Lyr Req: Traditional Folksinger's Lament (E Bogle)

Subject: Eric Bogle
From: GUEST,Stefan
Date: 15 May 00 - 08:29 AM

Please help me find the lyrics to Eric Bogle´s "Traditional folksingers lament"

Mail me at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eric Bogle
From: paddymac
Date: 15 May 00 - 08:40 AM

There is a song called "The Folksingers Lament" in the Digital Tradition, attributed to Dave Diamond. Don't know if it's what you're looking for, however. Enter [folksing* lament] in the DT search window at the upper right of this page and it will take you to the song. Enjoy!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eric Bogle
From: Amergin
Date: 15 May 00 - 11:44 AM

Well, here's Eric Bogle's BLOODY ROTTEN AUDIENCE and here's this one THE FOLKSINGERS LAMENT.

Amergin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eric Bogle
From: GUEST,Melani
Date: 15 May 00 - 03:01 PM

Eric Bogle recorded "Traditional Folksinger's Lament" on an album called "Eric Bogle: Live in Person", recorded in Munich in 1977. It's the one where everybody wants him to sing Bob Dylan songs, and finishes up with a Dylan imitation. I don't know if the album is available any more, but he's got a songbook out, and I'm sure the lyrics are in it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eric Bogle
From: Amergin
Date: 15 May 00 - 03:17 PM

Oh, ok. That's this one then: the answer to your request (hopefully).

Amergin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eric Bogle
From: late 'n short
Date: 17 May 00 - 11:13 AM

Melani (or any one else out there): Any idea where I can get a hold of Eric's song book(s)? Lyrics are pretty easy to locate but I need chords to play. Thanks.

Subject: Lyr Add: TRADITIONAL FOLKSINGER'S LAMENT
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Nov 02 - 10:25 PM

Copied from http://www.bobdylanroots.com/trad.html

Traditional Folksinger's Lament
(Eric Bogle)

Lyrics as performed by Eric Bogle with John Munro, "Pumpe," Kiel, D, 1982;
NDR FM Broadcast, May 25, 1982;

INTRO:
When I was a young struggling folksinger (which is different from now that I'm an OLD struggling folksinger), I used to take my guitar to the folk clubs in Scotland and I'd go up to the organizers, who were all cruel, heartless swine, and I'd say to them, "Could I have a spot in your show tonight? Could I sing a few songs?"

And the organizer would invariably say to me, "What sort of songs do you sing, sonny?" 'cause I was very small. And I'd say, "Well -- traditional songs, Scottish traditional songs." And they'd say, "No, we got many traditional singers here tonight. Can you sing any contemporary songs?"

And I'd say, "For instance by whom?" or "By whom for instance?", I'd say even better...

And they'd say, "Well, can you sing any Bob Dylan songs?"

I used to say, "NO!", because I was a traditional singer, you see? So I wrote a song called "The Traditional Folksinger's Lament For The Passing Of The Three-Chord Traditional Folksong."

At the age of nineteen, I was young, I was keen,
And I had just one burning ambition:
To be a folksinger, a dope-smoking swinger
Sing songs that were steeped in tradition.
So I bought a guitar and I practiced real hard
I wasn't much good, but I was willin',
'Til to my chagrin, my girlfriend came in
And she said: "Can you sing any Dylan?"

I said, "No! No! A thousand times no!
I'd rather see my lifeblood spillin'.
I'll sing anything, even 'God Save The King,'
But I just won't sing any Bob Dylan. "

And with my guitar I traveled real far,
Trying to gain recognition.
I sung "The Wild Rover" from Dundee to Dover,
In pubs, clubs and in seaman's missions.
I traveled the road for seven long years,
My pace, it really was killin'.
And everywhere I went, from Gwhyna [?] to Ghwent [?],
They would say, "Can you sing any Dylan? "

I'd say, "No! No! A thousand times no!
I'd rather see my lifeblood spillin'.
I'll sing anything, even 'God Save The King,'
But I just won't sing any Bob Dylan. "

Well, I struggled on, but the magic was gone,
I only had a deep sense of failure.
I thought then I'd go to where all failures go,
So I boarded a ship for Australia.
When I landed at Sydney, the sun it shone down
On a view that was lovely and thrillin',
'Til spotting my case, with a smile on his face,
Customs said: "Can you sing any Dylan, -- mate?"

I said, "No! No! A thousand times no! [HEAVY AUSTRALIAN ACCENT]
I'd rather see my lifeblood spillin'.
I'll sing anything, even 'God Save The King,'
But I just won't sing any Bob Dylan."

