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Songs about Singers
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Grab Date: 16 Mar 07 - 10:04 AM "Tower of Song" by Leonard Cohen name-checks Hank Williams. "Calling Elvis" - Dire Straits. Ry Cooder was on Mike Harding last night with a song called "Three chords and the truth" about Joe Hill, Paul Robeson and Pete Seeger. Graham. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE DEATH OF JIMMY MARTIN (Tom Russell) From: Midchuck Date: 16 Mar 07 - 09:23 AM "The Death of Jimmy Martin," by Tom Russell: (Melody is more or less "Rocky Top.") There's a hound dog runnin' all alone through the piney woods, The howling scares the soul out of me. There's a Jay bird singing up a funeral dirge, In ragtime harmony. Barb'ry Allen rolled over in her grave all morning, There were roses growing out of her head. Well, God's gonna burn down Nashville tonight. Jimmy Martin's dead. The great Jimmy Martin's gone dead. You got twenty-twenty vision but you're walkin' 'round blind, You Grand Ole Opry fools. With your hypocritic judgments and your self-righteous snobbery And your God damn false-hearted rules. You scorned Hank Williams and you shunned Jimmy Martin, Boys who sang with tongues on fire. Well, God's gonna burn down your Grand Ole Opry, Hear the screaming of the hypocrites and liars. They feel safer now that Jimmy has expired.... Run, Pete run, your master's callin' you. He's waitin on up ahead. But don't look back, 'cause Nashville's burning down Jimmy Martin's dead. The great Jimmy Martin's gone dead. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Scrump Date: 16 Mar 07 - 09:06 AM "Tribute to a King" by William Bell was about Otis Redding, written after he died in a plane crash. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST Date: 16 Mar 07 - 09:01 AM "songs that Harry wrote" (Chapin) was written by Harvey Andrews, who also wrote "Please don't get on the plane" (Holly) |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Scrump Date: 16 Mar 07 - 07:17 AM When guesting on a Dubliners album, Christy Moore did that tribute song to Luke Kelly. The original poster asked for Dylan to be excluded, for some reason. But he has been mentioned above, so: there was also "Bob Dylan's Dream" sung by Dylan himself, and covered by Peter, Paul & Mary. That didn't mention Dylan by name in the song though. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: mrmoe Date: 16 Mar 07 - 07:11 AM how about Neil Sedaka's "Stephen".....a beautiful tribute to Stephen Foster.... |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,Bainbo at work Date: 16 Mar 07 - 07:11 AM The Night Hank Williams Came To Town, by Johnny Cash When Maddy Dances, by Ralph McTell (about Maddy Prior) |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Scrump Date: 16 Mar 07 - 06:54 AM And don't forget "Nice One Cyril" - oops, that wasn't about Cyril Tawney, I'll get me coat :-) |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Sugwash Date: 16 Mar 07 - 06:52 AM Tom Lewis's song 'Cyril Said It All Before' about Cyril Tawney. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Scrump Date: 16 Mar 07 - 06:23 AM A few more songs about Buddy Holly: Tribute to Buddy Holly by Mike Berry I Feel Like Buddy Holly by Alvin Stardust Three Stars by Eddie Cochran was about Buddy, Big Bopper and Richie Valens. Then there was Just Like Eddie by Heinz (about Eddie Cochran). And then there was "A Million Housewives Every Day, Pick Up A Can Of Beans And Say, Beanz Meanz Heinz" :-) |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,Sheridan Date: 16 Mar 07 - 06:23 AM "Bessie Smith" by The Band "Ramblin' Jack Elliott" by John Herald |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Scrump Date: 16 Mar 07 - 05:45 AM Harvey Andrews has a song "Too Daniel O'Donnell" |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: eddie1 Date: 16 Mar 07 - 03:49 AM On the "Class of 55" album Johnny Cash , Jerry Lee Lewis , Roy Orbison and Carl Perkins did "I remember The King" about Elvis. Archie Fisher wrote and recorded "Gunsmoke and Whisky" about Edinburgh singer/guitarist Len Partridge. Iain Mackintosh recorded (and I think wrote) "The Songs That Harry Sang" about Harry Chapin. Eddie |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST Date: 16 Mar 07 - 03:45 AM Let's Think about Livin' - Bob Luman |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: muppitz Date: 05 Oct 04 - 05:06 AM Beth Neilsen-Chapman wrote a lovely song called "Sand and Water", in memory of her husband. John Wright has covered it, and done a pretty good job, but the original is still the best. Muppitz x |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,milk monitor Date: 04 Oct 04 - 01:58 PM Sweet Gene Vincent by Ian Dury. Elvis Has Just Left the Building by Zappa. