Tune Req: The Rowan Stave

Subject: The Rowan Stave
From: PastyJane
Date: 05 Sep 02 - 11:51 PM

Sharyn McCrumb writes of a Scottish song which is brought to appalachia. It is called "The Rowan Stave." I am trying to find out if this is a real song and what the tune might be. The song's lyrics are in her book "The Songcatcher."

The song's first stanza of the song is:

Upon the hill above the kirk at moon rise she did stand

To tend her sheep that Samhain eve, with rowan stave in hand.

And where she's been and what she's seen, no living soul may know,

And when she's come back home, she will be changed -- oh!

The last line is repeated for each stanza of the song.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 12:03 AM

Sharyn McCrumb clearly states that the "song" is not authentic; "it was written for this book because I thought that I could not find a song so obscure that no reader would be familiar with it, so I composed one."
However, Sweetwater's Shelly Stevens penned a tune, and the song has been released as a cd single. Type "The Rowan Stave" in Google, and you can get ordering information. A reading from the book is also on the cd.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 12:06 AM

Call Sweetwater at 1-937-323-7864 and use your credit card. $9,25 inc. S/H. (or order from: Sweetwater, 643 E. Euclid Avenue, Springfield, OH, 45505.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: diesel
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 11:40 AM

I'm amazed others have read the book - I quite enjoyed that one. And yes I read too that the song was composed for the book, - Though it was in the Authors note at the end of the book.

Which brings on a question - When I read a book - I generally read /browse /quickscan the acknowledgements at the front to see background details etc. - My wife thinks I mad and never heard of anybody reading them ( the acknowledgements )

What of you - or am I alone in this ?? Though sounds like Dicho above does ??

Diesel

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 11:48 AM

frequently - and the author's notes as well; usually before I purchase if possible.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 11:50 AM

Always.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: diesel
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 01:27 PM

Thanks folks - it's true - I am not alone, as for the mad bit - I'll leave herself to decide

Diesel

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 01:32 PM

Yes. Exceptions? Tomes I scan to extract a few facts or opinions and will never read in their entirety.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 06:28 AM

That whole ballad series is wonderful. Read them all. I'm getting ready to teach ballads as literature but also as a lead-in to a cultural unit related to westward expansion and a speaker from Appalachia.   I'm going to use this in it and explain the whole bit to the kids. Apparently the STORY may be old??? I'm going to try to find out if she made that up too.

Her website is wonderful. Highly recommend it.

Mag

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: GUEST,Judy
Date: 07 Aug 11 - 08:04 PM

Thanks for your information - I'm very fond of folk music, and I've enjoyed quite a few of Sharon's books, so I was just starting a search for the song. You've saved me a lot of fruitless searching.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Aug 11 - 08:33 PM

That kitschy verse alone is quite enough to make sure I never, ever take one of her books off a shelf.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Rowan Stave
From: GUEST,Don Taylor
Date: 26 Sep 17 - 04:03 PM

The bare bones of the story traces McCrumb's actual family history from her Scottish ancestor's abduction to his eventual arrival in America and later, in 1794, in Appalachia (where her family remained into modern times) through a procession of often colorful and sometimes strange descendants.