Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 10:37 AM

Kiwi: I don't think the Mary I know ever made it to the south seas. If the ballad hadn't pre-dated William Wordsworth, I believe he would have written something like it as a poem. I learned it from my grandpa, but I believe that it's one of the Child ballads. To the best of my knowledge, it is an Anglo/Appalachian song.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Whippoorwill
Date: 11 Jul 97 - 10:31 AM

Suzy: Concertina, by all means! While we're at it, do we have time for "They're Diggin' Up Father's Grave to Build a Sewer"?

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Alice in Montana
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 09:44 PM

Does anyone play the harp to accompany my soprano on "Silent O Moyle" and "The Pretty Maid Milking The Cow" ? (I have a soft heart for Thomas Moore lyrics.) Alice

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Kiwi
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 03:32 PM

Bill, does Mary of the Wild Moor have any relation to Mary of the South Seas?

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 02:03 PM

I haven't taken a turn since "Old Shep" and "Meeting in the Air." I'll do a couple that I learned from my grandpa: "The Knoxville Girl" and "Mary of the Wild Moor."

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: susy
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 01:02 PM

Whippoorwill: I'll back ;you up, softly of course, with my bowed psaltry. I'ts such fun to play. Or would you rather I play concertina?

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Whippoorwill
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 12:41 PM

Whoops! Just caught up with the group. I was still on the old thread. Let me tune up the 8-string tenor guitar and I'll do a couple for the kids. How about "Froggy Went a-Courting" and "The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"?

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Kiwi
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 10:16 AM

Angus, no fear, I don't play tuba. In fact, I don't play any brass, though I figure I'll pick that up at some point. No, I was rather thinking along the lines of flute. Or perhaps recorder, though I'm not yet nearly as proficient in that as flute.. I just pulled the old thing out of the basement where it's lain for the past several years.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Sharon
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 08:26 AM

Is it my turn to play? How about Carrikfergus on hammered dulcimer. Do any of you play H.D.? It's a wonderful instrument, such potential within its many strings.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 10 Jul 97 - 04:31 AM

I'd like to join you and sing one of the few songs that sound alright with my voice, "DAVY LOWSTON".

An addendum to this song for the DT from a footnote on my copy:

"The real life hero of this ballad, David Loweriston; his ship was the 'Active', and his Captain named Bader [a long way to McGraw, W.]. The sealers were left on an island in Open Bay in February, 1910. Though some of the men were ill, no one had died when they were taken off several years later, by the schooner 'Govenor Bligh'".

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Bob Landry
Date: 09 Jul 97 - 09:31 PM

ron k - Howshegoinb'y "Out on the Mira on warm afternoons ....." Give me room for a little instrumental break after the second verse.

Bob

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Angus McSweeney
Date: 09 Jul 97 - 08:41 PM

Kiwi- you wanted the instrumentation for "So Long, It's Been Good to Know You". Well, there are a lot of instruments I enjoy and have tried, but I'm pretty well stuck on the six-string guitar. Sometimes the 12-string (I have a hand made Augustina that sounds soooo rich). But I welcome accompaniment from anyone with any instrument. After all, you've got to stand there with me. Tuba might be a bit much, though.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 09 Jul 97 - 10:20 AM

Sorry Alison, I didn't hear you from 3000 km away in crocodile country, (I still have all my limbs although I was legless a couple of times), but as it happens I was called on to sing around a campfire for our group which included people from all over. I sang Waltzing Matilda, Click Go The Shears, and even Star Of The County Down all a capella which is a bit unusual for me. If I'd had my guitar with me I'd have played the chords that I posted in the thread Star of the country down

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Kiwi
Date: 08 Jul 97 - 08:48 PM

Hey ron k, you posted on the other thread that you'd like to do "Out On the Mira".. can I sing along? I moved out of my school's women's chorus one year too early, and never got to sing it. *sigh* I claim one of the verses as a solo. :)

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Kiwi
Date: 08 Jul 97 - 08:39 PM

Angus, what's the instrumentation for "So Long, It's Been Good To Know You"?

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Angus McSweeney
Date: 08 Jul 97 - 07:48 PM

It's not really my turn, but I thought I'd bring this thread back up to the top. Some poor folk have continued contributing to the original thread and that takes too blasted long. Here we are! And to bid a fond farewell to our original thread I suggest "So Long, It's Been Good To Know You" by Woody Guthrie. Key of D would be fine.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Henrik W
Date: 08 Jul 97 - 03:32 PM

OK, after listening to literally hundreds of songs, I'd like to join in with Hamish Henderson's magnificent "51st Highland Division's Farewell to Sicily", can someone provide some accompaniment on smallpipes?

