A Shanty for Barry Finn

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 11:02 PM

They could also be running gold from Johannesburg to the Chesapeake shores. I like that fancy.

In any case, well written, and well sung.


A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Janie
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 10:19 PM

Brought tears to my eyes.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Tony H
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 09:54 PM

Farewell, Barry Finn, one of/if not the finest shanty men I've ever had the pleasure to know and sing with. I will miss your voice on Tuesday evenings at Cameron's. The tremendous heart you put into your songs will echo in my soul always and I will cherish the memories. Rest in peace, you feisty little Irishman. Here's hoping you were in heaven an hour before the devil knew ye were dead!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 06:25 PM

Rumrunners!! Awright!



A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 05:54 PM

David, I love your voice no matter what you're singing, but that tune is perfect for a group of strong singers and wanton harmony sluts. It's not fast, but it sure is bold, and I'm sure Barry'd love it and be honored you did that for him.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 05:16 PM

Jamaica to Galveston?
How about Nassau to Boston? I make it about 290 degrees, right? Of course, allowing for the Gulf Stream drift, maybe we need to head due west until we lose sight of the Great Isaac Light, or consume one liter of Jameson's whichever comes first, then adjust to 290, assuming the wind stays in the South.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 04:41 PM

Lonesome:

IF they are sailing WNW, aiming for the Eastern SHore, it is a long haul indeed. Maybe they are heading for Shanghai from Cape Horn? I dunno. But man, I love that song the way David does it.


A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 03:27 PM

That's a wonderful song, David. A good tribute to a good friend.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 02:02 PM

David-

Well sung!

I can certainly envision that one being raised in the dance hall at Mystic next June.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 01:35 PM

David, that is hauntingly beautiful!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 01:05 PM

Quite a stunning rendition, David.

Ernie Johnson

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 12:54 PM

David, that is a beautiful salty rendering indeed!! Nicely done, and a perfect tune. If a couple of hands got rummed up and sang it louder and faster, it would sound just like him!! I love it.


A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Gloucesterman, David Coffin
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 12:48 PM

By request I have recorded my version of A Shanty for Barry Finn.
It is posted on my website here . It should play automatically and you can download it for free. Lonesome EJ I don't know your real name so I credit you by your screen name. I hope you don't mind my "putting it out there". Seems people wanted it. It's a great song and I tried to balance slow with uptempo. The tune just came to me as I was reading the lyrics so it felt right.
Thanks for a great tribute song to a huge man.
David Coffin

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Glostaman
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 09:55 AM

Apologies to David Coffin for getting his name wrong.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Glostaman
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 09:49 AM

Nice Lyrics. David Copper sang this at our Tuesday night Pub Sing at Cameron's in Gloucester. Roger Hussey and Alexander Thompson also wrote songs as tributes to Barry and sang them as well. Some folks brought photos of Barry and put them at his favorite seat at the bar. We members of Three Sheets to the Wind consider it to have been an honor that Barry shared his songs with us.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: MMario
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 09:37 AM

I'm going to be at a session in Plymouth saturday - I suspect several of the regulars knew Barry - and I hope to do this shanty for them.

I'll probably wimp and use "Leave 'er Johnny" for the tune - so as not to mess up.

MMario

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: maeve
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 07:58 AM

Justine- Thanks for your post. Many people across the miles valued Barry. I'm glad you've seen Lonesome EJ's song in Barry's honor.

maeve

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 07:52 AM

Ernie, please send me the .wav file (my e-dress is in the members section).

And since you're still on board with the "different canvases" idea, here is a variation of the tune and tempo of the one I posted earlier.

Haul Away For Barry - more up-tempo

The tune is less important to this variation than the rhythm. It should be done with a bodhran or some drum like that.   (But clapping can work if no one has one.) The idea is to get a strong rhythm going and belt it out (but I'm incapable of belting). You can get the idea from the video* though.

The altered phrasing and rhythm is what popped into my head in the middle of the night and inspired me to re-do my earlier tune.

Genie




*It's really more of an audio file with a darkened screen. YouTube won't let you post just audio files.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,Justine
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 03:58 AM

What a tribute to Barry. What a wonderful group of friends.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 02:35 AM

Marty, your comments meant a lot to me. I had written the song, then hesitated posting it here, because I was concerned about how it might be perceived and received. To have it sung for your group by people who knew and loved Mr Finn is the ultimate I could have hoped for.

I really like the idea of painting this song on different canvases with different pallets and brush strokes, and I am knocked out by everything I have been sent by people who have written tunes.

