Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 30 Oct 11 - 01:49 AM

Sorry that should have read 84% - Mudcat disappeared for several hours just after I posted and I couldn't correct it!

Mick

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 29 Oct 11 - 01:11 PM

Just to link Greg and Gibb's statements above, if I've done the arithmetic correctly 81% would drop the music 3 semitones.


Mick

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: GUEST,murkeychris
Date: 29 Oct 11 - 10:23 AM

As the person who asked on the fRoots forum, thank you very much for your time and interest Greg, Lighter, Martin, Joe and Gibb. I'm not sure what I'll do with this information now I've finally got to the bottom of it, but it's nice to know nonetheless!

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: greg stephens
Date: 12 Oct 11 - 04:57 AM

Many thanks Gibb Sahib,Lighter and Martin Ryan for their identification. Have passed the info to Chris Conder, the original enquirer on fRoots. As contributors to that august publication never tire of sneering at M*dc*t(as is it occasionally amusingly? called), it is worth pointing out that nobody over there offered any guesses at the identity of the singer. If you want the real dope, come to Mudcat!

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 09:36 PM

Sorry, BTW, that I'm not able to offer a track as "proof". I'm not sure how to (or if I can) export sound from the thing I used, and no time to figure it our right now. But the speed was 83% (100% representing original speed).

The guitar in Clayton's recording is soft enough that it doesn't interfere in the mix.

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 09:31 PM

It's Paul Clayton. I slowed it down to confirm.

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 08:53 PM

Someone in the YouTube discussion says the song came from a Folkways recording by Stuart Gillespie. I listened to the Folkways recording, and it doesn't sound to me like the song in the current discussion. Maybe it's a modern recording, specially made for the recording in question.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: greg stephens
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 03:52 PM

It seems to be about three semitones down from the Clayton recording. Wish I had the technological know how to try slowing it down and see what it sounds like. Anybody up to trying?

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: MartinRyan
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 03:49 PM

I have that recording on CD and, as suggested, I think it could be spliced and slowed pieces from that, looped.

Regards

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: Lighter
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 03:24 PM

He doesn't sing those lines, Greg, but he does sing those words and phrases.

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: greg stephens
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 03:24 PM

Anybody got a link to the Clayton recording? Thefragment I found didnt seem to use the relevant versae.

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: MartinRyan
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 01:06 PM

Mmmmm Sounds very like a slowed and spliced Clayton to me alright. The repeated line combined two of his, I reckon. Something of his distinctive timbre survives.

Regards

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: greg stephens
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 12:53 PM

Have to disagree there Lighter. I dont think Clayton sings those words(or that tune)

Subject: RE: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: Lighter
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 12:22 PM

Sounds to me almost certainly like Paul Clayton played slow.

From _Whaling and Sailing Songs from the Days of Moby Dick_ (1956).

Subject: Identify ' Whale Fisheries' singer
From: greg stephens
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 12:13 PM

There's a bit of correspondence over on fRoots about the origins of a sampled recording of the Greenland Whale Fisheries .
It's on a Mr Scruff record, and it sounds to me like an American 1950's folkie. Now Mudcat is the place for this kind of esoteric knowledge: any offers. Mr Scruff claims he's forgotten where he sampled it from, so there are no clues. Play the record, and you'll soon come to the bit of song that needs identifying, and even if you don't the record is very enjoyable.