Most haunting melodies?

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Bert
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 10:47 AM

Waters of Tyne

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 10:16 AM

"Mist Covered Mountains", Duet from Beethoven's 7th, oh damn, there are thousands! That's why I got into music.

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Lesley N.
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 09:56 AM

This isn't much use really, but Dark Island was written in 1963.... I have an e-mail somewhere from Barry (Taylor) that gave more information - but can't place it at the moment - I'll keep looking.

I do think it's listed a lot of places as traditional because so many people copied Barry's site and put up his entire site on their space - and their version of his pages is before he took it off.

On the other hand I still have a lot of people writing me insisting that Today is traditional because it was sung in a movie set a long time ago... (that one would be Advance to the Rear with Glen Ford - which notes "Music by Randy Sparks)... And although not traditional, it is certainly a haunting melody along the same lines as Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms and Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes... (says Lesley who has the most unromantic life in entire galaxy...)

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: T in Oklahoma (Okiemockbird)
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 09:53 AM

Some of the Cantigas de Santa María , for example #259.

(The URL for those blue clicky thingies is http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cantigas/)

T.

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Mbo
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 08:00 AM

Definately "Is Ar Eirinn Ni Nosfain Ce Hi (Dervish)," "Song of the Kelpie (Solas)," "It Belongs to Us (Dougie MacLean)," "Sitting In the Stern of A Boat (Alisdair Fraser)," Caoineadh Cu Chullain (Bill Whelan)," Magheracloone (Battlefield Band)," "Eliz Iza (Alan Stivell)," "Whispering Wind (Ronan Hardison)." Also the great Catalan folk song "Testement Al Amelia" and "Cancion" from "Piezas Caracteristicas" by Torroba (classical guitar favorites!)

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Canberra Chris
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 05:26 AM

Ned of the Hill Samradh, samradh The Boat Theme from The Brendan Voyage suite The Great Silkie of Sule Skerrie

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Stewie
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 03:32 AM

Quiet Land of Erin, Donal Og, Carrickfergus

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 11:40 PM

A couple of tunes rather than songs: The Tamlin, Farewell to Reason (Jeri Corlew) also seems to be having that effect on me.

Jon

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: McKnees
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 11:22 PM

The Hills of Ardmorn and Peggy Gordon are my two choices but there's bound to be tons more. They both have great words and for just a tune, Highland Cathedral, hairs on arms straight up. McKnees.

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 11:18 PM

Sixteen Summers Fifteen Falls and Our Mother The Mountain by Townes Van Zandt.

I Come And Stand At Every Door by Dr. Nazim Hikmet

The Jeanie C by Stan Rogers ( an under appreciated song)

The Lag's Song By Ewan MacColl

The Leaving of Nancy by Eric Bogle

Spainish is the Lovin' Tongue by Badger Clark, and others.

Love Will Endure by Pat Sky

Another endless list

Don

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 10:40 PM

Question: I know Dark Island is a relatively recent composition, written for a UK TV show. Anybody know who wrote it? I've seen it listed as "trad" a bunch of places.

MacCrimmon's Lament - I first heard Alasdair Fraser play this, then I heard Dick Gaughan sing the song. The melody is haunting, but so are the words.

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Musicman
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 10:26 PM

sorry, Dark Island is here (i hope)

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Musicman
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 10:11 PM

After just completing my CD, I found several of the melodies chosen to have that particular character; the Aaron Boat, the Dark Island and farwell. I know part of it is in the recording, but the melodies themselves are quite gorgeous.

Musicman

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 09:41 PM

Most anything Scots as sung by Jean Redpath, but especially Clerk Saunders and Eileen Aroon.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Vixen
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 09:30 PM

Oh my--

I guess I "haunt" easily:

Amazing Grace
Ashokan Farewell
How can I keep from Singing

Just for starters.

V

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 09:21 PM

Tough question in a way since its so difficult to separate a beautiful lyric from a wonderful melody. "Ashoken Farewell" comes to mind as it was originally done with no lyric. I remember I found it interesting to use it in Burn's Civil War saga as there were other "haunting" melodies from that period. AF has the added advantage of being a beautiful piece on damn near any instrument. I dunno'....Kazoo is probably a bit ridiculous, but.............

Also, some songs are very different at different tempos too. I've gotten comments on both "Dixie" and "Yellow Rose of Texas" on Hammered as slow expressive ballads.

Looking forward to more on this thread!!!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Hutzul
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 09:12 PM

"Dumbarton's Drums" and/or "Maggie" - either one sung by the Furey's.

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: MMario
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 08:36 PM

3 score and ten -- drove me crazy until I learned the words and could sing the thing to get it out....

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 07:55 PM

Also "Lord Haddo's Favourite", "The Sheep Under the Snow" (Ny Kirree Fo Naghtey) and "Mrs. Jamieson's Favourite"...

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Melbert
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 07:52 PM

WOT A ROTTEN TRICK TO PLAY!

I can't get to sleep now @cos that rotten tune keeps going through my head!

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: John of the Hill
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 07:46 PM

Inisheer, a tune composed by Thomas Walsh as performed by Buttons and Bows. A modern tune that sounds timeless.

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: bill\sables
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 07:37 PM

Hard Times come again no more and Time has made a change in me, the latter especially sung by Caroline Paton Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: kendall
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 07:18 PM

Unchained melody

Subject: RE: Most haunting melodies?
From: Melbert
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 07:17 PM

How about "She walked through the fair"?

Subject: Most haunting melodies?
From: M. Ted (inactive)
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 06:51 PM

Some one was asking about "the Maid in Bedlam" a while back, and I have been obsessed with the tune ever since--

I am wondering if people would care to list other melodies that have sad, and perhaps slightly mournful--"haunting" qualities about them--The lyrics don't matter, at least not so much, as the tune being that sort that sort of lingers in the misty recesses of the soul, so to speak--