The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)

Subject: The Hermit
From: GUEST,George Henderson
Date: 28 Aug 16 - 02:52 PM

Can anyone confirm that Oscar Brand composed the Hermit which starts with "there once was a hermit who lived in a dell"

Thanks

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Aug 16 - 03:55 PM

Hi, George -
Long time, no see. I hope life is treating you well.

I found an Oscar Brand recording of "The Hermit":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBv3CcoIKkY

It's not on the long list of songs registered to Oscar Brand at songfile.com.

There are unattributed lyrics in the Digital Tradition and at horntip.com

And I can't find my Oscar Brand songbook, which must be within 15 feet of my chair just now.

This (click) is the best-quality image I can find of the album cover, and I can't read it.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: GUEST,George Henderson
Date: 29 Aug 16 - 07:07 AM

Thanks Joe.

You coming to this neck of the woods again?
Bray Singers have moved to the Tennis Club. Great room and renewed interest all round. Going really well

Come visit.

Kind regards
George

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: Lighter
Date: 29 Aug 16 - 03:08 PM

According to Brand's 1960 book:

"During the filming of a motion picture documentary, the narrator, understandably nervous, began to sing 'The Hermit.' I learned it, and subsequently, determined that it was really a poem lately set to music. The music is the same as that for 'Roll Your Leg Over'... My surmise is that the entire production is an elaborate blow-up of an old joke."

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: GUEST,George Henderson
Date: 30 Aug 16 - 03:17 PM

Thank you Lighter.

Any thoughts on the origins of the song. We now know it was not written by Oscar Brand although he certainly made it popular.

Fair play to him though. He could have claimed authorship with resultant royalties etc.

I am interested because a close friend who is very sick sings the song and mentioned to me that he has no idea of its origins. Need to let him know fairly quickly if a source can be located.

George

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 30 Aug 16 - 03:29 PM

What a great song. Need the lyrics?

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Aug 16 - 04:23 PM

Brand recorded the song on Vol II of his series "Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads." Despite what you may read on the Internet, the album must have been released in 1955 or 1956, to judge from the catalog number.

Whatever the song's origin, Brand must have popularized it, since it seems not to have noticed by any earlier collector.

I wonder how he discovered it was "a poem set to music."

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: GUEST,Brian Grayson
Date: 30 Aug 16 - 11:51 PM

The entire 1947 album is downloadable from YouTube.

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: GUEST,George Henderson
Date: 31 Aug 16 - 05:53 AM

Can't find the album on You Tube Brian. Any chance you could give me a link?

Would love to locate the original poem.

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: Lighter
Date: 31 Aug 16 - 08:41 AM

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL12MGkMiPEPVC8jqD53y8XzHJjtarNIm4

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: Lighter
Date: 31 Aug 16 - 09:51 AM

Joe, the album note just sums up the plot of the song.

It gives no additional information.

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: GUEST,George Henderson
Date: 31 Aug 16 - 09:59 AM

Thank you lighter

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: and e
Date: 02 Sep 23 - 05:02 PM

THE HERMIT

There once was a hermit who lived in a dell,
I swear to the truth of this story I tell,
For my grandfather knew him quite well,
This hermit.

He lived all alone on the side of a lake,
Concoctions and herbs for his food he would he would take,
Nought but a fish would the good man partake,
On a Friday.

Now to ordinary mortals his portals he closed,
Once a year he would bathe his body and clothes,
How the lake ever stood it, God only knows,
He won't tell.

He rose up one morning all dripping and wet,
His horrified vision two young ladies met,
Now in feminine matters, he was no vet,
So he blushed.

He reached for his hat where it lay on the beach,
To cover up all that its broad brim would reach,
And he called to the girls in a horrified screech, -
Go Away.

But the maids only laughed at his piteous plight,
And begged him to show them the wonderful sight
But he clutched at his hat, and held to it tight,
To hide it.

Now just on that instant a wandering gnat
Made the hermit forget just what he was at
He struck at the insect, and let go the hat,
Oh! horrors.

Now I am coming to the crux of my tale,
The hermit turned red. and then he turned pale,
He offered a prayer, for prayers never fail,
So 'tis said.

Of the truth of this story there's no doubt at all,
The Lord heard the prayer and answered the call,
For he let go the hat, and the hat didn't fall,
A blessed miracle.

There didn't seem to be a text on mudcat... So sharing. Didn't run into this except in Oscar Brand and derivatives.

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: Bill D
Date: 02 Sep 23 - 06:55 PM

Oscar sings it a bit too fast to suit me....very little 'interesting' phrasing.... it's almost like he were chanting it to get thru quickly. Maybe he'd have done it better with an audience and facial expressions.

I love to 'milk' the various verses fro effect.

GUEST,George Henderson wrote:

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: Bill D
Date: 02 Sep 23 - 06:55 PM

Oscar sings it a bit too fast to suit me....very little 'interesting' phrasing.... it's almost like he were chanting it to get thru quickly. Maybe he'd have done it better with an audience and facial expressions.

I love to 'milk' the various verses fro effect.

GUEST,George Henderson wrote:

Subject: RE: The Hermit (by Oscar Brand?)
From: and e
Date: 02 Sep 23 - 05:02 PM

THE HERMIT

There once was a hermit who lived in a dell,
I swear to the truth of this story I tell,
For my grandfather knew him quite well,
This hermit.

He lived all alone on the side of a lake,
Concoctions and herbs for his food he would he would take,
Nought but a fish would the good man partake,
On a Friday.

Now to ordinary mortals his portals he closed,
Once a year he would bathe his body and clothes,
How the lake ever stood it, God only knows,
He won't tell.

He rose up one morning all dripping and wet,
His horrified vision two young ladies met,
Now in feminine matters, he was no vet,
So he blushed.

He reached for his hat where it lay on the beach,
To cover up all that its broad brim would reach,
And he called to the girls in a horrified screech, -
Go Away.

But the maids only laughed at his piteous plight,
And begged him to show them the wonderful sight
But he clutched at his hat, and held to it tight,
To hide it.

Now just on that instant a wandering gnat
Made the hermit forget just what he was at
He struck at the insect, and let go the hat,
Oh! horrors.

Now I am coming to the crux of my tale,
The hermit turned red. and then he turned pale,
He offered a prayer, for prayers never fail,
So 'tis said.

Of the truth of this story there's no doubt at all,
The Lord heard the prayer and answered the call,
For he let go the hat, and the hat didn't fall,
A blessed miracle.

There didn't seem to be a text on mudcat... So sharing. Didn't run into this except in Oscar Brand and derivatives.