Origins: There's a Man Going Round Taking Names

Subject: mangoing round taking names - provenance
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 07:28 PM

anyone know the story behing this song I've always associated with Leadbelly, There's a Man Going Round Taking Names?

Subject: RE: mangoing round taking names - provenance
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 08:59 PM

Al

See the discussion of that topic here: There's a man going round taking names and the related thread: Lyr Req: King of Names

Mick

Subject: RE: man going round taking names - provenance
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 02:06 PM

Thanks very much Mick.

I was actually messing about the Carthy tuning (Famous Fower of Serving Men) DGDGCD when I found myself playing Man going Round.

I thought that sounded okay, but I wouldn't sing something I didn't understand. Bit bloody gloomy if it is all about the Grim Reaper. I think I'll give it a miss.

Its a great tuning though - just one semitone up on the second string from the G tuning that Robert Johnson uses. So it would be nice to go from the G tuning to that one - the feeling is so different, and it doesn't require a lot of retuning.

I think it must be the same tuning for May You Never, which is a bit OD (but it kept cropping up through the chords!). However those soft pianistic chord changes are all there - so maybe I'll be able to write something. Hope springs eternal!


bless you Mick!

al

Subject: RE: man going round taking names - provenance
From: Banjovey
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 09:09 PM

The tuning you cite seems to be a guitar equivalent of the banjo tuning known as , among other things, Sawmill.

Subject: RE: man going round taking names - provenance
From: Brendy
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 09:25 PM

I have only ever seen John Martyn play 'May You Never' in Dropped D, Al.
I've done 'Takin'Names' on a couple of appropriate occasions, where the crowd is into that kind of song..., and it's a cracker of a number.

I think I have done it in DAFDAD

B.

Subject: RE: Origins: There's a Man Going Round Taking Names
From: GUEST,Alan in Ithaca
Date: 19 Nov 23 - 07:04 PM

Seems Peter, Paul and Mary tweaked an old Leadbelly song, and never gave attribution as far as I can tell.

As for the meaning, there may be a "spiritual" side, but slaveholders took and sold names for a very long time.

I first heard this song when I was ten or eleven...creeped me right out.

Subject: RE: Origins: There's a Man Going Round Taking Names
From: Max
Date: 20 Nov 23 - 07:18 PM

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Subject: RE: Origins: There's a Man Going Round Taking Names
From: GUEST,Alan in Ithaca
Date: 19 Nov 23 - 07:04 PM

Seems Peter, Paul and Mary tweaked an old Leadbelly song, and never gave attribution as far as I can tell.

As for the meaning, there may be a "spiritual" side, but slaveholders took and sold names for a very long time.

I first heard this song when I was ten or eleven...creeped me right out.

Subject: RE: Origins: There's a Man Going Round Taking Names
From: Max
Date: 20 Nov 23 - 07:18 PM

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