Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik

Subject: Echo of the corncrake - Dick Gaughan
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 07:06 PM

The archive says Dick Gaughan recorded this. But it's not listed in his song archive on his website.

Does anyone know if he did record it, and if so, on which album?

thanks :)

Subject: RE: Echo of the corncrake - Dick Gaughan
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 07:09 PM

oops, sorry, wrong title - should be The echo mocks the corncrake.

Can someone change it please? ta

Subject: RE: Echo of the corncrake - Dick Gaughan
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 07:10 PM

The song is usually called "Among the whinny knowes"? Or even "Amang", of course!

Subject: RE: Echo of the corncrake - Dick Gaughan
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 07:14 PM

That said, it's not there under either title, as far as I can see.

Subject: RE: Echo of the corncrake - Dick Gaughan
From: Stewie
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 08:09 PM

I believe the initials 'RG' in the DT entry indicate that the information was supplied by Dick Greenhaus. Send him a PM.

Archie Fisher recorded it in '97 on 'Man with a Rhyme' with slightly different lyrics to those given in the DT.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Echo of the corncrake - Dick Gaughan
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 08:20 PM

Traditional source - Sheila Stewart. Look it up; superb.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Echo of the corncrake - Dick Gaughan
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 08:33 PM

Other recordings of this song by Andy M Stewart and Ossian.
But if you haven't yet discovered "Tobar an Dulchais - the Kist of Riches" , just have browse: only recently available in test version: a massive project to digitise many source recordings, undertaken by the School of Scottish Studies in Edinburgh:

http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/4331/3;jsessionid=4726C12FD17BDDA146501795E5028CBD

Subject: RE: Echo of the corncrake - Dick Gaughan
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 07:30 PM

Thanks all - still a bit of a mystery! I've pm'd Dick Greenhaus, so perhaps he'll shed some light.

Jim - where can I find this? not sure where to look (and it's not on Youtube!)

TB - which Ossian album is it on? I've got 2 of them, and it's not on either. Thanks for that link.

Also - I have this vague memory of once hearing a woman (Scots?) sing it, and she definitely sang "corncreel" instead of "corncrake". I presume this is an older name for the bird? haven't come across this word in any of the lyrics I've seen.

Subject: RE: Echo of the corncrake - Dick Gaughan
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 07:43 PM

FWIW "land rail" is an old name for corncrake.

Subject: ADD Version: the Whinney Knowes
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 07:51 PM

THE WHINNEY KNOWES

For it's the lass that I lo'e best of a', she was handsome, young and fair.
Wi' her I spent some merry nights alang the banks of Ayr.
Wi' her I spent some merry nights whaur yon wee burnie rowes
Whaur the echo mocks the corncrake amang the whinney knowes.

We loved each other dearly, disputes we seldom had,
As constant as the pendulum, our hearts beat always glad,
We sought wir joys and found it whaur yon wee burnie rowes
Whaur the echo mocks the corncrake amang the whinney knowes.

Ye maidens fair and pleasure dames drive to the banks o' Doon,
Ye'll dearly pay for everything to barbers in the toon,
But rural joys is free to all whaur scented clover growes
Whaur the echo mocks the corncrake amang the whinney knowes.

The corncrake is noo awa and the burn is to the brim,
The whinney knowes are clad wi' snaw, it tips the highest whin,
But winter days will wear awa an' summer clears the skies
We shall welcome back the corncrake, the bird of rural joys.


From the singing of Jimmy MacBeath on EUFSS tape.