Henrik

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Kiwi
Date: 07 Jul 97 - 09:10 AM

Just to make the segue that is urging itself upon me, I'm going to sing "The Cruel Sister" if anybody knows accompaniment for it. Er, it's also known as "The Bonny Swan" in the McKennitt version.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Frank in the swamps
Date: 07 Jul 97 - 05:16 AM

Peter,

Since you've recalled to mind that wonderful Dylan album, I'd like to sing "Lily,Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" but I can never remember all the bleedin' verses!!

So I'll just sing "The Cruel Mother." A cappella, with the tag line "down by the greenwood sidey" dropping off almost as if it were spoken. I try to treat it more like a ghost story than a song.

Frank.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Bob Landry
Date: 06 Jul 97 - 09:47 PM

I've been sitting back, sipping beer after beer - I've paid the rent on the beer and feel the urge to step up to the mike again. Reaching back once more to my Maritime roots, I think I'll sing Michael Stainsbury's "Bluenose" (the fishing schooner that never lost a race) and end up with the Lennie Gallant's "Nellie J. Banks" (the rum runner from Prince Edward Island). Feel free to join in - I've posted the words to both tunes in other threads.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Angus McSweeney
Date: 06 Jul 97 - 07:24 PM

OK, had to put some new strings on, but I'm back. How about Bill Staines "Roseville Fair"? I play it in the key of C. Could sure use a good fiddle on the break.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Kiwi
Date: 06 Jul 97 - 06:59 PM

Peter, Yes, I"ve noticed songs that do that.. almost all of it is very nice, but there's one bit that just grates on one's nerves. But moving on.. whose turn is it to sing?

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Peter Timmerman
Date: 03 Jul 97 - 12:05 PM

Dear Kiwi, Bob has a tendency to produce completely stunning songs (especially later) that have one or two verses that are throw-aways or just plain dumb. This is really irritating! It is like writing a Shakespearean sonnet and then tossing in a couple of lines for the hell of it. Maybe he just gets tired -- more likely arrogant carelessness. Anyway, a beautiful song, with some haunting intimations of fate -- rings, twins, one person believing in fate, the other tossing it off, a sudden change in the narrator raising questions about perspective on human control over events, sliding metaphors, etc. All tightly focuseed. Then comes the dreaded parrot verse:

"He hears the ticking of the clocks And walks along with a parrot that talks Hunts her down by the waterfront docks where the sailors all come in -- MAybe she'll pick him out again, how long must he wait, Once more for a simple twist of fate."

The first line is ominously banal, and everything goes downhill from there. The old sailors on the waterfront cliche! and the parrot...! The only justification for the parrot is as a kind of symbol of the man thinking of himself as a pirate or a lost sailor, which fits the theme. But in the context of the mood of the song, it is completely ridiculous (bathetic is the official term), and was obviously just put there to ease out the rhyme. The stupidity of it is easily compared to the last two lines, which are the chorus, and have the poetic weight of the rest of the song -- the paradox of waiting for the return of a past fate that didn't turn into fate after all (or maybe did). Sorry to go on. I hate this kind of thing. Angus McSweeney and I went away from the campfire and had a great heart-to-heart about Tim Hardin's "Lady Came from Baltimore" which seemed to me to be underwritten: but he convinced me that it has a feeling of a kind of brooding over, or working through material that saves it. Nothing saves this stupid parrot (cf. Monty Python!) Yours, Peter P.S. Joke: "Try great new Cream of Parrot Soup!! Parrot Soup is the only soup that asks for its own crackers!"

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Kiwi
Date: 03 Jul 97 - 10:49 AM

Dreaded parrot verse?

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Peter Timmerman
Date: 03 Jul 97 - 10:39 AM

No contribution for a while, so perhaps Dylan's "A Simple Twist of Fate" without the dreaded (!) parrot verse. Yours, Peter

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Sheye
Date: 03 Jul 97 - 09:57 AM

Spent the weekend at my hometown's 75th anniversary reunion. Walked away from the hall as the folk were singing Auld Lang Sine. Could we play it once, for the little people? Small town Alberta...always home.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Rick
Date: 03 Jul 97 - 07:40 AM

Jumping to the head of the queue, I'd like to continue the earlier mining song (Clittering and Clattering) with two others: "I Could Hew" (Ed Pickford?) and "You won't get me down in your mines" - lovely chorus:

You won't get me down in your mines Far from the trees and the flowers so fine Down in the dark where the sun never shines You won't get me down in your mines

Subject: Lyr Add: WHILE LONDON SLEEPS
From: Bert Hansell
Date: 02 Jul 97 - 01:20 PM

OK, Dick,

Here's my stuff.

Suzanna's a funnicle man is "The Sow Song".
It's in DT but I posted the version that I sing.
Set search to 90 days and filter to "sow"

Glorious Beer, Manura Manya & the Nightingale are in DT

Here is "WHILE LONDON SLEEPS" (Did Ralph McTell have this one in the back of his mind when he wrote Streets of London?)

