Octavia Hill event

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 02 Sep 13 - 05:33 PM

Down by the Salley Gardens, words by William Butler Yeats, published in 1889.

Down by the salley gardens my love and I did meet;
She passed the salley gardens with little snow-white feet.
She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree;
But I, being young and foolish, with her would not agree.

In a field by the river my love and I did stand,
And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand.
She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs;
But I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears.

It may derive from The Rambling Boys of Pleasure, which contains the following verse;

It was down by Sally's Garden one evening late I took my way.
'Twas there I spied this pretty little girl, and those words to me sure she did say.
She advised me to take love easy, as the leaves grew on the tree.
But I was young and foolish, with my darling could not agree.

Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix - hence the salley gardens.

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 02 Sep 13 - 06:20 AM

Linden Lea by William Barnes exists in two forms, standard English and Dorset dialect;

Within the woodland, flow'ry gladed,
By the oak trees' mossy moot;
The shining grass blade timber-shaded
Now do quiver underfoot;
And birds do whistle overhead,
And water's bubbling in its bed;
And there for me
The apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

My Orcha'd in Linden Lea

'Ithin the woodlands, flow'ry gleaded,
By the woak tree's mossy moot,
The sheenen grass bleades, timber-sheaded,
Now do quiver under voot;
An' birds do whissle auver head,
An' water's bubblen in its bed,
An' ther vor me the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 11:14 PM

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 08:39 PM

And of course there are poems of William Barnes, John Clare and William Blake that have been turned into songs that could fit.

You could be singing till midnight and only got started...

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 07:54 PM

The Cottager's Reply - Chris Wood

Five hundred English pounds
For this old house and a piece of ground,
You and your wife have always planned
To settle down in Cotswold land.
Well you'd best come in, you'd best sit down
It's such a long drive from London town
Would you like some tea now while I tell?

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 07:47 PM

Maggie Holland - A Proper Sort of Gardener

Once upon a time I found a garden,
Picked the brightest things that I could see;
An apron full of Mr Harding's flowers,
I didn't know that he was watching me.

Straight away my mother ran to tell him
Wondering what he would say or do.
Mr Harding smiled and said, She's just a little child;
I knew that she'd be picking them for you

This song preceded A Place called England

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 07:42 PM

Dougie MacLean; Solid Ground

Down the Buckney den the burn crashes brown
From the Autumn spate
The spreading hazels rustle as they bend and sway
As they laden wait

My fathers they have walked this road
And now I know, And yes didn't they know
There is no great and heavy load
And now I know, And yes didn't they know

Fa la-a la la la-a
We stand on Solid Ground, on Solid Ground
Fa la-a la la la-a
We stand on Solid Ground, on Solid Ground

It's the land - it is our wisdom
It's the land - it shines us through
It's the land - it feeds our children
It's the land - you cannot own the land
The land owns you

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 06:07 PM

"If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between" is about someone stuck in a city and longing for the country. I know you are doubtful about singing music hall, but though it normally gets sung all hearty and raucous, the words are actually pretty poignant, and might work well sung a different way.

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: Emmie
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 12:39 PM

a place called england captures the spirit perfectly!

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 09:17 AM

A place called Englandby june tabor

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: Emmie
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 07:04 AM

cupids garden sounds great! Off to i-tunes I go!

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 06:24 AM

Cupid's Garden [ Roud 297 ; Ballad Index SWMS090 ; trad.]

From Mainly Norfolk

"Cuper's Gardens were an 18th century tea garden (a smaller version of pleasure gardens) on the south side of the River Thames in Lambeth, London, looking over to Somerset House near where Waterloo Bridge is located (centred around what is now the north end of Waterloo Road).

"The gardens opened in the 1680s and were named after the original proprietor, Abraham Boydell Cuper, the gardener of the Earl of Arundel. They were also known as Cupid's Gardens. A long landing stage in the river known as Cuper's Bridge acted as a popular entrance for the gardens.

"In 1736, an orchestra was included among the attractions. It also became known for its firework displays. However, it lost its license in 1753 due to the loose morals of its visitors." [Wikipedia]

This song from the repertoire of the Copper Family is printed in The Copper Family Song Book. Bob and Ron Copper sang Cupid's Garden in 1963 on their EFDSS LP Traditional Songs from Rottingdean; which was reissued in 2001 on the Topic CD Come Write Me Down: Early Recordings of the Copper Family of Rottingdean.

