Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 24 Sep 15 - 03:27 AM

Since such ballads are typically sung by single persons in a rather rhetorical style, there is often no clear metre at all. The length of a note varies not only from singer to singer, but even from verse to verse. Thus, any sheet music amounts to an arrangement. I have seen the song printed in 3/4 time (with some triplets), which makes sense.

Mudcat has many threads discussing the question whether modal songs can be harmonized at all. I do think so, but seventh chords should be taboo, since they belong to a different style.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 01:00 PM

This song was also on Nic Jones' first Trailer record iirc, which would have been before Maddie came along, wouldn't it?

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: Rumncoke
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 11:39 AM

Oh - the last two lines in the lyrics above are missing words

Stand true my lads and take no bribes but fight with courage bold
I led my men through smoke and fire but never was bribed by gold

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: Rumncoke
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 11:34 AM

The tune is not 4/4 - even I with my inability to read music can tell that - and it is all over the place - with odd numbers of beats, phrases of 13 beats - not knowing that it is supposed to be difficult I just sing it as I first heard it, but it must be a real trial for those who know about time signatures and keys.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: doc.tom
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 11:26 AM

It was also collected/published by Sharp in English Folk Songs vol.2. That is the version Fairport recorded. I don't know which version Maddie recorded - probably the same one? That tune is a straight Major/Ionian with an AABA pattern. The fourth of the scale is weak and only occurs as a passing note in the rising A phrase. The tune can be sung without that passing note in which case it becomes an I/Ly hexatonic scale. I seriously don't trust the Purslow chords for his tune! Sharp also refers to a further three tunes for the song which were published in the Folk Song Society Journal. Can someone give us a clue which version Maddie recorded?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: Anglo
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 09:36 AM

Sorry, cookie seems to have vanished. That's me above, I didn't intend to be anonymous.

And I mis-spoke. The Bb notes are in the FIRST and 4th lines of the tune, The tune is ABBA form.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 15 - 12:01 AM

Well, I could easily change This Land Is Your Land to a waltz, and that's a very traditional pattern too. You might object. Lord Marlborough is an English ballad, not a country song, and is well established in 5/4. And that's how the source singer sang it.

I agree that it's in C, but there are two very strong Bb notes half way through the 3rd and 4th lines which define the character of the tune.

The printed source, Frank Purslow's "The Constant Lovers," does give guitar chords, so I'll give them here. (That's not a recommendation, it's what's there.)

Am/C | Dm/Gm | Am/G7 | C |
C/Am | F/G | C | C |
Am | F/G | Am | F |
C | Dm/Gm | Am/G7 | C ||

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Sep 15 - 06:28 PM

I changed the key, not the pitch. The song was marked as being in F, but every B note in it was changed to a B natural. No doubt the F key was a mistake.

I changed it from 5/ 4 to 4/4 because in 4/4 it looked right and sounded right, consisting of 4-measure phrases ending in long notes (cadences).   That is a very traditional pattern.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: doc.tom
Date: 22 Sep 15 - 02:02 PM

I can understand changing pitch to suit your voice, but why change the whole character of the tune by changing from 5/4 to 4/4? I'm not being trollish - I'm seriously interested as to why. TomB

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Sep 15 - 09:15 AM

Alex, I downloaded the music as it's shown by abcnotation.com. Then I changed the key notation from F to C, since that seemed to make sense. Then I changed it from 5/4 to 4/4, and that also seemed to make sense.

But when I tried to set chords to it, I saw that it moves up and down the scale so much, that chords seemed fruitless. Yes, I spose you could play something is you only produced a chord at the beginning of a measure and if you held your mouth right. But if I were doing it, I would just use a singer and a drum.

But wait. Maybe you could use a drone. Think about that.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: cnd
Date: 22 Sep 15 - 06:14 AM

Well, no chords, but the lyrics are here:

Duke of Marlborough

You generals all and champions bold that take delight in field
That knock down palaces and castle walls but now to death must yield
I am an Englishman by birth, Lord Marlborough is my name
In Devonshire I drew my breath, a place of noted fame
I was beloved by all my men, kings and princes likewise
It's many a town I often took, and did the world surprise
King Charles the Second I did serve to face the foe in France
And at the battle of Ramilles I boldly did advance

The sun was down, the earth did shake, how loudly did I cry
Fight on, my lads, for old England's sake, we'll conquer or we'll die
That very day my horse got shot, 'twas by a musket ball
And as I mounted up again, my aide-de-camp did fall

Now on a bed of sickness lie, I am resigned to die
You generals all and champions bold stand true as well as I
Stand true my lads and bribes but fight with courage bold
I led my men through smoke and fire but never bribed by gold

source

You can also listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyHBDjf2bts

Subject: Chord Req: Duke of Marlborough
From: GUEST,Alex
Date: 22 Sep 15 - 04:22 AM

Does anybody have the guitar chords for Duke of Marlborough as performed by Maddy Prior?