Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands (Asbel)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Jan 12 - 10:41 AM

Well... I missed this thread somehow, but a Google search brought it up.

I was searching because Deckman (Bob Nelson), in his project to recover and digitize many old tapes he has, found some recordings of a fine singer/guitarist, Larry Kiefer who was in Wichita Kansas in the early 60s. I heard him live many times, and I remembered him singing a song about 'working hands', but couldn't remember any lyrics.
Deckman & I have traded Larry Kiefer information this last year, and I just received a CD of Larry with "Working Hands" on it. (I am typing this about 5 minutes after listening!)

   I will ask Deckman's permission, and if he agrees, I will make an MP3 of the song and post it where folks can finally hear a fine version!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Barbara
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 10:34 PM

Bill, I'm pretty sure I have the lead sheet from when the link worked. Maybe a midi too, though I'm sure that neither is as good as a real singer like Deckman doing it.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Mark Clark
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 10:21 AM

Sorry for the broken link. I'll set up a new one that should be permanent. Also I've been given a set of recordings made by the late Dwight Saunders from whom I learned the song. I think Dwight's version is in that set. I'll make that recording available too.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Barbara
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 11:25 PM

Lovely, Mark. Thank you.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Deckman
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 11:38 PM

Bill ... can you manage to post Larry Keifer's audio to this page? bob (deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Mark Clark
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 01:19 AM

Here are the missing files for Song of My Hands. I've put them in Dropbox so anyone can get them and share them.

• Lead sheet with lyrics


• MIDI file

I haven't modified them in any way. They still have date stamps from 2004 and should match the last ABC (above) exactly. Maybe tomorrow I'll hunt up Dwight Saunders' recording and get that posted too.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 12:51 PM

I just made an MP3 of this--- I am signing up for a site where I can post the song file, and it 'should' be up soon.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 01:31 PM

I posted also in the Larry Kiefer thread. (Note.. we seem to use different spellings of his name. If we get a consensus, I will try to get them changed to a consistent one, with alternates listed to facilitate future searches.

Working Hands (as named on file I received..."Song of My Hands" may be the official one.)

This link worked for me...

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 03:53 PM

(Note: Larry's arrangement of the song (and exact words) is a bit different than Mark Clark's opening post, but once you have it playing, it is not difficult to follow along and see how it works.)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: GUEST,grandma julie
Date: 05 Jul 15 - 09:52 PM

when I was in high school in the nineteen fifties, one of my closest friends used to sing this song. I know the melody but not the chords- and I always wanted to find out where it came from. This is the first time I have heard of anyone else knowing it.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Mark Clark
Date: 06 Jul 15 - 03:29 PM

Nice to see this pop up again. I see the last links to the score and MIDI files still work.

 : : : : : :- Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: GUEST,Beverly Neal Watkins
Date: 15 May 16 - 09:09 AM

I first heard this song on a 78 rpm recording that my father had. He was active in the labor unions in the 40's and through the 50's. I listened to it frequently as a child and the tune and some of the lyrics return to me at times so I am just thrilled to have come upon this discussion. I have saved the lead sheet with music. Thanks toall of you .

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Cool Beans
Date: 09 Nov 16 - 10:19 AM

Don't know why I didn't notice it earlier, but my friend the late Downeast Bob, who grew up in many places, would have taken lessons from Mr. Asbell in Chicago.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 06 Sep 19 - 09:41 PM

Has anyone come upon any recordings of Bernie Asbel's SONG OF MY HANDS other than those mentioned above ????

To reiterate:

Published in PEOPLE'S SONG BULLETIN II, 1 and 2

c.1947
BELL Bell LL-101-A SONG OF MY HANDS - Bernie Asbel
                -B MAD AS I CAN BE - Pete Seeger and Bernie Asbel

c.1948
DISC unissued 78rpm SONG OF MY HANDS - Bernie Asbel
reissued 1995 in Bear Family SONGS FOR POLITIACL ACTION.

1948
HOOTENANNY 100-A (HY104) SONG OF MY HANDS
               Ernie Lieberman, vocal, guitar
100-B (HY103) SPRING SONG - Hope Foye, Ernie Lieberman,
                                 Vivian Scott piano acc.
reissued c.1950 AVANTI(Sweden) 313
AV 313 a SONG OF MY HANDS - Ernie Lieberman
AV 313 b ATOM SONG - Pete Seeger
reissued in Bear Family SONGS FOR POLITICAL ACTION

1973
PAREDON P-1014                                     LP 1973
Dreadnaught Music DMCD-1605                        CD 19xx
SMITHSONIAN-FOLKwAYS                               CD-r 2012
I Hate The Capitalist System - Barbara Dane
B2 Song of My Hands

this lp also on some European labels.


CAN someone provide a dub of the BELL 78rpm recording ??

I recently saw a WPA ahort film:
HANDS by William Van Dyke and Ralph Steiner (1934, 4min)
Produced by The Commercial Department of Pathe News
for WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION

can be seen on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JogRPO9-qZM

wonder if this was known to Bernard Asbel and may have
influenced his composition ??

Thanks.
Thomas.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands (Asbel)
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 19 - 11:50 AM

Ernie Lieberman is my dad, who will be 90 soon. His recording of Song of My Hands is in Songs for Political Action, as noted above, and you can hear it on Amazon music as well. Yes, he knew Bernie Asbell, Pete Seeger, Paul Robeson, Barbara Dane (who was married to Irwin Silber). They were all part of the left's folk revival. My first book, which some of you may know of, is called My Song Is My Weapon. I'm sure people on this thread would enjoy it. I didn't mean to plug my book but did mean to suggest that you listen to my dad sing Song of My Hands, which is really moving.
Robbie Lieberman

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands (Asbel)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Oct 19 - 06:33 PM

Hi, Robbie,

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to recommend your 1989 book, My Song Is My Weapon: People's Songs, American Communism, and the Politics of Culture, 1930-50. It was reprinted in 1995 by the University of Illinois Press in their wonderful Music in American Life series. I have to admit that I've used the book for reference for a number of years and haven't read it completely, but I learn fascinating things about American political songs of the mid-20th century every time I pick up this book.
If I had time to read every book.....
This is one is on my list. I'll get to it in about 2036. In the meantime, I'll enjoy it in little pieces.
-Joe Offer-

---

I couldn't find the Ernie Lieberman recording of Song of My Hands online, but here's a recording of the song by Barbara Dane:

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

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands (Asbel)
From: GUEST,Robbie Lieberman
Date: 13 Sep 23 - 12:52 PM

My dad's recording of Song of My Hands is in the collection Songs for Political Action. My family will be making a collection of his songs to share sometime in the near future. People on this list may be interested to read this short version of my dad's life:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mercurynews/name/ernest-lieberman-obituary?id=53081258

Here are a couple of his songs, one with the Gateway Singers and one with the Limeliters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fr7KIfKf94
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ1KtGOhZXE

Feel free to contact me at [e-mail] for more...

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Add: Song of My Hands (Asbel)
From: GUEST,Robbie Lieberman
Date: 13 Sep 23 - 12:52 PM

My dad's recording of Song of My Hands is in the collection Songs for Political Action. My family will be making a collection of his songs to share sometime in the near future. People on this list may be interested to read this short version of my dad's life:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mercurynews/name/ernest-lieberman-obituary?id=53081258

Here are a couple of his songs, one with the Gateway Singers and one with the Limeliters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fr7KIfKf94
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ1KtGOhZXE

Feel free to contact me at [e-mail] for more...