And ever since then, again and again,
I've been asked the same bloody question.
And I usually reply, in me own quiet way,
With a totally indecent suggestion.
But the last straw came one night at a Sydney motel,
Where I had a young girl who was willin'.
As she took off her dress she said, "I'll say yes
If only you sing some Bob Dylan, -- big boy."

I said, "Hang on a second!"

I said, "No! No! A thousand times no!
I'd rather see my lifeblood spillin'.
I'll sing anything, even 'God Save The King,'
But I just won't sing any Bob Dylan. "

But I tell you, my friend, that was the end
Of all my traditional aspirations.
If bein' a folkie was gonna cut off my nookie
There was one way to end my frustration.
The next night I sang at my local folk club,
Where the audience as usual was millin',
'Til I took off my coat and I ruptured my throat
And I sang just like Bob Dylan:

[IMITATES DYLAN:] "Come, gather round, people, wherever you roam...[etc.]
[FIRST VERSE OF "The Times They Are A-Changin'"]

Well, the audience went wild, mens, womens and childs,
And they clapped 'til their raw hands were bleedin'.
And they said, so to speak, that my style was "unique,"
And just what the Australian folk scene was needin'.
So all you young folkies who bash out a chord,
If you want to attain the top billin',
Just murder good prose and sing through your nose
And then you'll sing just like Bob Dylan.
[IMITATES DYLAN AGAIN].

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Traditional Folksinger's Lament (E Bogle)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 04:44 AM

I have the 'Life in Person' LP with a big lyrics insert (including some nasty remarks by Bogle about audiences, performers, club organisers and the Music; a taste: Too many bad traditional songs floating about are clear candidates for euthanasia. We should come clear and admit those songs are rubbish).

First, the LP was recorded in Münster, not in Munich (München) as Melanie has posted.

Second, in the lyrics insert the towns in verse 2 are typed Gwhyda and Ghwent (but the insert has a couple of mistakes, so that's not for sure).

The lyrics I have are somewhat different. The ones I have are older, for all changes I see are improvements of that type a singer/songwriter would make naturally while singing and finding some smoother lines. Other things are bits he adapts to the local situation. For instance the line Next night I appeared at the Münster folkclub may have been sung by Eric only once in his life.

Late 'n short, I have two Bogle songbooks. I don't sell them, but if it's only for some songs I'll help you.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Traditional Folksinger's Lament (E Bogle)
From: Schantieman
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 06:10 AM

Gwent is a county in SE Wales - any use?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Traditional Folksinger's Lament (E Bogle)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 06:22 AM

Yes, for I searched for 'Ghwent' without success. Similarly, I couldn't locate 'Gwhyda' or 'Ghwyda' or 'Ghwyna' (as it is spelled somewhere else).

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Traditional Folksinger's Lament (E Bogle)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 07:15 AM

G'day Wolfgang,

Since Wee Eric's tale is set at the time of his arrival in Australia, I could toss in the Gwydir River (it rises in the New England Ranges, passes the town of Moree, in north-eastern New South Wales, as it flows more or less westerly into the Murray-Darling system), ... it's a long way from Qwent - but maybe that's what the lad meant. I can't find my third Eric Bogle songbook, so I can't tell if I have this song or not.

BTW: A traditional recitation (which I am prone to recite ...), about the perils of redback spiders and City spielers, is called The Spider by the Gwydir.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Traditional Folksinger's Lament (E Bogle)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 08:29 AM

'from Gwydir to Gwent' Good possible solution, that's how it sounds and both are likely places. Don't know whether we can come closer without actually asking Eric Bogle.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Traditional Folksinger's Lament (E Bogle)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 22 Nov 02 - 06:00 AM

G'day Wolfgang,

If I don't find the answer printed in one of Eric's books, I shall try to remember to ask him to clarify, when our paths cross ... often at Illawarra (Jamberoo) or (Australian) National Folk Festivals.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Traditional Folksinger's Lament (E Bogle)
From: GUEST,The Man from UNCOOL
Date: 22 Jan 22 - 03:10 PM

Tho' this is an old thread, I came across these lyrics on another [fairly reliable-looking] lyrics site] which renders the placenames "Gwydir to Gwent", the first of which which is footnoted as being both in Wales and Australia [different settlements, you understand :-) ]. It makes no assumptions about readers' geographical knowledge, as it also explains where Dover is, too! But the G to G idea sounds convincing enough.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Traditional Folksinger's Lament (E Bogle)
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 23 Jan 22 - 12:46 PM

Iam Mackintosh did a good version-