Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure

Subject: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:02 PM

While waiting with breathless anticipation for the real getaway program schedule to come in, I started thinking of the worst possible Getaway workshops - topics doomed to abject failure.

I came up with:

Earworms

and

Happy Ballads.

What else would be doomed at the Getaway?

Dan

Subject: RE: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:10 PM

A Polka Workshop?

Subject: RE: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:11 PM

Songs I learned from Barney, the purple dinosaur.

Subject: RE: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:11 PM

A two hour workshop on "Songs from the Phillipine Insurrection"

Gangsta Rap

Cruelty To Animals

Labor songs collected from Bosses

The Heritage of Bobby Vinton, Bobby Goldsboro and Paul Anka

Subject: RE: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:12 PM

Merv Griffin, The Man and His Music

Subject: RE: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:13 PM

Happy Ballads actually sounds like an interesting challenge, and would probably make a great workshop--I can think of several ballads or versions I know where things come out right in the end, with a body count of zero.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:15 PM

Like The Maid On The Shore?

Subject: RE: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:20 PM

Songs Of The New Christy Minstrels

Sunday "Hynms to Satan" Sing

The Electronic Keyboard Tradition in Folk Music

"What ISN'T Folk Music?"--Songs Beyond Debate

Subject: RE: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: MMario
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:25 PM

But so many Folk Songs *ARE* earworms....I'd think that would be an excellent workshop.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: voyager
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:28 PM

U. Utah Phillips

-voyager

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:28 PM

Short/Brief Ballads! (Are there ANY?**bg**)

Navel-gazing gems in song (contemplate away!)

Humming off-key

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:39 PM

Sure there are short ballads....like "The Twa Corbies" ...5 intense verses which tell a complete story.

But I have teased for years about a workshop *title* which would cause folks to stay away in droves, even though the topic is interesting... parodies/re-writes of Child ballads, titled "Child Abuse". (Yes, of course it would be terrible taste!)

Maybe "Songs about diet foods"

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:52 PM

Folk does Abba

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Peter T.
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:53 PM

Listening to me.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Getaway Worshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 12:57 PM

Actually, on second thought, the "Cruelty to Animals" theme might actually be workable, as well.

"On Our Turpentine Farm" (imagine if the Katzenjammer Kids had been born in the Carolina pineywoods)
"Poor Old Horse"
"The Darby Ram"
"De Ballit O' De Bo' Weevil" (failed attempted cruelty)


John Kirkpatrick's "George's Son" (Not our president, but a sheep dog running the herd of sheep over a cliff. Cruelty to animals BY animals. From Thomas Hardy, I believe)


....and even mercy killings like:

"Old Shep", "Bonnie Black Bess", or even "Barney" (No, not THAT one! We're talking Ian Tyson dealing with an aging beloved horse back eons ago in the late "& Sylvia" days. HELL, I'll personally HELP anybody make purple dinosaurs extinct!)

....Or T. Texas Tyler's classic country recitation, "Dad Gave My Dog Away"

....Or Geordie Charleton's dancing pig in "Byker Hill"


Hey, on second thought, I might even offer to LEAD this workshop!

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 01:02 PM

That'll be SURE to doom it!

(THERE! I've said it before anybody else does!)

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 01:10 PM

There are vast numbers of happy ballads--Child and otherwise--both long and short. And re "Child Abuse"--Bob Coltman did a lovely album called "Son of Child" consisting only of rewrites of Child Ballads.

The workshop that would keep me far away would be "Hip-hop versions of 1960 Classic Folk"

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 01:14 PM

Feeding the Muse: Seeking inspiration.


(from past experience)

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 01:43 PM

"Bodhran-y Barney For Bairnies"-a kids song and percussion workshop

"Hallelujah! Barney-gain!"-Dinosaur Gospel

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 02:38 PM

Allowable criticsm of Obama?   Even shorter.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 02:42 PM

Didn't Eliza Carthy and some friends threaten to do, if not actually do an ABBA set at Whitby last year?

Of course, we could expand it to include Elvis C. and program an ABBA & Costello workshop, if we could ever decide who to put on first.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 02:43 PM

"ABBA & Costello workshop"

THAT might just work out....

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Jayto
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 02:46 PM

That is great ABBA & Costello classic I'd be there lol

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 03:02 PM

"Bush Ballads"

Lord knows who would show up and why!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: artbrooks
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 03:24 PM

Songs about the military that aren't anti-war or anti-soldier.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Jayto
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 03:26 PM

songs about Cheez Whiz

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Peter T.
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 03:35 PM

"Folk Music and the Internet: Pro and Con?"


yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Amos
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 03:46 PM

Learning to Perform Like William Shatner--A Beginner's Workshop.

Really Bawdy Songs in Croation and Latvian You Can Sing Almost Anywhere.

Techniques in 4/4 Rhythm Guitar.

So You Want to Sing Back Up ? Doowop and Oooh-Wah for Fun and Profit!

Using Augmented Flatted Sevenths in Folk Music.

Advanced Moustache Tuner and Nose Picker Techniques.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 03:47 PM

"Really Bawdy Songs in Croation and Latvian You Can Sing Almost Anywhere"




I thought we DID this one?

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: MMario
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 04:01 PM

So You Want to Sing Back Up ? Doowop and Oooh-Wah for Fun and Profit!


