Lyr Req: The Quilt Project / Names (Cathy Fink)

Subject: Lyr Req: The Quilt Project
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:48 PM

While doing 27 other things, I heard on the radio parts of a song about The Quilt Project, which started many years ago as a tribute to those who died of Aids - each patch has the name of someone who died of Aids

Part of the chorus went:

we are counted not as numbers but as names

the version I heard was male solo acapella

Subject: Lyr Add: NAMES (Cathy Fink)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 07:07 PM

It's actually called

NAMES
(Cathy Fink)

CHORUS
And I know, my name could be there
And I feel, the pain and the fear
And this human love and passion
Do not make us all the same
We are counted not as numbers but as names

A patchwork of thousands of precious names
There must be someone there you know
Woven together in a quilted frame
The names the loved ones won't let go

We grieve for the lovers and the families
And I pray they'll meet again some day
But until that time I will carry the flame
As their numbers grow we'll not forget the names

A lover, a carpenter, a father, a friend
A sister, a minister, a man
Each quilted piece holds a memory
Each memory helps us to go on

(The above version as sung by Roy Bailey)

[1991:] Written for the Names Quilt, a memorial to victims of AIDS. The project began in San Francisco. It has rapidly become a major work of folk art that is a moving memorial to and celebration of, the lives of those who have died. Each name is on a patch six feet by three feet. There are now 13,000 pieces in the quilt. In July 1989 I was invited to sing this song at the opening of an exhibition of part of the quilt at the Vancouver Art Gallery. It was a privilege to be invited and it was the most moving event I have ever been involved with. (Notes Roy Bailey, 'Never Leave A Story Unsung')

[1999:] We at the Names Project (UK) are still receiving panels. Each new panel is another death; each new panel reminds us that there is no cure and each new panel reminds us that Aids has not gone away. (Iain McDonald, Director The Names Project (UK), letter to The Observer, 7 Mar)

See also Wikipedia entry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Quilt Project
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 09:33 PM

Thanks very much - I was sure it would be known of here.
I have been aware of the project itself since it started - didn't realise that there was an appropriate song.

Can I have a pointer to a tune too please?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Quilt Project
From: Tinker
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 09:43 AM

Names sung by Eve Goldberg
Track 6 on Eve's Everbrightening Day. It's a wonderful CD all around, but this song comes form a special place.

Tinker

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Quilt Project / Names (Cathy Fink)
From: Tinker
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 09:26 PM

Subject: DT Correction: Names (Cathy Fink)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Oct 14 - 02:01 AM

I listened to the Fink/Marxer recording over and over again while I was proofreading the new Rise Again Songbook. This is what I hear, which is just a bit different from the DT version and the excellent transcription posted above by Susanne.
Who's singing lead on the Fink/Marxer recording? Her voice is wonderful.

NAMES (Cathy Fink) A patchwork of thousands of precious names There must be someone that you know Woven together in a quilted frame Names the loved ones won't let go CHORUS And I know that my name could be there And I feel the pain and the fear And as human love and passions do not make us all the same We are counted not as numbers, but as names We grieve for the lovers and the families And I pray they'll meet again some day But until that time I will carry the flame As the numbers grow we'll not forget their names A lover, a carpenter, a father, a friend A sister, a minister, a mom Each quilted piece holds a memory Each memory helps us to go on

NAMES (DT Version) (Cathy Fink) A patchwork, thousands of precious names Must be someone that you know Woven together in a quilted frame; Names the loved ones won't let go CHORUS: And I know my name could be there And I feel the pain and the fear And as human love and passions do not make us all the same We are counted not as numbers, but as names. We grieve for the lovers and the families And I pray that they'll meet again some day. But until that time I will carry the flame As the numbers grow we'll not forget their names. A lover, a carpenter, a father, a friend, A sister, a minister, a mom Each quilted piece holds a memory Each memory helps us to go on. filename[ NAMES DS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEGqSZvTCiE

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Quilt Project / Names (Cathy Fink)
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 30 Oct 14 - 03:46 PM

I transcribed the lyrics in the Digital Tradition from a live recording. This would have been at least twenty years ago. Cathy, like many songwriters, has made subtle adjustments to her songs through the years. Joe, email me and I can put you in direct touch with Cathy to get the official version.

Dan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Quilt Project / Names (Cathy Fink)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Oct 14 - 05:29 PM

Hi, Dan - we have the "official" transcription of the song, but it's not the way Cathy sings it. Your transcription and mine are identical except for two words.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Quilt Project / Names (Cathy Fink)
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 30 Oct 14 - 06:41 PM

Joe, just out of curiosity (and with apologies for initiating thread drfit), what does Rise Up Singing do when an artist prints the lyrics as part of the liner notes for an album, then sings somthing different on the album? Do you go with the recorded performance, or with the accompanying liner notes?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Quilt Project / Names (Cathy Fink)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 14 - 12:27 AM

There's no hard-and-fast rule, Gerry. We try to pick lyrics that are singable, make sense, and are reasonably authentic. If the singer has variations in his/her renditions of the song, that gives us more leeway.

I like performers who alter their songs to fit the time and their audience. Christine Lavin is a good example. I submitted 1990 and 2012 versions of her Sensitive New Age Guys last night. It's up to editors Peter Blood and Annie Patterson to make the final decisions. When there is a choice, I try to give them a good selection to choose from. And if I find lyrics we don't have at Mudcat, I post them here also.

Liner notes and artist Websites can have very inaccurate lyrics, so I don't consider them a gospel-truth source. Sheet music is usually quite accurate, but it's expensive. Oh, and fakebooks are horribly inaccurate. I try to use both printed sources and recordings.

I came to the Rise Again project kinda late. The book has 1200 songs, and it's due out in May or June. I've researched only 127 songs so far. Most of the songs are already in pretty good shape, but I'd like to review and research all of them if I can.

-Joe-