Origins: Long, Long Ago (Thomas Haynes Bayly)

Subject: RE: Lyric Add: Long, Long Ago
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 04 Nov 97 - 06:32 PM

I too played this song as a tad. As far as I know, removed-roved-loved holds the record for best eye-rhyme in English verse.

Subject: Tune Add: LONG, LONG AGO (Thomas Haynes Bayly)^^
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 04 Nov 97 - 06:19 PM

G'day,
I used to play this about 40 years ago ("Get up and do your practice son, I don't care how cold the piano keys are!). Does the tune go like this? It spans two verses.

MIDI file: LONGAGO.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: LONG, LONG AGO
TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Key: C
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0000 1 67 091 0478 0 67 091 0002 1 67 083 0238 0 67 083 0002 1 69 083 0238 0 69 083 0002 1 71 074 0478 0 71 074 0002 1 71 086 0238 0 71 086 0002 1 72 086 0238 0 72 086 0002 1 74 104 0478 0 74 104 0002 1 76 094 0238 0 76 094 0002 1 74 083 0238 0 74 083 0002 1 71 104 0958 0 71 104 0002 1 74 113 0478 0 74 113 0002 1 72 108 0238 0 72 108 0002 1 71 097 0238 0 71 097 0002 1 69 101 0958 0 69 101 0002 1 72 127 0478 0 72 127 0002 1 71 097 0238 0 71 097 0002 1 69 086 0238 0 69 086 0002 1 67 101 0958 0 67 101 0002 1 67 104 0478 0 67 104 0002 1 67 104 0238 0 67 104 0002 1 69 088 0238 0 69 088 0002 1 71 094 0478 0 71 094 0002 1 71 091 0238 0 71 091 0002 1 72 091 0238 0 72 091 0002 1 74 094 0478 0 74 094 0002 1 76 097 0238 0 76 097 0002 1 74 083 0238 0 74 083 0002 1 71 104 0958 0 71 104 0002 1 74 117 0478 0 74 117 0002 1 72 097 0238 0 72 097 0002 1 71 097 0238 0 71 097 0002 1 69 097 0478 0 69 097 0002 1 71 101 0238 0 71 101 0002 1 69 097 0238 0 69 097 0002 1 67 101 1918 0 67 101 0002 1 74 113 0478 0 74 113 0002 1 72 097 0238 0 72 097 0002 1 71 091 0238 0 71 091 0002 1 69 101 0478 0 69 101 0002 1 62 081 0238 0 62 081 0002 1 62 091 0238 0 62 091 0002 1 72 113 0478 0 72 113 0002 1 71 091 0238 0 71 091 0002 1 69 091 0238 0 69 091 0002 1 67 117 0958 0 67 117 0002 1 74 104 0478 0 74 104 0002 1 72 094 0238 0 72 094 0002 1 71 094 0238 0 71 094 0002 1 69 095 0478 0 69 095 0002 1 62 086 0238 0 62 086 0002 1 62 097 0238 0 62 097 0002 1 72 094 0478 0 72 094 0002 1 71 075 0238 0 71 075 0002 1 69 088 0238 0 69 088 0002 1 67 091 0958 0 67 091 0002 1 67 108 0478 0 67 108 0002 1 67 097 0238 0 67 097 0002 1 69 088 0238 0 69 088 0002 1 71 094 0478 0 71 094 0002 1 71 081 0238 0 71 081 0002 1 72 094 0238 0 72 094 0002 1 74 117 0478 0 74 117 0002 1 76 097 0238 0 76 097 0002 1 74 101 0238 0 74 101 0002 1 71 097 0958 0 71 097 0002 1 74 117 0478 0 74 117 0002 1 72 113 0238 0 72 113 0002 1 71 104 0238 0 71 104 0002 1 69 101 0478 0 69 101 0002 1 71 104 0238 0 71 104 0002 1 69 113 0238 0 69 113 0002 1 67 097 1918 0 67 097
End

To download the November 2 MIDItext 97 software click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Long Long Ago
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
G2GAB2Bc|d2edB4|d2cBA4|c2BAG4|G2GAB2Bc|d2edB4|
d2cBA2BA|G8|d2cBA2DD|c2BAG4|d2cBA2DD|c2BAG4|
G2GAB2Bc|d2edB4|d2cBA2BA|G8||

Cheers,
Alan^^

Subject: RE: Lyric Add: Long, Long Ago
From: rich r
Date: 03 Nov 97 - 10:32 PM

Good song. I used to play it on the piano and it was the first song I learned on the harmonica back in the late 50's, long long ago. My dad's 1928 copy of "Rodeheaver's Socialbility Songs For Community - School - Home" has a third verse.

Tho' by your kindness my fond hopes were rais'd, long long ago, long long ago/ You by more eloquent lips have been prais'd, long long ago , long ago/ But by long absence your truth has been tried,/ Still to your accents I listen with pride,/ Blest as I was when I sat by your side, long long ago, long ago.

rich r

Subject: Lyr Add: LONG, LONG AGO (Thomas Haynes Bayly)^^
From: Dale Rose
Date: 03 Nov 97 - 08:17 PM

This is in response to someone (I forgot the name and Email address) who asked about this song in one of the misplaced threads.

LONG, LONG AGO
Thomas Haynes Bayly (1797-1829) Published in the early 1840's

Tell me the tales that to me were so dear,
Long, long ago, long, long ago.
Sing me the songs I delighted to hear,
Long, long ago, long ago.

Now you are come, all my fears are removed,
Let me forget for how long you have roved.
Let me believe that you love as you loved,
Long, long ago, long ago.

Do you remember the paths where we met?
Long, long ago, long, long ago.
Ah, yes, you told me you'd never forget,
Long, long ago, long ago.

Then to all others, my smile you preferred,
Love, when you spoke, gave a charm to each word.
Still my heart treasures the phrases I heard,
Long, long ago, long ago.

This is transcribed from the wonderful Bear Family lp, Just Me And My Guitar, Marty Robbins, 1983.

From the notes: Thomas Haynes Bayly (1797-1829) wrote the oldest song in this collection, appropriately titled, "Long, Long Ago." Originally titled "The Long Ago," it was not published until the early 1840's well after the composer's death. The World War II pop favorite, "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree," borrowed its melodic base from Bayly's classic. The Pickard Family, an early Grand Ole Opry group, featured this song in one of their early song folios. (notes by Ronnie Pugh of the Country Music Foundation, Nashville, TN)

The recordings are from 1956 and 1963 (including this one) and only 4 of the 15 titles were previously released by Columbia. In case anyone is interested in finding this treasure, here is the complete list of titles: The Little Rosewood Casket, The Letter Edged In Black, Twenty One Years, The Convict And The Rose, The Dream Of The Miner's Child, The Little Box Of Pine On The 7:29, The Wreck Of The Number Nine, The Sad Lover, The Little Shirt My Mother Made For Me, My Mother Was A Lady, When It's Lamplighting Time In The Valley, The Wreck Of The 1256, Just Before The Battle Mother, Long, Long Ago, and Beautiful Dreamer. ^^