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Lyr Req: If I Could Remember the Words? / ...Can..

29 Jul 05 - 10:42 AM (#1531197)
Subject: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: GUEST,Fullerton

Can anyone here remember the words to a song called If I Could Remember The Words.

June Tabor used to sing it.

I can't remember the words of If I Could Remember The Words but I do remember the tune.

I'd like to sing it.

If I can remember it.

Thanks in anticipation.


29 Jul 05 - 10:59 AM (#1531213)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: GUEST,SallyM - at work

I don't know this one but it sounds like a good song that I would like to learn - that is, if it is possible to remember the words !
Sally


29 Jul 05 - 05:08 PM (#1531443)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: Bill D

A friend sings it....I 'almost' know it...If I can't piece it out, I'll call her and have her finish it.

"I'll sing you a song, it's not very long,
If I can remember the words...
If I can remember the words..
If I can remember the words.

There was something about a bold sailor,
Lately returned to the shore...
He'd been sailing around the East Indies....
But I don't remember no more.

There were blacksmiths and blackbirds and thrushes,
Singing on every green spray-
Someone wore a black shawl- or was it nothing at all?
And somehow I'm sure it was May.

-----------------------????
She'd been waiting....???
But she couldn't wait anymore.


So putting his hand in his pocket,
A handful of broken tokens he chose.
And he said to his own precious jewel...
"Do you recognize any of those?"

So he told her of cruel privations,
As they rounded the Horn in a gale.
But never of any relations
With cabin boys- male or female.

Now, William, like British sailors,
Had silver & gold in great store.
So wedding bells chimed to Wild Mountain Thyme''
THEY DON'T WRITE 'EM LIKE THAT ANYMORE!


almost....unless anyone has the missing pieces, I'd better call


30 Jul 05 - 09:15 AM (#1531513)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Word
From: GUEST,Fullerton

Many MANY thanks Bill D.

This song will be sung! In fact I just sang it!!! Yay!

If you can fill in the spaces it would be great.

That's made my day!!

I can remember the melody well enough to make a midi of it, if anyone wants one.

(walks off whistling)


30 Jul 05 - 11:17 AM (#1531529)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: Bill D

(working on it....I can get the rest this weekend) BTW, in that last verse, it should be "William, like ALL British sailors"...and I need to figure out where the line "Her name it was Nancy, I'm sure" fits in....

anyway, glad it was the right song!


31 Jul 05 - 12:40 AM (#1531887)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Word
From: GUEST,Jennifer Woods in DC

The one I sing is "They don't write 'em like that anymore" from the writing of someone in Colorado -- or at least the west part of the USA. I got it from the singing of Carla Siaky back in 1985 or '86 -- Somewhere I have written down the name of the composer --

I'll sing you a song, it's not very long, if I can remember the words
If I can remember the words, if I can remember the words.

There was something about a bold sailor, lately returned to the shore
He's been sailig about the east Indies, but I don't remember no more.

There was also a fair pretty maiden, her name it was Nancy I'm sure,
She'd been waiting long years for him to return, but she couldn't wait anymore.

There were blackbirds, and blacksmiths, and thrushes, singing on every green spray,
Someone wore a black shawl, or was it nothing at all? And somehow I'm sure it was May.

Well he told her of cruel privations as they rounded the Horn in a gale,
but never a word of relations, with cabin boys, male or female.

Putting his hand in his pocket, a handful of broken tokens he chose
And he said to his own darling jewel, do your recognize any of those?

William, like all British sailors, had silver and gold in great store
So wedding bells chimed, to Wild Mountain Thyme
They don't write 'em like that anymore!


31 Jul 05 - 01:39 AM (#1531908)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: Bill D

there it is! Thanks Jennifer!


31 Jul 05 - 02:51 PM (#1532161)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: GUEST,SallyM

Hi can anyone attach midi to this tune ? It looks a good one to sing.

Sally


31 Jul 05 - 03:34 PM (#1532190)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: GUEST,Fullerton

I've just made a midi of it.

erm.......

how do i get it to ya Guest SallyM


01 Aug 05 - 01:33 PM (#1532735)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: Bill D

if you both 'join' Mudcat, you can exchange private messages and emails and several more features, also....lotsa fun...


