Tune Req: Newgate Stone

Subject: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: GUEST,Daniel Kelly
Date: 12 Mar 17 - 06:57 AM

I am doing some YouTube recordings of the songs Danny Spooner has sung and came across the song Newgate Stone.

The song appears in the text of the 1839, Highwayman novel 'Jack Sheppard'.

The lyrics were relatively easily found in a broadsheet of the time:
Broadsheet with Newgate Stone.


But I cannot pick the tune that Danny is singing to here:
Video of Danny Spooner singing the song.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 12 Mar 17 - 09:41 AM

I can't see the words - the link doesn't work on my computer.

The style Danny has is more recicative than a recognisable song/tune. pick another couple of chords and it would give another mood.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: GUEST,Daniel Kelly
Date: 12 Mar 17 - 11:47 PM

Thankyou for the response Big Al, it looks like the UK Bodleian site is down. Here is another link to the book:
Jack Sheppard

If Danny was making up the melody as he went, then that would be impressive indeed.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Mar 17 - 03:17 AM

yes got that one thankyou.

i notice that's from a book ny Harrison Ainsworth, presumably the guy who wrote the Rookwood book that fabricated the legend of Turpin's ride to York.

I've always thought of him as a bit like Walter Scott, whose interest in historical fact was tangential to telling a good tale.

in this case i suppose he wasn't too far in time from the publishing of the Newgate Callendar. and he must have had all kinds of sources not available to us talking about events only a hundred years prior to his time of writing.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: leeneia
Date: 14 Mar 17 - 03:33 PM

Daniel. If you join the Mudcat, I can send you a PDF of the sheet music. Click the link called Membership above.

Post a post to let us know you are back.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: leeneia
Date: 15 Mar 17 - 05:22 PM

refresh. last chance.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: GUEST,Daniel Kelly
Date: 19 Mar 17 - 12:39 AM

Hi leeneia, will send a join request, couldn't get onto the site for a few days. Thanks, Daniel.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: leeneia
Date: 19 Mar 17 - 10:13 AM

Oh good, you're back. I need to know what your screen name is once you have signed up. Come back to this thread and let me know. Then I'll send you a PDF of the melody via Personal Message.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: Daniel Kelly
Date: 29 Mar 17 - 05:19 AM

Hi Leeneia,

I now have a proper screen name (Daniel Kelly).

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: leeneia
Date: 29 Mar 17 - 11:11 AM

BAD STORM. must go. sending it later today

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: leeneia
Date: 30 Mar 17 - 11:13 AM

Oopa. I forgot I can't attach anything to a PM. See my message to you, Daniel.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: Daniel Kelly
Date: 01 Apr 17 - 08:02 AM

Thanks for the music Leeneia, it bears a strong resemblence to what Danny sang in the video link at the start of this thread. Suggesting that he was obviously repeating what he had heard/read and not making it up on the spot.

I can't find any reference to a tune by this name on thesession.org, or any google reference. Can I ask how you came by the music?

With the advent of google books, it is usually easy to find scored music for most popular ballads of the 1700/1800s.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Newgate Stone
From: leeneia
Date: 01 Apr 17 - 10:04 AM

I listened to Danny singing it on YouTube you linked and transcribed it with my MIDI keyboard (small piano attached to computer) into my music program, NoteworthyComposer. It takes a while. Once I had the melody as accurately as I could get it, I noted chords according to what sounded good to me.

Then I printed it, scanned it and e-mailed the jpg.   

I'm glad it was a short song - only 8 measures long.