Freedom of the Sea Songs

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 04:40 PM

Amos-

Well and fame is wonderful!

Get used to it.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble, in the wilds of greater Sydney

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Amos
Date: 22 Nov 03 - 11:53 AM

It is most amusing to report that according to Home Planet Books they are being nagged more for the CD than for the book (we are talking really small scale here in either case, just to be clear). As reported in this thread.

This may be an acorn or a mustard seed, we'll have to see. :>)

A

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Amos
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 11:05 PM

Tell ya what it is, Brett -- I am going to be downright embarrassed to have old hands who know these songs well hear my croaky ol' versions of them. But that's the price ya pay for going public, I guess....

A

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Naemanson
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 09:51 PM

Hold one for me, Amos, I'll pick it up in February.

Now, let's go look at the book.

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Amos
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 07:14 PM

Well, I have completed a disk of sea songs -- some of the recordings are better than others, and I suppose warts are good for humility. But they are jolly and not as bad as they might be.

Here's the play-list:

Tarpaulin Jacket        2:12        
Drunken Sailor        2:47        
Golden Vanity        4:11        
Eddystone Light        2:00        
The Banks of Newfoundland        2:30        
Farewell and Adieu        2:47        
Hullabaloo Belay        1:50        
Blow, Boys, Blow        1:52        
Henry Martin        2:50        
Bonnie Hieland Laddie        2:32        
Oh, You New York Girls        3:20        
Farewell Nova Scotia        3:10        
High Barbary        3:29        

I am burning a master to get it to the book people and depending on how they approach the issue I will be happy to provide a CD free to anyone who buys the book mentioned above, or sends $10.00 to the Mudcat. That's fair, considering that these are not professionally spiffed cuts.

A

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Amos
Date: 17 Oct 03 - 06:35 PM

Funny -- i heard it for the first time on Rick's CD and immediately set to work learning it, it was such a good job!

A

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Oct 03 - 05:34 PM

Bob Coltman's "Patrick Spenser" is one of Kendall Morse's favorite songs to sing. I think he likes the verse in particular where the dutiful captain is wishing that the man who's responsible for having him sent out on this doomed trip were with him on the deck as his ship is being overwelmed by the storm:

Christine will be a long, long time a-waiting for me to come home
And the cruel cold sea be a long, dark time a-walking over my bones;
That man that told the king of me, I'd like to have him here
And the very last wish that I'd like to have is to take him under with me!

Great tune too.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Amos
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 10:20 PM

Thanks, Q! What a fascinating series of turns this theme has had, eh?

A

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 09:09 PM

I have posted the lyrics of the old sheet in thread 16016. A great one, and easy to sing. Tarpauling Jacket

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 08:24 PM

Tarpaulin Jacket (as Tarpauling Jacket) is in the Bodleian Library, broadsheet dated c. 1819-1844. Harding B25 (1883). It has the line "Let there be six sailors to carry me," etc. and is part of the "Trooper Cut Down" through "Streets of Laredo" complex. Certainly PD by now.

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Blowzabella
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 08:17 PM

Awww - shucks, I'm all embarrassed now - what a sweetie you are Amos!

(By the way - I do like the selection of songs)

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Amos
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 08:07 PM

Blowza -- don't be shy!! Helpful impulses always welcome. Tell John thanks for a song well written!

A

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Blowzabella
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 07:51 PM

Thanks curmudgeon. Hope I didn't cause any offense - just trying to be careful

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: curmudgeon
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 07:48 PM

" Wrap me up in my Tarpaulin Jacket" is a different song from Fiddler's green; it was on Burl Ives ancient LP of sea songs. Patrick Spenser, however, sounds like the contemporary rework of the Child ballad by Bob Coltman. Jerry Epstein did a wonderful version of this one at the PMFF. All the rest do sound PD though -- Tom

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Blowzabella
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 07:30 PM

Amos - you mention 'Wrap me up in me Tarpaulin Jacket' - this wouldn't happen to be the song correctly known as 'Fiddler's Green' would it (in which I think the sailor in question is wrapped up in his oilskin and jumper, but you know how these things get altered)?

If I'm wrong, I apologise, but if so, then it's a permission needed / copyright piece, as it was written by John Conolly, whom I know well -lives on East Coast UK (Cleethorpes). If so and you PM me, i will be able to get you his contact details - don't really think I should broadcast without permission. He's one of the nicest people I have ever met.

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 12:14 PM

Farewell Nova Scotia got my interest because there was much discussion about the song years back in Canadian media (Confederation Centennial 1967?).
But it is "possibly" (he, he, he) in PD now since it is based on "The Soldiers Adieu," apparently written by Robert Tannahill (1774-1810), see thread 12170- Farewell
I don't think Dr. Creighton ever copyrighted the discovery of a folk version.

The new incomprehensible USA copyright regulations recently promulgated made a grab to include much written after about 1900 (if certain conditions are met).

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Amos
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 12:10 PM

Thanks for the advice, EB and Charley. I'll double check the Patrick Spense -- I know there is a Child's ballad with a different tale but similar name.

Charlie, it is just solo -- home studio recording to boost the book with. I am playing with some new home=recording software from Apple called Sound Track which has some excellent features. We'll see if I can make it do anything worthwhile! :>)

A

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 11:42 AM

I agree with Charley. Copyright on music is dependent on changes in lyrics or music. If both at public domain there is no need to cite or get permission. If a known intermediate between the originator and you has made significant changes, you do need permission of the changer or estate to use what has become copywritten material. Patrick Spenser may be one of these cases.

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 08:43 AM

Amos-

I'll look forward to when your CD is ready to ship out. Is this a solo CD or do you can co-conspirators?

The only one of your titles I think may need a permission is "Patrick Spense" depending on whether it is the traditional ballad or the more contemporary arrangement. Revive one of the Mudcat threads to check your lyrics or re-post them here for comment.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Amergin
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 11:10 PM

sounds awesome, Amos!

Subject: Freedom of the Sea Songs
From: Amos
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 10:54 PM

I am putting to gether a disk of perhaps a dozen sea-faring songs -- chanties and ballads and the like -- and I would be very interested to hear if anyone out there knows of any let or hindrance on the free use and performance of the follwing songs:

Yankee Ship Come Down the River(Blow, Boys, Blow)
Henry Martin
High Barbaree
The Banks of Newfoundland
Farewell Nova Scotia
Patrick Spenser (as performed by Rick Fielding, author unknown)
Golden Vanity
The Eddystone Light
Leave Her Johnny, Leave Her
Farewell and Adieu to You, Spanish Ladies
Hullabaloo Belay
What'll We Do With the Drunken Sailor?
Wrap Me Up in My Tarpaulin Jacket
Oh, You New York Girls
Lovely Highland Laddy

(Titles may be impressionistic).


Because I would like to believe they were all old seagoing songs and well in the Public Domain. Or at least, to know if not.

This disk will be accompanying a book of sea-stories collected from a wide array of modern-day sailors, divers, oceanographers, and explorers who have contributed their favorite reminiscences. The book is already being published by "Home Planet Books" and can be purchased through their website or through Amazon.com. I have one of the stories in the book, and my father-in-law has one. (He was an Air-Sea Rescue pilot and a blimp commander for the USN).

If you buy a copy of the book I will be in your debt! Here are the two web pages:

The Spark in the Sea at Amazon.com

The Spark in the Sea at Home Planet Books

Thanks!

Regards,

A