Folk songs about birdsong...?

Subject: British folk songs about birdsong...?
From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK
Date: 19 May 20 - 05:17 AM

Hello all - which British and English folk songs feature birdsong prominently?

Three that spring easily to mind:

Pleasant and Delightful ('and the blackbirds and thrushes/sang on every green spray/ and the larks they sang melodious/ at the dawning of the day')

Down By the Green Groves ('it was there I did hear/the harmless birds sing/and you never heard so sweet/as the birds in the spring')

The Week Before Easter ('where the small birds are singing/and changing their notes/down among the wild beasts of the forest')


There are clearly many, many others - how many can we list? Do you have any personal favourites?

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 May 20 - 06:27 AM

the cuckoohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGoYfU2-A54

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: Bainbo
Date: 19 May 20 - 07:26 AM

Oh, the blackbird and the thrush
They sing out of ev’ry bush
‘Keep your hand upon your little ball of yarn’.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: JHW
Date: 19 May 20 - 08:10 AM

Derek Gifford did a whole CD of them. 'Birds in Folk Song' CRM148
Must play it tonight.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 19 May 20 - 09:47 AM

Odd that the thread title lost the words
British / English,
which I see in the post heading now that I'm in the thread.

I saw 'folk songs about birdsong" as the thread title in the queue,
and right away I thought
about folk songs in German --
the Germans are always going on about "die Vöglein."

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 May 20 - 10:15 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8H9wpMBVtw

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 May 20 - 10:47 AM

Copper family - birds in the Spring.

Trassinger

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: KT
Date: 19 May 20 - 11:11 AM

Bird’s Courting Song.
Hi, said the blackbird, sitting on a chair....

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK
Date: 19 May 20 - 02:04 PM

Thank you all! Please do keep them coming;

PS Sandman, are you Dick Miles himself?

I've been enjoying 'Cheating The Tide' of late, and (if it is you) your own version of 'Seeds of Love' (also featuring birds!) is probably my favourite take on that song currently on YouTube.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 19 May 20 - 02:20 PM

TheLark in the Morning..... an old favourite of mine from the days of yore.... https://youtu.be/lsWKeDCHY0A

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: leeneia
Date: 20 May 20 - 12:03 AM

Gwcw Fach (Little Cuckoo) is a great Welsh song.

Go on YouTube and hear the Cuckoo Yodel by Oesch's die Dritten.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: rich-joy
Date: 20 May 20 - 01:58 AM

I used to have a Scottish Folk LP of interesting "bits and pieces" which included a guy where he mimicked birdsong and what they were actually "saying" ......

"3 Little Birds" (Every Little Thing's Gonna Be All Right") - Bob Marley

"Blackbird" - Beatles

"Red-Winged Blackbird" coal-mining song by Billy Ed Wheeler

"Magpie" (One's for Sorrow ...) by Dave Dodds (The Unthanks / The Detectorists!)

Dick Miles' "The Cuckoo" song as above, but with tune as sung by Traveller, Queen Caroline Hughes (as Frankie Armstrong sings too)....

"Bird's Courting Song" (KT mentioned above) aka "Leatherwing Bat"

"Swallow Swallow, I wish I could follow you ..." Leon Rossellson?

Heaps more, I'm sure!!

R-J

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 May 20 - 02:16 AM

I am.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: Mr Red
Date: 20 May 20 - 02:17 AM

Sweet Nightingale / Down in the Valley Below - apparently Cornish.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 May 20 - 05:09 AM

thankyou black acorn, i like the clarinet in that songhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_wcP25wsrE

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: Mr Red
Date: 21 May 20 - 03:54 AM

Narrow Boat - what3words ///gently.revamped.venue - apt!

Tarn House Caravan Park White Hills Lane BD23 3LQ just over a mile from town centre. ///whizzing.barstool.overtime

(all open in a new tab/window)

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 21 May 20 - 04:09 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOi6t_3zICE

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 21 May 20 - 04:15 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zacX2rIFmFQ

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 22 May 20 - 01:08 PM

here is one .

the swallows flight on a summers eve
past Kilcrohane as they start to leave
The Corncrakes call was the only sound
As the sun was setting over Bantry town

past Catletownbere we said good night
A gentle kiss as the sunset died
The piper played her final tune
The rich full notes of The Harvest moon

Through the heatherymoor came the curlews call
While Dragobflies dance their farewell ball
acroos the vale from Bantry bay
The church bells welcome the end of day

So fill your glass and drink down time
hear the Blackbird sing her soulful line
as the morning dawns on the still night scene
[she sings the songs [of the Shamrock green] or
the fluted notes roll a liquid sheen COPYRIGHT R Miles1990

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 May 20 - 02:45 PM

Years ago out in the wilds of Australia
Out in the minefields there once stood a camp
The miners were made up of all sorts of classes
many a scapegrace and many a scamp.
When into their midst came a young man from England
and with him he brought a small thrush in a cage,
to hear the bird sing they would flock 'round in dozens.
That dear little songster became quite the rage.

CHORUS:
There fell a deep hush. As the song of the thrush,
Was heard by that motley throng.
Many a rough fellows eyes grew moist
As the notes rang out clearly and strong.
Eyes lighted up with a bright yearning look
As the bird trilled his beautiful lay
For it brought to their minds dear old England and home
Thousands of miles away.

