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24 Jun 98 - 04:24 PM (#31302) Subject: same old man, sittin at the mill From: sean sweeney we're currently trying to re-arrange thsi folk song and can't find the original name and lyrics of this song, any help would be grreatly appreciated. msweeney@ezl.com |
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24 Jun 98 - 06:11 PM (#31319) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: BAZ Sean If this is the one by the Dillards I may be able to help as I've got it on vinyl somewhere. Is it something like "Same old man sittin' at the mill, mill turns around of it's own free wheel? if so let me know. regards baz. |
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24 Jun 98 - 07:52 PM (#31331) Subject: Lyr Add: JOLLY IS THE MILLER From: Susan of DT Try Jolly is the Miller. It's the playparty and pretty short, but it may be some of what you want. JOLLY IS THE MILLER Jolly* is the miller that lives by the mill The wheel goes 'round with a right good will With a hand upon the hopper and another on the sack The ladies go forward and the gents go back. * or "Charlie" A play-party collected in the 1940s and 1950s. RG @playparty @work filename[ OVRHILL5 TUNE FILE: OVERHILL CLICK TO PLAY RG |
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25 Jun 98 - 08:48 AM (#31370) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: bbc I have it sung by Jerry Rasmussen & listed as traditional, called "Old Man at the Mill." regards, bbc |
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25 Jun 98 - 07:49 PM (#31419) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: Chet W. Used to do this one. Only had one verse, inserted occasionally among rip-roarin' dance accompaniment:
And if he's not dead he's working there still, Hand in the hopper and hand in the sack, It's five miles over and two miles back. I always thought the mill was a front for a bootlegger, hence the perceived shorter distance of the trip home. Chet W. |
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28 Jun 98 - 06:25 AM (#31544) Subject: Lyr Add: SAME OLD MAN (Holy Modal Rounders) From: Frank in the swamps The Holy Modal Rounders recorded this on one of their first two albums, I don't have a turntable so I can't play them, but memory yields this much... SAME OLD MAN As recorded by Holy Modal Rounders on "1 & 2" (1998)
It's the same old man, sittin' at the mill.
My mind is failin' and my body grows weak.
It's the same old lady, hangin' out the wash.
Purty(?) little leaf lyin' on the ground,
It's the same old man, sittin' at the mill.
The H. M. Rounders were an outstanding old timey music duet; very faithful to the music, but with a radically free hand to the lyrics. It's a pity they seem to be so little known, possibly a result of their drug assisted decline, culminating in that pathetic counter culture icon, The Fuggs. |
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29 Jun 98 - 09:05 AM (#31615) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: Earl The line is: "I'm floating away on a boat full of pain." Another verse from the Rounders is:
It's the same old lady hanging out her wash BTW - The Fugs may have been their nadir but not their culmination. In the seventies they reformed the Holy Modal Rounders as a multi-piece band and recorded several raucous mostly acoustic albums. In the eighties, the two original Rounders, Weber and Stampfel, recorded a straight duet album much like the first two. Peter Stampfel still records occasionally with his band the Bottlecaps or with a band called the Dysfunctionells. He also has an article in the revised notes for the Smithsonian Anthology. The first two albums are definately the best. It's a shame they haven't been released on CD. |
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29 Jun 98 - 11:07 AM (#31623) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: Rockaday Johnnie It looks like the Holy Modal Rounders will be putting out another "almost duet" LP. BTW, the Fugs are a great band and said a lot of things no one else would have--i.e. "CIA Man" (Particularly their 80's live version on the "Refuse to Be Burnt Out" CD) and "South Africa" (on "No More Slavery"). One of my best 60's memories is going to Joe McCarthy's grave in Appleton wisconsin in Feb 68 with Allen Ginsberg and the Fugs while they exorcised his grave--great political theatre! They did a helluva show before that at the Cinderella Ballroom there! |
