Lyr Req: Love Is the Answer (The Mitchell Trio)

Subject: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 04:00 AM

This is an unrecorded song by The Mitchell Trio. I hope that somebody could transcribe the lyrics.
MP3 Download (bad quality, but there is no better version)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 06:12 AM

I hope that somebody could transcribe the lyrics of this unrecorded song (Shackles) by The Mitchell Trio. Thanks.
MP3 Download (sound quality quite good)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 06:16 AM

I can recognise some of the lyrics:

Your flowers are burning, they're burning today.
...
Love, love, love is the answer.
Love, love, love is the way.
...

But I can't transcribe all of the lyrics. I'm a Chinese who doesn't have a good English listening, so I hope that somebody could help me. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 08:44 PM

How the heck did you find those? Is there more where they came from?

It seems If You Had Me In Shackles was written by Tom Paxton, but never recorded by anyone. Here's what I hear:

If you had me in shackles on a dungeon floor
Cold iron shackles and a cast-iron door
A battalion of troopers just watchin' me
I'd still be free

If you had me on an island in the Spanish Main
In a Spanish fortress in a jungle of rain
A squadron of cruisers just watchin' me
I'd still be free

(Bridge)
Your shackles couldn't change my mind
Couldn't make me be what you want me to
Your power couldn't make me blind
The way it's blinded you

If you had me in a tower with a marble wall
One window above me, no stairs at all
If you needed a ladder just to check on me
I'd still be free

Repeat bridge. Repeat 1st stanza.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 16 Apr 09 - 01:53 AM

Wow, thanks very much! I've been finding this song's origin's for a long time, but I didn't find it.
About this two songs,they are found in John Marlowe's TMT and John Denver records.

Subject: Lyr Add: IF YOU HAD ME IN SHACKLES (Tom Paxton)
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 16 Apr 09 - 08:27 AM

Well, many thanks to Gerry who transcribed the lyrics, but I think they should be post again formally.

If You Had Me In Shackles
(Tom Paxton)

If you had me in shackles on a dungeon floor
Cold iron shackles and a cast-iron door
A battalion of troopers just watching me
I'd still be free

If you had me on an island in the Spanish Main
In a Spanish fortress in a jungle of rain
A squadron of cruisers just watching me
I'd still be free

Your shackles couldn't change my mind
Couldn't make me be what you want me to
Your power couldn't make me blind
The way it's blinded you

If you had me in a tower with a marble wall
One window above me, no stairs at all
If you needed a ladder just to check on me
I'd still be free

Your shackles couldn't change my mind
Couldn't make me be what you want me to
Your power couldn't make me blind
The way it's blinded you

If you had me in shackles on a dungeon floor
Cold iron shackles and a cast-iron door
A battalion of troopers just watching me
I'd still be free
I'd still be free
I'd still be free

(Thanks again to Gerry)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 10:22 AM

Hi Gerry,
I have a question to ask you.
How do you know that the song "If You Had Me In Shackles" is written by Tom Paxton? Did you look it up at the ASCAP's license page?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 10:28 AM

Can anybody help me transcribe the lyrics of the song "Love Is The Answer"? Or is it too unclear to understand?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 01:55 PM

Okay, I gave it my best shot. Here's what I think I hear:

LOVE IS THE ANSWER

[The beginning is unintelligible.]
...of (uncertain? unburdened?) questions; you think there's no answer.
You really don't think there's a way.

But your eyes they are cloudy; your friends cannot see you.
Your flowers are burning, and they're burning today.
You can't understand and you think you don't want to.
The reasons are fading, you say.

CHORUS: Love, love, love is the answer.
Love, love, love is the way.
Love, love, love is the promise.
Love is the dream we can all live some day,
Every day.

Because of the (movies? moonbeams?) of yesterday's glories
But life was a legend and you had to be there.
It still is the same, although pain is the promise.
You have to be strong to be able to care.

