ADD: The Hermit

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HERMIT (from Oscar Brand)
From: BSeed
Date: 05 Oct 98 - 05:04 PM

Joe, you remind me of a song I have thought of posting here but never got around to. It was on one of Oscar Brand's "Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads."

THE HERMIT

A hermit there was who lived in a dell,
I'll swear to the truth of this tale that I tell;
My grandfather's grandfather knew him quite well,
This hermit...

He live all alone by the side of a lake;
Of concoctions of herbs all his meals he would make,
And naught but of fish did the good man partake,
On Fridays...

To ordinary mortals his portals he closed,
Once a year he'd bathe his body and clothes;
How the lake stood it, the Lord only knows,
And he won't tell...

One morning he rose, all dripping and wet,
When his horrified vision two young ladies met.
In feminine matters he was no vet,
So he blushed...

He grabbed for his hat where it lay on the beach,
To cover up all that its broad brim would reach,
And then he cried out in a horrified screech:
"GO AWAY!"...

But the girls only laughed at his pitiful plight,
And asked him to show them the wonderful sight.
He clutched at the hat, held on to it tight,
To hide it...

Just at this moment a wandering gnat
Made the hermit forget just where he was at.
He swung at the insect and let go the hat,
Oh, Horrors!...

Now I have come to the crux of my tale:
The hermit turned red, and then he turned pale.
He uttered 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 he answered the call;
Though he let go the hat, the hat didn't fall,
A blessed miracle!...

(The ellipse indicates that although the words stop, the musical phrase is continued by an instrumental. It's in three/quarters time, with a very familiar melody which I can't identify)

Subject: RE: YOU JUST GOTTA GET ONE OF THESE.....
From: Barbara
Date: 05 Oct 98 - 07:39 PM

You want the tune to the Hermit, Bseed? I've got the book here. I don't recognize it as sounding exactly like anything, maybe a little like Hey Rig a Jig, Come Kiss a Pig, and the book has it copyrighted in Oscar Brand's name, whatever that's worth.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: YOU JUST GOTTA GET ONE OF THESE.....
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Oct 98 - 08:46 PM

The tune is about the same as the bawdy song "I wish all those young ladies was statues of Venus, and I was the man with the petrified penis.." etc...if that helps....*grin*

Subject: RE: YOU JUST GOTTA GET ONE OF THESE.....
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Oct 98 - 08:53 PM

Don't know either of those songs, but I'd sure like the tune. Wouldn't you like to post it, Barbara? Oh, thank you so very much....
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Tune Add: THE HERMIT (from Oscar Brand)
From: Barbara
Date: 06 Oct 98 - 12:44 AM

Here ya go, Joe, and Bseed and anyone else who wants the tune to the Hermit. You have to imagine the part Bseed talks about, because this is just the square tune as if all the lyrics were sung.

MIDI file: hermit.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0480 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 65 080 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 72 080 0288 0 72 064 0072 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0288 0 67 064 0072 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 65 080 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 72 080 0288 0 72 064 0072 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 65 080 1104 0 65 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:3/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
C6|F3CF2|A2F2A2|c3dc2|A2F2F2|G3GG2|G3GG2|
G2A2G2|E2C2CC|F3CF2|A2F2A2|c3dc2|A2F2A2|G2C2C2|
C2D2E2|F6|-F13/4||

Subject: RE: YOU JUST GOTTA GET ONE OF THESE.....
From: BSeed
Date: 06 Oct 98 - 02:18 AM

Bill is right about the tune--it's very close. But it's also something else, very familiar. I could tape it and send it to anyone who wants it...or will the copyright cops jump on me? --seed

Subject: RE: YOU JUST GOTTA GET ONE OF THESE.....
From: BSeed
Date: 06 Oct 98 - 02:20 AM

By the way, Joe, why am I not surprised you want the tune, you old seminary dropout, you? --seed

Subject: RE: YOU JUST GOTTA GET ONE OF THESE.....
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Oct 98 - 03:04 AM

...because I didn't learn it when I was in the seminary, and still didn't know it until today. Somebody's gotta teach me.
-Joe Offer-