Is Rolf Harris Folk?

Subject: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 04:57 PM

Well, from all the Rolf threads around here I reckon that's a bit of a rhetorical question, but watching him just now on Arena (BBC2) serenading Dirla Kirwan with She Moved Through the Fair I'm moved to soliit opinions regarding his relationship to the Folk Revival as a whole. What sayest thou?

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 05:08 PM

I'm not sure he isn't.

Is Roger Whittaker? I don't think so but I like some of his music and he is a fine whistler.

D

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 05:10 PM

Well he's got the statutory beard.

I'd put him down as English tradtional. They deserve him.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Acorn4
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 05:15 PM

He topped the bill at Sidmouth the last year they did the arena.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 05:28 PM

From what I've heard, I think some of what he does is folk, and some is fusion music...I seem to recall he played an accordion in London pubs, whilst an art student there..?

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Cool Beans
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 05:53 PM

Does it matter?

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 06:22 PM

When you start saying does it matter CB, its a slippery slope. Winston Churchill never said, does it matter.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Continuity Jones
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 06:27 PM

Rolf Harris is not only a folk musician, but he has a very interesting past. The son of "Bomber" Harris, Rolf was educated in Culcutta and worked for 16 yrs there clipping the toe nails of the Shownae people, who are prevented from cutting their own toes by their religious beliefs. He then moved to Australia, which was where he met Christy Moore. Christy was on a working holiday with his father Patrick, who is an Astrologer but was also looking for someone to help arrange some old Irish songs he'd heard. When Rolf took his confession (Rolf was a Catholic priest for a shortwhile), Christy confessed he'd sworn at the Virgin whilst trying to work out an arrangement for The Well Below The Valley. So, Rolf, feeling generous, provided the arrangement (later used by Planxty). a firm and lasting friendship was struck up. Indeed, it was Rolf who persuaded Christy to return to live work and again to reform Planxty a few years ago. Sadly, Christy and Rolf fell out when Rolf was excluded from the Planxty reunion, Christy preferring his bodhran to Rolf's idea of mouth percussion and wobble board.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 06:55 PM

Shame on the lot of you miscreants; and there I am trying to be serious. Hopefully Mr Greenoaken will be along presently in his Man In The Know capacity to enlighten us as to Sir Rolf's true folk credentials, possibly including links to an MP3 download of the wobble-board Well Below with the eefin' and eyfin' chorus as performed on the Rolf Harris Christmas Special in 1967. The accompanying painting gave me the fear for weeks afterwards...

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: RTim
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 07:37 PM

I sing at least two songs I "nicked" from Rolf.
He is now part of so many peoples past - he's Folk!!

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: terrier
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 07:38 PM

Wiki says:

Rolf Harris, CBE, AM (born 30 March 1930) is an Australian/British musician, singer-songwriter, composer, painter and television personality.

There yaa'go, nuffin'about FOLK!!

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 07:43 PM

he does the folk music under another name - I think its Jake the Peg, or something like that.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 07:52 PM

Wiki depends on whoever put stuff on it, as well you should know, Terrier!
As Acorn4 said, Rolf appeared at Sidmouth Festival a few years back: he was then already in his 70s and recovering from a knee arthroscopy, so the only one of his famous songs that he could NOT manage was "Jake the Peg". (think about it!)
It was a magical evening played to a capacity Arena, and showed him for what he is; a man of huge talent, highly entertaining, with a great rapport with his audience. he had with him a fantastic didgeridoo player, and that version of 'Sun Arise" with a long didge solo had the hairs on the back of the neck up on end, and remains an abiding memory.
And yes, he is definitely folk, as well as many things more!

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Van
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 08:18 PM

Very talented man, as the TV programme showed, certainly folk in my view and possibly one of the first World musicians as he also introduced many of us to Australian, and above all, Aboriginal, music due to his use of some of their instruments

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 09:02 PM

Rolf plays the Piano Accordion - he is famous for not only having it catch fire on stage (under the hot lights) but played it after.


QUOTE
Fry me accordion brown, sport; ROLF SHOCK AT STAGE FIRE.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Fry+me+accordion+brown,+sport%3B+ROLF+SHOCK+AT+STAGE+FIRE.-a090105638
Byline: LORRAINE FISHER

THIS was the moment Rolf Harris's 40-year-old accordion burst into flames on stage.

The cherished instrument - which Rolf calls "part of the family" - caught fire at an aptly named Summer Blazers' charity ball after being placed too close to spotlights. A quick-thinking woman in the audience doused the flames with a wet napkin.

Ever the old pro, Rolf, 72, then insisted on using the accordion in his act even though it did not work properly.

He said after the drama at Bray, Berks: "It burst into shoulder-height flames. I panicked and was tempted to throw my jacket over it. But I decided it was too expensive to waste."

The accordion went up in front of compere Michael Parkinson Michael Parkinson CBE (born 28 March 1935) is an English broadcaster and journalist. He is most famous for presenting his eponymous interview programme, Parkinson. . An onlooker said: "Rolf was sitting a few tables away and looked a bit miffed "Then he performed You Are My Sunshine with it. He said 'Talk about spontaneous com-bloody-bustion!'"

