilhelm
Date: 03 May 01 - 01:08 PM

"After the Ball" - He see's his true love kissing another man and spurns her. Years later, after she dies, he finds out it was her brother. Even without the words, the melody is sentimental.

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Kim C
Date: 03 May 01 - 01:19 PM

Raggedy Ann by Little Jimmie Dickens. Also there was a really sweet song that Ernest Tubb wrote about his infant son who died but I can't think of the name of it.

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Robby
Date: 03 May 01 - 01:27 PM

I don't think it's on a par with "Teddy Bear", but I would nominate "Scorn Not His Simplicity" by Phil Coulter. If you've ever known someone (friend, family, etc.) with a physically or mentally challenged child, I defy to listen to this song dry-eyed. I can't.
Robby

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: pattyClink
Date: 03 May 01 - 04:11 PM

anybody ever run off the road cryin to "Mama Loved Roses"?

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Joe_F
Date: 03 May 01 - 07:10 PM

I read the synopsis of a song in a short story & thought it was satirical, but later on I heard it was for real. I have never heard the song itself, tho. The story is as follows:

A highschool football coach chews out one of the players for sloth at practice. That evening, in the game, the boy performs brilliantly. Then comes the explanation: He was depressed at practice because his blind father had suffered a stroke & was dying. He played well in the game because he had heard that his father had died, and so, being in heaven, could see him play for the first time.

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 04 May 01 - 04:51 AM

Doesn't everyonejust do Ole Shep?
RtS (sniff, sniff,sob, sob, bawl bawl)

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 04 May 01 - 05:40 AM

...or Lonnie D's old tearjerker "Nobody's Child" :"No Mammy's kisses, no Daddy's smiles".
RtS (where's the Kleenex?)

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Lyndi-loo
Date: 04 May 01 - 05:43 AM

Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: GUEST
Date: 22 May 01 - 10:23 AM

The competition came and went - in all there were 8 competitors - Heartwood had a difficult choice and eventually awarded the prize to Folkal Point. The runner-up was a very scientific song from and by Howard Kaplan. He gave me permission to repost it here - and it's a gem. Thanks to those who posted suggestions above - pity you couldn't perform them in Toronto!

Now Howard's song! (By the way, technique I use at work is based on Einstein's photoelctric effect - so it hit a chord, so to speak.

Cheers Rana

The Solution ©2001 by Howard L. Kaplan

The rich, red colour one observes when viewing neon signs Is actually composed of isolated spectral lines, And this was once a mystery. When Newton thought to pass A beam of sunlight in a darkened room through beveled glass, He saw the rainbow's colours, a continuous array. But light emitted from pure gas, unknown in Newton's day, When spread out by a prism or a grating, it was seen, Forms separated, coloured lines, with nothing in between. Eventually it was found that each such spectrum bears A likeness of the gaps between reciprocals of squares Of integers: one fourth, one ninth. A child, still in school, Could work out all the decimals – but why was that the rule?

In Germany, around the time this question first arose, The physicist Max Planck became the first one to propose That radiated energy, as either light or heat, Exists as quantized packets that are separate, discrete. This theory gave a good account of how hot objects glow And forms the basis of the quantum physics that we know. He later would receive the Nobel Prize and had such fame The Kaiser Wilhelm institute instead took on his name. Then Albert Einstein showed the way such quanta could explain Why, when light strikes a metal plate, electrons might remain Unmoved by bright red light when even dim blue sets them free. He won his Nobel Prize for this, not relativity.

What is the physics Nobel Prize? Of what does it consist? It is, of course, an honour, for one's name goes on a list Of all great modern physicists. The prize will also bring An invitation to a banquet with the Swedish king.

To isolated spectral lines our tale returns again. The quantum way of thought appealed to Neils Bohr, a Dane. Within the atom, he maintained, electrons are not free To move in orbits having arbitrary energy; Discretely quantized are the orbits they can occupy. When energy's emitted or absorbed, it's only by Transition jumps between these orbits, of which there are few. Between one pair, the energy might correspond to blue, Between another, yellow, and the spectrum thus could spread Up to the ultraviolet, or down to infrared. For hydrogen, Bohr's formula, within a few percent, Explained the squared reciprocals found through experiment.

