songs of the folks

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Mar 02 - 02:43 PM

I went to a dance in the early 1980s, where the musicians mostly plyed rock, with some old swing and a waltz and some Latin American pieces thrown in. After playing about 3 hours (with two short breaks) the musicians packed up and with hands full of intruments, mike stands, and pieces of sound equiptment, they left for their vechicles, all singing "Bringing in the Sheaves".

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: running.hare
Date: 16 Mar 02 - 10:46 AM

*young girl pops head over parrapit*

I have to say your amazement amuses me.

I'm 21, & I leart long way 2 Tipperary & pack up your troubles, at first school, I was in class 2 at the time, & still of the age when words would instantly be remembered with out effort. I've therefore had them within easy recall ever since. the same goes for 'run rabit' which i must of learn't at an even younger age from my parents.

& sport & bawdy folk songs have always gone hand in hand, Just think of rugby club songs! though my upper schools CCF was as bad! [CCF = Combined Cadet Force. i.e. teenage boys & girls playing @ soldiers]

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: mack/misophist
Date: 15 Mar 02 - 10:57 PM

Maybe the world isn't going to end tomorrow after all.

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: Amos
Date: 15 Mar 02 - 01:11 AM

God love ya, gnu, that's heartwarming!!

A

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: gnu
Date: 14 Mar 02 - 05:57 PM

Warms the heart, doesn't it ? I was completely floored when my cousins and their friends, some fifteen years my junior, arrived in my kitchen one evening about five years ago, repleat with guitars, tin whistles and fiddles. I had no idea. They wanted to play... and could they play... and sing. Lord, liftin, dyin, could they !!! Songs that I had been singing and playing since I was a boy and had forgotten because of the lack of general interest and the fact that I had nobody to play with were once again revived. And the movement toward incorporating a more varied musical interest seems to pervade on radio, TV, the net, and live entertainment.

You might disdain disco and rap and the like, but I think that crap (it's not all crap, but the tendancy is there) might be doing some good... some of the youths are rejecting it and getting back to their roots. Don't get me wrong. I am as progressive as it comes, musically, but roots are roots.

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: Les from Hull
Date: 14 Mar 02 - 05:25 PM

Greg - I've also experienced this, student nurses from Tipperary in Dublin singing 'it's a lot way to Tipperary'. And they should know. When these songs were written they were many Irishmen (in Irish regiments too) in the 'British' armed forces. Tipperary, although not an 'irish' song became a great favourite with Irish soldiers as well as the rest of the Army. It seems to have lasted well. And you can't sing Tipperary without singing 'Pack up your troubles' straight after, or indeed at the same time!

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: harvey andrews
Date: 14 Mar 02 - 12:33 PM

Greg...yes one tune I didn't recognise, but only one.How amazing those girls knew those songs, how did they learn them, is this the modern oral tradition?

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: greg stephens
Date: 14 Mar 02 - 12:30 PM

Harvey,are you sure they didn't sing any tunes you didn't recognise, you old fogey?

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: Watson
Date: 14 Mar 02 - 12:27 PM

Harvey
Good idea having a football crowd using your tunes...
...but how would you collect the PRS?

Subject: RE: songs of the folks
From: greg stephens
Date: 14 Mar 02 - 12:21 PM

I was doing a gig in Cahir(Ireland) recently and a bunch of girls on an 18th birthday pissup were in. In the interval they sang "Pack up your troubles" and "It's a long way to Tipperary" and"Run Rabbit Run". Bears out your theory. (And quite funny, too, as they are all songs I would associate with the British armed forces)

Subject: songs of the folks
From: harvey andrews
Date: 14 Mar 02 - 12:11 PM

Last night I watched a deeply dull game of football between Man utd and Bayern Munich. It was so bad I began to note down the songs the crowd had put their own words too; Guantanamera
One of those songs
The Entertainer
My old man said follow the van
Marching through georgia
Volare
When the Saints go marching in
Roll out the barrel
London bridge is falling down
Now considering the lads singing were probably all born after 1975 I think that's a pretty old and eclectic bunch of songs. No modern songs were sung except one by the Pet Shop Boys. Also lately, they've been singing "Hey, Baby" I know I'm an old man at 58, but does this prove modern pap, sorry pop music is as tuneless and generally unsingable as i believe it to be?
And before anyone asks, no, I would not object to one of my tunes being sung to their words!