Origins: Campbell's Farewell

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 05 Jul 13 - 06:37 PM

Tangentially, does anyone know of a vocal recording of "My Lodging is On the Cold Ground"? The tune (a magnificent one) doesn't seem to be a comfortable fit for the words.

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Jack Campin
Date: 05 Jul 13 - 03:54 PM

That's what "Believe me if all those endearing young charms" is about.

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 05 Jul 13 - 02:42 PM

From memory... and without being able to recall any of the lyrics...might it have been a song about getting older ?

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 05 Jul 13 - 12:31 PM

Agreed Kenny, as per my post above.

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 05 Jul 13 - 04:13 AM

I've heard Archie sing the song referred to by the OP as well, with an air almost identical to "Believe...etc". It's nothing at all like "Campbell's Farewell To Redcastle". It seems to me that Archie was referring to a totally different tune. Archie never said anything whatsoever - reportedly - about "Redcastle".

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Jim McLean
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 04:26 PM

I set the lyrics of my highland clearance song The Fire Raisers to Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle. As Jack says the melody I'd similar to The Gallawa Hills but no resemblance to Believe Me if all/My Lodging's in the Cold...

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 11:15 AM

Gutcher,

Bodleian Ballads Search page and enter 'campbells farewell'

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 05:17 AM

I've checked through Archie's discography and it's not there, but have definitely heard him sing it at live gigs. And definitely to the tune of "Believe me, if those endearing young charms". Nice versions of the original song, lyrics from a poem by Irish poet Thomas Moore, on YouTube (thread drift!)
Will ask Archie next time I see him!

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Gutcher
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 03:48 AM

John Moulden---one of the ballads sung to me by my old neighbour 50yrs. back was "Campbells Farewell To New Cumnock". I would be interested in seeing the broadside of the Irish version of this ballad,can you point me in the direction where I can obtain a sight of the words for this one.
As you know there were many connections between the South West of Scotland and Ireland. Campbell was a common name in the Cumnock/New Cumnock area Campbell being the family name of the Earls of Loudon and it spread widely over S.W.S. from the 14th. C.

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: EBarnacle
Date: 03 Jul 13 - 11:43 PM

Thanks, Tattie

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 03 Jul 13 - 08:31 PM

Not the Gallowa Hills, tune nothing like it but IS like " Endearing Charms".
I know the song EBarnacle means, though can't think of the title at this late hour. Will check tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 Jul 13 - 01:39 PM

I don't think "Campbell's Farewell to Ireland" has anything to do with "Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle/Red Gap".

"The Gallowa Hills" is a very popular song in Scotland, and Archie Fisher must have it in his repertoire.

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: EBarnacle
Date: 03 Jul 13 - 12:58 PM

The metre of the Campbell's Farewell does not seem to fit the melody under discussion. Any other options?

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 03 Jul 13 - 10:53 AM

Campbell's Farewell to Ireland is the name of a north Irish emigration song, with features that lead to the belief that it may have originated in the 18th cetnury. It had the first line "Farewell to old Ireland, the place of my nativity" and appeared on ballad sheets in the mid-nineteenth century. However, it is unlikely that Archie Fisher had heard it sung.

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 Jul 13 - 10:52 AM

Hi, Ebbie. I play that too, having found it in 'the Fiddler's Fake Book.'

I've listened to three versions of CF to Redcastle on YouTube. They are very like CF to Red Gap, but they only have two sections. Campbells Farewell to Red Gap has a third section. It seems monotonous, and I believe it was added to let the fiddle 'stand down' and allow the other players to show off. In a word, bluegrass.

Is that what you play?

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Jack Campin
Date: 02 Jul 13 - 10:48 AM

More or less.

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Jul 13 - 10:41 AM

We play a 'Campbell's Farewell to Red Gap.' Is that the same tune?

Subject: RE: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: Jack Campin
Date: 02 Jul 13 - 10:16 AM

The song was probably "The Gallowa Hills" and the tune was "Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle", a mid-19th-century Scottish pipe tune that got popularized in the US under several other names in the late 19th century (Nigel Gatherer knows exactly how that happened but I haven't heard the story).

"Believe Me if All Those Endearing Young Charms" uses an English tune from about 1700, "My Lodging is on the Cold Ground", and it isn't really all that similar to "Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle". The words for "The Gallowa Hills" also predate "Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle" by decades. So I think Archie got the chronology somewhat discombobulated.

Subject: Origins: Campbell's Farewell
From: EBarnacle
Date: 02 Jul 13 - 10:08 AM

At Old Songs, Archie Fisher sang a song, the melody of which had a strong resemblance to "Believe Me if All those Endearing Young Charms." When queried, he said that both songs derived from "Campbell's Farewell." I have not found the Campbell's Farewell he referred to. Any thoughts?