Origins: Brown Bird Singing

Subject: Origins: Brown Bird Singing
From: GUEST,Don
Date: 04 Sep 04 - 12:40 AM

I am about to record Hayden Wood's "Brown Bird Singing". I need liner note info; when did he write it, who is Roydon Barrie the composer, are there only two verses, etc. Thanks

Subject: RE: Brown Bird Singing
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 04 Sep 04 - 10:54 AM

A Brown Bird Singing. Words by Royden Barrie, music by Haydn Wood (note correct spelling of names). London: Chappell & Co Ltd, MCMXXII (1922). Sheet music was issued in the keys of D, F, G and Ab. I have the D version, numbered 7272. Wood's signature has been added to it with a rubber stamp. Two verses only, plus a repeat of the last part of the first verse by way of a coda.

Haydn Wood (1882-1959) was a prolific songwriter, also responsible for Roses of Picardie. It appears that Royden Barrie was a nom-de-plume of Rodney Richard Bennett, father of the composer Richard Rodney Bennett.

Some years ago, BBC Radio 4 broadcast an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's A Pair of Blue Eyes which featured the song. They got no end of stick for the anachronism.