Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)

Subject: Chords/LyricsReq-Poorest Company(Drever)
From: TradFan984
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 01:36 PM

Hi

Would anyone please have the lyrics and chords for the song "The Poorest Company" (think it's also called "Steal What We Can") that Kris Drever, John McCusker and Roddy Woomble did?

Many thanks
TradFan984

Subject: Lyr Add: POOREST COMPANY (Kris Drever)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 10:36 AM

Allmusic.com says THE POOREST COMPANY is performed by Kris Drever, John McCusker, and Roddy Woomble on their album "Before the Ruin," Navigator Records, 2008.

STEAL WHAT WE CAN is performed by Drever, McCusker & Woomble on the sampler CD "That's Proper Folk!"

I got interested when I read that Norman Blake performs on this album, but then I learned it's the Scottish Norman Blake, not the American Norman Blake. (Who knew there were two?)

The only sound file I could find of THE POOREST COMPANY was on Kris Drever's MySpace page. It seems to be the complete song. I don't know if it's from the same album. Here is my transcription:


THE POOREST COMPANY

When the world feels like the water breathing in and out of thee,
And I'm standing beside you, there's a shadow where a man should be,
I would be glad enough if wherever I may be,
People would remember we're woven in this tapestry.

When we steal what we can, with the courage to be free,
And I've found where I belong among the poorest company.

When the world feels like a world, a useless spinning orrery(?)*
A country round my shoulders, a flag raised on a gallows tree,
I won't let it get you down. I know there are people now
Who bind together what they do and live their lives like I want to.

When we steal what we can, I take everything I see,
And I've found where I belong among the poorest company.

When we steal what we can, with the courage to be free,
And I've found where I belong among the poorest company.


[*I've never heard the word "orrery" in a song before, but it makes sense in this context. Trouble is, I doubt it's the right word. He seems to pronounce it with a "g", like "orrergry". I thought of "augury" but that doesn't seem right either.]

Subject: RE: Chords/LyricsReq-Poorest Company(Drever)
From: theleveller
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 10:49 AM

Buy the CD - it's great and all the lyrics are all there. I'm about to try to work out the guitar accompaniment myself.

Subject: RE: Chords/LyricsReq-Poorest Company(Drever)
From: TradFan984
Date: 18 Oct 08 - 10:16 AM

Hi

Thanks both of you for your help. I was trying to work out the chords but not much luck yet.

TradFan984

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 08 - 07:15 PM

If it helps I know he plays the song in dropped D

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: TradFan984
Date: 07 Nov 08 - 09:09 AM

Thanks very much. I'm very basic on the guitar (haven't been playing it that long) so am not that great at working out some songs! But really want to learn this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 10:20 AM

i think at the end of the first line in the second verse he says "spinning all around me"

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 07:38 PM

Yeah would also like to know the chords to this song or anything off his "Black Water" album.
Great!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drev
From: GUEST,sam_a
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 10:46 AM

From what I can hear, Drever is playing this song in the drop C equivalent of DADGAD, which would be CGCFGC, hope that helps

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST,Pigstrings
Date: 19 Jul 09 - 08:50 PM

An orrery is "a clockwork model of the solar system". Which makes sense in the context of the song, so I think it's the right word. I have it on a compilation album, which doesn't provide the words.

Good song.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 20 Jul 09 - 05:02 PM

Also on U Tube at celtic connections 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvicZxjCrWQ

CC

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST,Useless
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 07:55 PM

Hey guys

Thanks for all the help and suggestions on the chords to this. I am however, useless and still can't figure it out.

Any dumbed down suggestions for an incompetent?

Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST,austin_h
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 02:58 PM

Well this seems to be based in G but starts in C, then to Dm. There is a lovley Em G Em G bit but I suspect the chords are a little more subtle. A tuned guitar then but I am still experimenting for the easiest for my now slightly arthritic fingers.

What's this song about? A flag raised on a gallows tree. Reference to our ( UK ) conflicts? When we steal..is this time?--stealing time?

Am I being to allegorical?

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: THE POOREST COMPANY (Kris Drever)
From: Darowyn
Date: 07 May 10 - 11:47 AM

I've had this song running through my head for days now, so I decided to sit down and arrange the chords for a conventionally tuned guitar, rather than using all the sustained chords and drones that you get with open tunings.

If you want to play it like the record, copy the record. If you just want to pick up your guitar and sing it, try this:-

It's in C like the recording.

Were you just going by the final chord when you said it was in G, Austin?

It doesn't resolve, and it has a big F natural in the refrain, that makes it C or A minor to my ear.

(C) When the world feels like the (Am) water breathing (Em) in and out of (G) thee,
And I'm (C) standing beside you, there's a (Am) shadow where a (Em) man should (G) be,
(Em) I would be (G) glad enough (Em) if wherever I may (G) be,
(C) People would re- (Am) member we're (Em) woven in this (G) tapestry.