I have a wav file I can send with my own tune idea, if anyone interested wants to PM me with their email address.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Bupkes
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 02:23 AM

When I arrived at Cameron's, Peter Souza said he'd seen the words, and a number of others knew about it too. David Coffin had printed out his own copy, and said he'd been humming up his own tunes for Barry's shanty since he'd read it this afternoon, and was enthused to sing it. I was happy to defer to his grand voice, and although I can't transcribe the tune for you all here, it was a good rolling tune, using all the words as written, and everyone enjoyed joining in. David promised to send an mp3 file on Wednesday, and we'll get it posted somehow.

Ernie, although we're still in the throes of his eery sudden absence, this song is like having Barry transformed into a constellation in the sky, to make us smile for having known him.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 02:01 AM

Thanks to Amos as well for his terrific interpretation.

I came up with this in way of a tune. I will try to convert this to a sound file and sing it for those interested. If you have a guitar or such, you'll get the idea by singing the chord/notes on the words following the chord insets.

Well the (E)sails are (A)raised and the (D)anchor (E)stowed
(D)No more shall we (E)tarry
And it's(A) roll and (E)go on the (D)West (G)Sea (E)Road
(D)Sing it (A)again for (G)Mr (A)Finn and (D)haul a(B)way for (E)Barry!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 01:14 AM

Siochain, I am very proud to hear that. Would love to have been there.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 12:34 AM

Is there an audio or video of David singing it?

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: GUEST,siochain
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 12:20 AM

It WAS sung tonight at Cameron's (Gloucester), but it was led by David Coffin to a tune he crafted. Cameron's is a weekly venue that Barry attended very regularly. His regular bar stool was adorned with several photos of himself.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 11:40 PM

Kat, I hadn't thought of that one, but I do hear snippets of "Rollin' Down To Old Maui" and several others in the tune that popped into my mind.   There are some very familiar-sounding measures that I can't quite put my finger on.

I love the communal folk process too.

Genie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 11:19 PM

Genie, great tune. I heard little bits which reminded me of the one that goes, "hey-ho, nobody home, no meat, nor drink, no money have we none, still we will be merry" or some such. It is a catching tune.

LeeJ...grand job! I like Bob's tune, but think it needs to be faster. I think you are spot on re' it being racuous, etc.

Barry would LOVE this folk process...:-) Mudcat at its best!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 08:47 PM

Disregard that last link I posted. This one is better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08lV72FE-5s

G

Subject: Haul Away For Barry - LEJ
From: Genie
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 08:23 PM

(Premature message submission going on.)
I also have a couple of audio files that I could send anyone who would like to hear the tune (without having to watch my mug reading the lyrics). I just need e-dresses. But I figured the YT method would be less time-consuming.

Genie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 08:20 PM

LEJ, I did make a slipshod video just for the purpose of sharing a possible tune and some possible harmonies. It's a crummy video (partly because I was reading off the 'puter screen) but the sound quality is better than on the audio file I sent you yesterday. Here's the link, in case anyone wants to hear the tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3NxaT3RF_g.
I will probably take the video down in a day or two, since it was just thrown together (and I'm a bit 'pitchy' in a place or two). As I said, it's just for letting people hear a tune suggestion.


I do kind of like the "folk process" that seems to be going on with this song and the Mudcat community.

Genie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 05:59 PM

Hi Marty. If you do it at Cameron's, I'd be interested to know how it's received.

Ernie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Bupkes
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 05:24 PM

For the past year, I sat next to Barry nearly every week at the Press Room, and I'd testify that he would bend a tune like Superman bending steel with his bare hands.

I like Walt's version, but sensing the folk process still in process, I'm experimenting with other tunes too. For example, something like Bold Riley-O the way Kate Rusby does it, the verses part not the chorus, seems to work, without the "Mr Finn" part, as others suggested. May well come back to Walt's tune in the end, though.

I'll try it out on Peter Souza and the others at Cameron's tonight. (Sorry, I'm having a hard time getting into the Mudcat nicknames.)

Marty

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 04:20 PM

Sentimental horseshit??? ROFL. He would say something like that, ya know, but it isn't what he'd think of this, at least inside.



A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: ClaireBear
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 04:15 PM

I've got a tune bubbling up inside me too, so the San Francisco scene might get TWO tunes to choose from. Mine's raucous, at least I think it will be. I'll let you know what it is when it's finished percolating around in there.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 03:26 PM

Walt's tune was beautiful, and Genie sent me a great version in a minor key which is unique and has some good foot-stomping potential. If anyone wants to hear her version, I'm quite sure she would email it. Maeve has promised me a cassette with her take. I am very gratified that so many people who knew and liked Barry think the Barry Finn Shanty was a good idea.