Rolf has two other accordions bought at the same time. But he cannily keeps them in Canada and Australia.
UNQUOTE
~~~~~~~~`
Note: I know many Folk accordion players who also insist on playing their instrument when it is not working properly! I suppose THAT makes him 'Folk'!

This article even has a picture of the accordion on fire - for those who delight in such things...

Rolf escapes accordion blaze

[snip]
The incident happened when Harris, 72, put the instrument down on stage, while playing a set at the Maidenhead and Bray Cricket Club summer ball in Berkshire.
[snip]
The show resumed after a while, with Harris performing some of his biggest hits including Two Little Boys and Stairway To Heaven.

Harris, who currently presents Animal Hospital on BBC One, has been having hit singles for the past four decades.

He first hit the top ten in 1960 with Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport, and topped the charts in 1968 with Two Little Boys. Other hits include Sun Arise and a cover version of Stairway To Heaven.

His most recent hit, the dance track Fine Day, reached the top 30 in 2000.

Harris has also become a cult favourite on the festival circuit and drew a big crowd when he played at this year's Glastonbury Festival, repeating the success he has had there in previous years.

~~~~~~~`

So if popularity makes him Folk, what does that makes the rest of us?

I'll get me hat ...

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: brezhnev
Date: 29 Dec 10 - 09:02 PM

Continuity: can i have some of what you're on? very good

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 04:45 AM

Specifically though: Click Go the Shears, Country Gardens, Waltzing Matilda, Wild Rover (to name but four), an acid-tabla rendering of folk club favourite Proppa Cuppa Coffee AND a message of world peace that encourages us to sing the other fellah's Folk Songs. Not that most of us round here need much encouraging of course, but I'm sure our motives aren't always as lofty as they could be, unlike Rolf, who still somehow manages to ooze integrity even when he's stabbing his tatty brush at the canvass all the better to understand the mysterious allure of Emer 'Zsa Zsa' Kenny's buttocks.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 04:52 AM

PS - regarding last night's programme, have a read of THIS.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 05:12 AM

Yes!
Ray

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 05:31 AM

rolf is also into jig dolls and is a great friend of of pat pickles. he was at thw wake for renee.

It really ought to be added that after his performance at sidmouth he stayed ans signed autographs for every single person that wanted one, finishing after midnight!

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,glueman
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 05:34 AM

Yes, top bloke. He performed Stairway to Heaven, of course he's folk.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 07:30 AM

Not watched the programme yet bit wasn't "Two Little Boys" based on an American folk song? - yes I know America isn't old enough to have folk songs but Tom & Smiley (remember them?) used to do it.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 07:45 AM

Are you asking if Rolf Harris is "folk" or are you asking if Rolf Harris is "good" to listen to?

I have only seen a tiny bit on telly which I personally did not find very palatable. But then he is self parodying.

There was a song from my childhood (late 60s or ealy 70s in the USA) that I did like. And still do because of the nostalgia factor.

Matter of taste innit?

American Civil War song "Two Little Boys", written in 1902.

I take exception to the comment that America is not old enough to have folk songs.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 08:46 AM

I think America has more Real Folk than the UK - even American Country / Blues / Hollers / Old Time revival has a ring of truth to it generally lacking over here and my favourite place in the world is The Max Hunter Folk Song Collection where you might hear living Traditional Ballads & Old Popular Song sung well into living memory. In the USA maybe such things aren't so clear-cut as they are over here - and there was always a wildness in the wilderness which in the UK has all but vanished in the middle-class hinterlands of good-taste. Besides, the second wave UK revival owes pretty much everything to the USA anyway - where would we be with Folk Clubs and Banjos, eh?

Otherwise, back on thread, my question really should be How Folk is Rolf? given the available evidences of repertoir and inclination. For sure, he's a light entertainer but unlike other light entertainers (even more overtly Folk Light Entertainers) he maintains an integrity that is always expressed in terms of Human Interest, which need not be Folk per se, but is definitately part of that ethos and aesthetic.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 08:46 AM

Here's Uncle Rolf with Sun Arise - complete with dijeridoo.

Sun Arise

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 09:23 AM

"Uncle Rolf with Sun Arise - complete with dijeridoo" - great clip. Thank you.

As mentioned Rolf is also a mean jig doll (limberjack) performer. There are no clips of this on the web. But I had a video on Google of jig dolls which includes him doing demonstrating his doll(s), but his agent made me delete it!!

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Spleen Cringe
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 11:19 AM

The Rolf of Sun Arise and Two Little Boys and Jake the Peg is a marvellous beast. However, speaking as someone who inadvisedly bought the Best of Rolf Harris for his little boy, too much Rolf is a state of being that can very easily be reached... who'da thought that Rolf didn't even have enough good material to fill an average length CD without resorting to dross and filler? Do we really need to hear English Country Garden with sadsack comedy lyrics that sound like they've been written by a second-rate stringer for the Daily Mail? Do we really need to hear a ribticklingly hilarous version of Pistol Packing Momma complete with lashings of family-friendly homophobia? An least the version of Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport manages to omit the verse about let me abos go loose, Bruce, they're of no further use that's present in all its glory on the original...

