Upbeat Traditional Songs

Subject: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: brunettebuffy
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 10:17 AM

Hello, relatively new person here. How d'y'do?

I am trying to increase my repertoire at the moment, and somone very nice *tactfully* pointed out that most of the songs I like to do are quite sedate, and that I might think about adding some more up-tempo ones. I prefer ones that either I've learned from someone else or have come through my family, but we're pretty much out. I'd rather not start learning all the ones off lots of famous people's new CDs (call me picky but there it is). I am a bit stumped, to be honest.

Does anyone have any suggestions for songs, or where I might look? I'm not so hot on the music reading, so anything with music files, even snippets, would be just top.

Cheers!
BB


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Me: What day is it?
Him: Umm, Septober.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: IanC
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 10:22 AM

What songs do you do already?

:-)

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 10:29 AM

Keep on the Sunnyside

Oh, heck, there's a bunch. Once you figure out which ones you'd like to learn, usually someone can scare up a sound file to match.

Ian's got a point. It would be helpful to know which ones you already do.

You could find some good ones at Barry Taylor's Tunebook site. It's not just tunes, he's got some lyrics, too, plus we've got lyrics for over 9,000 songs right here. Anyway, on Barry's site, use the drop down menu to choose which country's songs you want to lsten to, etc.

Welcome to the Mudcat!

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: brunettebuffy
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 10:43 AM

Aw thanks.

I am a bit hesitant to admit it because I'm quite new to it, and am winging it somewhat. Mostly they are already ones off old folk LPs or from my folks which in some ways seems like cheating but I'm not sure where else to get them, and I have no frame of reference to what is considered naff.

So, here are a few of the songs wot I have recently dun:
A Fair Maid Walking All In Her Garden
Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy
Who's the Fool Now (some bloke came up to me afterwards and described with a rather critical tone how it was done to death in the sixties, but I wasn't around then so I didn't know. Confidence took a knock after that, but I suppose I have to learn to be more resilient if I want to do it)
Week Before Easter
Attempted the Black Cook once, which was alright but it's so long I don't think I'll ever get it down completely!

I did do Botany Bay, The Trees They Do Grow High and Sweet England but I got fed up of those and haven't done them in a while. I don't do it that often but some new ones would be good.

I hope that has now not made me some form of folk outcast, or that the folk police are not on the way...?

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Me: What day is it?
Him: Umm, Septober.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 10:46 AM

Ball Of Yarn,Hopping down in kent,Bonny ship the diamond,Banks of Sacremento,http:www//dickmiles.com

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Bert
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 11:09 AM

To the tune of Willikins and Dinah
Harbor Le Cou
Master McGrath
Still I Love Him
Old Orange Flute
Irish Washerwoman
Lane county Bachelor
Rosin the Beau
Ancient and Old Irish Condom
Lincolnshire Poacher
The Thing
The Chandlers shop


Also search for @BAWDY in the DT for some real fun.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 11:28 AM

What is sedate about The Black Cook? Also just out of interest from whom did you learn it? (I ask as Dave Southerland's alter ego)

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: brunettebuffy
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 11:53 AM

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone :-)

I learned the Black Cook from a Dave Burland LP I picked up for fifty of your English pence at a car boot sale some months ago. I love it, but there are just SO many words!! I remember snippets but I'm not sure I'll ever learn the whole thing.

I will try the @BAWDY thing, although my mother has threatened to disown me if I ever do The Molecatcher in public...


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Me: What day is it?
Him: Umm, Septober.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: GUEST,upupandaway
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 12:33 PM

Chicken on a Raft.
A-beggin' I will go.
I'll fly away.
You can tell the world.
Roving Sailor.
Gallowspole/prickleye bush.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 12:35 PM

Lots of folks suggest learning songs from listening to LPs, tapes, CDs, etc. over and over - nothing wrong with that.

Also, you can't take to heart what some idjit from the audience says to you about what is proper or not.I know that's easier said than done.:-) People like that are not worth your attention. There are lots of scholars here, but for the most part, they are KINDLY helpful and not rigid in their outlook. Most folks here are happy that you are singing and more than willing to help out.

A couple more:

Tattooed Lady
Grandfather's Clock (an oldie but goodie!)

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: GUEST,Jim Carroll
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 03:59 PM

In a singing workshop I once was a member of we used Rocky Road to Dublin as an exercise for breath control and articulation - verse and refrain in one breath.
Try it, it's good fun.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 04:01 PM

The mole catcher is a bit on the ponderous side.

trad songs that I love are The Nightingale , the cornish Nightingale, Blow Away the Morning Dew, lots of shanties....too many others.

If youre still struggling with the words thing these are good, cos the audience tends to know the words of the chorus, and it gives you a second to call to mind the system you have devised for remembering the words!

