Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)

Subject: Chords to Steeleye Song ROSEBUD IN JUNE
From: GUEST,Laura in England
Date: 26 Feb 01 - 06:22 AM

I have the words to "Rosebud in June" using the Steeleye Span tune from the album "Below the Salt" but there is a funny key change in there I cannot fathom. Can anyone help me with the chords? Any key will do, I can transpose to suit my voice. Someone suggested Mudcat. What a great resource. Thanks All xxx

Subject: RE: Chords to Steeleye Song ROSEBUD IN JUNE
From: GUEST,Rizla the Green
Date: 26 Feb 01 - 05:40 PM

I have only ever heard this song sung a cappella. I think any sort of instrumental would ruin the vocal importance of this song.

Subject: RE: Chords to Steeleye Song ROSEBUD IN JUNE
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 26 Feb 01 - 06:10 PM

I'm listening to it right now, and I don't hear a key change... care to share the lyrics where you hear it so I can give it a closer listen?

;-)

Subject: RE: Chords to Steeleye Song ROSEBUD IN JUNE
From: GUEST,Mark. West Sussex U.K.
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 06:09 AM

Hi Laura. Not so much a key change as a move from Major to Minor. I do it in A minor,

(Am)Its a rosebud in (Em) June and the (Am) Violet's in full (Em)bloom. The (Am) small birds are (C) singing love (D)songs from each (E)spray. We'll (C)pipe and we'll (G)sing love, We'll (Am)dance in a (Em)ring Love when each (Am)lad takes his (Em)lass all (Am) on the(G)green (AM)grass. And its (Am-Em)all to (F-G)plough where the (Am)fat oxen(F)graze (E)low. And the (Am)lads and the (Em)lassies do (F)sheep (G)shearing (Am)go.

You can put G to F as passing chords between the Am and Em each time it occurs. (Keyboard, box and harp players are good at that). You can also end with a final Amajor instead of an Aminor for a final cadence.

Sod the vocal importantance. The lines say "pipe and sing" and "Dance in a ring" which certainly suggests instrumentation to me if only a tabor pipe and drum. It goes well up to dance speed without all those dreary a capella pauses too. In 3 time syncopating the lyrics across the bar-lines like Carthy and June Tabor do. This is a fertility song of abundant harvest and should be sung with joy and fertile vigour. Forget the funeral dirge version by Steeleye everyone copies. Read the words, sing and play it your way and "make a fine show"

Subject: RE: Chords to Steeleye Song ROSEBUD IN JUNE
From: Kernow John
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 10:25 AM

Well said Mark
Sing and play it the way you like it Laura.
KJ

Subject: RE: Chords to Steeleye Song ROSEBUD IN JUNE
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 09:05 PM

There isn't actually a key change, or a switch from major to minor; the melody is in the Dorian mode.  Steeleye Span's harmonisation is perhaps the source of the confusion.  To be fair to them, they simply arranged -quite faithfully, in this case- a traditional version of the song (I would describe their recording as an arrangement rather than a "version" in its own right) which Cecil Sharp noted from the singing of William King, a farmer, at Castle of Comfort, Mendip, Somerset, in 1904.  If anyone has a complaint about the speed at which they sang it, they should take it up with Mr. King; as a genuine traditional singer belonging to a living tradition, who was used to singing the song in its traditional context, I should imagine that he knew what he was doing.  Other versions of the song are known, some of which are taken at a faster pace; they tend not to have such attractive melodies, though.  There's nothing essentially wrong with accompanying such a song; Sharp published an arrangement for piano, and Dr. Maud Karpeles, when publishing the melody, provided suggested chord names.  The important thing, of course, is to ensure that the accompaniment does not detract from the song, or force it into a shape or rhythm which doesn't suit it.  If in doubt, sing unaccompanied, which is how these songs were designed to be sung.

The chords Dr. Karpeles suggested are:

It's a rose (Em) bud in June (Bm) and vio (C) lets in (D) full bloom (E)
And the small (Em) birds sing (G) ing love songs (A) on each spray (E)
We'll pipe (G) and we'll sing (Bm) love, we'll dance (C) in (D) a (Em) ring, (G) love (A)
When (C) each lad (Em) takes (D with an f sharp) his (A) lass (G) all (A) on (C) the green (D) grass (E)
And (C) it's all (G) (C) (G) to (Em) plough (Bm) where the fat (C) ox (D) en (Em) graze (A) low (G)
And (D with an f sharp) the lads (Em) and the (Em) lass (Bm) es to sheep (C) shear (D) ing (G) go. (A) (Em)

Obviously, many of these can be omitted; they were only intended as possibilities.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Chords to Steeleye Song ROSEBUD IN JUNE
From: Anglo
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 11:43 PM

Hi Malcolm, could you tell me where Maud Karpeles published this? Thanks.

Subject: RE: Chords to Steeleye Song ROSEBUD IN JUNE
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 08:12 AM

In "The Crystal Stream" (Oxford University Press 1975, paperback 1987).  It's a selection from the big edition of songs collected by Sharp that she published in 1974, and was intended "for popular use"; hence the chord symbols.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: Barry Finn
Date: 26 Jan 07 - 04:26 PM

I used to sing this maybe 25 yrs ago & would like to revive it. I still remember the melody & justhave to refresh the words but I relaised I don't remember anything about the song.

So can anyone give further background, history &/or origins to this other than what's alread posted above?

Thanks
Barry

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: GUEST,Lore, Florida
Date: 03 Sep 12 - 02:13 PM

Is there any place on the internet that has the chords for "Marigold"? I'd like to accompany myself on the piano but I'm only just learning to play. I don't know that I could figure it out.

Thank you.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: GUEST
Date: 01 May 22 - 02:17 PM

Does anyone have sheet music for the vocals ie the acapella?

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 01 May 22 - 03:21 PM

If you join the Cat and PM me your email address I'll scan the Sharp notation and send you it. (Folk Songs from Somerset set 1, p36, repeated in many of Sharp's subsequent publications). Alternatively if you can get hold of a copy of the original or reprint of Marrow Bones there's a version in there. It goes back at least to 1714 and appeared on many broadsides. It's obviously very much an art song but that doesn't exclude it from also being a folk song.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 01 May 22 - 03:25 PM

The person I first heard sing it was Cyril Tawney unaccompanied back in the 60s and I would imagine it's on one of his albums. It may even be on Youtube. The early title was simply 'The Sheep-shearing (Feast) Song' which isn't very helpful as there were many songs with this title.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: leeneia
Date: 01 May 22 - 03:57 PM

The melody can be found online at abcnotation.com   

Enter the title in the search box, click the green button, and several versions will appear. The song is on YouTube, too.

abcnotation.com is a wonderful source for melodies.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 01 May 22 - 04:24 PM

Nice one, L.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: leeneia
Date: 01 May 22 - 10:45 PM

The version in D from abcnotation.com says it was generated "more or less automatically." I would give it a hard look around measure 18. I've been listening to the Steeleye Span version on YouTube, and I think a few of the notes at abc are wrong.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 02 May 22 - 09:04 AM

Cyril used to sing it unaccompanied with his beautiful mellow tones. I doubt if there would be any question of what notes he was singing if you could get hold of a recording.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Jun 22 - 05:51 PM

Do we have lyrics?

https://mainlynorfolk.info/steeleye.span/songs/thesheepshearingsong.html

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Rosebud in June (from Steeleye Span)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Jun 22 - 06:54 PM

refresh