Lyr Req: Farewell to Nova Scotia

Subject: Origins: Farewell to Nova Scotia
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 02:48 PM

There's a scholarly 10pp. article titled "The Scottish Origins of "Farewell to Nova Scotia" by Linda Christine Craig, in Dalhousie Review, Vol 58 No. 3 Autumn 1978. She explains the connection to "The Soldier's Adieu", attributed to Robert Tannahill. This poem was first printed in a Glasgow newsapaper September 1808, and thence in various editions of Tannahill's poems, via an appearance in an 1825 chapbook (now in the University Library at St Andrews). A good read and thoroughly researched.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: masato sakurai
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 01:50 PM

Catherine McKinnon's recording of it (written "Nova Scotia Song"), with other songs, is HERE.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 12:23 PM

Refreshing for a guest

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From:
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 06:47 PM

That's OK, Suzanne. I was beginning to wonder if I had forgotten to show the attributions. And then the Fergusson name just threw me for a loop.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 06:38 PM

George, I'm afraid wires got crossed in my brain (as usual), and I confused Robert Tannahill with Robert Fergusson, another Scottish poet. Also, I forgot that this is your site, so you put both versions there and explained how you came by them. Sorry for being a little slow!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 09:44 AM

The brothers Romanoff (Steve & Chuck) who, currently with Tom Rowe (are Schooner Fare) do a wonderful rendition

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: masato sakurai
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 08:47 AM

"Nova Scotians made up songs about their own lives. They sang songs about the tragic 'Springhill Mining Disaster' and 'The Halifax Explosion'. But it was the singers who breathed life into these songs. They willingly shared these treasures with Helen Creighton. People like Nathan Hatt of Middle River, Lunenburg County, who sang one song for each of his 86 years; Charles Owens, who at the age of 101 sang spirituals at his home in Bridgetown, and Ann Greenough, of Petpeswick, who first sang 'The Nova Scotia Song' for Helen Creighton in 1933. It is now our province's unofficial anthem."
(From HERE) and HERE).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 07:57 AM

It's always amazing that one fine song can come out of such a tangled process.;-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: masato sakurai
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 05:37 AM

Other pages on the song and Helen Creighton:

Farewell to Nova Scotia, sung by Walter Roast (East Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia, Canada, 1943-44), recorded by Helen Creighton.

Women in Canadian Music: Helen Creighton, with "Farewell to Nova Scotia" (sound clip) by Catherine McKinnon.

Path of Heroes: Helen Creighton, with video clip (Creighton, Songs of Nova Scotia).

A Sigh and a Wish (the story of pioneer folklorist Helen Creighton and of the enduring appeal of her remarkable collections of song and story), where Lennie Gallant sings "Farewell to Nova Scotia" (sound clip). Video is available (CLICK HERE).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Jeremiah McCaw
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 03:39 AM

I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this info, but . . . I read somewhere that the song was originally a Scottish soldier's farewell, perhaps named 'Farewell to Caledonia'? Supposedly it crossed the pond at some point and became a sailor's farewell.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From:
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 08:02 PM

I just checked both pages, and they DO tell where the information contained therein comes from. Could you re-read the page, and tell me what you might be referring to?

I don't have the information on it which Masato posted. I don't have that book. I'll have to add that to it. Thanks. Masato.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From:
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 07:59 PM

Hey, Suzanne. Who is Fergusson and what poem are you referring to?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From:
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 07:19 PM

Suzanne, the reason is the original Mudcat poster gave me the shorter.

Later, one of us came up with further details on another web-site, and it was posted in Mudcat.

I just never co-ordinated it to put all of the information on both pages.