The most interesting trad singers, sort of go beyond the words and use the words to puctuate the rhythm of the songs. in this way, they get humour and energy into the lyrics. But the first work out that mnemonic for the words. Thatis the nicest thing -the chorus, everybody knows - but when you astonish the room by confidently zipping into the correct verse - it makes them feel good, because it shows someone is in control and has been thoughtful enough to do that for them.

have fun!

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 04:19 PM

Jim Carroll, thanks for that. I didn't know that song, have now tried it from the DT and reckon it has done more for my deep breathing and getting rid of pneumonia than any nebulizer treatments!:-)Whew, some quick phrasing there!

Ah, should have said only knew the tune having only heard it as a tune piece, no words.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 04:22 PM

I got a kick out of Bert's choice of Still I Love Him as an "upbeat" song. I think of it as a sad description of a very dysfunctional relationship. Still, as traditional songs go, I guess it IS upbeat. Nobody gets killed.

We had a "Songs That Lift the Spirit" workshop at the Getaway two weeks ago. I think all of the songs chosen were recent compositions, although most were what I'd consider part of the folk genre.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 04:22 PM

Yes I was thinking of The Rocky Road, its an absolute bitch to sing when you first try. But its a great one to get that rhythmic thing going!

I'd say get try something easier to start, and get the thing with the words sorted out. then when you have the words - you can start playing tricks with them.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Art Thieme
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 04:32 PM

The State Of Illinois
Wabash Cannonball
The Fox
Old Joe Clark
By and By (The Cane Press Song)
Froggy Went a-Courting
The Lavender Cowboy
The Old Woman Who Loved A Swine
Blow Away The Morning Dew
Stackerlee
The Chivalrous Shark
The Pig And The Inebriate
The Frozen Logger
Blood On The Saddle
When I Was A Cowboy
The Eddystone Light
The Erie Canal
The Bullhead Boat
I Love My Rooster
Turkey In The Straw
Click Go The Shears
Uncle Eph Got The Coon
Groundhog
Talking Guitar Blues
Original Talking Blues
I Like To Eat
Good Old Colony Days
Lady Who Swallowed A Fly
Crawdad Song
My Sweetheart's A Mule In The Mines
Mr. Rabbit
Waterbound
Jerry Go And Oil that Car
Zack The Mormon Engineer
The Midnight Special
Drill Ye Tarriers Drill
Pat Works On The Railway
Rock Island Line
Pie In The Sky
Deadheads And Suckers
God Don't Like Ugly
Talkin' Dust Bowl
Ya Cannot Shove Your Granny Off A Bus
Down In The Arkansas
How Many Biscuits Can You Eat
Click Go The Shears
We 3 Kings Of Sloppy Joe's Bar
Tittabawassee Jane
Old Man Can Your Dog Catch A Rabbit
Portland County Jail
Hullabaloo Belay
Talking Atom
The Sow Took The Measils
The Philadelphia Lawyer
Land Of The Muskeg and The Shining Birch Tree
Bowling Green
Shady Grove
Will Ye Go Lassie
Ox Drivers Song
Pokegama Bear
Down By The Riverside
Boatman's Dance
The Gray Goose
Going To Cairo
Master Of The Sheepfold
2000 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall ;-)
The Boll Weevil
When The Wagon Was New
Stewball

...and maybe a very timely song like:
We've Got Franklin D. Roosevelt Back Again

There's a few for you to begin learning. ;-)

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 04:41 PM

...and I can hear your voice singing most of them, Art. You have a knack for picking traditional songs that are fun to sing and fun to hear - and there are relatively few dead people in them.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Art Thieme
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 08:29 PM

Joe, Thanks for that! I'm honored to have you say it. That list is 98% from my own repertory.   And depending how you place 'em in a set, you can make a lot of serious points with seemingly innocuous songs by inserting just a few choice words of orienting intro to set time and place and context. Decent timing helps too.

But a ton of my songs were serious and tragic. I could make a better, longer, list of hard-hitting songs. Life, we know, is often serious and tragic. The "lighter side" is often referred to as "comic relief." If it IS relief, it has to be relief FROM something. And to me, that SOMETHING is the basic tragedy---the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" that Shakespeare spoke of. I loved those serious tough stuff songs, and they could be given more insightful impact by setting 'em up with related humor or light songs to make a point.

All the best to you, sir. Your work here is appreciated!! I hope you two are happy, healthy, wealthy --- and, hell, --- even GOOD!