02 Aug 05 - 12:08 PM (#1533412)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: GUEST,SallyM - at work

I do seem to 'join' Mudcat regularly. Not being much of a techy, is it something to do with cookies ?? I'm at work at the moment so will rejoin again when I get home.

Sally


03 Aug 05 - 10:14 AM (#1533937)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: Snuffy

Heard it performed in Sidmouth at the weekend, as a penance for forgetting the words of Gentleman Soldier the previous evening due to beverage abuse.


03 Aug 05 - 09:30 PM (#1534560)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: seeking 'If I Could Remember The Words'
From: Bob Bolton

G'day SallyM,

It is about "cookies" ... you need a separate cookie on each machine from which you post. If you "rejoin" from your work machine, you will then have a cookie on both ... and pop straight into the muddy stream, sans GUEST, prefix. (Some work machines may clean out cookies ... you'll just have to keep an eye on that!)

Regards,

Bob


02 Jan 12 - 08:13 PM (#3283760)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I Could Remember the Words? / ...Can..
From: GUEST,Dave S

Below are the words i used to sing in the seventies. As i note i believe this qas written by John Matthews from Norwich

Song Without Words
By John Matthews from Norwich

I'll sing you a song before very long
If I can remember the words
If I can remember the woooooooords
If I can remember the words

It was something about a bold sail-i-or
Newly returned to the shore
From sailing the East Ind-i-es
But I can't remember no more

OH! YES I CAN!

There was also a fair pretty maid-i-en
Her name it was Nancy, for sure
She'd waited long years for her sail-i-or
Then she couldn't wait any more

There were blackbirds and blacksmiths and thrushes
Singing on every green spray
Someone wore a black shawl, or was it nothing at all?
And somehow I'm sure it was May

Now Nancy had missed her dear sail-i-or
For waiting at home was no fun
And I think that somebody was pregnant
But I can't remember which one

Now the sailor was most understanding
And Nancy she cried quite a lot
But he didn't tell her all his secrets
The best bits we both have forgot

He told her of cruel privations
While rounding the horn in a gale
But never a word of relations
With cabin boys, male and female

Then putting his hand in his pocket
A handful of broken tokens he shows
And he said to his own dearest jewel
Do you recognise any of those?

But somehow I'm sure that the sail-i-or
Had silver and gold in great store
And wedding bells chimed to wild mountain time
They don't write 'em like that any more!


07 Jul 17 - 05:22 AM (#3864792)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I Could Remember the Words? / ...Can..
From: GUEST,Joan

Lyn Any chance you cd let me have the tune for this?


07 Jul 17 - 06:19 AM (#3864801)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I Could Remember the Words? / ...Can..
From: GUEST,Gerry

Recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skXPjQSsDLk


07 Jul 17 - 12:35 PM (#3864899)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: If I Could Remember the Words? / ...Can..
From: Anglogeezer

There is also this one from the book :–

"Sitting in the Sun. Original songs, tunes, poems, stories from Cleveland" by Angel Publications. 1992.
The page that had the tune on is now missing from the book so all I have left is the words!

I have to say, I know the feeling well!!
Jake

***********************

                I've Forgotten the words

                by John Lawson

I've often been called on to sing from the floor
I launch into a song that you've all heard before,
Then I suddenly stop! .. You can hear a pin drop….
Is it senile dementia, a loose fitting denture?
La laa la-la la la La laa la-la la la
Ooh no!, I've forgotten the words!
Ooh no!, I've forgotten the words!


I've been practicing this song for days and for days
Nearly drove our lass mad, it's a wonder she stays
On the way here tonight. .. I got all the words right…
But, when I get up here they just seem to disappear …
La laa la-la la la La laa la-la la la
Ooh no!, I've forgotten the words!
Ooh no!, I've forgotten the words!


Is it 'nerves' make my memory fail?
Would it help to relax if I drank some more ale?
Or was it that blond there that made my mind wander?
Three more pints of booze, would just help to confuse !
La laa la-la la la La laa la-la la la
Ooh no!, I've forgotten the words!
Ooh no!, I've forgotten the words!


I apologize now if I've caused you distress
Embarrassed you all when I've got in this mess
There are three verses yet … How they go I forget …
I'll admit defeat now, go back to my seat now
La laa la-la la la La laa la-la la la
Ooh no!, I've forgotten the words!
Ooh no!, I've forgotten the words!