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: John MacKenzie Date: 04 Oct 04 - 12:51 PM Crazy Amsterdam {for Colin Scott} by Allan Taylor. Scotty you're a terrible man How you do it I don't understand A sort of rambling gambling Desperate Dan The older UK folkies will remember Colin, he would sing anything in order to get the audience singing, and it worked every time. Colin Scott THE cure for apathy, lovely man. Giok |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Pete Jennings Date: 04 Oct 04 - 07:48 AM Bert Jansch wrote Needle of Death for Buck Polly, a UK folkie back in the sixties. Pete |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: fat B****rd Date: 04 Oct 04 - 05:55 AM John Mayall "J.B. Lenoir" and ABC's "When Smokey Sings" |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST Date: 04 Oct 04 - 04:26 AM Your own El Greko has written a song "I Wish I could Have Met You" which is a tribute to Stan Rogers |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,cookieless celtaddict Date: 03 Oct 04 - 09:52 PM Eric Bogle also wrote "Katie in the Dreamtime Land" for Kate Wolf. ("and I sang Cornflower Blue, and thought of you..." Joe Dady wrote "Man with the Banjo" for Pete Seeger. Larry Kaplan wrote "Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts" for Stephen Foster. My husband and I just had this conversation in the car driving home from Mt. Washington tonight. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Margret RoadKnight Date: 03 Oct 04 - 08:23 PM "Phil" about Phil Ochs, by Tom Paxton "Ma Rainey" about the Mpther of the Blues, by Memphis Minnie "Ain't Never Heard You Sing the Blues" about B.B. King, by Steve Goodman "Leonard Cohen's Never Gonna Bring My Groceries In" by Nancy White |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: 14fret Date: 03 Oct 04 - 07:29 PM 'Living Legend' about Bob Gibson by Shel Silverstein. 'Walking in Memphis' about Elvis by Marc Cohn. 'Alive and Well' about Elvis by Jack Hudson. 'Of Missing Persons' about Lowell George by Jackson Browne. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Susanne (skw) Date: 03 Oct 04 - 02:48 PM Eric Bogle's 'Plastic Paddy' is about the average Irish pub singer in the average Irish pub the world over, and ends with the priceless lines: "And just one thought comes through my mind as I stagger out the door Where are you when we need you Christy Moore?" |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Rabbi-Sol Date: 06 Sep 04 - 11:09 PM To Joe Offer: A very beautiful recording of Pete Sutherland's AUNT SUE is available on Carla Sciacky's CD album "Awakening". It is track #12 on that album, which I am proud to own. SOL ZELLER |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,Bernie Murphy Date: 06 Sep 04 - 02:35 PM RED JOHNSON Sings The There's a grand ole opry show playing somewhere Barbara Mandrell Sings I wish that I could fall in love today Thank You |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,JohnB Date: 18 May 01 - 12:23 PM Try this one for a song about most/all/some of us. http://www.mudcat.org/!!-song99.cfm?stuff=fall99+D+4530595 Pitiful attempt at a blue clicky, it's not even blue. JohnB |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,BobP Date: 18 May 01 - 12:21 PM Here's a couple for the assemblage. J Baez . . . . Diamonds & Rust (Dylan) H Chapin . . . The Parade's Still Passing By (Ochs) |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: wysiwyg Date: 18 May 01 - 11:49 AM Greetings, jaze, good to see you. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,jaze Date: 18 May 01 - 11:09 AM "In The Quiet Morning"--written by Mimi Farina for Janis Joplin (recorded by Joan Baez) |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,Gene Date: 18 May 01 - 10:32 AM Orval[?] Prophet's tribute to Hank Snow The Traveling Snowman Frank Walker's self penned tribute to Hank Williams The Last Letter; referring to [New Year's Day, 1953]