In Copenhagen, in the years between the two world wars, The best of Europe's physicists were guests of Neils Bohr's. For some, the stays were brief; they came from Gottingen or Rome Or Manchester for conferences, and afterwards went home. The funds for this were plentiful, for profits being accrued Through sales of the lager that continued to be brewed By Carlsberg were donated to support the institute. Some others stayed to study there, experiment, compute, Discuss, refine, and publish. Many articles were read That came from Copenhagen, where the laboratory's head Continued to collaborate, encourage, and advise, For decades after he himself had earned the Nobel Prize.

And, more than a diploma drawn with calligraphic pen, A Nobel Prize's value can convert to pounds or yen. Enrico Fermi, with his prize, became an émigré, Departed fascist Italy, moved to the USA.

If X-rays, though more penetrating, are akin to light, Then they must have a wavelength, and in consequence, they might Be subject to diffraction by a crystalline array, Its structure thus revealed by the consequent display. This is the case, for which all crystallographers give thanks, So Max von Laue was added to the Nobel laureates' ranks. Electrons barely fast enough to cause emitted light When bumping into atoms would, if Neils Bohr were right, Have energy equivalent to that emission line Produced by the collision, and the light would be a sign Of energy absorption. For such work supporting Bohr, James Franck would share the Nobel Prize when he was 44.

The Prize is also tangible, an object one can hold, A medal, struck in Sweden, that is cast in gleaming gold: Nobel, the goddess Isis, and a small plate to record The full name of the physicist receiving the award.

Though both James Franck and Max von Laue remained in Germany When Nazi persecutions had forced other men to flee, They'd smuggled their gold medals out for safety at a time When taking gold from Germany had been declared a crime. The medals were in Copenhagen; each one bore a name, A danger to its owner when the occupation came, For if it were discovered, word would certainly be sent To Germany, which Neils Bohr intended to prevent. He knew that they would not corrode if buried in the ground, But that was much too dangerous: the medals might be found. So he devised a better plan with Georg von Hevesy, Who never won the physics prize – but did in chemistry.

An atom, not a molecule, gold cannot be destroyed By ordinary means, and for that reason is employed In surfaces and circuits where it's vital to resist Corrosion and reaction, but there is a tiny list Of liquids in which gold dissolves. The one that comes to mind Is aqua regia, in which strong nitric acid is combined With hydrochloric acid, and this frothing, yellow brew Was used by Georg von Hevesy in Copenhagen to Disguise two Nobel medals, each one in a separate jar, Unlabelled, of black liquid. When the horrors of the war Had ended, and the danger to the scientists had passed, The gold was sent to Sweden, where new medals would be cast.

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: jcdevildog
Date: 22 May 01 - 10:27 PM

Please! The old parlor songs put the modern tearjerkers you've cited to shame. What about "Over the Hill to the Poorhouse" or "Little Blossom" (with the drunken father accidentally bashing out the brains of his adorable curly-headed 4-year-old) or "Put My Little Shoes Away" or "Mary of the Wild Moor" (at the end, not only are all the principal characters dead, but the house has fallen down). Those Victorians knew a thing or two about mayhem and misery!

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 May 01 - 10:37 PM

My gosh, Rana, years of scientific lessons in one song!*BG* Quite the winner!

I missed this for some reason. My mom used to sing a lot of the old Victorian ones, too. I would have nominated Little Joe the Wrangler, as well as Billy Venero and When the Work's ALl Done This Fall. We always bawled our eyes out when daddy sang those ones.

What is that one, I think it is a poem, something about "Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight?"

Then there's that modern country one where the little kid tells his dad "slow down some, you're making me run, Daddy don't you walk so fast..."

kat

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: jcdevildog
Date: 22 May 01 - 11:39 PM

Please! The old parlor songs put the modern tearjerkers you've cited to shame. What about "Over the Hill to the Poorhouse" or "Little Blossom" (with the drunken father accidentally bashing out the brains of his adorable curly-headed 4-year-old) or "Put My Little Shoes Away" or "Mary of the Wild Moor" (at the end, not only are all the principal characters dead, but the house has fallen down). Those Victorians knew a thing or two about mayhem and misery!