The greatest city in the world is London
At least that's what the wealthy people say
It's very nice for some, who always get the plum
But I only get what people throw away

It's very nice for starving boys in winter,
It's very nice for camping out at night;
A doorstep for your bed, another for your head,
Just because you haven't sold your life
While London sleeps and all its lamps are gleaming
Millions of its people, now lie sweetly dreaming
Some have no homes and all their sorrows weep
While others laugh and play the game
While London's fast asleep.

Some people say that all the Coppers are bad uns
I don't mean the browns I mean the men in blue
They're called a shady lot but some of them are not
Although I've caught it hot from one or two
There's one of them has been a pal to this child
One night he caught me dossing in the street
He didn't use his club, he let me share his grub
And with his lantern let me warm my feet.

While London sleeps....

One night when it was snowing hard and raining
I saw a woman trudging through it all
So thin and poorly dressed, the baby at her breast
Was covered only by a ragged shawl

I followed her, I felt as how I had to
When suddenly she pulled the shawl aside
Then she cried Oh no! and sank into the snow
From cold and want her little one had died.

While London sleeps....

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 02 Jul 97 - 11:34 AM

Hi Laoise- Yes, that's exactly what I'm after. I blush to say that I'm unfamiliar with many of the songs that have been proposed for this virtual sing-in. and I'd like to correct the situation. I even suspect that there are some others out there who share at least a small portion of my ignorance.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAIRIE BHAN (Dougie MacLean)
From:
Date: 02 Jul 97 - 06:16 AM

I'd like to join up to this new fantasy folk Circle by singing a Dougie MacLean song "THE MAIRIE BHAN". It's a song about bringing an old ship home to rest so I think its appropriate with regard the old thread.

I would like youse all to join me in a rousing chorus. If you don't know the tune, maybe it could be put up on the DT.

Oh the sky was shaking as we turned her around
Through the crashing spray of the coolin' sound
And all hands were silent on that final day
As we sailed the Mairie Bhan Home.

(Rousing Chorus)
Oh Rowee-o, with the winds she brings u-us
Oh Rowee-o, cross the waves she sails u-u-us
Oh Rowee-o, the children of the sea.

I've more verses if anyone cares for them. (Dick Greenhouse - is this what you're after?)

Tciofaidh me thu (see you later)

Laoise.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 10:57 PM

ricky...it can happen
1) when you hit 'reload', instead of waiting till your post is done and then clicking on it...or
2) when your connection seems not to be working and you hit 'enter' several times trying to make it work...or
3) when you accidently hit 'back' twice and then enter...and I think it can happen
4) because of some of the eccentricities of Internet Explorer....

and I think it can happen
5) because of Gremlins!!

3) has happened to me....and I believe also 4)

(oh...also...you gotta hold your mouth right!)

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Helen in Oz
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 08:50 PM

I want you to know that I didn't *really* sing South Australia, and Waltzing Matilda - I was only joking. Wouldn't want to drive everyone away from this fantastic fantasy folk session.

So, just to make you feel better I'll sing Dirty Old Town, with Celtic harp accompaniment of course. Beautiful lyrics and melody. Helen

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: ricky
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 08:39 PM

honest!! I didn't post 3 times [I know I saw a thread on this, BUT why does this happen?]

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: RICKY RACKIN
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 08:36 PM

Danny Kornbloom usta sing: "Cut your sweet wrists a little closer to the bone" [REALLY Sorry to bring it up] I'd sing my usual ode to the lost lifestyle, Shari Ajemain's "Staying Out all Night" which appears in her sterling songbook: "Partially Sage"

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: RICKY RACKIN
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 08:27 PM

Danny Kornbloom usta sing: "Cut your sweet wrists a little closer to the bone" [REALLY Sorry to bring it up] I'd sing my usual ode to the lost lifestyle, Shari Ajemain's "Staying Out all Night" which appears in her sterling songbook: "Partially Sage"

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: RICKY RACKIN
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 08:02 PM

Danny Kornbloom usta sing: "Cut your sweet wrists a little closer to the bone" [REALLY Sorry to bring it up] I'd sing my usual ode to the lost lifestyle, Shari Ajemain's "Staying Out all Night" which appears in her sterling songbook: "Partially Sage"

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: LaMarca
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 04:27 PM

Mountain Dog, RT is one of my favorite depressing songwriters; I'll harmonize on "Old Changing Way", have another beer and sing "Down Where the Drunkards Roll" - harmony on verses and tag lines requested! Wasn't someone going to start an alternate thread on wrist-slashing songs? BYOP (Bring your own Prozac...)