Art

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Nov 07 - 01:21 AM

And a person could do really well at learning all of those from Art's CDs!! I did! In fact lotsa times I have an Art Thieme ear worm, singing on and on and on and on...**BG**

Love you, My Fine Art!

kat

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: GUEST,Jim Carroll
Date: 20 Nov 07 - 03:01 AM

Now you've tried 'Rocky Road' have a crack at the other test piece our workshop used, which was the Scots mouth music piece 'Tail Toddle' - a verse and two choruses in one breath,
And when you get that right you can proceed to the Gilbert and Sullivan piece which begins "First we polish off some batches of political dispatches".
I used to sing them in my sleep when I first started working in workshops; wonderful for developing technique, but the buggers grow on you after a time - I can still do them all (though I now have to take a breath after the first chorus of TT).
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: GRex
Date: 20 Nov 07 - 04:07 AM

Brunettebuffy

   Songs were 'done to death' when they were good and popular.
   Don't think twice about reviving any of them.

       GRex

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: greg stephens
Date: 20 Nov 07 - 04:17 AM

Brunettebuffy: "done to death" indeed. A good song is a good song. In traditional circles, old Joe in the corner of the pub was expected to sing the same song every week, and evrybody enjoyed it. It is only the jumped-up educated clever dicks of the revival who decided sneering at stuff was cool. Sing the old songs with pleasure. And if people are avoiding them because they were "done to death", all the more reason to sing them.Lots of things were "done to death" in the 60's, sex and drugs for example. That's why nobody does them any more. Really?

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 20 Nov 07 - 04:31 AM

I suppose the problem with that is GRex, the people who were there when it was done to death - are still there for the main part. Well I am, anyway.

I don't really accept you CAN do a song to death - if you're enjoying performing it - it will come over to the audience.

i do hate it though, when someone hasn't bothered to work out a performance.   you sort of feel - well if you can't give it your attention, why should I?

the professionals make it look easy - when you start you need to go at it like a dope fiend. I think if you don't feel that need to try an get it right, somehow - you've got it wrong.

For some reason every folk club meeting has someone who says, I haven't picked up the guitar (or whatever) for five years - sorry if its not in tune, and I forget the words.

i don't know where this has come from - perhaps from the time before there were inexpensive tuners, and people didn't change their guitar strings.

I wouldn't want to put anybody off singing though.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Nov 07 - 02:34 PM

Well, there is certainly a lot of food for thought there. Thank you very much for your song suggestions and words of encouragement. I will keep at it :-)

BB

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: GUEST,The Molecatcher's Apprentice
Date: 20 Nov 07 - 02:50 PM

"disown me if I ever do The Molecatcher in public..."

disown and be damned...go ahead a sing it *LOL*

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Art Thieme
Date: 20 Nov 07 - 03:13 PM

Is "Mole Catcher" anything like "Groundhog?"

Art

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 07:27 AM

The birds upon the trees..... magnificent

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 08:18 AM

Art

The Molecatcher
Collected by Bob Copper in about 1954 from Jim Barrett, at the Fox in North Waltham, Hants: see Chapter Fifteen, pp. 123-134, of Songs and Southern Breezes for the details; and the appendix for these words.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At Manchester City the sign of the Plough,
There lives an old molecatcher, I can't tell you how.
He goes a-molecatching from morning till night
While the jolly young farmer goes playing with his wife.

Chorus:
Singing law-til-i-day, law-tili-little-i, law-til-i-day.

The molecatcher jealous of the very same thing,
So he hides in the bake-house and saw him come in,
And when that young farmer got over the stile
It caused the molecatcher to laugh and to smile.
Chorus

He knocked at the door and thus he did say,
Pray, where is your husband, good woman, I say.
He's gone a-molecatching, you need not fear,
But little did she think the molecatcher was near.
Chorus

She went upstairs - he followed the sign,
And the molecatcher followed them closely behind,
And when that young farmer was in the midst of his sport
The molecatcher grabbed him quite fast by his coat.
Chorus

He clapped his hands and laughed at the sight,
Saying, This is the finest mole I've catched in me life.
I'll make you pay well for ploughing my ground
And the money it shall be no less than ten pound.
Chorus

Very well, said the farmer, the money I don't mind,
For it only costs me about twopence a time.
So come all you young farmer chaps, mind what you're at
And never get caught in a molecatcher's trap.
Chorus

The version most people in English folkclubs defer to is by a talented singer called Bernard Wrigley, sometimes known as the The Bolton Bullfrog. Bernard plays the guitar very well and also a collection of of concertinas in various sizes. he is also gifted with a deep lugubrious Lancashire voice that he uses to great comic effect on this song. There one or two ruder words put in, in Bernard's version.

Trad folk isn't really my thing, so apologies to the many mudcatters who know everything - if I've got it wrong. No hard feelings if you want to correct my answer.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 08:21 AM

I used to like "Molecatcher" - haven't heard it in ages. I think I'd better dig it up.

Several questions.

First, where are you and what is YOUR tradition? That is your touchstone (and it also affects what is easy to source).

Second, what's the problem with learning stuff from your family? I sort of approve of that, it's more sort of "folk".

