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Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City

14 Mar 06 - 06:20 AM (#1692941)
Subject: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Haruo

This is the official song of the City of Seattle, so ennobled by the City Council in 1909. It is not a folk song, per se, but last night it almost became one when it was sung by four of the participants in Stewart Hendrickson's CD-promotion concert at the Phinney Ridge Community Center.



Seattle, the Peerless City

Lyrics: Arthur O. Dillon
Tune: Glenn W Ashley

  1. Seattle sits on seven hills, Her glory is unfurl'd,
    At her feet is Puget Sound, where moves The Commerce of the world.
    (Chorus)
    Hail, all hail to the Peerless City, Metropolis of the west,
    The gateway to the Orient, Whom grandeur hath caressed!

  2. Her bosom's gemm'd with pearly lakes, The mountains tower near;
    The fir tree forest skirts her bound; The beauty of earth is here.
    (Chorus)

  3. Her men and women, active, proud, Seattle build sublime,
    And greater far than ancient Rome, The matchless for all time.
    (Chorus)

  4. True love and art shall flourish here, The heart's sweet, tender theme,
    Upholders of the truth here dwell, The dreamers of the Dream.
    (Chorus)


The group at Stewart's concert sang vv. 1, 3 and 4, and repeated the chorus on the last verse, the second time through replacing "The Gateway to the Orient" with "The Center of the Universe"; again, I would say this falls just short of the folk process ;-).

Haruo

PS I should credit the English Wikipedia article on Seattle with first drawing my attention, I who have lived in Seattle half a century, to the existence of this song. It is not exactly a well-known item, though this may yet change ;-)

14 Mar 06 - 06:34 AM (#1692948)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: La Urbo Senrivala
From: Haruo

Since the occasion that caused me to dig this old dinosaur out of the City archives was the ongoing (culminating in September) Centennial celebration of the Seattle Esperanto Society, it is only right that I should also post the Esperanto version.

La Urbo Senrivala

Vortoj: Arthur O. DILLON, 1909
Esperantigis: ROS' Haruo, 2006
Muziko: Glenn W. ASHLEY, 1909

  1. De sep montetoj fluas el Seatlo glora ond';
    Laŭ Fjord' Puĝeta portas ĝi Komercon el la mond'.
    Rekantaĵo
    Ho, vi, Urbo Senrivala, NOREKa metropol',
    Pordego al la Orient' kaj hejmo de Bonvol'!
  2. Girlandas perlaj lagoj ŝin, kaj fone turas Mont';
    Duglasiar' ĉirkaŭas ŝin ĝis bela horizont'.
    Rekantaĵo


  3. La geseatlanaro en sublim' konstruas ŝin
    Pli granda ol antikva Rom', sen manko kaj sen fin'.
    Rekantaĵo


  4. Ĉi floros veraj Am' kaj Art', de l' kor' la cel' kaj dev'.
    Ĉi loĝas ver-apogantar', Revantoj de la Rev'!
    Rekantaĵo

14 Mar 06 - 09:21 PM (#1693890)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Fred Maslan

I have to thank Haruo for resurecting this corpse. I am a native seattlite and have lived here for nigh onto 60 years and I never heard of it till he brought it to song circle three or four weeks ago. Jean Smith and I agreed that it had to be a part of Sunday nights performance. The unabashed chauvinism of the words cried out for "the center of the universe." performing it also gave me an excuse to wear my fathers bowler (hat).

Fred

15 Mar 06 - 11:48 AM (#1694093)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Joe Offer

This is a real gem, Haruo. there was a time when lots of cities had corny songs like these.
I wonder if there are more that we can resurrect.
Got a MIDI you can send me?
joe@mudcat.org
-Joe-

15 Mar 06 - 03:31 PM (#1694307)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Haruo

Hi Joe, I'll send a MIDI of the melody line. (I'm still working on one of the complete (four-part voice with bugles intro) score.) It has the chorus repeated, which is the way the sheet music has it, but I prefer Fred and Jean (and Raffi and who was the fourth?)'s solution of only repeating it the last time.