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Bob Landry
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 03:24 PM

Buddy Whasisname and the Other Fellers do a unique version of Londonderry Aire. Ray Johnson starts on the squeezebox when Kevin Blackmore comments: "best cow-boy song I know" RJ: "It's a traditional Irish tune" KB: "Well I used to sing it to our cow every day" RJ: "Did it help the cow settle down?" KB: "It got to where she could pretty near sing it back" RJ: "You're kidding" KB; Straining through his version of a bovine voice box: "Oooohhhhhhdaaaaannnnnyyyyyyyboooooyyyy ....." all the way through to the end. Say this on TV and nearly busted a gut.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Rick
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 12:55 PM

Only one possible song at this late stage of the evening - "All the songs in the World" from the singing on the Mcalmans (Scotland)

Just hope the barman will allow the circle to continue...

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 12:32 PM

I'd like to offer up "The Old Changing Way", Richard Thompson's mournful but beautiful cautionary tale of brothers come to a parting of the ways. It's in the DT and on Thompson's "Henry the Human Fly" album from the late 60s. I'll do it in G on my 6-string and would love some harmony from anyone wot knows the tune.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 10:41 AM

Since this is a new (?) thread, I'd like to once again suggest that if the song you want to sing isn't in the Digital Tradition, posting it here will make it accessible to many, many more people.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Kiwi
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 10:29 AM

*blushes* Thanks for the compliments, all. I was just doing what someone else suggested... Allison, I'm belting out the chorus (in harmony).. and can I take the flute solo? *brandishes a Gemeinhardt C flute*

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Bill
Date: 01 Jul 97 - 02:39 AM

Howdy All,

I join the group in complimenting Kiwi on the idea of this second strand and Bob on the great list so that we'll know where we've been.

Suzie, I hope you won't mind some alto recorder and/or whistling on "River" as those are parts I generally put in.

Since I notice that I'm in the correct place in our circle to make the next choice, I hope some of you know and can join me on "I Knew this Place" by Dave Mallett. I'll use my 6-string guitar in the key of G for this. It is in DT so that you can read along on the overhead projector version of the computer screen that we must have hooked up here. Also you can get the Ann Mayo Muir version of this on "The Ways of Man" FSI-68 from Folk-Legacy and if you order it here in the near future have part of the proceeds come back here. It's fantastic that Sandy & Caroline Paton are helping out this way.

Allinkausay,
Bill

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jun 97 - 11:37 PM

Well, if Bob says this circle has been going on since June 3, I think it's time for another beer. I don't think it's healthy for folkies to take themselves too seriously, or to be too pure in their choices of music. How about a rousing chorus of "Chantilly Lace"?

Oh, baby, that's what I like!!!

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Alison
Date: 30 Jun 97 - 10:21 PM

Hi,

I'm glad Kiwi restarted this thread because I figured it was going to be well past my bed time before we got round the circle to my turn again.

Just for Martin I'm going to do "The Star of the County Down". (See Thread on Slieve na mban).

There'll be whistle or possibly flute solo. Please help me belt out the chorus.

So Alan of OZ, if you can hear me in Darwin, you start on the guitar.

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From:
Date: 30 Jun 97 - 08:14 PM

Bob, Thanks for posting the program from the old thread, it's something I didn't think of. I'll sing along on the San Francisco Bay Blues and ask you to segue it over to "Tears In Heaven".. I feel like ripping out a few hearts. *smiles*

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: sharon
Date: 30 Jun 97 - 08:11 PM

Suzy, I'll join you with my mountain dulcimer. We'll sing a duet.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: SUZIE
Date: 30 Jun 97 - 08:05 PM

I THINK I'LL JUST SIT BACK WITH MY GUITAR AND SING BILL STAINES' "RIVER."

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Angus McSweeney
Date: 30 Jun 97 - 07:41 PM

I signed on today with the express purpose of suggesting we put that old thread to bed. You guys are way ahead of me...no surprise there. And I share Peter's astonishment and pleasure at the work you did, Bob. I printed that entire thread and mailed it to my brother in Muscatine, Iowa (no on-line access, poor folk) just to give him a taste of what he's missing. So brother John and I would like to step up with a couple of 12-string/6 string tunes (one for him, one for...you get the picture). We'll lead the group in a rousing version ala' Gibson & Camp of "Daddy Roll'em" and since the 12-string still appears to be in tune, how about "San Francisco Bay Blues". My brother and I used to do both these tunes when they were new.

Subject: RE: Tune Up: Fantasy Folk Circle cont'd.
From: Bob Landry
Date: 30 Jun 97 - 06:57 PM

I remember that cartoon (hehehehehehehe). It didn't take as long as reloading the thread does every day - I copied the thread, went off line and simply cut things out. Took less than an hour. Now let's carry on and sing some more. I was last up - who's next?