The miners though rough and fierce looking fellows
were human and idolised, worshipped that bird
in the midst of a quarrel they'd leave off and listen
when the voice of their charmer, their favourite they heard.
That bird from Old England at last got quite famous
To hear it the miners would come from afar
and many declared they preferred the bird's singing
To the card and the dice at the round liquor bar.

It made them all think of the corn fields and meadows
Of many a shady and quiet little lane
And hearts ached and yearned as they thought of some village
And some they had dearly loved, but all in vain.
The bird still sang on and the miners still listend
P'r'aps they got tired of the bird? no such thing:
As one rough expressed it, "He came like and angel
And make you feel good like to hear that bird sing.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: JHW
Date: 24 May 20 - 05:40 AM

I have heard three separate cuckoos this year (reminded above) but alas as we all I haven't been anywhere to sing about them. From the singing of Shirley Collins and my memory

My bonny Cuckoo I'll tell you true
That through the groves I'll rove with you
I'll rove with you untill the next spring
And then my Cuckoo shall sweetly sing

The Ash and the Hazel do mourning say,
'O Bonny Cuckoo don't go away
Don't go away but tarry here
And sing for us throughout the year'

Cuckoo, Cuckoo pray tarry here
And make the Spring last all the year.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 24 May 20 - 01:26 PM

the corncrakehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BnbhwR2Hpc

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: GUEST
Date: 24 May 20 - 02:16 PM

Does anyone know the name of the song below that was shared?
Do you have any leads to music or recording of it?
Thank you so much.

here is one .

the swallows flight on a summers eve
past Kilcrohane as they start to leave
The Corncrakes call was the only sound
As the sun was setting over Bantry town

past Catletownbere we said good night
A gentle kiss as the sunset died
The piper played her final tune
The rich full notes of The Harvest moon

Through the heatherymoor came the curlews call
While Dragobflies dance their farewell ball
acroos the vale from Bantry bay
The church bells welcome the end of day

So fill your glass and drink down time
hear the Blackbird sing her soulful line
as the morning dawns on the still night scene
[she sings the songs [of the Shamrock green] or
the fluted notes roll a liquid sheen COPYRIGHT R Miles1990

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 24 May 20 - 08:11 PM

A beautiful song called, "Bird of Song" by American singer
Songwriter, Karen Beth. You can hear it on Youtube.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: GUEST,harpgirl
Date: 24 May 20 - 11:58 PM

Well, there’s this...
WEB OF BIRDSONG
By Hilda Conkling (first verse, as "Promise") and Bob Coltman (remaining verses and tune):

If you will weave me a web of birdsong from the thrush or the linnet,
Then you shall have my heart and hand and all the love there's in it,
If you will weave me a scallop-shell, purple as violets in May,
I'll belong to you and only you, and never go away.

If you will buy me a green grass basket to carry our hearts' love in,
Then you shall have the love I bear to lock with a silver pin,
If you will buy me a cloak of kisses to cover on a rainy day,
I'll belong to you and only you and never go away.

If you will build me a stout strong boat to sail on the waters so wide,
Then I shall sail the seas of love and you shall ride inside,
If you will build me a house of moonbeams that stands in a sunny day,
I'll belong to you and only you, and never go away.

If you will love me more than fully, and longer than forever,
Then we two shall married be by a knot that none can sever,
If you will love me in the night and love me in the day,
I'll belong to you and only you, and never go away.

Or type a bird name in the search box...crows, whipoorwills, pelicans, etc


Love, harpgirl

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK
Date: 01 Jun 20 - 04:27 AM

Hi all, I hope you're keeping well - thanks again for all above suggestions. I just published a 2nd instalment of my #AFolkSongAFortnight singing/writing project, this week, belatedly, on 'The Birds in the Spring'.

Also including:

> The influence of birdsong on human art, culture and language;

> Birds within folk and classical music, and the parallels between song and wildlife sound-collecting;

> The impact of Covid 19 on engagement with both nature + creativity, and the possibility of a resurgence for each.

Furthermore, I was fortunate enough to gather very generously granted quotes from Sam Lee and also Cheryl Tipp, the British Library's wildlife sound curator.

https://afolksongafortnight.blogspot.com/2020/05/afolksongafortnight-no2-birds-in-spring.html

Please do share with people who might be interested!

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: Susan of DT
Date: 01 Jun 20 - 06:36 AM

While the birds are not exactly singing, there is a keyword in the Digital Tradition for talking birds, talkbird. There are ten songs with that keyword.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: Noreen
Date: 01 Jun 20 - 01:01 PM

Summer is coming, oh summer is here
With the leaves all so green and the sky bright and clear
And the birds they are singing, their loved ones to woo
And the wild flowers are springing, in the May Morning Dew.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 01 Jun 20 - 06:22 PM

In Minorrie/Twa Sisters the girls go down to the broom to hear the blackbird pipe its tune.
The night visiting song Are You Sleeping Maggie? the owls (howletts)make the young man feel eerie on his journey.
And there is the talking bird, the parrot, in The Outlandish Knight.

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 20 - 04:50 AM

A series of concerts about birdsong all around Ireland a few years ago

https://youtu.be/1nxqsjeNjeY Leinster
https://youtu.be/mRNZiemw5sU Munster
https://youtu.be/Rd5m6AM4uKM Connaught
https://youtu.be/2kR6hRpcuZQ Ulster
https://youtu.be/_-SxLrc4IeQ Dublin

Subject: RE: Folk songs about birdsong...?
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Jun 20 - 09:40 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-uf8L6ZB3I
mentions gulls