Set Suggestions...

Subject: Set Suggestions...
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 05:51 AM

Five Guys Not Called Matt (don't ask) made their debut yesterday at Folk on the Green, and a splendid time was had by all. We're five (unsurprisingly) lusty chaps singing unaccompanied traditional songs - and we have every intention of carrying on doing so.

Given a 20-minute slot, we've only got six songs down pat, which are as follows:

The Miner's Lifeguard

Dido Bendigo

Paddy Lay Back

Father Mackie

A Country Life

Rolling Home (The John Tams one)

So, as an experiment I suppose, I'm throwing our set open to suggestions - what should we sing (if anything)?

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 10:18 AM

Row On, Sportsmen Arouse, Thousands or More, Jones'Ale, Free and Easy, Shallow Brown, The Horn of the Hunter, Sweet Nightingale, Seaman's Prayer ..
Or if you like Sydney Carter, there's John Ball, and Silver in the Stubble.
Trying to match the type and find ones for good multipart voices. If you do Irish songs, there's a bunch more...
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: Fadac
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 10:57 AM

I once read in the old Concertina & squeeze box mag, that you needed 8 tunes down cold. To hold a set. Perhaps they were talking about a 45 min. set. Then one of the tunes being "drunken sailor" that can streach for as long as you can stand it. a Then a bit of chatting between tunes, could make the 45 min.

Fadac - The let me introduce my bus driver, man.

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: Bert
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 11:01 AM

Of course, you've only got to learn "Villikins and his Dinah" and you can play a NEW number every time out.

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: LEJ
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 05:31 PM

Innagaddadavida will easily complete a set for you. You should hear the drum solo on bodhran.

LEJ

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 06:45 PM

Say, Dai, the one and only, did you want serious answers? I just reread your post, and I'm sorry, I thought you were asking for more songs to do like the ones listed. I was thinking 45 minute set, not 20.
In general people start with something upbeat/fast that they know well, and end with a rouser. So, I don't know the Miners lifeguard or Father Mackie , but I'd suggest starting with Paddy Lay Back or Dido, Bendigo. And of course, close with Rolling Home.
Blessings,
Barbara
Let us know how it goes!

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 06:47 PM

Tho depending on location and time of day, the ending one can be something considerably slower and sad, just needs good harmony and feeling to it. It should be a popular song.

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 07:19 PM

Dai

What's this "Father Mackie" song, please?

Regards

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 08:19 PM

Dai,
Where are you?.. geographically wise that is.. This will undoubtedly affect your choice of repotoire...
A couple of good English Morris Songs are The Nutting Girl (the usual folk subject of sex) and The Postman's Knock (another good folk subject of marital dischord).
I take your point that you are and wish to remain unaccompanied, but as LEJ hinted at, if one member of your troupe is or could be competent on the Bodhran.. Whiskey Your The Devil is a great number to do (along with a thousand others)
Cheers
Mick

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: Chet W.
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 08:22 PM

Completely agree with Barbara, and I might add that in my experience, it's better to keep instrumentals to a minimum (at most 2 per set) unless you're playing for an audience of musicians. Most people really like singing, me included. Another thing my partner and I think about a lot is not going above or below the audience's head. I might enjoy knowing the whole history of a song, but most people like only an little of that, and not too much time between songs. A good 50-minute set is what we shoot for, which usually consists of 12 or 13 songs, and make the last set, if you do three, a little shorter. As soon as you build a following, take requests during the last set. Try to be gracious when someone requests something you don't play. My bane is requests for Jimmy Buffett songs. People who make such requests sometimes get angry if you say you don't play that one; It's like, "You've got a guitar and it's not electric. You're just being mean or you're lying about not playing Jimmy Buffett". One thing I've done is write my own songs in the style of Jimmy Buffett (one called "Coconuts For Brains") and others, like Kenny Rogers. The requestor never knows the difference, and the knowing audience has a little fun. But never, no never, talk down to your audience, like if they don't know as much as you do about music. If you find you're playing in a place that makes you feel like doing that, find another place. Have a signature last song. Mine was a somewhat obscene version (without being overt about it) of Goodnight Irene, for a long time. (I'll post the lyrics if you like). Or this might be a good time for an extended instrumental.

Good luck, Chet W.

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: katmuse (inactive)
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 02:36 AM

Chet: Always interested in somewhat obscene versions of songs (or almost anything, for that matter). What's yours for "Goodnight Irene", since you offered to post it? (Start an offshoot thread?)

-- Katmuse

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 03:46 AM

Thanks chaps, doing well so far. We're in the position of knowing 70 or 80 songs between us that we could probably do with a few hour's practice, so (being one of five hopelessly indecisive people) I thought I'd just ask what people thought. This being the Mudcat though, I didn't really expect that many serious suggestions. Incidentally, we're probably aiming for a 45 minute set.

You've surprised me a couple of times already, please continue to do so...

Father Mackie has the tune of The Vicar of Bray and a lyric deriding the corruption of the priesthood: viz.

Father Mackie no more enjoys the burden of my song sir,
I'll tell you the life that a priest enjoys, his constitution's strong sir;
It's his delight to drink all night, his cares in beer to drown sir,
And in the morn, he gets his horn (fnarr fnarr), and Tally Ho the hounds, sir.
(ch:) And Tally ho, Tally Ho, Tally ho the hounds sir,
In the morn he gets his horn and Tally Ho the hounds sir.

et cetera. I'll post it if you really don't know it...

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 04:13 AM

Oh, and Mick, if you follow the link I posted at the top of the thread, you'll get a mess o'links about Stony Stratford. (oops, another one slipped in there) Have a look, sign the guestbook, grab your box and visit.

Subject: RE: Set Suggestions...
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 18 Jun 99 - 10:15 AM

...STOP PRESS...
...Five Guys appearing at Great Knights Folk Club, Northampton July 6th 1999, along with some guy called Sid Kipper... Suspicious pot/kettle interface threatened... Sombre, righteous songs concerning Nature Of Existence And The Human Condition to be performed...