Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)

Subject: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Melissa
Date: 15 May 09 - 07:37 PM

I probably spelled the name wrong (which may explain why I'm not having any luck finding any clues) but this is one I know as a banjo tune. Recently, a local bluegrassy banjo guy started coming around and after playing the song, the conversation turned to "I think there are words to that..are there?"

Anybody know if some words have been added (or lost, turning it into an instrumental) somewhere along the line?

Thanks,
M

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 May 09 - 08:58 PM

Probably the wrong one, but "Charmaine" was a popular waltz song of the 1920s, Lew Pollack, words and Erno Rapee, music. Written in 1926, still under copyright.

There may be others with that name.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Melissa
Date: 15 May 09 - 09:07 PM

"The song was originally in waltz time, but later versions were in common time"
---http://dbpedia2.openlinksw.com:8895/page/Charmaine_%28song%29---

The words to that one DO fit the length and timing of the one I'm familiar with. Maybe I can find a midi of that one..

Thanks, Q

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 May 09 - 10:28 PM

There are several youtube videos of the waltz one Q mentions. This is an esp. nice one, imo: clickety. I am surprised I never heard my mom and dad play this. It's really pretty. It sure sounds like there oughta be words!:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Melissa
Date: 15 May 09 - 10:33 PM

I'll look at that one, Kat--thanks.
My computer connection is so slow that I can rarely bear the thought of trying to find things on youtube..so I appreciate you sniffing one out for me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 May 09 - 10:35 PM

Found some lyrics - it will not let me copy and paste, so please click here.:-)

And, here are easier to read ones which Jim Reeves used: Click.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Melissa
Date: 15 May 09 - 10:51 PM

Yep..it seems to be the same song!

Thank you

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Melissa
Date: 16 May 09 - 12:30 AM

The song was in a movie called "Two Girls and a Sailor"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 May 09 - 12:38 AM

There's some info about it at WIKI, also.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Anglo
Date: 16 May 09 - 12:52 AM

It was a big hit in England in the 1950s or so by the Mantovani orchestra - 101 strings, or something like that. Very schlocky. I can't imagine it on a banjo.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Melissa
Date: 16 May 09 - 01:01 AM

I wish you could hear it on the banjo, Anglo. It's a NEAT song when it zips along!

I think I read somewhere that the Mantovani hit was in 1951. I was worried that I might have to dig through old records (amazing how many albums like that end up in piles of records in auctions or given to me by nice people!) and listen to that one to see if the waltz is the same basic melody as the one we've been playing.

When I was trying to search it out, I wish I had thought to try wiki. I hardly ever think of that and sometimes it's a good place to get enough information to figure out how to find more..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Melissa
Date: 16 May 09 - 01:21 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn02ilo1lj8
Junction Jammers Pt2

the first few notes of this sound about the speed we do it..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: GUEST,JohnnyBeezer
Date: 16 May 09 - 09:20 AM

It was also a vocal hit in the early 60's by a singing trio from Ireland, 'The Bachelors'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Cool Beans
Date: 16 May 09 - 01:22 PM

I heard it once on a mandolin, lots of tremelos. Schlocky but cool at the same time, like so many old pop songs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 May 09 - 01:37 PM

Shhh! Won't let you copy?
Use your handy dandy digital camera and download to your computer; if you can see it it can be copied.

Subject: Lyr Add: CHARMAINE (from The Bachelors)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 May 09 - 03:26 PM

Yeah, it can be copied, but I had to improvise. First, I had to "view page source". I saw that all the lyrics were represented like this:

Waiting just [etc.]

