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Lyr Req: The Bear Song (Laurie Lewis)

05 Apr 03 - 04:04 PM (#926820)
Subject: Lyr Req: The Bear Song by Laurie Lewis
From: open mike

it starts out "Far away in the north country ,
there lived a fiddler fair,
the townsfolk called him Moon Mad John,
brother to the bear..."

05 Apr 03 - 04:51 PM (#926837)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bear Song by Laurie Lewis
From: Sorcha

No luck at all. Sorry.

05 Apr 03 - 05:52 PM (#926871)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bear Song by Laurie Lewis
From: Gareth

Anything to to with the Tale of the Ruradene Bear in the Forest of Dean ???

Gareth

05 Apr 03 - 06:05 PM (#926881)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bear Song by Laurie Lewis
From: Willie-O

I've got the lyrics you're looking for.

Something I never got around to learning despite best intentions. Give me a few minutes and I'll dig em out.

05 Apr 03 - 06:18 PM (#926886)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE BEAR SONG (Laurie Lewis)
From: Willie-O

Here ya go. I'm not sure what the title is... ^^ Well far away in the North Country there lives a fiddler fair
The townsfolk call him Moon Mad John, the brother to the bear.
Well Moon Mad John has a tale to tell, to all who set awhile
The children listen eagerly, while the grownups only smile.

"It was in the winter of '25, I was checkin' my traps one day,
When a storm come howlin' from the north and I did lose my way.
I soon was cold and hungry, and the darkness did come down,
I knew my death was closin' in, and the wolves were howlin' round.

I wandered round within a daze and I fell down on the ground.
I don't know how long I lay there when I was wakened by a sound.

All through the trees I peered, may lightnin' strike if I'm a liar,
I saw big shadows movin' slow, and the flickerin' of the fire.
Oh the bears were all a-gathered there, dancin' and playin' fiddles
And the finest fiddler I ever did see was the great *big bear in the middle.

They took me in and they sat me down and the fire did thaw my feet
They gave me food and wine to drink and I still fell asleep.
And when I awoke next morning, the day was clear and bright.
The snow lay trampled all about but there was not a bear in sight.

So three days south I travelled till I came to my own front door.
I threw all my guns and my traps away, and I never did hunt no more.
And now you've heard my story, and the proof is in the tune
That the bears did play when they saved my life, under the winter moon.

enjoy
W-O

05 Apr 03 - 11:24 PM (#927035)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bear Song by Laurie Lewis
From: MAG

She's gonna be playing about an hour+ away soon on a work night. Is it worth the drive and the short-sleep hangover the next day? -- MAG

06 Apr 03 - 04:34 AM (#927110)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bear Song by Laurie Lewis
From: open mike

oh yes--do take the opportunity to go see and hear Laurie!
Her music will delight, amuse and enthrall. Which band is
playing with her? Tom Rozum? The Bluegrass Pals? Nina Gerber?
all will be fine entertainment. her fiddle playing is excellant,
her singing superb, her song writing brilliant, and her musical
partners always wonderful. Tom is an amazing mandolin player,
nina is an extra-ordinary guitar player, and Todd plays bass. I think both Todd Sickafoos and Todd Phillips play the bass. She has
a delightful sense of humor, a sensitive historical perspective
and her music is filled with a cornucopia of natural images,
flowers, rivers, trees, birds, hills, and she will paint
beautiful pictures for you with her bow! YOu will not regret it
if you attend the performance. Go!

06 Apr 03 - 04:42 AM (#927117)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bear Song by Laurie Lewis
From: open mike