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 08:13 PM

Echo Mocks the Corncrake, The

DESCRIPTION: "The lass that I loved first of all was handsome, young, and fair." He recalls their happy life. He contrasts the complex, expensive demands of city life with the joys of rural citizenship. He waits for the corncrake to bring back the summer weather
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1904 (Ford)
KEYWORDS: love courting bird home
FOUND IN: Ireland Britain(Scotland)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Ford-Vagabond, pp. 325-327, "The Corncraik Amang the Whinny Knowes" (1 text, 1 tune)
SHenry H18b, p. 272, "The Whinny Knowes" (1 text, 1 tune)
Tunney-SongsThunder, p. 182, "The Corncrake Among the Whinny Knowes" (1 text)
DT, CORNCRK*
Roud #2736
Notes: Broadside Bodleian, 2806 c.11(39), "The Corncraik Amang the Whinny Knowes" ("Oh, the lass that I had first of a'"), The Poet's Box (Glasgow), 1868 could not be downloaded and verified. - BS
File: HHH018b

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2009 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

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Roud Index

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The version in the Digital Tradition has a few typographical errors and a few spellings I'd question, but it is a fairly accurate transcription of the version sung by Andy M. Stewart on his Man in the Moon CD.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 08:22 PM

Hi Suegorgeous,
The Ossian recording is on one of their earliest albums, simply called Ossian, see (and listen):

http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/ossian">http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/ossianhttp://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/ossian

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 08:22 PM

What or where are the Whinney Knowes?

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 08:33 PM

Whinneys are gorse bushes, Knowes are like small hills.
Sorry I messed up that last link: trying again:
http://www.footstompin.com/artists/ossian

Subject: ADD Version: The Corncraik Amang the Whinny Knowes
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 09:06 PM

Robert Ford's Vagabond Songs and Ballads of Scotland: With Many Old and Familiar Melodies (1904) is available online. Here's the song as it appears in Ford, pp. 325-327:

THE CORNCRAIK AMANG THE WHINNY KNOWES.

O, the lass that I had first o' a'
Was handsome, young, and fair,
Wi' her I spent some merry nichts
Upon the banks o' Ayr.
Wi' her I spent some happy nichts,
Whaur yonder burnie rows,
And the echo mocks the corncraik,
Amang the whinny knowes.

We lo'ed each other dearly,
Disputes we never had!
As constant as the pendulum,
Her heart-beat always gaed.
We sought for joy and found it,
Whaur yonder burnie rows.
And the echo mocks the corncraik,
Amang the whinny knowes.

O, maidens fair, and pleasure's dames,
Drive to the banks o' Doon;
You'll dearly pay your every cent
To barbers for perfume;
But rural joy is free to a',
Whaur scented clover grows,
And the echo mocks the corncraik,
Amang the whinny knowes.

O, the corncraik is noo awa',
The burn is to the brim;
The whinny knowes are clad wi' snaw
That taps the highest whin.
But when cauld winter is awa',
And summer clears the sky,
We'll welcome back the corncraik,
The bird o' rural joy.

Ford's notes: This is the first and only occasion, I think, in which the Corncraik —beautifully feathered, but most unmelodious of birds— has been mixed up in a love song; and the performance, even if it possessed less literary merit —and it has little to boast of— is worth preserving on that account. It is quite evidently a modern effusion, and the author may be living. I have met with it in various cheap songsheets, but nowhere with any name attached. Presumably an Ayrshire ditty, it has yet been sung over the wider area of Scotland. The air, a genuine country one, and attached to other songs, is supplied by Air. Walter Deans, Glasgow.

---

Here's my transcription of the melody from Ford. I have to say I'm not happy with the last line, but that's how I read the accidentals.

Click to play

Subject: DT Correction: Echo Mocks the Corncrake
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 09:24 PM

Here's what's in the Digital Tradition. I'll post a corrected version below. Please let me know if any of my corrections need correcting:

(current DT version) THE ECHO MOCKS THE CORNCRAKE

The lass that I loo'd first of all
Was handsome young and fair
Wi'h her I spent some happy nichts
Along the banks.o' Ayr
Wi'h her I spent some happy nichts
Whaur yon wee burnie rows
Whaur the echo mocks the corncrake
Amongst the Whinny Knowes