Third, by "upbeat" do you mean cheerful, happy ending sort of stuff, or songs that you can gallop along at a good clip with a strong pulse (whether or not they have a happy ending)?

Fourth, do you play or only sing?



Suggestions that you can race along: -

O'er the Hills and Far away (get drummer to play with you)
Maui (you need guitarist - sing it as fast as he can throw the slightly tricky chord changes in teh middle, and never slow down for the chorus)
Gentlemen of High Renown
Daddy Fox (can be done at any speed, the US tradition is I think faster)
Byker Hill
Thousands of shanties (Bullshine Run makes a nice chugger, if you accept it as a shanty. I do John Dameray very fast too)
Admiral Benbow (Brave Benbow he set sail... etc... version)
The Princess Alice (contemporary, Dave Rickard)
Johhny Dhu/Beggarman/Red haired boy (If you are celtic. Not a song fitted for an anglo-saxon!)
Tree in the Bog
Boss Man (Lightfoot)

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: brunettebuffy
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 08:33 AM

Mostly I play guitar and sing, but sometimes I just sing by myself (less to concentrate on!) I am a standard-fan, although I am just learning DADGAD (slowly).

There's nothing wrong with the family stuff, but unfortunately it has to rely on ageing memories, and a limited repertoire to begin with, so I think I know it all now!

By upbeat, I mean more tempo-wise. I'm not fussy if they are happy or depressing. Death counts don't worry me at all...

I really like Old Joe Clark, I found a version of that last night, it's top. I think that will go on the list! I do love sea shanties, I have a CD of some Smithsonian Folkways recordings which are superb, but mostly they are done with lots and lots of voices and not much else, so I need to think more creatively with some of those...

Finally I am in East Anglia. I must see if I can find any local to where I grew up. I didn't think of that...!

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: brunettebuffy
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 08:36 AM

PS - the bit of the Molecatcher that I think really made my Mother make the threat was that in our family, it's not "sport", it's "frolicks". We tend to replace the rhyming word in the next line with "elbow" :-)

Later on, it "works out about tuppence a grind". There is a v. amusing thread somewhere about the effect of inflation on this song, and what the amount might be in today's money!

I've not heard anyone other than my folks do it so I don't know if that's the Bernard Wrigley version.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: GUEST,Young Buchan
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 08:57 AM

Alternatively you could go back to your normal repertoire and ask yourself if there are any happy songs with which you have fallen into the modern practice of slowing them down till they can barely drag thenselves along. I have heard people sing the delightfully cheery little love song Heather Down The Moor as if it was Die Moorsoldaten!
Also for an object lesson in upbeat singing listen to recordings of Charlie Wills; this includes probably the world's only upbeat performance of Barbara Allen.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: pavane
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 09:00 AM

Peter Bellamy did it like that (elbow).

How about "Sorry the day I was married"

And another foxhunting one, can't remember the title but it was done by Nic Jones. (maybe Bold Reyard?) It starts
"You gentlemen who take delight
in hunting bold Reynard the fox"..

White Copper Alley (Nic Jones again) is a fast version of one of the Royal Albion/St James Hospital group of songs

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Fidjit
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 09:35 AM

Ok welcome to our world. You'll get lots of different advice on here.
East Anglia is a big place. There's loads going on there.

Reading your first plea. I understand it that you already know the stuff you want to do. Just want to get it into the 21st century.

Suggest you listen to whats going on today via some folkrock groups
like this

No don't freak out.
You don't need a whole group. just the uplifting tunes.

They do a Botany Bay you might like.

There's also Radio Britfolk you can check out some UP stuff on.

Then there's WovenWheatWhispers

It's endless.
All the best.

Chas

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 11:23 AM

DADGAD is a bit limited unless you have a very good teacher. there is more teaching material for standard tuning.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Art Thieme
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 12:28 PM

I do belive, now that I see the lyrics, that I heard Peter Bellamy sing Molecatcher several times at festivals here in the U.S.
Thanks for posting the words.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Bert
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 12:38 PM

Well Joe, the gal in "Still I Love Him" will follow her guy to hell if that's where he goes. You can't get a love song more upbeat than that.

Also Joe, Mudcat removed all my tabs. It didn't used to do that what went wrong?

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 05:57 PM

There's a plethora of good East Anglian material (but I know hardly any).

One is the drinking song from Just-near-Trunch "Rolling Drunk".
There's "Yarmouth Town", I guess.

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Gulliver
Date: 21 Nov 07 - 10:17 PM

Hiya Chas,

How U doin'?

thanks for tip for Duncan McFarlane Band. Not much into folk-rock, but I like this!

Hope to c u again, somewhere,

Don

Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs
From: Fidjit
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 03:53 AM

You're welcome Don.

Plan to be over for July/August 2008

Chas