Another generation, John and Lynne Copper, sang in in 1987 on the EFDSS LP Coppersongs: A Living Tradition. And Mark Barratt and Tom Copper from the most recent Copper Family generation sang it in 2008 on the Young Coppers's CD Passing Out.

Tony Engle and Peta Webb sang Cupid's Garden in 1971 on Oak's Topic album Welcome to Our Fair, and Derek, Dorothy and Nadine Elliott sang it in 1976 on their LP Yorkshire Relish. Both groups credit the Copper Family as their source.

Jon Boden sang Cupid's Garden as the February 14, 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Lyrics
'Twas down in Cupid's Garden I wandered for to view
The sweet and lovely flowers that in the garden grew,
And one it was sweet jasmin, the lily, pink and rose;
They are the finest flowers that in the garden grow.

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: Emmie
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 06:18 AM

what would be perfect would be a song about finding a green space within the city-something   that sounds like an old song from the victorian or earlier era-I think that would capture the spirit of the event perfectly.

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: Emmie
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 06:16 AM

I like the idea of looking in to songs about enclosures and poaching....thanks HenryP

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 06:03 AM

The enclosures denied people access to land. Songs about the enclosures might be appropriate - but don't seem to exist, I'm afraid. There are plenty about poachers - and transportation - though.

The Albion Country Band - Gallant Poacher

Now come all you lads of high renown
That like to drink strong ale that's brown
And pull a lofty pheasant down
With powder, shot and gun.
He's a gallant youth, I will tell the truth,
Oh he's crossed all life's temptations ways,
No mortal man his life could save
Now he's sleeping in his grave,
His deeds on earth be done.

John Clare wrote about the enclosures; The Mores

Each little tyrant with his little sign
Shows where man claims earth glows no more divine
But paths to freedom and to childhood dear
A board sticks up to notice 'no road here'

And on the tree with ivy overhung
The hated sign by vulgar taste is hung
As tho' the very birds should learn to know
When they go there they must no further go

Pete Morton wrote The Shepherd's Song about John Clare - it's wonderful!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0QOkOj2AQg

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: Hesk
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 05:50 AM

"English Country Garden", might be too obvious.
Or how about the "The Holmfirth Anthem". The phrase, "Where the pretty, pretty flowers grow", seems apt, as do some of the lyrics of "Here's a Rosebud in June".
There are some more modern songs such as "Mr Harding's Garden" and "The Key above the Door" which could be used.

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: Emmie
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 05:15 AM

I just listened to Bill Caddick singing John o Dreams on you tube! I wasn't able to find sunny memories anywhere but it sounds perfect!! Will carry on looking! I loved John o dreams though, what a beautiful song. I hadn't heard of Bill Caddick before but that was a wonderful discover thanks leadfingers!

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: Emmie
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 05:02 AM

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply, I shall take a look and listen. Just to add I am looking for traditional English/British songs-I don't think I made that really clear.

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: Leadfingers
Date: 01 Sep 13 - 04:48 AM

View the Land

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Aug 13 - 11:20 PM

This Old House?



Pat

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 31 Aug 13 - 08:20 PM

This land is your land - Woody Guthrie, born July 14, 1912, a little later, I know.

View the land - composed by Sarah Morgan,
http://www.focsle.org.uk/SCoFF/CMR-harmony/viewland.htm

Subject: RE: Octavia Hill event
From: Leadfingers
Date: 31 Aug 13 - 08:08 PM

Not sure wether any of the songs would suit you , but Bill Caddick's 'Sunny Memories' album is all dated twixt 1901 and WW 1 , inspired by a
Photo Album he picked up in a Junk Shop .

Subject: Octavia Hill event
From: Emmie
Date: 31 Aug 13 - 07:11 PM

Hi Mudcatters, time to pick your brains again. I'm singing at an event to commemorate Octavia Hill, one of the founder members of the national Trust. The event is the flower day at red cross gardens and is a community event where local people bring produce they have grown. There will be lots of victorian themed events. Redcross gardens was originally a community garden that she opened for local Londoners working in a paper factory to experience contact with nature and arts as there were beautiful grounds and a bandstand for workers to hear music.

I was wondering if people had any suggestions for songs I could sing that would suit the era : i.e. late 18oo's/early 1900's, the beauty of nature, philanthropy etc. I'm not so great at singing music hall so I would prefer something more traditionally folkie.

I'm going to look through the data base as well. Many thanks. You are always so helpful on here!

Emmie