We loved each other dearly
Disputes we seldom had
As constant as the pendulm
Her heart beat always glad
We sought for love and found it
Whaur yon wee burnie rows
Whaur the echo mocks the corncrake
Amongst the Whinny Knowes

Ye maidens fair and pleasure dames
Come fae the banks o' Doon
Ye dearly pay for every scent
To the barbers for pefume
But rural joy is free for a'
Whaur the scented clover grows
Whaur the echo mocks the corncrake
Amongst the Whinny Knowes

The corncrake is noo awa'
The burn is tae the brim
The Whinny Knowes are cled wi' snaw
That taps the highest whim
But when cauld winter is awa'
And summer clears the sky
We'll welcome back the corncrake
The bird o' rural joy

Recorded by Dick Gaughan
@Scottish @bird @love
filename[ CORNCRK
TUNE FILE: CORNCRK
CLICK TO PLAY
RG
apr97

---

(Corrected Version) THE ECHO MOCKS THE CORNCRAKE

The lass that I loo'd first of all
Was handsome, young, and fair;
Wi' her I spent some happy nichts
Along the banks o' Ayr.
Wi' her I spent some happy nichts
Whaur yon wee burnie rows,
Whaur the echo mocks the corncrake
Amongst the whinny knowes.

We loved each other dearly,
Disputes we seldom had;
As constant as the pendulum,
Her heart beat always glad.
We sought for love and found it
Whaur yon wee burnie rows,
Whaur the echo mocks the corncrake,
Amongst the whinny knowes.

Ye maidens fair and pleasure dames,
Come frae the banks o' Doon.
Ye dearly pay your every cent
To the barbers for perfume;
But rural joy is free to a'
Whaur the scented clover grows,
Whaur the echo mocks the corncrake
Amongst the whinny knowes.

The corncrake is noo awa',
The burn is tae the brim;
The whinny knowes are clad wi' snaw
That taps the highest whim;
But when cauld winter is awa'
And summer clears the sky,
We'll welcome back the corncrake,
The bird o' rural joy.

(repeat first verse)

As recorded by Andy M. Stewart

@Scottish @bird @love
filename[ CORNCRK
TUNE FILE: CORNCRK
CLICK TO PLAY
RG
apr97

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 10:19 PM

In 1997, only God and myself knew where I got that attribution. And now I've forgotten. I'll change it in the DT's next incarnation.
Sorry.

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 02:08 AM

Ford's notes: This is the first and only occasion, I think, in which the Corncraik —beautifully feathered, but most unmelodious of birds— has been mixed up in a love song


Not so!

p.s. he's right about the feathering, mind you...

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 02:50 AM

I don't think I've ever posted a song from a very nice songbook I picked up in Howth, at the north end of Dublin's D.A.R.T. rail line. the book is Where Songs Do Thunder: travels in Traditional Song, by Paddy Tunney (Appletree Press, Belfast, 1991), pages 182-183. The song is NOT in heavy Scots dialect, which means I might be able to sing it without making myself look foolish.

THE CORNCRAKE AMONG THE WHINNY KNOWES

The lass that I love best of all is handsome, young and fair
With her I spent some happy hours along the banks of Ayr
With her I spent some merry hours where scented clover grows
And the echo mocks the corncrake among the whinny knowes.

We loved each other dearly; disputes we seldom had
As constant as the pendulum, our hearts beat ever glad
We sought for joy and found it where yon wee burnie rows
And the echo mocks the corncrake among the whinny knowes.

You maidens fair and pleasure's dames drive to the banks of Doon
You'll dearly pay your every cent to barbers for perfume.
But rural joy is free to all where scented clover grows
And the echo mocks the corncrake among the whinny knowes.

Oh, the corncrake is now away, the burn is to the brim
The whinny knowes are clad wi' snaw that tips the highest whin
But when cauld winter is away and summer clears the sky
We'll welcome back the corncrake, the bird o' rural joy.