CHORUS TWICE.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 08:46 PM

Yes, DDPro, I typed "If You Had Me In Shackles" into Google and the only page it found was that ASCAP page.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Apr 09 - 12:06 AM

I looked up "Love Is the Answer" at the Harry Fox Agency, http://www.harryfox.com. Of the 60-some songs with the title "Love Is the Answer," there's one called THE WANDERING SOUL (LOVE IS THE ANSWER) by John Denver. It was recorded by a singer named Mack Bailey on an album called Why I'm Here. But the Sound Sample (click) doesn't sound like the song DDPro is seeking. Darn.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Peace
Date: 18 Apr 09 - 04:51 AM

DDPro:

Send a message to Padre. He is a Mudcat member and he might be able to answer your question.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 18 Apr 09 - 07:16 AM

Wow, thank you very much, Jim Dixon!
About the song "Wandering Soul (Love Is The Answer)", it was a piano song written and sung by John Denver in 1995, but never been officially released by him. I have a copy of him singing that song at the 1995 concert in Windstar Symposium, which is of pretty good sound quality. I love that song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Apr 09 - 04:49 PM

I think you have the wrong Padre, Peace - that one specialized in sear songs. I think the person to contact is Vicar, sometime Mudcatter Joe Frazier, who was a member of the Mitchell Trio. Joe hasn't posted since November, so he's a little harder to get hold of. I think I'll send him an e-mail and ask him.
Both are Episcopalian priests.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Peace
Date: 18 Apr 09 - 06:44 PM

DANG! Thanks, Joe. Soon as I saw your post the bell went "DING!:"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,VICAR
Date: 18 Apr 09 - 07:28 PM

I don't recall this one at all. But then, I didn't remember recording Mark Twain's "Battle Hymn of the Republic Brought Down to Date" either until Spadecaller posted it on You Tube! It sounds like something John would have written in later years and I can't recognize my voice in it. Thanks for asking and reminding me of Mudcat. The Trio just did some concerts back east, including one for Cong. Dave Obey which was attended by Obama!!!! He thnked us and promised not to sing anything. How cool can one person be?!

                                          Joe Frazier

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,Vicar
Date: 18 Apr 09 - 07:35 PM

I JUST FORGOT TO SAY HELLO WITH LOVE TO MY OLD FRIEND "PEACE" (ALSO KNOWN AS BRUCE MURDOCH). GIVE ME A CALL AND I'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THE TRIP! THANKS AGAIN TO JOE OFFER FOR THE EMAIL.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Peace
Date: 18 Apr 09 - 07:46 PM

Hey, Joe. I will give you a call tomorrow--Sunday--in the early evening. I'm in Sooke, BC just now and getting ready for a show. I hope the trip was wonderful for you. I don't doubt you all did great work there. Good to hear from you.

Bruce

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 19 Apr 09 - 03:19 AM

Thank you very much for posting on my thread, Vicar!

About why you cannot recognize your voice in it, it's because that the trio sung these two songs in 1968, after you left the trio.(Did you left the trio in 1966 or 1967?)

BTW, Now I don't know why Chad Mitchell Trio isn't very famous now. Chad Mitchell, Mike Kobluk, Mike Pugh, David Boise & Joe Frazier were great singers, they had very great harmonies; John Denver, Michael Johnson & Roger McGuinn became famous after leaving the trio. So the trio should be very famous imo, but it isn't.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Peace
Date: 19 Apr 09 - 07:07 PM

I shall have to call Monday instead. Will be in transit at that time Joe. Much love back to you.

Bruce

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Apr 09 - 03:33 PM

DDPro,
               Thanks for the compliment. Actually, we did enough recognition to get our music out in CD's' and DVD's(Our new set "Then and Now" covers the fifty years we've been together.) We're still doing concerts, including one recently where we sang for and met Obama. We also have lasted long enough to be the only group with the original members which is still ambulatory. Check out our website (chadmitchelltrio.com) and our Facebook page for upcoming concerts. Thanks again to Mudcat for being there! Peace
                                                                                                                Joe Frazier

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Is The Answer: The Mitchell Trio
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 21 Apr 09 - 08:17 AM

Joe,
    I'm glad to hear that the trio is still holding concerts and met Obama once! I used to think that the trio broke up in 1968 and only did few reunion concerts (the "CMT Reunion" concert with John Denver & the "Then & Now" concert with Tom Paxton, etc.), but I'm wrong. Now I know that the trio sang a new song called "The George Bush Society" (based on the old 60's CMT song "The John Birch Society") recently.
    And, The song "Business Goes On As Usual" was originally sung by you, isn't it? I love that song and it is always one of my favorite anti-war songs. Thank you very much for bringing that great song to us!
    BTW, English is not my mother tongue (I'm a Chinese), so if I did some grammar mistakes while posting threads, please forgive me. Thanks!

Subject: RE: If You Had Me in Shackles (Tom Paxton)
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 20 Dec 14 - 04:20 PM

Update - to anyone interested - finally found Tom's original version of the Shackles song at a 1967 WBAI joint concert recording with Patrick Sky. It also includes a hilarious song about "the Cardinal". Tom joined Patrick on "Give to the Cause".

Jason