Lyr Req: Kiss the Children for Me, Mary (MacColl)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kiss the Children for Me, Mary (MacColl)
From: GUEST,fab from french flanders
Date: 09 Jul 13 - 08:21 AM

KIss the children... was adapted by flemish and french singer Jacques Yvart in 1976 for famous britain group TRI YANN in the celtic folk album:" La découverte ou l ignorance" (The discover or ignorance in english).Tri yann is in career from 40 years and has just given a new LP , Jacques yvart is still singing and writing nowadays.Listen to TRI YANN ' kiss the children version!

Subject: Lyr Add: KISS THE LITTLE ONES FOR ME
From: Fergie
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 06:30 PM

Hi all

Frank Harte has a lovely version of Kiss the Children for Me, Mary on his posthumously released CD: 'There's Gangs Of Them Digging', Well worth the listen!

I was browsing in The Bodleian Online Library when I came across some lyrics that strongly put me in mind of this song, I'd like to read your observations

KISS THE LITTLE ONES FOR ME.
(Music published by Francis Bros. and Day,
351 Oxford Street.)

Far from home and loving faces,
Sad the soldier keeps his post;
In the bright watch-fire he traces
Forms of those who love him most
Winds! oh, bear in accents tender,
Far away across the sea,
This, the message he would send her,
"Kiss the little ones for me."

Chorus
"Oh, ye zephyrs, softly bear it;
Gently waft it or'er the sea.
It will comfort her to hear it-
Kiss the little ones for me."

Heeds he not the coming morrow
Brings the hot and vengeful foe;
He would trace no lines of sorrow
In the embers cheerful glow.
"Dancing flames! oh, lights beguiling
See my darlings in their glee.
Oh, 'twas Heaven sent them smiling.
Kiss the little ones for me."

Chorus
"Oh, ye zephyrs, softly bear it;
Gently waft it or'er the sea.
It will comfort her to hear it-
Kiss the little ones for me."

If, perchance, the soldier ponders,
"Some stray shot might lay me low,
Then, from out the battle's thunders,
Let my dying accents go.
Whisper winds, and say I bless'd them.
Let my last fond message be,
That in fancy I caress'd them:
Kiss the little ones for me."

Chorus
"Oh, ye zephyrs, softly bear it;
Gently waft it or'er the sea.
It will comfort her to hear it-
Kiss the little ones for me."

Sheet Title: Miss Victor's Songs
Printer: March, R. and Co. (London)
Date: between 1877 and 1884

Here is a link to the balladsheet, the song is on page 2
Miss Victor's Songs

Fergus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kiss the Children for Me, Mary (MacCo
From: GUEST,guest in scotland
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 04:28 PM

there is a great version by the fureys, with davey arthur....but im damned if i can find out which album it was on.

my dad had the lp years ago and it was on it, however cant seem to locate it on any web based discography's

the exile song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kiss the Children for Me, Mary
From: GUEST,john keane
Date: 07 Jun 09 - 05:20 AM

kathleen mcpeake sings a beautiful version with anne sands on their 1991 cassette "take our part" (spring records rostrevor)

sadly no longer available.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kiss the Children for Me, Mary
From: GUEST,claire
Date: 12 Jun 08 - 05:01 PM

They are SCOTTISH...i mean duh...

Subject: Lyr Add: KISS THE CHILDREN FOR ME MARY (E MacColl)
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Nov 07 - 03:15 PM

The written (MacColl) words are:

Just a note, for time is short dear,
Hard the work and long the day,
But my heart is with you Mary,
Though I'm many miles away.

Kiss the children for me Mary
Do not let them pine or grieve
Tell them how I'm working for them.
Why our home I had to leave.

Building dams airfields and factories
Shifting concrete by the load
I'll be with you in October
When I'm finished on the road.

No chorus.