Tunney's notes: It is interesting that Ford, when he published his new and approved edition of The Vagabond Songs and Ballads of Scotland, and included The Corncraik therein, should apologise in a footnote for mentioning a comcrake - beautifully feathered and most melodious of birds - in a love song....

---

I think I'd agree with Ford about the bird's unmelodious and unromantic call - (click for a great video)

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 03:10 AM

The point of the "echo" reference is probably that the rasp of the corncrake tends to bounce off the gable end of cottages and head back towards the bird - who then ends up responding to this "rival"! At one stage, many years ago, I used to survey these birds in the Irish Midlands. We used a crude directional microphone (actually part of a child's "spy kit" received as a present by somone's children) to locate the birds and separate out the echoes. We also, incidentally, raised the birds by cutting a sawtooth edge on a length of beef rib bone, using a second piece as a rasp. Very effective - and less weather-prone than a tape recorder!

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 04:55 AM

Might have to mail Dick G himself then! :)

I'm now wondering if I imagined the woman singing "corncreel". Unless someone can confirm it's another name for corncrake?

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 04:57 AM

As implied earlier, I reckon you may have misheard "landrail"...

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 05:04 AM

For some strange reason, my player is refusing to handle Joe's MIDI file - so I can't check the tune posted. I've only ever heard the song sung to the "The Flower of Sweet Strabane" air.

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 05:12 AM

It's on Youtube here

Any comment on this melody?

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 05:15 AM

MIDI problem sorted.
No, Joe - don't recognise that air. Anyone else?

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 05:17 AM

Suegorgeous.

Crossposted! Yes - that Youtube version is essentially "The Flower of Sweet Strabane".

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 05:21 AM

^&* - that's very funny re the echo!

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 05:51 AM

The other example I remember of the corncrake's limitations was seeing one fly out from the long grass in a field being cut for silage - straight into a stone wall! And that f***er was expecting to be able to fly to south west Africa and back within a few months! ;>)

More seriously, of course, farmers were eventually encouraged to postpone such cutting in sensitive areas - and to cut from the inside outwards when they did, allowing birds to escape through the long grass into neighbouring fields.

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 01:43 PM

Just heard back from Dick Gaughan (that was quick!). He says:

Nope, I've never even sung it, let alone recorded it! I do know that Andy M Stewart used to sing it and I think he may have recorded it with Silly Wizard way back.



So that answers my original question. Please can someone (Joe?) delete that bit from the DT lyrics page? could replace it with Andy Stewart and Ossian and Sheila Stewart?

Sue

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 03:09 PM

Hi, Sue -
Dick Greenhaus is the curator/editor of the Digital Tradition. He said above that he'll make the change; but it's really wonderful to have confirmation of our speculation that Gaughan didn't record it.
Thanks for getting that information.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 01 Jul 10 - 04:46 AM

Check out Mrs Beeton's recipe for landrail. Just search on "landrail" to locate.

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 01 Jul 10 - 06:11 AM

My, ^&* - you have been doing your homework!

So you're encouraging us to go out killing and cooking the poor fading corncrake now?!

Subject: RE: origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake (Dick Gaughan?)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 01 Jul 10 - 07:20 AM

I've been involved with corncrakes for many years. (I'm tempted to say "Some of my best friends are ..." - but no, most of them are better singers!). I'm afraid the numbers are so low now that Mrs Beeton's recipe is unlikely to be used again. It actually disappeared (the recipe, I mean) in later editions of her book - hardly surprisingly.

Mind you, it's not so long ago that corncrakes were so common in Ireland that their incessant nocturnal calling drove people to taking drastic measures to shut them up!

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: MartinRyan
Date: 06 Mar 15 - 07:15 AM

Just learning this for the first time for an upcoming concert. Just looking at some of the versions of Verse 3 (You maidens fair ...). it seems to me the folk process has had an entertaining time confusing cent/scent/perfume!

