Correcting Lyrics

Subject: Correcting Lyrics
From: Marcus Black Wolf
Date: 21 Apr 02 - 05:14 AM

As a new member who would be the correct person to see about slightly correcting some of the lyrics in the database? To be specific, some of the Irish songs which have some mispellings, and a few mistakes here and there.

Marcus

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 21 Apr 02 - 05:22 AM

Hi Marcus, and welcome to the 'Cat.

This thread click here has a good discussion about this.

Dick Greenhaus is the man to speak with about fixes to the DT. Send him a personal message.

Lin in Kansas

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 01:48 AM

Actually, Lin, I think it's best to post corrections in a thread. That way, others can see them and add their comments.
Also, that makes the corrections immediately available to everyone.
Use our search engines to look for a thread on the song, and post your comments there. If there is no existing thread on the song, start a new thread. Be sure the word "correction" appears in your message title, if ypu're posting to a thead that doesn't have the word "correction" or "Add" in it.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 11:51 PM

Thanks Joe. I "stand corrected."

Lin

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Marcus Black Wolf
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 12:23 AM

Righto everyone the mistakes I spotted were mostly in the area of the naming of historical figures or places in the Irish songs -such as Parnel has become Pernel and so forth. BTW I suppose I should say thank you to the aforementioned Dick Greenaus for his recommendations on another thread about where to obtain Son House CDs while I think of it.

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Noreen
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 11:22 AM

You may find that some corrections have already been made in threads, but still not changed in the DT, so it's well worth searching the forum for a song before posting.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Watson
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 11:45 AM

Although some songs may not be an accurate reflection of history, I really don't think it's worthwhile going through them correcting names.

I know for instance that when I sing The Royal Duke of Grantham that it was about some other duke... possibly, but I sing it that way because that's the way I learned it, and that's the way it was collected by whoever I learned it from. Although the history is interesting, it's the song that's important to me.

If there are different versions of songs, choose the one that suits you best, or even merge versions to arrive at one you are comfortable with, but I don't see the point in going through the DT making sure all the names are right, as long as the version noted represents the way the song is actually sung somewhere by someone then it's valid.

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Snuffy
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 07:27 PM

The trouble is, a lot of the entries in the DT are transcribed imperfectly by ear from a recording. If you're not familiar with a particular place or personal name, you stick down what it sounds like.

But nobody has ever sung it the way you write it.

I think it's this sort of error Marcus wants to correct, rather than saying the Duke must be Grafton, not Grantham or Bedford or whatever someone else sings.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 07:43 PM

The Men of Worth (click) thread is a good example of the benefits of a group effort. I think our final product is certainly far better than Mary Black's. Heck, it may be better than Archie Fisher's original.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Bert
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 03:00 AM

I'll go with what Lin said, send it to Dick, he's the nicest, kindest person there is (he just PRETENDS to be an old fart), but he just doesn't have time to get around to everything, so then you go along with what Joe said and post it on the thread as well.

Subject: RE: Correcting Lyrics
From: Watson
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 05:21 AM

I take your point Snuffy, there are different versions of songs, none of them necessarily more "right" than the others, and then there are mistakes, for instance Henry Martin - I first heard it sung by Figgy Duff, they had the line

So lower your topsail and fire up your mizzen

Which doesn't make a lot of sense, in the DT the word "fire" is replaced by "bail", but I believe the correct term would be "brail", which would be a suitable word to describe taking in sails.

But, I don't think it would be worthwhile going through the DT weeding out trivia like that. By all means discuss them in the forum, in fact, now I've looked that very point is covered in an earlier discussion, but I'm sure the estimable Mr. Greenhaus has far too much work to do as it is without all the corrections that may be proposed.