Circle of Friends (Mary McCaslin)

Subject: Mary McCaslin's "Circle of Friends"
From: D. Towne
Date: 02 Dec 98 - 07:19 PM

I hope someone can help me with this. I'm hardly an expert on folk music.

Many years ago, Mary McCaslin recorded a song titled "Circle of Friends". Recently, a friend of mine was given a tape with what seems to be a newer rendition of the song. She has been trying deperately to figure out the artist, but to no avail.

Is anyone aware of a new(er) recording, and by whom it was sung?

Thanks a lot.

Subject: RE: Circle of Friends
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 12:55 AM

Hi - the song that pops into mind is "OUTSIDE OF A SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS," by Phil Ochs - click here. That's the only song in the database that has the phrase. I guess McCaslin could sing a song like that, but maybe that's not the one.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE:
From: Dale Rose
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 01:19 AM

D. Towne has it right, Mary recorded Circle of Friends on her Way Out West album from 1974, recently rereleased on CD by Philo/Rounder. It was also on her Philo/Rounder compilation Things We Said Today.

But to get back to the question, I have not run across any other versions, but I will keep a look out for it.

Subject: RE: Circle of Friends
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 01:32 AM

Yeah, Dale - but is it the Phil Ochs song with that title, or is it another song?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE:
From: Dale Rose
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 01:38 AM

'nother song, unless Ochs recorded "her" Circle. I really am not all that familiar with his music, but Mary, well, I got it all, I think. The notes to Things We Said Today say "Another one I wrote before Jim . . ."

Finally got through to your link. Net has been stopping cold on me every now and then and I can't get ANYWHERE~~It is a different song. Now if I can just get this to go . . . Been trying for several minutes.

Subject: Thanks
From: D. Towne
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 12:47 PM

Thanks for the help so far.

I know the McCaslin song is the one of which I'm thinking - I have heard her recording and the lyrics/music are what I have in mind. The other recording, though, is not her but a different female voice - a bit softer, not quite as "twangy" (no offense to Mary intended.)

-Dave

Subject: Circle of Friends - Cris Williamson?
From: D. Towne
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 02:30 AM

I've done some more digging on the web, and I think I may have found the answer to my question (i.e., who has recently re-recorded Mary McCaslin's "Circle of Friends"?)

The song's refrain (in part):

"But you just go round and round in your circle of friends. Ah, yes, our circle of friends You know how a circle never ends ..."

Cris Williamson recorded a live album entitled "Circle of Friends" in 1991, with a song listed of the same name. Again, as a folk novice, I don't know Cris' work. I found this listing at an online music store, and the track isn't available to sample, so I can't listen and be sure.

Still, the recording for which I am searching is in fact of a live performance, and a sample of a different song of hers sounds very much like the "mystery voice." Can someone confirm my hypothesis that this is, in fact, the same song? I'd be most grateful.

Thanks

Dave

Subject: RE:
From: Helen
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 06:08 AM

Hi Dave,

It's probably worth your time checking out this women's music site - huge catalog of recordings, books etc - but also sound clips from some of the albums. (Thanks to Rosebrook for telling me about this site in a thread some time back)

http://www.ladyslipper.org/

Cris Williamson has a number of albums listed, and sound clips for some of them but unfortunately not for her Circle of Friends: Cris Williamson Live album. I have a vinyl record by Meg Christian from the 70's and Cris W. is listed as one of the musicians on that. The reason you may nt have heard of CW is that it is strongly women-oriented/feminist music.

Regards, Helen

Subject: RE:
From: Snobby
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 10:52 AM

Joan Baez recorded a song "Circle of Friends" on her "Live in Europe"-CD. This song can be found by looking for Russian Bards: Circle of Friends translated means Soyuz Druziey.

You have to look for the Russian artist Bulat Okudzhava.

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Circle of Friends (Mary McCaslin)
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 15 May 07 - 02:28 PM

Hello,

You can find "Circle of Friends" on Mary McCaslin's CD "Things we said today". (track 10). It's available from Amazon. In the credits Mary McCaslin is noted as the composer.

Hope that helps,

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Circle of Friends (Mary McCaslin)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 01:43 PM

Cris Williamson recorded Mary McCaslin's CIRCLE OF FRIENDS on her album "Live in Concert: Circle of Friends" (Olivia Records, 1991)

Mary McCaslin's own recording of CIRCLE OF FRIENDS appeared on her album "Way Out West" (Philo, 1974). It's also on "The Best of Mary McCaslin: Things We Said Today" (Philo, 1992).

Allmusic.com is a great web site for finding out this kind of thing.

First you use their search function to find Mary McCaslin's page:
http://allmusic.com/artist/mary-mccaslin-p19241
Then you click on the "songs" tab, which brings you here:
http://allmusic.com/artist/mary-mccaslin-p19241/songs
The "Highlights" tab will be selected by default; if you click "All Songs" you will see a list of songs that Mary herself recorded, in alphabetical order:
http://allmusic.com/artist/mary-mccaslin-p19241/songs/all-songs
Or, if you click "Songs Composed By" it will show you a list of songs that Mary McCaslin wrote that other people recorded:
http://allmusic.com/artist/mary-mccaslin-p19241/songs/songs-composed-by
You can find more information by clicking on song titles, album titles, performers' names, and so on. Play with it! By clicking on the little speaker symbol, you can hear a sample of about 30 seconds

Subject: RE: Circle of Friends (Mary McCaslin)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 29 Nov 11 - 02:30 PM

The song is available on iTunes for a buck.

Subject: RE: Circle of Friends (Mary McCaslin)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 08 Sep 12 - 03:48 PM

She sings it on YouTube.

Subject: RE: Circle of Friends (Mary McCaslin)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 03:58 AM

I don't have time to transcribe the song, but I wanted to say that one line really struck me:

"Like a back door to go to, in every town..."

Subject: RE: Circle of Friends (Mary McCaslin)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Jun 22 - 08:00 PM

Anybody have full lyrics?