Regards

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: Vic Smith
Date: 06 Mar 15 - 07:50 AM

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: Vic Smith
Date: 06 Mar 15 - 08:01 AM

Never mind all these other recordings - just look back to 24 Jun 10 - 08:20 PM and read what Jim Carroll says.
The definitive recording of this song is by Sheila Stewart. It is on her album From The Heart Of The Tradition - Topic Records ‎– TSCD515 recorded by Doc Rowe.

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: GUEST,Guitarfumbler
Date: 06 Mar 15 - 08:13 AM

My favourite version of this song was recorded by Glasgow band 'Kentigern' and you can find the track on youtube.

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 06 Mar 15 - 08:26 AM

I've been puzzling over the Ford tune as rendered in the sound file above -I assume something went wrong with the fingering of the last line which wanders away in the middle. I must go look at the book.
Now I get it, the tune is the one used for the bothy ballad 'Sleepytoon' - 'It happened at last Michelmas ah tir-ed o ma place, an ah went down tae Inch tae fee, ma fortune for to face'. It so happens I kept passing through Inch on a project in 2013.
I doubt the tune was made for that song though, I guess they reused tunes, and lines from some unidentified sung version of Van Diemen's Land keep juggling with the tune in my head. I have in fact found the tune used for the bothy ballad The Barnyards O Delgaty in a songbook, a song praising the good looks of Lowrie of Linton - Linton Lowrie.
Ewan

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 06 Mar 15 - 08:49 AM

"The definitive recording of this song is by Sheila Stewart. "
Couldn't agree more
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: Vic Smith
Date: 06 Mar 15 - 10:56 AM

Thinking back to Doc Rowe recording Sheila Stewart, I am reminded of something that I wrote (in the last century!) at the end of a review that I wrote for Musical Traditions of the Lomax/Jeannie Robeertson album (read it by clicking here.) I wrote:-

I'll finish with a little story. Earlier this year, we had Sheila Stewart staying with us. She was telling us about the album that she had just recorded for release by Topic and she showed me the order of the track listing that had been settled on. In my turn, I showed her the CD re-release of her mother, Belle's album, Queen Among the Heather on the Greentrax label. (I was surprised to hear her say that she knew nothing of the arrangement for the Topic album to be licensed and re-released). I then showed her this album, The Queen Among the Heather, released around the same time and asked her to consider what two of Scotland's great traveller singers would have said if they had been alive when these albums had come out. This greatly amused Sheila as she laughingly speculated on the comments that might have been made on both sides. I then asked her what the title of her forthcoming album was to be and she told me that this was yet to be decided. I said that it was quite common to call the album by the opening track. She looked again at the track listing and saw that the first song was called ... "Queen Among the Heather". She fixed me with a stare with her penetrating black eyes and called me something that I don't care to repeat here.

Vic Smith - 30.10.99

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 06 Mar 15 - 06:59 PM

Not a bad song, i suppose but, although about an endangered species, I do have a wee bit of trouble when people wax lyrical about corncrakes - having been kept awake pretty well all night on Cape Clear Island (Ireland) by their incessant arrf-arrf arrf-arrf. Spent ages on South Uist once trying to spot one - could hear the buggers all around us, but they are a bit camera-shy.
But then we had a very determined cuckoo on Barra who started singing at 6am!

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: MartinRyan
Date: 06 Mar 15 - 07:07 PM

No - not the most musical of birds, alright. I needed to pick two bird-related songs for an upcoming project and selected one each about the corncrake and the magpie - neither of them much good when it comes to singing!

Regards

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: GUEST,rory
Date: 26 Oct 20 - 08:10 PM

"The Corncraik Amang the Whinny Knowes"

Printed in The Poet's Box, Saturday morning Sep 12, 1868,
'The MS of this song was kindly presented to the Poet by Mr Thomas Miller.'

As seen in the Bodleian Library, 2806 c.11(39)

The Poet's Box was a broadside ballad publisher/printer in Glasgow that operated between 1849 to 1911.

.