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 May 01 - 12:15 AM

But, you repeat yourself, jcdevildog! And, I hardly would consider some of the ones I just cited as "modern.":-)

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Amos
Date: 23 May 01 - 12:26 AM

I've always been partial to Only a Bird in A Gilded Cage, The Face on the Barrom Floor, and Let Her Sleep under the Bar, myself, but I only offer up real tears to the likes of Kevin Barry.

A

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LEAVES MUSTN'T FALL
From: Mark Clark
Date: 23 May 01 - 12:55 AM

For those who, like me, are suckers for sappy maudlin songs... I found the lyrics for the song I mentioned above.

      - Mark

The Leaves Mustn't Fall

Transcribed from a recording by Sam & Kirk McGee

The autumn leaves were falling, the snow was soon to come,
As I was walking down the lonesome road,
I saw a little fellow, he was sitting all alone,
A-catching leaves as they came tumbling down.

Refrain:
The leaves mustn't fall, oh no they mustn't fall,
I'm tying the leaves so they will stay,
I've lost my mom and dad, now sister's all I have,
Don't let the falling leaves take her away.

My little sister's seven, and she's a pretty thing,
As pretty as a picture on the wall,
The doctor came last summer, he said that she would die,
When the autumn leaves have turned and start to fall.

    (refrain)

Oh won't you help me mister, won't you help me tie the leaves,
We'll time them to the branches good and strong,
And if we tie them tightly, we can keep my sister here,
And show that doctor man that he is wrong.

    (refrain)

Subject: Lyr Add: EBONY EYES
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 23 May 01 - 01:26 AM

EBONY EYES

On a weekend pass I wouldn't have had time
To get home and marry that baby of mine
So I went to the Chaplain and he authorized me
To send for my ebony eyes
My ebony eyes was coming to me
From out of the skies on flight 12-0-3
In an hour or two I would whisper "I do"
To my beautiful ebony eyes

(spoken) The plane was way overdue so I went inside
To the airlines desk and I said "sir I wonder why
Flight 12-0-3 is so late"
He said "oh they probably took off late or they may
Have run into turbulant weather and had to alter their course"
I went back outside and I waited at the gate
And watched the beacon light from the control tower
As it whipped through the dark ebony skies
As if it were searching for (my ebony eyes)
Then came the announcement over the loud speaker
"Would those having relatives or friends on flight number 12-0-3
Please report to the chapel across the street at once"

Then I felt a burning break deep inside
And I knew the heavenly ebony skies
Had taken my life's most wonderful prize
My beautiful ebony eyes

If I ever get to heaven I'll bet
The first angel I'll recognise
She'll smile at me and I know she will be
My beautiful ebony eyes

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: Amergin
Date: 23 May 01 - 05:13 AM

Ray Stevens' Mama's In The Sky With Elvis always gets me going.....

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE ALICE
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 May 01 - 04:14 PM

I used to sing this one to the tune of "The Master's Bouquet" – so hard to conceive of a culture where this type of song was offered to loving parents and their off-spring to sing together.

LITTLE ALICE
(In SONGS FOR THE LITTLE ONES AT HOME, published by the American Tract Society in the 1850's)

Dear little Alice has gone to rest,
Where never a sin shall stain her breast;
No trouble disturb her, no fear annoy,
No cloud overshadow her innocent joy.
She lived on this earth but a little while;
She died before we had seen her smile,
But she was our sister, and is so still;
Sweet Alice, we call her, and always will.

We think we are glad she's gone away,
Where her life will be all one pleasant day;
Where an unkind word she'll ne'er receive,
Nor speak one herself, our kind hearts to grieve.
For if she were here now, she would often cry,
And then she'd take sick, suffer and die;
But now death is over, and all the while
Her sweet little face may wear a smile.

For she'll never know, nor do what is wrong,
The angels in heaven will teach her their song;
Dear sister, we wish we could be there too –
Oh, when shall we come and join with you?

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 May 01 - 04:45 PM

Father Dear Father, Come Home.
"Poor Benny" dies in an unlit, unheated house while mother cries and his sister begs Father to come home from the bar.
"Ah who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
Oh Father Dear father, come home"

Subject: RE: Sentimental Song Contest
From: hesperis
Date: 23 May 01 - 07:19 PM

Autumn Leaves, the jazz classic... (It's the only one I can think of right now.)