Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)
From: GUEST,T Mac
Date: 07 Nov 17 - 10:00 AM

I might have more luck if I spell it properly Calaise

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)
From: GUEST,T Mac
Date: 07 Nov 17 - 09:12 AM

I'm trying to find the lyrics for The Fires of Callaise at least I think that's the title

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Nov 13 - 08:47 AM

https://www.google.ca/search?q=A+diminished+7&rlz=1C1AVSX_enUS415CA416&espv=210&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VpqYUpLJAffLsQSU7ICYBQ&ved=0CDYQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=638

Adim7 chord: second row down, fourth 'picture' from the left side of page.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Nov 13 - 12:35 AM

Between the D and the Em, you miss the most important chord- an A diminished 7 chord, a VERY important progression in this song. In a interview, James credited Stephen Fearing in suggesting the chord progression, which sort of creates the atmosphere of the piece...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)
From: maeve
Date: 14 Jan 08 - 05:23 PM

Thanks,Spaw, for putting this one together...and for the Am7th/G!

maeve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 07:23 PM

Needs to be on this thread as well.......I just found the following for a "searcher" from one of Clintons' old posts. Clinton kinda' woreout his welcome here but he was a big JK fan.


Rebecca's Lament
Key of D
(Capo 7th fret)
Relative chord shapes (As if your capo was the 'nut')
G C G D
Em C D G

The (G)last time I (C)saw him He'd been (G)swallowed by the (D)wood
I'd have (Em)followed if I (C)could, He'da(G)stayed had he(D) wanted
Had (G)he the (C)desire or (G)had I the (D)will
I would (Em)be with him (C)still but (G)instead he just (D)haunts me
I (C)knew when(D) he (G)faded I'd ne're see him (C)again
His (Am)laughter's (Am7th/G)embrace would no (C)more me (D)surround
The (G)chill that went (C)through me is the (G)chill wind that (D)blows
Through the (Em)soft midnight (C)stillness of (D)Chillico (G)town

The smell of the blanket he wrapped round my shoulders
Comes back to me now on a faint wisp of smoke
Comes back with a vengeance that makes me remember
Those nights round the fire and fond words we spoke
The blanket was woven in some shattered village
That is gone now forever May never be found
His people are scattered, his fondest hopes dashed
He'd a been better off here in Chillico town

I knew from the start just were he stood
About his intentions there was no mistake
To stay meant his dream so dear to his heart
Was the one thing he knew he must somehow forsake
He just couldn't see that the old ways were passing
A new wave was rising and he would be drowned
Like it or not history is written
Not in the forest but in Chillico town

There's sadness in parting with what we hold dear
There's a danger in staying for fear we'll be lost
One half of us wishes to live out our dreams
The other half reckons and counts out the cost
Though we may go on to a far greater glory
By knowing where destiny is sure to be found
I wish him no ill, though I wish him no fame
And such fame as he'd find here in Chillico town


And just in case you don't know what an (Am7th/G) chord is, here's the tab for it... from your bass strings down....

Spaw
302010

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)
From: delphinium
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 09:17 PM

Rebecca Galloway lived at Old Chillicothe in the Ohio Valley, which apparently was the "capital" settlement of the Shawnee. Old Chillicothe is called Old Town now. The Galloway family cabin is still there as a historical site maintained by the Greene County Historical Society. There's a picture here.

Perhaps Keelaghan saw it somewhere splled with one l, place name spellings tended to be somewhat fluid in older days.

[in modern days too - I wonder where Wondser Ontario is - just kidding Clinton]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 04:48 PM

----------------------------

From the Liner Notes on "Small Rebellions"

In Pierre Berton's "Invasion of Canada" the story is told of Tecumseh and Rebecca Galloway. Said to be deeply in love with each other, Tecumseh asked for Rebecca's hand in marraige. Rebeccas proviso was that Tecumseh would have to give up the ways of an Indian and live like a white man. Tecumseh could not, and left Rebecca. They never saw each other again.

----------------------------

There are 2 recordings of this song that I'm aware of... One is James's own CD, "Small Rebellions" and the other is a Wondsor, Ontario band I used to play with called Celtic Cross... We recorded it on our CD, "The Long Road"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rebecca's Lament (James Keelaghan)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 04:24 PM

The Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names lists a Chilicote Canyon in Presidio County, Texas--the only place with that spelling. It also lists 12 places named -- or that were formerly named -- Chillicothe. I really don't know what Keelaghan had in mind, but the spelling "Chilicote" comes right off his website.

Subject: Lyr Add: REBECCA'S LAMENT (James Keelaghan)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 04:14 PM

Lyrics copied from http://www.keelaghan.com/pdf/smallRebellions.pdf
(Keelaghan's own website.)

REBECCA'S LAMENT
(James Keelaghan)

The last time I saw him he'd been swallowed by the wood.
I'd have followed if I could. He'd have stayed had he wanted.
Had he the desire, or had he the will,
I would be with him still, but instead he just haunts me.
I knew when he faded I'd ne'er see him again.
His laughter's embrace would no more me surround.
The chill that went through me is the chilled wind that blows
Through the soft midnight stillness of Chilicote town.

The smell of the blanket he wrapped 'round my shoulders
Comes back to me now on a faint wisp of smoke.
Comes back with vengeance that makes me remember
Those nights 'round the lire, when fond words we spoke.
That blanket was woven in some shattered village
That is gone now forever, may never be found.
His people are scattered, their fondest hopes dashed.
He'd have been better off here in Chilicote town.

I knew from the start just where he stood.
About his intentions, there was no mistake.
To stay meant his dream. So dear to his heart
Was the one thing he knew he must somehow forsake.
He just couldn't see that the old ways were passing.
A new wave was rising and he would be drowned.
And like it or not, the history's written
Not in the forest, but in Chilicote town.

There's sadness in parting from what we hold dear.
There's a danger in staying for fear we'll be lost.
One half of us wishes to live out our dreams;
The other half reckons and counts out the cost.
Thought we may go on to a far greater glory
By knowing where destiny is sure to be found,
I wish him no ill, though I wish him no fame
Than such fame as he'd find here in Chilicote town.

The last time I saw him he'd been swallowed by the wood.
I'd have followed if I could. He'd have stayed had he wanted.

[Recorded by James Keelaghan on "Small Rebellions," 1990. Also recorded by Phil Cooper, Margaret Nelson, and Paul Goelz on their album "Pretty Susan," 1992.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Keelaghan
From: Davey
Date: 04 Oct 99 - 11:54 PM

Nikki, see my reply to the "Lyric Fragment Madness" thread. I'd put a blue clickie thing in here if I knew how.

Subject: James Keelaghan
From: Nikki Hershberger
Date: 04 Oct 99 - 08:26 PM

Hi! I'm trying to find the lyrics for a James Keelaghan song; however, I don't know the title. All I know is the basic tune and the first couple of lines:

The last time I saw him, he'd been swallowed by the wood; I'd have followed if I could He'd have stayed had he wanted.

Oh yes, and there is a teensy hook on every verse: "in Chillicothe-town".

If anyone knows the complete lyrics, or knows of a recording of this song, that would be fantastic! Thanks!

Nikki