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: Gordon Jackson
Date: 27 Oct 20 - 07:21 AM

I do like the tune that Ford (1901) provides. Although it's related to the more common tune, I actually prefer this one. If someone could tell me how to upload the sound file, I'll do it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 May 22 - 01:51 PM

Here's a nice recordding of "Echo Mocks the Corncrake" from the Songs of Separation CD. Can't figure out who the singer is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEJW_FNqBkc

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: Reinhard
Date: 08 May 22 - 02:12 PM

It's Karine Polwart.

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: GUEST,TheSandman
Date: 09 May 22 - 04:48 PM

Sheila Park sings a fine version of it

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: GUEST
Date: 09 May 22 - 04:51 PM

in my humble opinion, Karine Polwarts accompaniment imposes a squareness to the song, Ithink the song is better sung more freely than the way she does it

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: GUEST,The Sandman
Date: 09 May 22 - 04:56 PM

the above post was mine.
I just wish singers like karine polwart would stop fecking about with tradtional songs Sheila Stewart would be the version i would advise people to listen to

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: GUEST,TheSandman
Date: 09 May 22 - 05:18 PM

Oh, the corncrake is now away, the burn is to the brim
The whinny knowes are clad wi' snaw that tips the highest whin
But when cauld winter is away and summer clears the sky
We'll welcome back the corncrake, the bird o' rural joy.
sometimes it has been sung as... the bird of sweet july

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: GUEST,James Phillips
Date: 15 May 22 - 11:48 AM

RE: the Andy Stewart version. I don't think he recorded this with Silly Wizard? I know he recorded a solo version with a 6/8 feel on his album "Man in the Moon" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnnoYoiK_BU.

Also worth a listen: Jim Malcolm recorded quite a laid back version of this a few years ago, very nice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvSVT9QxQu8

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: RTim
Date: 15 May 22 - 12:51 PM

I my opinion...(not that most care) The very best song about The Corncrake..or Crake is Jez Lowe's song - The Crake in the Morning: Fabulous tune and a wonderfully evocative story and memory...

Tim Radford

Crake in the Morning - Jez Lowe.

The crack of the rattle woke me up with the lark this morning
Sudden as a thunderclap from hell,
It could’ve been a dream I had,
It could’ve been I’m going mad,
But perhaps you have heard as well.
An echo, a spectre over ages gone by it flew
Up and down empty Sunday streets
The rasping of the morning crake
The whole world and his wife to wake,
From a time with easier sheets.
Still the sound of the rattling crake in the morning.

I held on my breath to hear the next that I knew would come
The throttle of a voice with these words,
A meeting will be held for all,
This morning in the Miners Hall,
If you’ve a tongue in your head you’ll be heard.
And the rattle kept turning getting louder and louder
And I clapped me hands hard on my ears,
It clattered back a memory,
Of Sunday morning used to be,
Till it took to the sky and disappeared.
Still the sound of the rattling crake in the morning.

I slid to my window and peeped out on the street below
Slapped by the sight that I saw,
Men dressed in their Sunday best,
To start their hard earned day of rest,
By answering the Crake’s morning call.
But even as I was wishing them on their way
I saw them fade at each step they would take
As fade away they did I know
Now many, many moons ago,
Like the song of the crack of the crake.
Still the sound of the rattling crake in the morning.
Still the sound of the rattling crake in the morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt8UZon_V4M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt8UZon_V4M

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 15 May 22 - 05:37 PM

"I just wish singers like karine polwart would stop fecking about with tradtional songs

Surely the whole point of traditional singing is that "fecking about" is what it's all about? The real problem is that grumpy old men like us rarely live long enough to hear the difference it makes?

Regards

Subject: RE: Origins: Echo Mocks the Corncrake / Corncraik
From: gillymor
Date: 15 May 22 - 06:39 PM

Ossian does my favorite version with Billy Ross on the vocal.

I'm not crazy about Polwart's version but I appreciate her effort.