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16 Nov 02 - 11:03 PM (#828160) Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD MAN AT THE MILL From: Jerry Rasmussen Joe Offer brought this thread to my attention. Here are the words as I sing them. All but the "Blackbird" verse come from a recording by Clarence Ashley and friends on Old-Time Music at Clarence Ashley's released by Folkways. The two volumes have been reissued on CD by the Smithsonian. If I could only keep two folk music CDs, it would be these two.. The "blackbird" verse comes from the Leather Wing Bat, which was recorded by Burl Ives.. The Old Man At The Mill Chorus: It's the same old man, living at the mill And the mill turns around of its own free will One hand in the hopper and the other in the sack Ladies step forward and the gents fall back Then said the raven as she flew If I was a young man, I'd have two One for to knit and one for to sew And I'd have a little ribbon to my bow, bow, bow Then said the blackbird sitting in a chair Once I courted a lady fair But she turned fickle and she turned her back And ever since then, my head's been black Then said the owl with his head all a white A lonesome day and a lonesome night I thought I heard a pretty girl say I court all night and I sleep all day My old man's from Kalamazoo And he don't wear no yes I do's First to the left and then to the right This old mill grinds day and night Knowing Peter Stampfel, don't be surprised if his lyrics bear faint resemblance to the original.. that's why he and the Holy Modal Rounder's were so much fun.. I recorded this on the album Handful Of Songs, on the Jackrabbit label. Jerry |
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17 Nov 02 - 08:55 AM (#828335) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: BanjoRay The owl verse is also from a version of Leather Wing Bat by Pete Seeger Ray |
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17 Nov 02 - 09:00 AM (#828337) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: Jerry Rasmussen Thanks, Ray... The Leather Wing Bat shares a melody and several bird lyrics. I could just as easily have added the leather wing bat verse to this, but I liked it this way. Somebody more perceptive than I could probably trace these two songs to a common source... the missing folk link... Masato, probably.. Jerry |
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17 Nov 02 - 10:53 AM (#828376) Subject: ADD Version: Same Old Man From: nickp Here's what I sing - they are a complilation from various sources - looks like I can extend it a bit with some of those previously mentioned SAME OLD MAN Same old man sitting at the mill Mill turns around of its own free will Hand in the hopper and the other in the sack Ladies step forward and the gents fall back Down said the owl with his head all white Lonesome day and lonesome night Thought I heard a pretty girl say Court all night and sleep next day Men said the raven as she flew If I was a young girl I'd have two One for to fetch and the other for to sow I'd add another string to my bow, bow, bow Now said the tiny little leather winged bat I'll tell you the reason that The reason that I fly by night Is I have lost my heart's delight My old man's in Kalamazoo And he don't wear no… – yes I do! First to the left and then to the right This old mill grinds day and night Well I live at the mill and I spend my time Gazing at a picture of the girl in my mind You're so pretty, lord, what'm I gonna do Got any grain and I'll grind it for you |
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18 Apr 04 - 06:25 PM (#1164655) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: GUEST,Billy Bob-Buck-Joe-Bob Down said a cityboy as they flew If I was a young one I'd get two one squeals like a pig with panties so fine If you've seen deliverance you know whats on my mind |
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19 Apr 04 - 05:00 AM (#1164980) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: GUEST,Hootenanny Try the version by Clint Howard, that's where I first heard it. I believe it's on a recording from the Galax Fiddler's Convention (Folkways ?). When I spoke to Clint about this song he didn't know that he had been recorded and that it would appear on an album, seems he was just competing in the ballad singers contest. I'm not sure if it had appeared on record before then. |
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19 Apr 04 - 04:06 PM (#1165529) Subject: RE: same old man, sittin at the mill From: Mudlark I love this song...and it is very effective played on the dulcimer in mixolydian mode. |
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22 Apr 04 - 08:07 AM (#1167821) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: same old man, sittin at the mill From: GUEST,Bonnie Shaljean (uncookified puter) There's a great recording of it on Jesse Colin Young's ancient vinyl LP (so ancient I'm not sure I even remember the title correctly), "Soul Of A City Boy". Fine album altogether, which I seem to recall was rare even in the good old days. |
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22 Apr 04 - 03:33 PM (#1168280) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: same old man, sittin at the mill From: Cool Beans Ian Matthews, post-Matthews Southern Comfort, recorded it in 1973 on an LP called Valley Hi.It's been reissued on CD. This should get you to it on Amazon; if not (what do I know?), just run Matthews' name on amazon; it's the first recording of his that pops up and there's a sample of the song available. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000C509W/qid=1082662089/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-3683233-7285556 |