Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Ron Davies
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 06:23 PM

Red Clay Ramblers do a good job on this--admittedly the simplified--Carter
Family-- version. But it sounds great.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 05:48 PM

I've combined a reconstructed melody line, from Chas. Z. Rockwell's instrumental parts (transposed from A-flat to F), with the Carter's triple meter and bits of their tune (particularly at the "Too late" part). I also made some other tweaks, particularly to the ends of both the verse and chorus. Here is the result:

X:1
T:One Little Word
C:Words and music by Gussie Lord Davis, 1896, pub. 1899
Z:Artful Codger, 2008
M:6/8
Q:1/8=160
L:1/8
K:F
% Verse
C| A2 F B2 A | G D2-D z D | E2 E F2 G | C3-C z C |
D2 D E2 F | F C2-C z A | A2 G G2 D | G3-G z C |
A2 F B2 A | G D2-D z E | G2 G F2 E | A3-A z A |
c2 c B2 A | =B B2-B z B | c2 G GFD | G3-G2 z ||
% Chorus
A2 ^G/A/ F2 E/F/ | A2 G ^F2 G | D3-D2 z | B2 ^F/A/ G2 E/D/ |
D2 C CEB | A3-A2 z | A3 F2 z | A3 F2 z | [M:9/8] G2 A c B2 A2 B |
[M:6/8] D3-D2 z | F2 G/F/ A2 F | E2 A G/ (G2 F/) | F3-F z2 |]

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 09:18 PM

I have the Carters' rendition, but as I say, that's likely a reworked/simplified version of the original, and I'm not sure of the copyright implications if I used their tune. I doubt if the Carters credited Davis--they tended to be lax about infringing other people's copyrights. The practice of the time (and advocated by Peer, their manager) was to slap on a copyright first and dicker later, knowing that few people would try to sue.

I also saw the scan in the Appalachian collection. The manuscript they have, initialed and signed by Edith Walker, made me wonder if Walker wrote the poem and Davis only set it to music. If so, she is likely credited on the sheet music. Elsewhere I've only seen Davis's name in connection with this song, and for most songs, he's credited as having written both words and music.

Sheet music was also offered on eBay. But I'm a cheap bastard--there are SO many songs I have queued to be learned, that if I have to pay a premium price to obtain one, it's not gonna happen.

Many thanks, Melissa, for the pointer to the score parts at the Lib. of Congress. I'd run across these some months ago, but in my brief examination, didn't see a vocal part, nor the did most likely instruments (flute/violin) seem melodic, so I deferred a closer look--then forgot all about these parts. Looking again, I see an indication "Voice" in the clarinet part. And indeed, it starts similarly to the Carters' tune, except they perform it as a 6/8 waltz (the original is in common time). So I may be able to reconstruct the melody from that, dropping the filler notes and checking other parts for alternate bits.

Wonder how Davis felt, as a black man, having to write "darkie" songs like "I'm the father of a little black coon", "When I do the hoochy-coochy in the sky" and "Get on your sneakshoes, children" etc.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 08:34 PM

Melissa - The page I linked seems to be just an index with a call number for the score and as far as I can see no way to get it online. Your music link has a number but it doesn't seem related to the call number on my linked page. But I suspect from the descriptions that they relate to (possible different copies of) the same version of the song. I do like the score viewer though!

Mick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Melissa
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 08:21 PM

Our links look like they must be hooked together somehow, Mick..but I couldn't find music from your clicky page. I did learn from it though--a lot of information there!
The link I put up should open to a copy of the music.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 07:26 PM

According to this index the Performing Arts Reading Room, Music Division of LOC holds a copy: A Selection of Afro-american Stocks Predating 1920. This is listed as a vocal orchestration, so may be the one Melissa linked to above.

While there are quite a few of his songs available online, this one seems to be rare amongst them!

There's also an Appalachian collection that has a typescript of the words but no tune. And there was a score on Amazon (gone now).


Mick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Melissa
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 07:00 PM

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.100010156/default.html

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Melissa
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 06:41 PM

Here's a short clip:

http://www.oldies.com/product-view/26062M.html

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: pdq
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 06:28 PM

A very fine mandolin player named "Red" Rector" liked to do this tune in recent times, somewhere between 1970 and 1990. I can find if there are specific recording available it that is needed.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 06:14 PM

The Frank Howard tune is for a different piece. I found that one some time ago, when I first went looking. I should perhaps have mentioned that. But thanks!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 07:24 AM

I haven't time to chase this song up, but there is a tune (tune only) with this title in American Memory:
One Little Word

It dates from 1878 and is by someone called Frank Howard. You might have a look and see if it bears any similarity to the tune the Carters used. It's possible it was used for the later song. On the other hand, it may be totally unrelated.

(I couldn't see the sheet music at Levy either. I do have several other sheet music sited bookmarked, but I haven't time to do the searches at the moment).


Mick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 04:33 AM

Oops, sorry, didn't mean to yell...

Subject: Tune Req: One Little Word (Gussie Lord Davis)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 04:28 AM

In 1934, the Carter Family recorded a song called "One Little Word". The original song was written by Gussie L. (Lord) Davis in 1896 (?--sheet music published in 1899). I suspect that the Carters blandified the tune as was their habit, intentionally or not.   So, can any of you kind and knowledgable folk oblige with a scan of the original sheet music, or at least an ABC of Davis's melody?

I was able to hunt up a set of words, which are purported to be transcribed from the sheet music:

One Little Word

My dream of love is over,
Tonight we say goodbye.
We parted not in anger,
For tears would dim our eyes.
'Twas just as fate desired it
That we should never wed;
Tho in her heart she loved me
She'll marry a wealth instead.

(Chorus)
One little word would have changed our future life,
One little word would have made us man and wife;
Too late, too late, now my fondest hopes have fled,
One little word, that word was never said.

Since school days we were sweethearts;
She was her father's pride.
Her folks lived in a mansion,
A cottage by the side.
But time has rolled the change,
The same old love song told;
She'll wed to please her parents
A man with none but gold.

(Chorus)

Gussie Davis was a prolific but short-lived Tin Pan Alley tunesmith, famous for his tear-jerkers like "In the Baggage Coach Ahead". He died in the same year this song was published.