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: GUEST,jaze Date: 18 May 01 - 09:29 AM Emmylou Harris' "Boulder To Birmingham" about Gram Parsons |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Clinton Hammond Date: 18 May 01 - 12:43 AM More songs about Stan Rogers, to take the awful taste of "Safe In The Harbour" away... John Gorka's, "That's how legends are made" But the absolute best song about Stan is Garnet's "Night Drive"... ;-) |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Bert Date: 18 May 01 - 12:29 AM And there's Dora Bryan's "All I want for Christmas is a Beatle" |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: toadfrog Date: 17 May 01 - 10:39 PM Do not forgetThe Ballad of Pete Seeger, available on line in the "Socialist Songbook" (formerly "Boss's Songbook": klik here This song has a wonderful old Schachtmanite (irreverent) flavor. Anyone remember the Shachtmanites? Anyone know if any still exist? |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Arkie Date: 18 Apr 99 - 12:45 AM I did not mention the title to the song and did intend to do so. Most folks would not know it anyway. It has not had a wide circulation. The song is They Sing On. I heard it during a concert tonight and Ollie Gilbert's grandson was in the audience. Although I like about every variant I have ever heard of Gyspy Davy, that was not what I had in mind. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Joe Offer Date: 17 Apr 99 - 06:34 PM Arkie, I'm not sure I understood what song you were thinking of posting. I was wondering if a couple of songs in the database might apply, GYPSY DAVEY or AUNT SUE. "Aunt Sue" is one powerful set of lyrics. Anybody know of a recording, or can anybody post the tune in an appropriately-titled thread (click)? -Joe Offer- ...how 'bout: |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: karen k Date: 17 Apr 99 - 05:32 PM Larry Kaplan wrote, SONG FOR GALE, for Gale Huntington from Martha's Vineyard. k |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Arkie Date: 15 Apr 99 - 10:57 PM Charlie Sandage, a songwriter living in Mountain View, Ark. has written a tribute to three traditional women singers who were instrumental in keeping the ballad tradition alive in this state. The three are Almeda Riddle, a descendant of Jessie James, who learned from her singing school teacher father and others in her community and appeared at Newport and other big Festivals in the 60's and beyond; Emma Dusenberry, a blind singer living near Mena, Ark who was recorded for the Library of Congress; and Ollie Gilbert, a local lady who knew hundreds of songs and stories and kept her list on a roll of adding machine paper, which she would toss out on the floor when someone requested a song. All sang unaccompaned although Aunt Ollie, as she was known in Mountain View, would sometimes play the banjo. I was to introduce Almeda at the Ozark Folk Center one evening when she opened her purse and showed me a bottle in one of the inside pockets. These were her nitro glycerine tablets. Her instructions were that if she was to pass out on stage, I was to place a tablet under her tongue. She had at least one person in her audience that night who did not miss a word. On another occasion, after she finished singing Gypsy Davy, she mentioned that people sometimes complained because her songs were so long. She went on to say that she should not be considered at fault, because she had not written the songs. If there is any interest, I'll check with Charlie to see if I can post the words. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Susan A-R Date: 15 Apr 99 - 10:16 PM There's a wonderful one about Leadbelly in the Pete Seeger Book "Where have all the Flowers gone" Als, the Clancys did one about Brendon Bean "Alass for Bold Brendon is Dead" Also, didn't someone do a parody entitled "I am changing my Name to Paxton" |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Barbara Shaw Date: 15 Apr 99 - 10:06 PM Here's one that Lacy J. Dalton did several years ago about the "boys who make the noise on" 16th Avenue. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Steve Latimer Date: 13 Apr 99 - 03:59 PM How about Life Is A Rock, But the Radio Rolled Me? Or Rock and Roll Heaven? Two pretty sappy songs from the Seventies about deceased Rock and Rollers. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Gene Date: 13 Apr 99 - 03:49 PM That's a good tune from the DIRT BAND's Will The Circle Be Unbroken? LP... There's several songs like that... Hillbilly Heaven Country Music Time There's a Grand Ole Opry Show Playing Somewhere |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Date: 13 Apr 99 - 03:04 PM Come and listen to my story, if you do I'm gonna tell About a group of fellers from down in Nashville. We'll start with Red Foley doin' the "Chattanooga Choo", Let's not forget hank Williams and them good ol' "Lovesick Blues". Well, it's time for Roy Acuff goin' to Memphis on his train, Minnie Pearl and Rod Braxville and Bradley Kincaid, "Signed, Sealed and Delivered" with Sam and Kirk McGhee, And the master of ceremonies is Mr. George D. Hay. There'll be guitars and fiddles and banjo-pickin' too, Bill Monroe singin' out those old "Kentucky Blues", Earnest Tubb's number, "Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right", At the Grand Ol' Opry every Saturday night. -- Jimmy Martin |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Dr John Date: 13 Apr 99 - 01:56 PM I started this thread and mention a song about a woman, composed by a woman, sung by a woman. "But If I ask Them" by Sis Cunningham and about Aunt Molly Jackson. One of the best and also regrettably one of the most difficult to come by. But wonderful. DrJohn |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Gene Date: 13 Apr 99 - 11:48 AM Well, how about the tribute song to Mother Maybelle? and Ferlin Husky pays tribute to Kitty Wells in 'Good Ol' Country Music's Here To Stay' Think I have another one or two...
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: skw@worldmusic.de Date: 13 Apr 99 - 04:58 AM There are two separate songs titled 'Banjo Man' about Derroll Adams (American, but revered over here), written by Alex Campbell and Allan Taylor respectively, two about Alex himself, 'No More Stravaigin'', written by Gibb Todd, and 'Gently Does It' by Rab Noakes - a very moving song. Harvey Andrews has written a 'Song for Phil Ochs' and one about American country singers in general, called 'First You Lose the Rhyming'. Then there's Eric Bogle's inspired piece about Bob Dylan and all his imitators, 'Can You Sing Some Bob Dylan?', aka 'The Traditional Folksinger's Lament for the Passing of the Three-Chord Traditional Folksong', and one about Hamish Imlach called 'Scotland's Lost Its Sense of Humour' (actually, this is a reworking done by Iain MacKintosh of a song by Peter Nardini about another Scottish comedian). Iain has also written a witty musical autobiography in five verses which is virtually a compendium of Scottish folksingers. Sadly, he's never recorded it. And I don't know a single song about a woman ... Help, anybody out there? - Susanne |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Arkie Date: 08 Apr 99 - 12:08 PM Hank Williams, Jr. wrote and recorded Family Tradition and there is 16th Avenue about songwriters though none are mentioned by name. There are also several songs about Jimmie Driftwood. I have not seen any yet that I would call memorable. |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Wolfgang Date: 08 Apr 99 - 07:03 AM Les Barker has written a lot of parodies on (folk) singers or groups: Watersons (tune: Waterloo) Eliza (for Eliza Carthy to the tune of Delilah) January June (for June Tabor, tune: January Man) Older than Swarbrick there's one about Martin Carthy (forgot the title) Don't forget Orpheus (Orfeo?), a famous old (folk) singer with more than one whole opera devoted to him. Or a musical devoted to ABBA (ah, Wolfgang, that's very far from folk). Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: Songs about Singers From: Date: 07 Apr 99 - 09:55 PM Don't blame it on Elvis for shaking his pelvis/Shaking the pelvis been in style ever since the river Nile. The Fabulous McClevertys, CALYPSO, "Don't Blame it on Elvis" ca. late 50s/early 60s. Topical for the times, and one of my all-time faves.--John |
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