That's the problem with light entertainment, though. It dates very quickly precisely because of that fine old tradition of light entertainers not being able to help themselves taking snidey little potshots at the nameless other they assume isn't part of their audience... all good clean fun, of course.

Obviously you can't fault Rolf for cranking out versions of songs like Waltzing Matilda and Pub With No Beer, but you'd have to be pretty cack-handed to screw up such classy raw material.

So my answer for ten is that Rolf is no more or less folk than many other entertainers, light or otherwise, the mantle is given to. He's just not nearly as good as we think we think he is.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 04:24 PM

Well is america old enough? There was a story going around the Cambridge colleges a number of years ago that an American had asked one of the bowler hatted porters at Trinity if "this place is really pre-war". "Pre-war?" came the reply. "Sir - this place is pre-America."

The answer? Lighten up; people may think you're from another well known European country!

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 04:41 PM

I'm not sure if he's folk, but I saw Rolf on the main stage at Glastonbury a few years ago and it was one of the most brilliant live performances I've ever seen - he entertained an audience of all ages including old folkies and young indie-kids, and had them variously in tears and in hysterics. He seemed a lot less 'cosy' live than he does on tv or on his albums.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,glueman
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 05:26 PM

The stylophone is a folk instrument. A radiophonic approximation of a wasp trapped in a beer glass.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,SteveG
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 05:49 PM

When he's doing 'folk' he's 'folk'. What the hell is 'folk' anyway?

(Backs carefully out of the building)

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Plastic Bertrand
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 05:53 PM

Oui, si je suis folklorique, Rolf est certainement.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 06:16 PM

Bien dit, M Bertrand.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 07:35 PM

Says it all about folk purists really.

Rolf has played Cambridge and sidmouth, but Jack Hudson never has been invited.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: nager
Date: 31 Dec 10 - 12:25 AM

Of course he is .... he's not a kangaroo is he?

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 31 Dec 10 - 02:49 AM

Tie Me kangaroo Down

TTO

Land of Hope and Glory....

No wonder the Queen let him paint her portrait! (Which the National Portrait Gallery refused to let him donate!)

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 31 Dec 10 - 07:28 AM

Having now watched the programme, I think the answer is that Rolf Harris is Rolf Harris and he wouldn't give a bu%%er what people called it. Is he folk? He's as much folk as many other people who've called themselves folk over the years.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: raymond greenoaken
Date: 01 Jan 11 - 04:34 AM

Thirty years ago I wrote an article for a long-forgotten North-East folk mag entitled Rolf Harris: Folk's Secret Agent. It argued that Rolf had successfully smuggled all manner of folky themes, techniques and idioms into the world of light entertainment without anybody really noticing. If they'd noticed, of course, they'd have quickly put a stop to it. Thirty years on, he's still getting away with it, but he's now got the notion of World Music to shelter under. Which he invented, no question, decades before the taxonomists caught up.

Spleen asks why a Best Of Rolf contains so much filler. The short answer is that it's a badly compiled Best Of. There have been any number of these, full of throwaway stuff plucked from light entertainment specials. But a serious Best Of could easily be drawn from obscure and long-deleted LPs and singles. Rolf's discography is Terra Incognita to this day. Any Best Of worth its billing would have to include the likes of Jindabyne, Raining On The Rock, Yarrabangee, Northern Territorian... I could go on.

When I get the time, Mr Cringe, I'll make you up a true Best Of Rolf that will have you howling at the moon.

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 01 Jan 11 - 09:01 AM

Let's not forget The Little Convict, which echoes much of The Transports including some memorable folk episodes such as a near definitive Sun Arise and the tooth-rotting tweeness of Come Day Go Day which is about par for the course with other renderings I've heard. There's a trailer for it HERE. Quality isn't at issue by the way, rather the general aesthetics arising from the Revival Zeitgeist as a whole, although I do concur with Mr Greenoaken that most Rolf compilations out there are wont to confirm Mr Spleen's worst fears by failing to get to grips with the meat of the thing. Can such a compilation be made on Spotify? If so, I think we owe it to the world...

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 01 Jan 11 - 05:29 PM

Thanks for the clip, Tunesmith: but that was the short version! There was a really long didge "break" in the middle of it on that magical night in Sidmouth. Must check my old analogue videos!

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Ned Ludd
Date: 02 Jan 11 - 06:05 AM

If Padget says yes that's good enough for me!

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Mr Red
Date: 02 Jan 11 - 10:15 AM

YES

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: Young Buchan
Date: 02 Jan 11 - 02:01 PM

Was Walter Pardon a painter because someone once saw him whitewash his kitchen and thought he did it reasonably well?

Subject: RE: Is Rolf Harris Folk?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 02 Jan 11 - 02:43 PM

Haud yer wheesht! We'll have the Was Walter Pardon Folk? thread in due course.