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You're not a Folksinger unless......
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST Date: 30 Nov 11 - 09:14 AM I don't know. I would say that you are not a folksinger unless you are influenced by a very wide array of styles including punk, heavy metal, rap and reggae. Of course train and cowboy songs and life from the past are all a part of the folk process too. I doubt that many other folksingers would agree with me but then they are not real folksingers, Ha! |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Sue Allan Date: 30 Nov 11 - 09:07 AM You're not a folksinger unless ... ... you've been inspired to sing by other great folksingers. The mention of Joan Baez and the Joan Baez Songbook above reminded me how much I owe to her, and the book, which introduced me to Child ballads and traditional songs as well as protest songs and newer styles of folk. Think I'd also add: ... you've had the chance to explore your own regional repertoire, songs new or old that relate to or come from your own part of the country. I love the sense of place some folk songs evoke, offering a way to celebrate your home and/or special place. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Auxiris Date: 30 Nov 11 - 03:36 AM . . . you don't care if there even IS an audience. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Mark Bluemel Date: 30 Nov 11 - 03:30 AM
A friend used to claim that if he was due to be executed, his last request would be a 12-string guitar and time to tune it... |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Songbob Date: 29 Nov 11 - 04:08 PM You know you're a folksinger if you spend your life learning songs no one in the "public" wants to hear, and you don't know a single one of the songs they DO want to hear. You're probably a folksinger (or a bluegrass musician) if you know the difference between a four- and a five-string banjo isn't just the number of strings. And you know you're a folksinger if you can hear someone sing an old song and not only do you know two variants of it, but you can name at least one old geezer who sang each of 'em. Shall I go on? Bob |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Tootler Date: 29 Nov 11 - 03:11 PM "you can spend at least ten minutes tuning your guitar..." it must be a 12-string Half an hour for a 12 string, surely? 5 minutes for a ukulele? |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Don Wise Date: 29 Nov 11 - 11:08 AM ...you've got a finger in your ear............. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST Date: 29 Nov 11 - 04:32 AM "you can spend at least ten minutes tuning your guitar..." it must be a 12-string |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 29 Nov 11 - 03:49 AM .....Unless. You get mis-booked for a Hells Angels Christmas party, and win them round with every single murder ballad you know! They loved it! (and were incredibly nice people too...It just wasn't what they were expecting!) Phew! Brilliant gig in the end! |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Ernest Date: 29 Nov 11 - 01:46 AM you sell your Porsche. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: MGM·Lion Date: 29 Nov 11 - 01:13 AM I am afraid I have never sung Little Matty Groves ~~~ but please may I claim qualification for having very frequently over the last 55 years sung Little Musgrave And Lady Barnard Child #81? Oh, go on... ~Michael~ |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,banjopicker Date: 28 Nov 11 - 11:12 PM You dont care how many people are in the audience. For example: Im told a story of when The Weavers first started and I think they were singing at the vangaurd they only had 1 or 2 people in the audience that night so they got off stage and sat around the 1 or 2 people in the audience and got them to sing along. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Guest-JD Date: 21 Nov 11 - 11:47 AM Guest,999 Right back at ya ; ) Happy Thanksgiving! |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: grumpy al Date: 21 Nov 11 - 10:30 AM No just observational |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: DrugCrazed Date: 21 Nov 11 - 10:26 AM ...you sing folk songs. Pedantic answer! |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: grumpy al Date: 21 Nov 11 - 10:19 AM you can spend at least ten minutes tuning your guitar before you start AND THEN retuning half way through without stopping the song! |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Tunesmith Date: 21 Nov 11 - 09:25 AM Matty Groves! What's not to like! Below are links to two folk music icons performing the song. Doc Watson Sandy and the lads! |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: foggers Date: 21 Nov 11 - 09:07 AM ....Oh and we sing "Shady Grove" rather than "Matty Groves"... I guess that just does not count? Unless of course the sentiments of this thread straddle both sides of the Atlantic? |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: foggers Date: 21 Nov 11 - 09:04 AM ...You've played at gigs where your band outnumbers the audience AND there is an average age of 65! |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Elmore Date: 21 Nov 11 - 08:39 AM Mathey Groves |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: BTNG Date: 20 Nov 11 - 10:03 PM "what if you just don't LIKE Matty Groves?!" then, I suppose, you're not a folk singer. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Suegorgeous Date: 20 Nov 11 - 09:21 PM What's Matty Groves got to do with anything? what if you just don't LIKE Matty Groves?! :) |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,999 Date: 20 Nov 11 - 08:59 PM "Stringsinger, your mention of Jean is wonderfully encouraging. Your insight is very fitting for the intentional farming community that I live and work in everyday. We are a CSA run by the mentally ill, and every morning before we go to work, 60 to 100 of us sing together and someone will share a poem. If I stood up and quoted some of the entries from this thread, I cannot tell you how many schizoprenic farmers would become mute and be ashamed of their own voice. These are basic folk songs which have proven to be a crucial aspect of our farm's success for over 100 years. So to all the snobbish folkies, there is a folksinger in all of us, and while we wash the dishes or plow the fields, we don't need permission or need to know every verse of 1000 songs. We just sing...and that's a beautiful thing." You have made my year. Thank you. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: tweetiepie Date: 20 Nov 11 - 07:10 PM :>}} tweet tweet twiddly dee.... My first foray into the world of folk was through "the Joan Baez song book" Taught myself a few basic chords on guitar and went forth into the great folk unknown. Never was allowed to do the nasal bit. When first starting to sing with my ex he said" You can cut that out right now" I just automatically went into a nasal twang but stopped it as was told!!! I remember the Days of yore in the "Fir tree"..Iffley road Oxford with great singers like Graham Metcalfe and Ian Giles..now they can sing songs and I can listen till the cows come home. Sorry gone into reminisce mode. X |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Big Al Whittle Date: 20 Nov 11 - 03:13 PM Tweetie Pie whenever you fancy a pluck, my banjo is at your service.... |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Bert Date: 20 Nov 11 - 02:47 PM Yes Stringsinger. Traditions change. The pub 'party piece' sing around is dying and being replaced by the Open Mike. More and more song writers are coming to the fore and are getting better. "This is one I wrote myself" is being replaced by "this is an original" and doesn't elicit the silent groans that it did twenty or more years ago. ...You're not a folksinger unless you write and sing songs for their sake... That is true but I also like to sing songs that entertain, amuse and sometimes educate my audience. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Elmore Date: 20 Nov 11 - 02:46 PM Through your nose |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Young Buchan Date: 20 Nov 11 - 02:40 PM ... unaccompanied. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Young Buchan Date: 20 Nov 11 - 02:39 PM ... to people sitting no more than 10 yards away without using a bloody amplifier. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Young Buchan Date: 20 Nov 11 - 02:37 PM ... more traditional songs than non traditional ones. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Young Buchan Date: 20 Nov 11 - 02:36 PM ... without the written words in front of you. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: The Sandman Date: 20 Nov 11 - 02:19 PM There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me; Sign was painted, it said private property; But on the back side it said nothing This land was made for you and me. In the squares of the city, In the shadow of a steeple; By the relief office, I'd seen my people. As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking, Is this land made for you and me? |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Ref Date: 20 Nov 11 - 01:53 PM JD and Stringsinger, you've got it right! Except...every school child knows PART of "This Land." Very few know the "In the streets of the city..." verse. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Stringsinger Date: 20 Nov 11 - 01:19 PM Guest-JD, I second your emotion. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Guest-JD Date: 20 Nov 11 - 01:17 PM Stringsinger, your mention of Jean is wonderfully encouraging. Your insight is very fitting for the intentional farming community that I live and work in everyday. We are a CSA run by the mentally ill, and every morning before we go to work, 60 to 100 of us sing together and someone will share a poem. If I stood up and quoted some of the entries from this thread, I cannot tell you how many schizoprenic farmers would become mute and be ashamed of their own voice. These are basic folk songs which have proven to be a crucial aspect of our farm's success for over 100 years. So to all the snobbish folkies, there is a folksinger in all of us, and while we wash the dishes or plow the fields, we don't need permission or need to know every verse of 1000 songs. We just sing...and that's a beautiful thing. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Stringsinger Date: 20 Nov 11 - 12:51 PM You're not a folksinger unless you are part of the tradition which means that you learn from the tradition and do something of your own with it. Imitation doesn't get it. Influences are important. Take these songs and make them your own. Rewrite them if you have to. Stop just being a scalp collector and become an integral part of the process. Traditional folk singers are not decrepit museum pieces but part of an evolution. There can be no folk music without evolution. Bob Dylan is a pop star. He wanted to be Elvis Presley. He has not lived what he writes about. Woody Guthrie never saw much money from his songs but "This Land" is known by every school child throughout the world. He learned from the Carter Family, Leadbelly, other traditional singers and wrote simply, clearly, and with the kind of brevity that folk songs have. Jean Ritchie is another one who writes songs this way. Pete Seeger writes this way as well. You're not a folksinger unless you write and sing songs for their sake, not just to make a buck off of them. A rich folksinger is an oxymoron. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Guest-JD Date: 20 Nov 11 - 11:44 AM ...you understand your voice is just as necessary/important as Bob Dylan's, sing with community/for community, give a damn about Community, understand the songbird's voice is beautiful because it sings at all. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Elmore Date: 20 Nov 11 - 10:08 AM OMG. Yesterday I saw this thread, found it amusing, and stole a couple of lines from Eric Bogle's "Do You Sing Any Dylan?" It appears that someone took me seriously. I enjoy Dylan, love folk music regardless of its definition,and apologize to Bert if My above entry in any way screwed up his concept. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Ref Date: 20 Nov 11 - 09:13 AM ...You've figured out that drawing artificial distinctions about repertoire and experience is a ridiculous and self-limiting exercise. get OVER yourselves. And Bert? It would be a better world if people would sing, even other peoples' songs, in their OWN voices instead of "copying" anyone. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: tweetiepie Date: 20 Nov 11 - 05:52 AM Al...you flirting with me????? |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Big Al Whittle Date: 20 Nov 11 - 05:45 AM well on account of your extreme youth Tweets, you are forgive. But really chopping people's heads off and putting the woman on top. As Mr Godfrey said in Dad's Army - I don't like that sort of thing.... |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Tweetiepie Date: 20 Nov 11 - 04:40 AM T'was as a mere lass back in the dephs that I was involved in a band and we sang Matty. Those were the days my friend. 1972/3 wonderful ones but short lived alas and alack methinks. X |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: GUEST,Neville Grundy Date: 20 Nov 11 - 12:37 AM Someone has shouted "Judas!" at you. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Big Al Whittle Date: 19 Nov 11 - 09:55 PM I never liked Matty Groves. I mean what is the point of that song? As a feat of memory....it's not really up there with Rainman. Read from a loose leaf folder (as it generally is) - its just a ghastly waste of everybody's life. Is there a moral to the tale? 1) in church, keep your mind on the service 2) always choose the worse looking knife - it works better 3) don't lose you head over a another man's wife 4) women generally end up on top Hi ho holiday....what IS that all about? I think Hi Ho Silver Lining's a better folksong. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Tattie Bogle Date: 19 Nov 11 - 08:27 PM Thanks Don T, I'm OK then! BTW, there are a lot earlier versions of Matty Groves! |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Tootler Date: 19 Nov 11 - 08:16 PM The Chevy Chase in full from memory - all 76 verses of it. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: kendall Date: 19 Nov 11 - 07:21 PM I never learned Matty Groves, but I was singing folk songs before Robert Zimmerman was born. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Deckman Date: 19 Nov 11 - 07:14 PM "Youksee Humma Humma" .... kittos ... bob(deckman)nelson |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: Don(Wyziwyg)T Date: 19 Nov 11 - 06:04 PM ""You're not a Folksinger unless""..... you know that the two earliest folk songs known, "Summer is Icumen In" (approx 1250) and "The Cutty Wren" (1302, I believe) do not fit the criteria laid down by the 1954 definition, and can still sing at least one of them. Don T. |
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Subject: RE: You're not a Folksinger unless...... From: BTNG Date: 19 Nov 11 - 05:32 PM I'm not a folk singer |
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