I *know* this one has been done

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 05:55 PM

A Bedpan-orama of 1980's Pop Music

Songs Of The Arayan Brotherhood

Cannibalism

Pre-Gospel Sing Rattlesnake-handling Workshop

Polygamy

"Skip To The Loo"-A History of Restrooms in Folk Music

"Cop An Attutude"-In Praise Of Our Friends The Police

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 06:06 PM

Cannibalism - I know at least three folk songs on cannibalism. A perfectly acceptable workshop.


ABBA and Costello?

Niagara Falls...Slowly I turned.Step by step, inch by inch...

The Susquehannah Hat Company? On Jerolemon Street? I died on Jerolemon Street...

Who's on first? I don't know. No! Third base!


All done.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 06:23 PM

Mary,

Wasn't the "Niagra Falls" routine The 3 Stooges?


"When I was a lad
And Old Shemp was a Stooge...."


THERE! You can include them in acceptable song in this or another workshop now, sung out of your red folio amidst the red foliage of October!

ABBA-Dabba Honeymoon, though, as well as the soundtrack music to the "ABBAs Of Steel" video might be a stretch......

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 06:25 PM

A workshop on the entire "A Little Gest of Robyn Hood" with open discussion between verses.

The workshop would start on Friday night and end sometime in December.

(The one recorded version is 140 Megabytes as an MP3)

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 06:29 PM

.....only because they prefer ABBA-rigional folk music there.


Like' maybe:

"Let me ABBAs go loose, Lou*
Let me ABBAs go loose.
There'e of no further use, Lou*,
So let me ABBAs go loose,
All together now......."




*Lou, being Lou Costello, I presume....

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: CET
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 06:37 PM

Well, Art, Charmion and I did lead a workshop on soldier songs that wasn't a total failure a few years back, and I can assure you that neither of us are anti-soldier.

How about "Shaky Egg stylings of the Eastern Seabord".

Edmund

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 06:46 PM

How to deal with self made experts on Folk Music who rally can't play or sing anyway, know nothing about the subject, and even less about Music Theory, but have the Force of their Conviction to ignore all attempts at education but carry on in their narrow minded bigotedness.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 07:21 PM

We don't need that workshop...we have it all worked out.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: kendall
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 07:27 PM

voyager, are you trying to start something?

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 07:49 PM

Yes, Edmund, but soldiers are forever writing their own folksongs to put their mind AWOL even though their body's in bondage. New soldier and sailor songs are being written as we speak, Though mostly parodies.


So, Art, there's actually plenty of them around and one could easily do a workshop. Saul Broudy, who was at Getaway last year, has done workshops on twentieth century soldier songs at fests I've been to and Barry Finn who attends regularly is rumoured to be working with his partner in Finn & Haddie on a CD of US Metal Navy songs. Oscar Brand put out six recordings at least of songs covering all four branches of the military and Flying Fish Records put out one of Vietnam soldier's songs. Songs like "Bless 'Em All" or "Holy Jesus, What A Helluva Way To Die have versions for several, if not all of the services. Soldiers don't control their own destiny and so have always contributed or starred in folksongs since time immemorial. Faulty equipment and leadership, faulty personal equipment and leadership and bragging and lying are constant themes. They've always been and often been acknowledged as part of The Folk.

A workshop on military song, WWI to present was actually suggested this year and may yet see light.


I only joked about Policemen, for example, because they don't tend to write songs themselves and few people tend to write from their viewpoint so the outlaws are far better represented.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Leadfingers
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 08:11 PM

One of the suggestions for an 'alternative' programme for Sidmouth a few years back was a Wrapper Sword workshop - Brown Paper and string provided .

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Severn
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 08:31 PM

Jayto,

Sunday morning, they'll have plenty of them in the workshops!

"What A Friend we Have In Cheese-Whiz"

"Cheese-Whiz Is Just Alright With Me"

"The Little Lard Cheese-Whiz"

....and all your favorite cheezy artificial aerosol dairy-airs!

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 08:54 PM

Lots of happy traditional ballads!

Some that come readily to mind:
Captain Wedderburn's Courtship
The Maid of the Cowdenknowes
The Devil and the Farmer's Wife (ends up happily for everybody but the Devil. Oh, wait! The poor farmer gets his wife back!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Genie
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 09:58 PM

Blues workshops:
~He didn't do her wrong
~I slept in this morning
or
~I didn't wake up this morning
~Swedish Gypsy music
~Madrigals for balalaika and kazoo
~Country songs that use perfect grammar

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: kendall
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 10:05 PM

Latvian lullabies in the key of "R"

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: kendall
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 10:06 PM

Tibet sea chanties.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Joe_F
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 11:04 PM

A lovely happy Child ballad is "The False Lover Won Back". True, the man *starts* to do what a man in a ballad does after he gets the lady pregnant, but then she convinces him that he is behaving not only irresponsibly but foolishly in running away from a good thing. Not a single felony is committed.

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 12:45 AM

Oh, I know there are plenty of happy ballads out there - I just question whether folks'll show up at a workshop on the subject. (I might, but that's just me.)

What scares me is how many of the real oddball topics suggested here I can think of songs for.

Dan

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 12:58 AM

"how many of the real oddball topics suggested here I can think of songs for"

... or people...

Subject: RE: Getaway Workshops Doomed to Failure
From: Genie
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 01:29 AM

Severn, a couple o' yourn sound promising:

"A Bedpan-orama of 1980's Pop Music"

or how about "BedPan Alley Hits?"

"Cannibalism" - actually I do know a couple songs for that one. ; )

I really do like this idea;   "'Skip To The Loo'"-A History of Restrooms in Folk Music"

But then, we Mudcatters have a whole (long) thread about "farting songs." At least I think we used to. I'm afraid that workshop might be a victim of its own success!