So I copied and pasted it into the Mudcat message box and clicked "preview". This converted the lyrics for me. One more copy and paste got the lyrics into Word. That's where I inserted line breaks:

Waiting just for you
Charmai-ai-ai-ai-ai-aine
I wonder why you keep me wai-ai-aiting
Charmai-aine (my Charmaine) cries in vai-ai-ain (cries in vain)
I wonder when bluebirds are mating
Will you come back agai-ai-ain
And I wonder if I keep on praying
Will our dreams be the same (be the same)
I wonder if ever you think of me too
I'm waiting, my Charmaine, for you
I wonder why you keep me wai-ai-aiting
Charmaine (my Charmaine) My Charmaine (my Charmaine)
I wonder when bluebirds are mating
Will you come back agai-ai-ain
And I wonder if I keep on praying
Will our dreams be the same (be the same)
I wonder if ever you think of me too
I'm waiting, my Charmaine, for you
Just for you I'm waiting, my Charmaine, for you... (Just - for - you...)

[By the way, the above lyrics were transcribed from a recording by The Bachelors, an Irish group who charted CHARMAINE in the UK in 1963.]

[Here is the catalog entry from the Indiana University sheet music collection: (Online images are not available.)]

Title:
    Charmaine
First Line:
    You went away one dreary day, I knew you had to go, 'mid tears
First Line of Chorus:
    I wonder why you keep me waiting, Charmaine cries in vain
Title of Larger Work:
    What price glory
Composer:
    Pollack, Lew
Composer:
    Rapee, Erno
Arranger:
    Breen, May Singhi
Published:
    San Francisco: Sherman, Clay & Co., copyright 1927
Form/genre:
    Moving picture music
Instrumentation:
    Piano and Voice

[The above information enabled me to correct one error in the transcription!]

Subject: Lyr Add: CHARMAINE (Lew Pollack / Erno Rapee)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 May 09 - 07:24 PM

Lyrics and info copied from International Lyrics Playground:


CHARMAINE
Written to promote the silent film "What Price Glory?" (1926)
(Lew Pollack / Erno Rapee)

MALE LYRICS:

I can't forget the night we met.
How bright were stars above!
That precious memory lingers yet
When you declared your love.

And then you went away
And now each night and day...

I wonder why you keep me waiting,
Charmaine, my Charmaine.
I wonder when bluebirds are mating,
Will you come back again?

I wonder if I keep on praying,
Will our dreams be the same?
I wonder if you ever think of me, too.
I'm waiting, my Charmaine, for you.


FEMALE LYRICS:

You went away one dreary day.
I knew you had to go.
'Mid tears and cheers I heard you say:
"Charmaine, I love you so."

Though old years turn to new,
My heart keeps calling you...

I wonder why you keep me waiting,
Charmaine cries in vain.
I wonder when bluebirds are mating,
Will you come back again?

I wonder if I keep on praying
Will our dreams be the same?
I wonder if you ever think of me, too?
Charmaine's waiting, just for you.

*
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (vocal: Carmen Lombardo) - 1927
Lewis James - 1927
Frankie Carle & His Girlfriends - 1944
Harry James & His Orch. - 1944
Mantovani & His Orch. - 1951
Gordon Jenkins & His Orch. (vocal: Bob Carroll) - 1951
Harmonicats (Instr.) - 1951
Paul Weston & His Orch. (vocal: Norman Luboff Choir) - 1951
Billy May & His Orch. (Instr.) - 1952
Vaughn Monroe & His Orch. - 1952
Jim Reeves - 1958
Vic Damone - 1962
Frank Sinatra - 1962
The Bachelors - 1963
Lou Rawls - 1965

Also recorded by: Hank Thompson; Billy Daniels; Gracie Fields; Ethel Smith; The Ink Spots; Four Freshmen; Michel Legrand; James Last; Josef Locke; Moms & Dads; Julia Lee; Lester Lanin & Orch; Harry James & Orch; Tex Beneke; Bill Haley; Jimmy Arnold; The Ink Spots; Sammy Kaye; The Four Preps; Errol Garner; Jimmie Lunceford & Orch; Max Bygraves; The Four Knights; Tommy Dorsey & Orch; Layton & Johnstone; Robert Maxwell; Cyril Stapleton & Orch; and many others.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charmaine (fiddle/banjo tune)
From: Melissa
Date: 19 May 09 - 05:21 PM

Thanks, Jim Dixon!

I've gotten a lot more information here than I expected..and I appreciate it.