Lyr Req: Dam Song (Rosemary Woods)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song (Rosemary Woods)
From: GUEST,Chris
Date: 06 Nov 24 - 02:50 AM

Twenty years late to the party but I think I can add a bit to Felipa’s excellent transcription. My recording of this song has disappeared, but this is what I have from memory:

Verse 1, line 2, ‘Now our village is a log-jam…’.

Verse 2, line 3, ‘Except for all the other bungalows, and the traffic into town’.

Verse 3, lines 1 and 4, ‘Crops’ should be ‘croft’. A croft is a small, isolated Scottish farm. There aren’t many left now. Line 4, I always thought it was ‘And nature gave them merry hell…’ but I am probably wrong and, as I say, I no longer have the recording.

Great little song, probably more relevant now than when it was written.

Chris

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song (Rosemary Woods)
From: GUEST,Felipa
Date: 26 Feb 24 - 08:27 PM

singer songwriter Rosemary Woods of PortaferryNorthern Ireland died of cancer September 29, 2019

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song (Rosemary Woods)
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Feb 24 - 05:40 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song (Rosemary Woods)
From: Felipa
Date: 04 Jun 21 - 12:57 PM

co=author ___ Simpson may be Jim Simpson, a teacher in Derry who was a stalwart of the Foyle Folk Club, where Rosemary made some guest appearances. I'll try to find out

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: GUEST,Walter
Date: 15 May 03 - 04:56 AM

Sorry for the spelling - of course it was felipa.. :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: GUEST,Walter
Date: 15 May 03 - 04:39 AM

Many thanks to all who cared about my "problem" - especially to felipe for taking the the time - You all are wonderfull! Best regards, Walter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: Giac
Date: 14 May 03 - 11:22 PM

Yeah, Art, glad I noticed it. Almost didn't scroll through all that, but your name caught my eye. I'll have to investigate that.

~;o) Mary

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: Art Thieme
Date: 14 May 03 - 10:59 PM

Now I get it. There is ANOTHER Rosemary Woods !!

That compilation CD is one of several that Waterbug Records puts out with a song by their various artists to push their CDs. Now I'll have to dig that out and really listen to it for once.


Thanks for telling me about that.

Art

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DAM SONG (Rosemary Woods)
From: Felipa
Date: 14 May 03 - 06:27 PM

So I did have time by the end of the day ...
Here's most of the song for a starter ... may jog someone else's memory. The words in brackets are replacements for words I didn't "catch" from the recording.
The tune sounds hymnlike.

THE DAM SONG
R Woods and _ Simpson

They built a dam across our river till the valley disappeared
Now our village is a log-land tight against the concrete weir.
All the animals they are drown-ed and the trees are long gone under
But we've got a televisi-on powered by the water's thunder.

And it teaches us to care about the earth, to care about the earth, oh - care about the earth
It teaches us to care about the earth, but what does it matter,
What does it matter when we've got no earth to see?

We worked hard to build our bungalow and the architect agreed,
It should have a picture window but there's nothing left to see
Except for all the other bungalows and the [tiny lawns]
But we've go a picture on the wall of the old house we tore down.

And they teach their children to care about the earth, to care about the earth, oh - care about the earth
They teach their children to care about the earth, but what does it matter,
What does it matter when we've got no earth to see?

We drive high into the mountains where the lonely crops decay
And we wonder and we marvel at the beauty of the day
When sturdy families worked the meadows all around the stoney glen
And nature gave them many [bounties] but now, like the crops, it's near its end.

So we sit here in the car and we care about the earth, we care about the earth, care about the earth,
We sit here in the car and we care about the earth, but what does it matter,
What does it matter when we've got no earth to see?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: Felipa
Date: 14 May 03 - 01:46 PM

I found the album cover, but it doesn't include the lyrics. In the long run, if I can't get them by ear and no one else provides them , I could get in touch with Rosemary Woods for you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: Felipa
Date: 14 May 03 - 12:54 PM

The Dam Song by Woods and Simpson is on the same album as Indian Man, "Walking Together" on Spring Records (Colum Sands). I have the CD, but I've lost the cover/notes. I may be able to get the words by listening, but I don't have time today.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: Giac
Date: 14 May 03 - 12:44 PM

Uh, Art, you and Rosemary Woods seem to have been gathered into a collection with other names we know and love ...

"INDEPENDENT ARTISTS SAMPLER, 1999" Susan McClelland, Art Thieme, William Pint & Felicia Dale, Ariane Lydon, Geoff Bartley, Sloan Wainwright, Erin McKeown, Andrew Calhoun, Gina Forsyth, Kate MacLeod, Colum Sands, Barry Kerr, Rosemary Woods, Michael Jerling, Mary Melena, Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer, Kate McDonnell, Ben Sands, Les Barker. Waterbug CD only: $5.00

Ran across this whilst searching for her lyrics. This came from the following site:

Canadian River Music

They have some other interesting compilations as well.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: Felipa
Date: 14 May 03 - 12:10 PM

This must be Rosemary Woods, singer/songwriter of County Down, N Ireland
Another one of her songs Indian Man has already made it to the Mudcat forum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 May 03 - 08:02 AM

Well, one can't blame Art for wondering. Maybe he can bless us with an inspired after thought. ;~)

Cheerily,
Charey Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: GUEST
Date: 14 May 03 - 04:44 AM

Dear Davebhoy, I am sorry, but it isn´t that one - It starts with "They built a dam across our valley..." and it seems to me very contemporary. But for me as a non-nativ speaker there are a couple of words that I can´t understand. But thank You anyway! Sincerely, Walter

Dear Art, I am quite sure it is neither a secretary nor woodland, she´s on a compilation called "Celtic Voice" and I got the a capella song in mp3 format - so I cannot find out the real source. Best regards, Walter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: Art Thieme
Date: 13 May 03 - 11:33 PM

Rosemary Woods was Nixon's secretary.

Either that or it's a forrest in Upper Michigan. ;-)

But she never showed up in that song from one quick perusal of those lyrics !!??

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: Hillheader
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:16 PM

Is this it?

Davebhoy

Subject: Lyr Req: Dam Song by Rosemary Woods
From: GUEST,Walter
Date: 13 May 03 - 02:53 PM

Is there anybody who can help me - I would need the lyrics of Rosemary Woods "Dam Song" - Thanks a lot, Yours sincerely, Walter