Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham

Subject: Plains of Abraham
From:
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 11:00 AM

Heard this song on an old Ian & Sylvia record a jillions ago. Have been looking for the words (record long since gone). Do you know it?

I've been a picker since 1960 (guitar-guess what kind- banjo and mandoin among others)

Much obliged

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Messages from multiple threads combined.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: Crowhugger
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 11:03 AM

**BG** there's an echo in here...in here...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: GUEST,Huh
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 11:35 AM

What does your message mean? Are you also seeking the lyrics of this song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 11:48 AM

Is this it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: Philj200
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 01:10 PM

Yes it is. Thank you very much. I see I had the title wrong. This completes a search begun long ago.

I will pass on your deed.

God's speed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: Bud Savoie
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 10:12 PM

I believe Ian and Sylvia copped the tune from Peggy Seeger. The facts are historically wrong.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 06:24 PM

Phil, if it was a jillions ago it can't possibly be 'Abraham' by James Keelaghan. He only recorded that one in 1993. Sorry, when I saw the thread name I thought I could help you. Good luck - Susanne

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: CBjames
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 11:33 PM

I don't know the Ian&Sylvia Song. But I do have in a book of about that era, compiled by Peggy Seeger & Ewan MacColl, a song entitled "General Wolfe"

It starts out

"One monday morning when we set sail

the wind did blow a pleasant gale

To fight the French was our intent

Through smoke and fire

Through smoke and fire

And it was a dark and gloomy night"

If that is the song you search e-mail me at home > [e-mail] < & I'll copy it out for you .

If not Good Luck!

Regards

James Bridgland

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Mar 00 - 02:18 AM

Sounds like you're talking about "Brave Wolfe"....that took place on the Plains of Abraham. Great long song. I have the record and could I guess type it all in if you want....do you want?
Mark Roffe

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Mar 00 - 02:21 AM

I see there were two threads on this request. Looks like you got your answer, so I don't need to answer you. Regards,
Mark Roffe

Subject: Brave Wolfe / Plains of Abraham
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Mar 00 - 02:48 AM

If you put brave wolfe in the blue search box on this page, you'll find several related songs, and some tunes. "Plains of Abraham" brings up just one song. The Ian and Sylvia version didn't make it into the database, but you'll find it posted in a thread here (click).
-Joe Offer-

Subject: To CBjames et al
From: Philj200
Date: 16 Mar 00 - 09:37 AM

Thanks for all you kind words, suggestions and lyrics.

CB, your song sounds wonderful, but Brave Wolfe was the tune that burred into me decades ago.

Someone said it was historically inaccurate. As an American, with a less than ideal knowledge of Canadian history, I don't understand. The song may have taken some license with the charater of Wolfe, but there's not enough "history" in it to be accurate, or so I think. They met. They fought. They died. The city changed hands.

That happened in the song. And on the Plains of Abraham. Can someone point out what's missing or wrong?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: simon-pierre
Date: 16 Mar 00 - 11:01 PM

I'll tell you what I know. Despite the character of Wolfe, wich I don't know, the facts seems rights. The last note is a translation of Montcalm's last word. I've always heard it in french as «Au moins je ne verrai pas les Anglais dans Québec» (at least, I will not see English in Québec), wich is more ambiguous: was he wrong and thought he would win the battle? Or he was really happy to die at the last moment the city remains French?

But history is a point of view; I don't see that Wolfe is so «brave», despite that he was a military who won a battle; and I wonder what means «Free America was his intention»... It was not a jail, and nobody was prisoner! It was a conquest battle and the land changed hands.

And now, as a Québec city resident, and like I've said it in another thread, Plains of Abraham are a wonderful park to drink beer and sings with your pals!

Yours SP

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: pastorpest
Date: 16 Mar 00 - 11:06 PM

I am not comfortable with a song praising General Wolfe. Wolfe fought under Prince William, Billy the Butcher, at Culloden and continued to serve through the next year leading troops who destroyed crops, herds, etc. to starve the highlanders out. Many died of starvation and/or exposure. When he came to Quebec he used the "skills" he had learned in the highlands, destroying farms along the river below Quebec. My understanding is that General Amherst, serving under Wolfe was the clever one whose planning got the British forces up to the Plains of Abraham. Wolfe was not one who contributed to the betterment of humankind or to Canadian unity.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: ooh-aah
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 06:53 AM

Tosh! Firstly, there are no doubts about Wolfe's bravery - he had his wrist broken by a musket ball and was ripped oped by a shell fragment before being shot through both lungs - a nasty way to go but he kept going as long as he could to reassure his men. It's quite unfair to blame Wolfe for his commanders - besides which destroying enemy farms was quite standard in the 18th century to deny the enemy supplies. Amherst was Wolfe's superior but it was Wolfe who decided on the desperate stroke of climbing the heights of Abraham and it was his tactics that decided the battle - double shotting his soldier's muskets and holding fire under French attack until the dreadful volley that won the battle. As for the rest - get real! He was an 18th-century English soldier, not a UN peace monitor!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: GUEST,Santa
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 09:07 AM

It's a while since I read about him, but I believe that Wolfe was outstanding in being a highly competent soldier in a time when commissions were bought and sold.

Was it not Wolfe about whom the king of the time said, in reply to a criticism "Mad, is he? Then I wish he would bite some of my other generals!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: ooh-aah
Date: 15 Aug 03 - 01:33 AM

You are right, that was him. I think it was George II, who was incidentally the last English monarch to lead his men in battle personally, at Dettingen.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: Jim McLean
Date: 15 Aug 03 - 05:13 PM

A pedantic point, ooh-aah, the English Monarchy ceased to exist after the Union of Scotland and England in 1707. Actually James the Sixth of Scotland was known as James the First of Great Britain after the Union of Crowns in 1603. George the II was German anyway. It is an interesting point that America gained her independence about 80 years after England lost hers.
Jim

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: Barry T
Date: 15 Aug 03 - 08:36 PM

Would you believe that General Wolfe was also a composer? This tune was composed shortly before (and was sung the night before) the assault on Québec. How Stands the Glass Around

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Plains of Abraham
From: ooh-aah
Date: 15 Aug 03 - 08:36 PM

Still, we're well on the way to getting shot of the Scots at last. And the funny thing is that they are the ones who think they should be celebrating! Besides which, we English are basically Germans (or at least Germanic) anyway.