Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive

Subject: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: Stewart
Date: 19 Dec 14 - 01:07 PM

Keeping the Old Songs Alive was written by Steve Donnelly. He sings it on Youtube here. I have all the words but about four. Can anyone help me out on those? I'm doing a workshop on song collecting and "keeping the old songs alive" and this song would be a good intro.

Keeping The Old Songs Alive – Steve Donnelly

We meet in our places like drafty back rooms
Guy plays the fiddle and another plays the spoons
There's umpteen guitars and they're all out of tune
Keeping the old songs alive

The girl sings a love song in a voice soft and clear
Of [       ] Island it brings us to tears
She then sings a chanty with a finger in each ear
She's keeping those old songs alive

Keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
She then sings a chanty with a finger in each ear
She's keeping those old songs alive

There's songs about fishing, spinning and sail
Songs about hunting the fox and the whale
Of standing for freedom and landing in jail
Keeping those old songs alive

And I've heard old songs and new songs, poetry and prose
Banging on tables and tapping of toes
On singers' night anything goes
Just keep those old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
On singers' night, hey, anything goes
Just keep these old songs alive

There's whistles and fiddles and a bohran or two
Neat looking banjos and a sucking kazoo
While knocking the life out of Foggy Mountain Dew
Keeping the old songs alive

Songs from the [       ] and [    ] lair
From Norfolk and Suffolk and [       ] Kildare
Travel the world and never leave you chair
Keeping these old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
You'll travel the world and never leave you chair
Keeping the old songs alive

They say we're old fashioned, boring and staid
Part of the open-toe sandal brigade
But they've never been here, sung here or played
Keeping the old songs alive

No they've never heard a good chorus song
When the whole of the room starts singing along
You're part of the chain that's centuries strong
Keeping those old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
You're part of the chain that's centuries strong
Keeping those old songs alive

We meet in odd places like drafty back rooms
Guy plays the fiddle and another plays the spoons
There's umpteen guitars and they're all out of tune
Keeping the old songs alive

Well fashions have come and fashions have gone
But long after hip hop and flip flop are done
These traditional songs will always live one
If we just keep these old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
Traditional music will always live on
If we just keep these old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
Traditional music will always live on
If we just keep these old songs alive

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: GUEST,#
Date: 19 Dec 14 - 01:24 PM

Of [       ] Island it brings us to tears

sounds like 'A tale of old Ireland'

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: GUEST,#
Date: 19 Dec 14 - 01:27 PM

From Norfolk and Suffolk and [       ] Kildare

Sounds like 'across to Kildare'

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: GUEST,ketchdana
Date: 19 Dec 14 - 04:57 PM

In addition to the above posts, I hear:

"A few plucking banjos and a sucking kazoo"

"But long after hip hop and Brit pop are done,,"

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: Stewart
Date: 19 Dec 14 - 06:28 PM

Thanks guests
it looks like were down to just one line

Songs from the [       ] and [      ] lair (?)

any ideas?

S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: GUEST,#
Date: 19 Dec 14 - 06:55 PM

Songs from the [       ] and [      ] lair (?)

Songs from the Scillies and north to Rosslare

The Scillies are WSW of Cornwall (England)
Took a little map work to find Rosslare (Ireland), but there ya go.

Good song BTW :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: Deckman
Date: 19 Dec 14 - 07:12 PM

WOW ... what a great song Stew. We can hear you singing it! Oh ... Judy just told me that she thinks she saw you and your fiddle hiding behind the blonde with the long hair. And look ... there's Mary playing the pennywhistle!   bob(Deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: GUEST,threelegsoman
Date: 20 Dec 14 - 02:44 AM

As I hear them, the gaps in your lyrics are:


.....voice soft and clear
A tale of old Ireland....


Songs from the Scillies and north to Rosslare
From Norfolk and Suffolk across to Kildare

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: Reinhard
Date: 20 Dec 14 - 04:09 AM

I hear verse five as

There's whistles and fiddles and a bodhran or two
A few plucking banjos and a sucking kazoo

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: Stewart
Date: 20 Dec 14 - 12:11 PM

Thanks everyone, especially for the map work (Scillies and Rosslare)
I think we've nailed it.
Here's the complete corrected lyrics

Keeping The Old Songs Alive – Steve Donnelly

We meet in our places like drafty back rooms
Guy plays the fiddle and another plays the spoons
There's umpteen guitars and they're all out of tune
Keeping the old songs alive

The girl sings a love song in a voice soft and clear
A tale of old Ireland, it brings us to tears
She then sings a chanty with a finger in each ear
She's keeping those old songs alive

Keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
She then sings a chanty with a finger in each ear
She's keeping those old songs alive

There's songs about fishing, spinning and sail
Songs about hunting the fox and the whale
Of standing for freedom and landing in jail
Keeping those old songs alive

I've heard old songs and new songs, poetry and prose
Banging on tables and tapping of toes
On singers' night anything goes
Just keep those old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
On singers' night, hey, anything goes
Just keep these old songs alive

There's whistles and fiddles and a bodhran or two
A few plucking banjos and a sucking kazoo
While knocking the life out of Foggy Mountain Dew
Keeping the old songs alive

Songs from the Scillies and north to Rosslare
From Norfolk and Suffolk and across to Kildare
Travel the world and never leave you chair
Keeping these old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
You'll travel the world and never leave you chair
Keeping the old songs alive

They say we're old fashioned, boring and staid
Part of the open-toed sandal brigade
But they've never been here, sung here or played
Keeping the old songs alive

No they've never heard a good chorus song
When the whole of the room starts singing along
You're part of the chain that's centuries strong
Keeping those old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
You're part of the chain that's centuries strong
Keeping those old songs alive

We meet in odd places like drafty back rooms
Guy plays the fiddle and another plays the spoons
There's umpteen guitars and they're all out of tune
Keeping the old songs alive

Well fashions have come and fashions have gone
But long after hip hop and Brit hop are done
These traditional songs will always live on
If we just keep these old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
Traditional music will always live on
If we just keep these old songs alive

Yes, keeping the old songs alive
Keeping the old songs alive
Traditional music will always live on
If we just keep these old songs alive

Chees, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: GUEST,#
Date: 20 Dec 14 - 12:16 PM

Thanks for posting the song, Stewart. It really is a good 'un.

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: GUEST,ketchdana
Date: 20 Dec 14 - 02:35 PM

Some picky things I hear, from the recording. None critical to the song itself.

We meet in odd places       (in first line.)
A girl sings a love song
On singers' nights, hey,
I've heard old songs, [and] new songs,
... hip hop and Brit pop ...       (what I hear, though "Brit hop" is an actual term (new to me))
... never leave your chair       (X2) (a typo)
From Norfolk and Suffolk, [and] across to Kildare
... part of a chain       (X2)

Great song. And great singer, too. Thank you for "introducing" him.
Chees, B. in Arvada

Subject: RE: Lyr add/req: Keeping The Old Songs Alive
From: Stewart
Date: 20 Dec 14 - 03:46 PM

B. in Arvada, you're absolutely right
it's funny, if you have something in mind
you miss the obvious

Thanks, S. in Seattle