A photocopy of the sheet music can be had from the Seattle City Archivist's office for 45 cents if you come pick it up; no idea what they charge to mail it. The Seattle Public Library can also supply copies.

The Archivist's webpage on City Symbols states:
City Song

In May 1909 Arthur O. Dillon petitioned the City Council to adopt Seattle the Peerless City as the City Song. The Finance Committee recommended the petition be granted providing Mr. Sawyer [a member of Council] sings the song for the Council. The City Council subsequently granted Dillon's petition. View the lyrics to Seattle, the Peerless City.
The sheet music in the Archivist's office has a typewritten note at the top of the first page of music that says, as I recall, "AS SUNG BY SAWYER, THE PEERLESS SINGER".

Haruo

PS: Speaking of old songs, I'm still hoping someday to find the sheet music to my old alma mater, the kouka of Rekisen Syougakkou. I'll be in Japan next year (July 2007), for the Esperanto Congress in Yokohama, maybe I can meet Masato and we can hunt for it together. Be nice to try to look up some of the old classmates I remember playing kankeri (Kick-the-can) and faux sumô with...

15 Mar 06 - 04:23 PM (#1694359)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Deckman

I have to add one comment. For all their bravery notwithstanding, and recognising the FINE performance of this song ... it has got to be one of the MOST HORRIBLE SONGS I'VE EVER HEARD!! I know, I was there. CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

15 Mar 06 - 04:27 PM (#1694367)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Haruo

I agree. It's even pretty bad in Esperanto, and a song has to work hard to get that sort of review from me ;-)

Haruo
the one to blame

15 Mar 06 - 05:14 PM (#1694417)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Deckman

Seattle may well be "The Emerald City" ... but that song is NO gem! Bob

15 Mar 06 - 11:35 PM (#1694839)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Fred Maslan

The fourth singer (perpetrator?)was Suzy MacAleer.

Fred

15 Sep 08 - 02:25 PM (#2441188)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Haruo

We are hoping to insinuate a repetition of the peerless presentation at Folklife next Memorial Day weekend. We'll be sure to warn Bob when to plug his ears. ;-)

Haruo

15 Sep 08 - 02:27 PM (#2441191)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Haruo

Fremont Baptist is hoping to have the Cornucopia Concert Band at our Spring Concert next year, and hoping to get it to do a brass rendition of the city song, too.

Haruo

16 Sep 08 - 12:37 AM (#2441770)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Stilly River Sage

That is so funny! I grew up there, and I don't remember hearing it, even with the intrepid research skills of the folk singer in the family.

Considering the fate of Ancient Rome, I wouldn't want to take those comparisons very far. And considering Seattle's reputation as a software giant, I can easily imagine someone fiddling while Nero burns. . .





















I'll grab my hat on the way out the door. . .

18 Jun 14 - 06:45 PM (#3634417)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: GUEST,Isolde, KUOW

Hi there,

A question: Did you guys have the sheet music for this song? We are going to perform it at KUOW studios on Thursday morning and are wondering if others have improvised.

Best, Isolde (online editor, KUOW)

18 Jun 14 - 09:25 PM (#3634441)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Don Firth

I've lived here since 1940 and until now, I was unaware of the song.

Seattle, a pierless city? I dunno about that.....

Don Firth

19 Jun 14 - 03:31 AM (#3634479)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Jack Campin

It sorta fits "Babylon is Fallen" if that's not too downbeat...

06 Jul 14 - 02:49 PM (#3639604)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Jim Dixon

This catalog entry indicates that the Seattle Public Library has the sheet music:

http://seattle.bibliocommons.com/item/show/2689049030_seattle_sheet_music_collection

06 Jul 14 - 07:45 PM (#3639655)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Fred Maslan

Susie, Raffi and I sang it at the mural amphitheater during Folklife in '09 as part of the centennial of the Alaska Yukon Exposition. It was pretty awful but it was fun. Somewhere I have a picture.

23 Aug 14 - 03:33 AM (#3653182)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Seattle, the Peerless City
From: Haruo

The City Hall Clerk's Office sells the sheet music, very reasonably priced. Sorry Isolde (if you're out there) that I didn't notice your post when it happened.