It was used in the Radio Ballad 'Song of a Road', about building the M1 motorway.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kiss the Children for Me, Mary
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 18 Nov 07 - 01:42 PM

Ewan MacColl, in 1958. Originally titled 'The Exile Song'. The Corries' recording credits MacColl jointly with Peggy Seeger.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kiss the Children for Me, Mary
From: GUEST,a scot in US
Date: 18 Nov 07 - 01:22 PM

I'd like to know who wrote this and when. I love the way Ian Bruce sings it (and everything he sings.) Thanks, J

Subject: RE: Lyrics
From: BAZ
Date: 13 Feb 98 - 05:02 PM

Joe
Thanks for sorting it out for me It is a very slow tune but probably not as slow as I had it.
Regards BAZ

Subject: RE: Lyrics
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Feb 98 - 06:46 PM

Well, you've got me stumped, BAZ. Your first posting is an excellent example of how a song should look in a word processor, with the HTML visible, before you copy-and-paste it into the forum. I looked at the source of what you posted; and, for a reason beyond my understanding, it has the codes which are needed to make angle brackets visible (usually they are invisible, since they are used to identify HTML commands). Anyhow, I copied what you posted and pasted it in again, and it works correctly now. I did make one change - your Q:40 line made the song play altogether too slow, so I figured you must have meant it to be 140. Otherwise, your first posting is a perfect training example of how a song should look in the message posting box BEFORE you hit the "submit message" button. Looks to me like you're catching on very well.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: KISS THE CHILDREN FOR ME, MARY
From: BAZ
Date: 12 Feb 98 - 06:34 PM

Linda
I think these are the lyrics you were looking for.

I've added an ABC file (chorus first) It's about as close as I can get I'm not the best at transcribing a tune from a record.
Ronnie sings it in a very free and easy style with Roy playing Northumbrian pipes.
My wife and I were on holiday in Scotland and driving in the early hours of the morning when the news of Roy's death came on the radio and all you could here wherever you went that day was 'FLOWER of SCOTLAND' He sure is missed!

Kiss the children for me Mary (The Exile Song)
(trad. MacColl/Seeger arr Corries)

Kiss the children for me Mary
Don't let them pine or grieve
Tell them it's hard I'm working for them
Though it breaks my heart to leave.

Don't forget hard the work
and long the day
I'll be thinking of you Mary
Though I'm many miles away

Kiss the children for me Mary
Don't let them pine or grieve
Tell them it's hard I'm working for them
Though it breaks my heart to leave.

Building dams ere fields and factories
Shifting mountains by the load
I'll be with you in November
When I'm finished on the road.

Kiss the children for me Mary
Don't let them pine or grieve
Tell them it's hard I'm working for them
Though it breaks my heart to leave.

X: 1
T:KISS THE CHILDREN FOR ME MARY
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:140
K:Bb
F2F|c2c|B2G|B/2c2-c/2|F/2f2-f/2|eg2|Bc2|cce|f2c|ecG|
B2z|c/2c/2c2|cB2|GF2||F|F/2F2-F/2|FF/2f3/2-|fe/2g3/2|
Bc2|cef-|fec|e2G|Bfc|cc2|B2G|F2

Hope you enjoy

regards

Baz % Output from ABC2Win Version 2.1 f on 12/02/98

Subject: RE: Lyrics
From: BAZ
Date: 12 Feb 98 - 03:04 PM

Linda my wife has just found this on a Corries CD called THE VERY BEST OF THE CORRIES The song is called Kiss the Children for me Mary (the Exile song)trad. MacColl/Seeger arr Corries. Will try and copy it down and post it later. regards Baz.

Subject: Lyrics
From: Linda Pearson
Date: 11 Feb 98 - 03:13 AM

I am looking for the lyrics of an Irish folk song which goes something like the following -:

Kiss the children for me, Mary
Don't let them pine or grieve
Tell them it's hard I'm working for them
though it breaks my hard to leave"

The song was on one of "The Corries" early albums and speaks of the heartbreak of expatriate construction workers living away from their families.