Yesterday I couldn't do a SuperSearch (see earlier messages), or I would have put that information here as well.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 06:53 PM

I completely agree with Charley on the Creighton website. Can someone please explain to me why in one place the Fergusson poem is two verses long, in another there are two or three additional ones given? Where do those come from?
I have a very melancholy recording of the song by The McCalmans, from 'Burn the Witch' (1978).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 08:24 AM

Masato - Thanks for the additional notes which I wasn't able to dig up from the Creighton website; the info may be there but it's not the easiest one to navigate through. Once again, I think we can all agree that "folk-processing" has produced improved poetry. My original reference to Fowke was from RISE UP SINGING which barely skimmed the surface of this interesting discussion of a song we think we know so well. Thanks to all for staying on thread!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: masato sakurai
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 09:53 PM

Edith Fowke says in The Penguin Book of Canadian Folk Songs (1973, pp. 197-198):

19. Farewell to Nova Scotia
Creighton TSNS [Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia, 1950] 265

This has become the best known of all Nova Scotia songs, partly because the Halifax CBC television쳌@show, 'Singalong Jubilee', used it as a theme, and Catherine McKinnon recorded it. Helen Creighton collected it in the 1930s from half a dozen singers in the Petpeswick and Chezzetcook districts, some twenty-five miles east of Halifax: they told her that it was formerly sung in the schools. Mrs Carrie Grover learned it when she was a little girl in Nova Scotia as Adieu to Nova Scotia (208), and Marius Barbeau found another version in Beauce County, Quebec, as On the Banks of Jedddore (CAS 1). The tune is similar to one Cecil Sharp gives for The Lowlands Low.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 09:16 PM

As George said, it appeared in Creighton and Senior's Traditional Songs of Nova Scotia (pp.264-265; information from Steve Roud's Folksong Index).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From:
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 07:31 PM

But Beer, where on the internet besides here at the Mudcat would he have gotten the material he or she just got.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 06:02 PM

Martin, welcome to the Mudcat! If we'd known you were about to become a Mudcatter (nudge, nudge ...) we'd have invited you to our Mudgathering in Muenster last May. Take out your free membership and revive the thread on German folk music!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Beer
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 05:36 PM

Simply go to the internet and type in Farwell to Nova ( not novia)Scotia Lyrics and you will get it. It's a great song and good luck.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 05:34 PM

Thanks for the reference! Songs & Ballads from Nova Scotia is what I checked in, and it ain't there. Now I have to get myself a used copy of Traditional Songs From Nova Scotia from Bookfinder.com. This website is costing me money!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From:
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 05:16 PM

It wasn't in the first book Songs and Ballads of Nova Scotia, which is still available from Dover. It must have been Traditional Songs From Nova Scotia.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From:
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 05:09 PM

It was in one of her first books. Blue Cover. I don't have it myself. I looked at Clary Croft's copy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 05:07 PM

George, I didn't find the song in the several volumes of Creighton's songbooks that I have here at home but I had found a reference to Edith Fowke so I assumed she had collected it.

Thanks very much for the link to the Creighton Website and the information on Robert Tannahill and his poem.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From:
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 03:47 PM

BTW, it IS a traditional song. Not "traditional". I assume you put it there to indicate you did not believe in its status as a traditional song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia--
From:
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 03:18 PM

Oh, Charley. Sorry.

Nope, it was Helen Creighton who collected it. She asseumbled the version we know from several source singers.

It was later found to be derived from a song written by Robert Tannahill.

The person who popularized it was Catherine MacKinnon another native of Nova Scotia.

Supersearch is not working so I can't find the thread which covered this topic a couple of years ago. However... These are three web-pages covering this topic....

Helen Creighton Web-site
Soldier's Adieu - Robert Tannahill's poem
The Nova Scotia Song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 02:25 PM

"Traditional" song collected by Edith Fowke in the 1930's and popularized by Ian and Sylvia Tyson in the 1960's. Does anyone else have any additional information?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Farewell to novia scotia
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 01:17 PM

Click here e mail sent.

Subject: Farewell to novia scotia
From: GUEST,MARTIN
Date: 06 Jan 02 - 01:02 PM

Hello, does anyone have the lyrics to "Farewell to novia scotia"

Thanx !

Martin

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