Lyr Req: Rocky Road

Subject: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: GUEST,Jayme Stone
Date: 11 Jun 13 - 11:30 AM

hey, everyone.

there's a recording of alan lomax singing a snippet of a song about the rocky road. i can't find any other recording of the song or even references to it. does anyone know it? there's the link to listen:

http://research.culturalequity.org/rc-b2/get-audio-detailed-recording.do?recordingId=12961

kindly,

J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jun 13 - 11:37 AM

Google

green green rocky road

and see if that is what you're looking for.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: Acorn4
Date: 11 Jun 13 - 11:45 AM

Steve Tilston wrote one called "Rocky Road" - covered by Fairport.

Flatt and Scruggs did "Rough and Rocky".

I would imagine the first would be your best bet.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: Acorn4
Date: 11 Jun 13 - 11:54 AM

or this perhaps:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4xHOznTgQU

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 11:22 AM

sorry, I don't have headset to listen to your link with the Alan Lomax recording, but is it the song discussed in green rocky road discussion thread

There are a couple of sets of lyrics in the mudcat DT (digital tradition)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 11:25 AM

youTube, Dave Van Ronk teaching Green Rocky Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMJRI_neSlU

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Jun 13 - 11:38 PM

For the record, these are the words Lomax is singing in the recording:

Oh, the rocky road,
Oh, then I wouldn't—
Oh, the rocky road,
Oh, then I wouldn't go.

I don't recognize it, but it seems to have the flavor of a work song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: GUEST,Rob O'Dell
Date: 25 Sep 13 - 04:48 AM

Not sure about this one but strangely enough I too am looking for the lyrics to the Steve Tilston song "Rocky Road" which was also recorded by Fairport Convention. I've done a fairly extensive search of the net and can't find them. They are on his album 'Soluboratu' and on Fairport's 'The Wood and the Wire', neither of which I have so I cant check whether there are lyrics books with them.

Anyone out there help??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 13 - 11:15 PM

Gee, that's a difficult song to transcribe, Rob. It borrows from a good number of traditional songs. Wish I had time to work on it, but all I have now is the chorus:

"Oh this rocky road, it makes the poor heart sore
If I ever get off this rocky road, I'll ne'er get on it any more"

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: GUEST,Rob O'Dell
Date: 27 Sep 13 - 02:50 AM

Yep, got that much Joe, and can work out quite a bit more from bothe Steve's and Fairport's versions, but I'd love to have the correct lyrics rather than guesswork.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Sep 13 - 10:02 AM

Can you give us what you have, Rob, and we can work out a group transcription?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocky Road
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 13 - 10:09 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCh2RGQY6r0

[Steve Tilston - Rocky Road]

Subject: Work in Progress: Rocky Road (Tilston)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Sep 13 - 01:22 PM

Thanks for that YouTube link, Guest. I listened to the song on the original, earlier recording, and it wasn't as easy to understand. The YouTube recording is Tilston's live performance of his revision of the song. On Spotify, I found studio recordings on Tilston's Solorubato and Happenstance albums. The most significant difference in the revision is Tilston's addition of [so-called]. I still have trouble with parts, but this is what I hear. Let's use this as our "working copy." Post corrections below, and I'll incorporate them into this copy if I agree.

ROCKY ROAD
(Steve Tilston)

All you fine young bloods must think yourselves immune
From the traps that time will set in the sweetest tune,
You must whistle up your winds, and you rosin up your bow,
But no one [none] can foretell which path the restless Muse will go.

CHORUS (twice each time)
Oh this rocky road, it makes my poor heart sore,
If I ever get off this rocky road, I'll ne'er get on it any more.

Now, I used to take delight in my 'baccy and strong beer,
I'd blow the smoke rings way up high, and then watch them disappear;
And I'd drain the tumblers dry just to loosen up my tongue,
And I'd sing the weary miles behind with a rambling song.
CHORUS

I've roamed around this world, I've rode the clouds and waves,
I've met with poor men who were kings and rich men who were slaves;
And I've knelt beneath the spires and I've heard some [so-called] holy men,
Bend my words to fit the world as it seems to them.
CHORUS