When we (F) steal what we (Dm) can, with the (Am) courage to be (G) free,
And I've (F) found where I (Dm) belong among the (Am) poorest (G) company.

When the world feels like a world, a useless spinning orrery(?)*
A country round my shoulders, a flag raised on a gallows tree,
I won't let it get you down. I know there are people now
Who bind together what they do and live their lives like I want to.

When we steal what we can, I take everything I see,
And I've found where I belong among the poorest company.

When we steal what we can, with the courage to be free,
And I've found where I belong among the poorest company.

Cheers
Dave

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 07 May 10 - 05:15 PM

test Dave's chords by watching The Poorest Company - Drever McCusker Woomble

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST,Kate
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 10:08 AM

I thought it was 'all round me'.... don't know!!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Oct 11 - 07:59 AM

That's an excellent video of an excellent performance of an excellent song! How often do you get such perfect clarity?

Now we know that "orrery" is the correct word after all. I notice several words are sung differently in the video than in the audio file I transcribed previously. I think they are an improvement. I have boldfaced them below:


When the wind feels like the water breathing in and out of me,
And I'm standing beside you, with a shadow where a man should be,
I would be glad enough if wherever I might be,
People would remember we're woven in a tapestry.

When we steal what we can, with the courage to be free,
And I've found where I belong among the poorest company.

When the world feels like the world, a useless spinning orrery,
A country round its shoulders, a flag raised on a gallows tree,
I won't let it get me down. I know there are people now
Who bind together what they do and live their lives like I want to.

When we steal what we can, I take everything I see,
And I've found where I belong among the poorest company.

When we steal what we can, with the courage to be free,
And I've found where I belong among the poorest company.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST,Ethan
Date: 13 Nov 11 - 12:38 PM

Jim,

The lyrics to the song are included on the album sleeve. They are actually like this:

When the wind feels like the words are breathing in and out of me
I'm standing beside you and there's a shadow where a man should be
I would be glad enough, if wherever I might be
People would remember we're woven in this tapestry

When we steal what we can
with a courage to be free
And I found where I belong
Amongst the poorest company

When the wind feels like the world
in useless spinning all round me
A country round my shoulders
Its flag raised on a gallows tree

I won't let it get me down
I know there are people now
Who bind together what they do
And live their lives like I'd want to

When we steal what we can
I take everything I see
And I found where I belong
Amongst the poorest company

When we steal what we can
With a courage to be free
And I found where I belong
Amongst the poorest company

Trying to tab it at the moment.....

Ethan

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Dec 11 - 02:33 PM

I still say that, in the video at least, it sounds like he's singing "orrery" rather than "all around me."

And he definitely sings "among" rather than "amongst."

I can't check the recording from the album, since I don't have it, and it seems to have been deleted from his MySpace page.

I guess if you want to sing this song, you've got to sing whatever makes most sense to you. I just hope that, if "orrery" is an unfamiliar word to you, you at least make an effort to find out what it is, before you decide to sing "all around me."

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST,Ethan
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 07:00 AM

Are you on medication? These are the lyrics from the album sleeve! I think we should trust the group's own lyrics, rather than your "transcription". Do you still think the first line is "When the wind feels like the water breathing in and out of me"?!?

I can check the recording from the album, and he sings "all round me".

You can clearly hear on this video what he sings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dlwPsgkLEM

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:35 PM

I'd always thought the line was 'like a useless spinning orb round me', with orb in the sense of planet.

Orrery makes sense, but is pretty obscure, no?

Amazing song in any case, definitely my favourite from the album.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST,Chris N
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 06:51 PM

The other chords didn't sound quite right to me, how's this? (matching the words to chords is a bit tricky, sorry). Still not sure if there should be an Am or not on the second line of the chorus but I like the C slightly better.

(C) When the (F) wind (Am) feels like the (G) words are (C) breathing (F) in and (Em) out of (G) me (C)

(F) I'm stand- (Am) -ing (G) beside you and there's a (C) shadow (F) where a (Em) man should (G) be

(Em) I would (F) be (Em) glad enough, (F) (Em) if wher- (F) ever (Em) I might (F) be (Em)

(Em)If People (F) would (Am) re- (G) member we're (C) woven (F) in this (Em) tape- (G) -stry

(C) When we (F) steal (C) what we (G) can (C) (C) with a (F) courage (C) to be (G) free (C) (C) And I (F) found where (C) I be- (G) long (Am) (Am) Amongst the (G) poorest company

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Poorest Company (Kris Drever)
From: GUEST,Chris N
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 06:53 PM

Oops, sorry about the chorus formatting, should be:

When we (F) steal (C) what we (G) can (C)

(C) with a (F) courage (C) to be (G) free (C)

(C) And I (F) found where (C) I be- (G) long (Am)

(Am) Amongst the (G) poorest company