Thanks for THE BEAR SONG! I know i have the words
written somewhere, and sing it but just wanted to
make sure i did not leave any out!!
~~~~~>>>>>Clones--can we enter this in the mudcat data base, please!?
There is a song in the digi-trad called the mad fiddler of the
North Country, which included a bear, also.
Laurie mentions that her Bear song was inspired by a book:
Joachim Miller's Bear Stories.

06 Apr 03 - 05:14 AM (#927126)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bear Song by Laurie Lewis
From: open mike

here is the latest news item from Laurie's
semi-monthly e-mail announcement...
Subject: late March/April schedule
Dear friends,
First, please note that our web site and email will be down early this week for a few days while we make much-needed improvements. By Thursday, March 27, we should be up and running again. Visit us at http://www.laurielewis.com
It's time to start thinking about replenishing your soul with a raft trip down the Tuolumne River. This year's trip is scheduled for July 14-16. Join Tom Rozum and me for three days and two nights on one of California's most beautiful gems. We spend the days enjoying the river and its environs and the evenings singing and playing music (and eating sumptuous meals cooked by the Echo guides).
Space is limited, and our trips usually fill up rapidly. Contact Echo Wilderness Company at 800-652-ECHO (3246) http://www.echotrips.com
Another way to enhance your summer:
I will be teaching vocal classes at the California Bluegrass Association's Music Camp, with assistance from Michael Follstad, in Grass Valley, CA, from June 8 through June 11. Tom Rozum will be teaching mandolin. For the complete list of instructors and classes offered, contact http://www.cbamusiccamp.org/ For yet more information on the music camp, you can call director Ingrid Noyes, anytime after 9 a.m., at 707-878-2415 or e-mail mailto:ingrid@svn.net
Cover Boy   
Tom Rozum is on the cover of Mandolin Magazine, a quarterly magazine for mandolin players and enthusiasts (as it describes itself on the masthead). There is an excellent interview, some great rare photos, and a transcription of his lovely waltz, The Snowy Road (from our Winter's Grace CD). read it on line at http://www.mandolinmagazine.com      

Help put Bill Monroe on a postage stamp! Visit our web site and go to "New Stuff." At the top of the page you'll find a link for more information on this great way to honor the memory of the Father of Bluegrass Music http://www.laurielewis.com/newstuff.html

A limited-edition signed and numbered hard-cover version of my songbook is now available through our order page. It comes with a CD (Earth ad Sky) containing 16 of the 44 songs included in the book. Go to http://www.laurielewis.com/discography/index.html

Here is a list of our upcoming performances. We hope to see you somewhere on down the road.

Friday, Mar. 28: Laurie Lewis & Kathy Kallick
    Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center 8:00 PM
    1317 San Pablo Ave (near Gilman), Berkeley
This is a benefit for this great local club. Kathy and I will be joined by Tom Rozum and Avram Siegel, and will be sharing the night with the Bluegrass Intentions and the Stairwell Sisters http://www.ashkenaz.com



Friday, April 4   Laurie Lewis with Nina Gerber: the Songbook Tour!
    Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse, 8:00 PM
    1111 Addison St.
       Berkeley, CA http://thefreight.org 510/548-1761

Saturday, April 5 Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum
    Orinda Library Auditorium, 8:00 PM
       24 Orinda Way, Orinda, CA
       ticket info: http://www.CommunityConcerts.com 925/229-2710
Tom and I have been hard at work on a new recording, so have lots of new songs to debut for you.

Sunday, April 6 Laurie Lewis with Nina Gerber:
            the Songbook Tour continues                                       
    Rancho Nicasio, 7:00 PM
       1 Old Rancheria Rd., Nicasio, CA
       ticket info: http://www.ranchonicasio.com 415/662-2219

Thursday, April 10 Laurie Lewis with Nina Gerber:
            the Songbook Tour continues
    La Grande United Methodist Church, 7:30 PM
       1612 Fourth St., LaGrande, OR
       ticket info: 541/663-9630 or sfiror@eoni.com

Friday, April 11 Laurie Lewis with Nina Gerber:
                   the Songbook Tour continues
    1912 Building, 400 Washington St., Moscow, ID
    ticket info: (509) 335-2284

Saturday, April 12 Book Signing/Singing and songwriting Q & A
    Auntie's Bookstore, 1:30 PM
    402 West Main Ave. Spokane, WA (509) 838-0206


Saturday, April 12 Laurie Lewis with Nina Gerber:
          the Songbook Tour continues
    Mother Goose Progressive Coffeehouse, 7:30 PM
       402 West Main St., Spokane, WA
       Ticket info: http://mothergoose.spokane.wa.us 509/891-8545

Sunday, April 13   Laurie Lewis with Nina Gerber:
          the Songbook Tour continues
    Crystal Theater, 8:00 PM
         515 South Higgins, Missoula, MT
         Ticket info: 406/829-8219 http://www.montanafolk.org/concerts.html

Tuesday, April 15 Laurie Lewis with Nina Gerber:
          the Songbook Tour continues
    Mountain Aire Music Series, Eagles Hall, 8:00 PM
         37 First St West, Kalispell, MT
         ticket info: 406/257-1197

Thursday, April 17 Laurie Lewis with Nina Gerber:
          the Songbook Tour continues
    Winnemucca Convention Center, 7:00 PM
         Railroad & Melarky Streets, Winnemucca, NV
         Ticket info: http://www.gbae.org 775/623-1313

Th-Sun, April 23-27 Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum, and Todd Sickafoose, and special guest Craig Smith (Friday only)                           
             Merlefest
          Wilkes Community College, Wilkesboro, NC
          Ticket info: 1-800-343-7857 http://www.merlefest.org

Please get out and hear live music when you can. It's guaranteed to raise your spirits, and soothe a troubled soul.

Peace be with you,
Laurie Lewis

05 Jul 09 - 11:36 PM (#2672413)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bear Song (Laurie Lewis)
From: open mike

this is a great song...one of the many by Laurie Lewis