Funny thing about this song. I suppose because it seems to have hit home for a lot of people, I hardly feel that its my song anymore. I really like Walt's tune, but I had originally envisioned something more raucous, as Barry might have sung it for someone he loved and lost. But then I think Barry Finn had a lot of facets to his singing, and he could do the tear-jerkers as well as anyone.
So I almost think the decision isn't mine to make. The song belongs to Barry and those who knew him. I think he might enjoy hearing the tune done however the singer's heart told him to do it.
Or, of course, he might think this whole line of thought is sentimental horseshit. ;>}

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Tinker
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 02:45 PM

Thank You one and all --- it sets a wistful smile, and leaves the promise of some boot stompin' when the time is right.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 02:32 PM

Beautiful- thanks, Leej!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 12:32 PM

Nice job, Walt, and very much the kind of thing I had inmind as well!!


A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 11:36 AM

That settles it...for me, at least. I will hear Walt's version in my head. As Barry would say, "I don't give an aerodynamic... flying ****".

Thanks, LEJ and SaltyWalt...and everyone...

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: open mike
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 11:04 AM

nice to hear from you here salty walt--i was stage manager for the sea music fest. on the stage you performed on...golly i miss that event...
good job on the shanty...

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Jeri
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 10:46 AM

Barry once convinced me to sing Warren Zevon's 'Carmelita' at one of our sea music sessions, just because he loved it (even if he did keep insisting that "Smith Corona" should be "Smith & Wesson" because a junkie with a typewriter didn't make sense to him). I think there might have been some aerodynamic copulation commentary involved. ("Barry, I can't--it's not a sea song!" Barry: "So? I don't give a...") So I sang it, and it was a right dog's breakfast because I couldn't find a key that would let us both sing melody. He didn't much care about the mess either. You screw something up, you have fun doing it, laugh and move on.

I'll have to look for a completely inappropriate place to sing that song now. Of course, I now hear a lot of similarity between the tune for 'Carmelita' and 'Leave Her, Johnny'.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 08:56 AM

Nicely sung, Walt!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: georgeward
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 04:15 AM

Re: open mike's question about the Barry Finn Jig. It's good, a bit appropriately lonesome, and in D Mixolydian, not G maj. And there's not a word on the comment tab about it or its composer. Hard to imagine it isn't "our" Barry. But who...?

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Anglo
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 02:37 AM

Ah, an adaptation of Bye Bye My Roseanna, I take it. Appropriate enough. I've sung that one with Barry a few times. Nice, Walt. And I totally agree, nothing at all amiss with the 5-line stanza. I like it that way.

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 02:04 AM

Very nice, Walt!

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: SaltyWalt
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 01:43 AM

Please, forgive the sond quality.

I'll try for a better recording tomorrow.

I tried to imagine him singing it, but I didn't want to copy his unique style at this time lest someone think I was making fun.

I'll really miss everthing we will never do together.
I am so glad he got a cd out.
I know, wrong thread.

If this link doesn't work, Let me know.

http://www.yellowzeppelin.net/Barry/Chantey%20For%20Barry.mp3

http://www.yellowzeppelin.net/Barry/Chantey%20For%20Barry.mp3

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Genie
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 01:11 AM

LEJ, the email I sent you came back to me. DK if the 1.8 MB audio file was too big or your e-dress is no longer the one listed here at Mudcat.   If you PM me the correct e-dress I'll try again.
I'm thinking maybe if you hear the various tunes that get sent to you, you'll come up with your own special tune that may perhaps reflect aspects of those. (Or not.) Anyway you'll have some ideas to ponder.

Genie

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: SaltyWalt
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 12:36 AM

Actually, I agree with both camps about this songs line length-- You have a point Mr Clayton, with your suggestion it would be a haliard chantey, and it works better. That being said, Barry chose to sing a lot of songs that by the usual standards and metrics "didn't work" and he "Didn't give a flying F**k" He sang em any and loved em hard and in public. He was drawn to unusual structures (Think of what he did to make the "Yangtze River Shantey" singable.

I've had to sing versions of "Leave Her Johnny" at too many funerals this year, and I'm sorry, I get it, but it's too overdone in our community. Besides Jerry Bryant already stole that basic tune for his tribute to Stan. Let's give Barry one that relates more to him.

For that reason I worked with the original and lyrics, pinched and pieced together two of his favorite perfomance pieces to give a tune that is mornful, soulful, and ends on an up beat err. . . note.

Those of you who stood next to him late at night at sings will know which two I chose.
It's not hard.

Perhaps you can tidy up what I was trying to do, and you can improve it. If you get it, great, If not, well this is how we'll sing it in 'ol Frisco.

After all I've had no internet all week so I'm reading this thread for the first time tonight, and made the recording I hope to post in about 10 minutes. I'll post it or a link to it, err, as soon as I figure out how. . .

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Amos
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 11:41 PM

Ernie:

My recording setups are all fubar, so it will be a day or so before I can get you the recording. Damn. You may have found one you like, already, but if not I'll email you a version as soon as I can debug my mixer and get it down.


A

Subject: RE: A Shanty for Barry Finn
From: Tinker
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 09:10 PM

Yes, there are many variations on the theme...