Songs that no one likes but you

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 06:12 PM

Jon W: "My" version is the best I can do with John Hartford's version, which was on his two-tape banjo instruction vid., with tabs. I do the same three verses he does, although cheating back toward the original wording in #1. Problem with the key is, he tabbed it as if for standard, but played it on a banjo strung down to E-flat. Not having the luxury of a second decent banjo yet, I declined to play that game. I am now re-learning it in an open D, & we'll see how that goes over.

CC

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: gnu
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 06:08 PM

Just about all the songs that I TRUUUULY LOOOVVVE. I call them Irish dirges. Jug Of This, Wind That Shakes The Barley, Eileen Aroon, and so on.... "And what's it to any man whether I'm sloooooow, Whether I'm easy or whether I'm truuuue, As I lifted her pettycoat.... These are real party killers, but I absolutely love em. May Morning Dew is another one of my all time favourites, but the ultimate is The Parting Glass. Of course, everyone likes ( admires ?) that one, so, maybe, it doesn't count.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: sophocleese
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 06:03 PM

I love singing long ballads with death and other grim things in them. I cannot sing too many to an audience though. I'm having fun learning some version of the Well Below the Valley, but will have to wait at song circle till I'm sitting next to someone who sings humourous songs. One awful evening at song circle three people in a row sang long sad songs. They may or may not have been done well but by the end of the third one everbody was getting really, really down. Also one of the first open stages we had a few years ago we had several performers in a row sing us murder ballads, personal songs about child abuse, or political songs about gross injustice. The audince just kept filtering away.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: mousethief
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 05:59 PM

It's useless to play the violin in front of an ox.

Reminds me of a quote from St. Clive:

Even people who hate music will flock to see a man play the harp, if he plays with his toes.

Pearls before swine and all that.

Alex

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: CarolC
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 05:53 PM

"I ain't
gwine down
to dat
Red Cross Sto no mo

--Mississippi Fred McDowel (sp?)

Of course, I don't have his splendid voice...

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: RangerSteve
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 04:29 PM

While my first love is old-time country music, I have a fondness for Hit Parade tunes from the 40's and 50's, especially Swinging on a Star, Lavender Blue, and Mona Lisa, the last of which strikes me as a totally obsurd song, but I love it. When I'm alone at work, I find myself putting on my best crooning voice and singing these, along with a lot of show tunes. I'd never perform those in public, mostly because they don't go well with a clawhammer banjo, and because I'd probably drive my audience away. Hit Parade tunes just don't have the audience they deserve.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: MMario
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 04:09 PM

Matt - sometimes I wanna reach out and shake you, my friend. I've heard an awful lot of songs sung by you - and while I wouldn't have chosen some of them to sing myself (or could have sung if I wanted to - you have an incredible amount of talent fella!) - I can only think of a couple I didn't enjoy. And given the number of years between us - that is understandable.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Jon W.
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 04:08 PM

I play mostly for my own enjoyment and my song circle. They've always been kind. As I practice, my wife will occasionally say either "that's good" or "Why do you like that song?" which I take to mean "that's bad." She says that about Greensleeves and Danny Boy, which I'm the first to admit have both been done to death but I still think are two of the greatest tunes in the world.

Incidently I just learned "Lorena" and sang it at the last song circle, but to ease the 21st century listeners, I left out the last half of one verse ("But then, 'tis past, the years are gone...") and the first half of the next one ("The story of the past, Lorena..."). It doesn't make much difference to the narrative. I play it in "G" which is a little high for my voice but still a fairly normal key. I'd like to hear your banjo solo, Charlie.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Matt_R
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 04:00 PM

Well, that would be about 99% of what I play and sing.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 03:57 PM

I should have clarified that Bonnie Doon statement. Most folks don't seem to like it as much as I do. (It hit me hard when I was very young.) Many people really do like it though, especially people that like traditional music. And as far as opera, I guess I've been blessed with hearing fine singers. Too often we associate opera with cartoon stereotypes that are quite silly and exagerated. I feel the same way about madrigal singing; so much so that I'm better off just hearing it without seeing the performers.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: GUEST,SharonA
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 03:51 PM

MacArthur Park. Okay, I'm not crazy about the line about the cake in the rain, but I love the tune!

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Gary T
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 03:37 PM

Heck, half of my repertoire probably fits this category. I always figured everbody else ain't got no taste.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 03:33 PM

Kendall--My favorite variant on that is "Never try to teach a pig to whistle; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig." Had a roomie once who said of Shakespeare, "If somebody wrote like that today, they'd say he was crazy." He must have been related to your guy.

CC

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 03:32 PM

Mary, I'm surprised at you listing "Ye Banks and Braes O'Bonnie Doon" - I love it.

As for opera, it is something I have been forced to endure on many occasions as my father loves it. There is little of it I like and I'm afraid that sceaching soprano's go through me - sort of like the effect of running fingers down a blackboard - mind you Bob Dylan has had that effect on me too...

Jon

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: kendall
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 03:28 PM

I once sang Lonesome Robin, and, a guy asked "Why the hell would anyone write such a song?" It's useless to play the violin in front of an ox.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 03:21 PM

I have the weird experience of trying to play folk music with three people who until lately did not have any background in it. I get plenty of moans & groans about anything long, and now await the occasional solo gig where I can do Barbree Ellen. Have also had to at least momemtarily shelve Red River Valley and Maggie and Lorena, the last-named of which really hacked me off because of the work I put into the banjo solo. They say it's in the wrong key; I don't know whether I buy that or not. They also vetoed "Wreck of the Royal Palm," but I won't fight that; I can't decide myself whether that's a good song or not. (a) It has every cliche in the world in the lyrics and (b) it's too "happy" a melody for a song about a tragedy. Hey diddle-diddle, everybody's dead. Problem is, I like it, but I can live without performing it. Not so Lorena and Maggie. As Fu Manchu once said, "The world will hear from me again." Unfortunately I am so fond of my colleagues that they know when I say I'm just going to go hire union musicians, I don't mean it. Mainly I couldn't afford it.

Ah well.

CC

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Mr Red
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 02:37 PM

I usually sing the "Unquiet Grave" when in doubt and the audience are a little serious. Having said that I am often on the verge of humour but never quite there, and plenty of pathos.
I am known as a joker so maybe they wait for the punchline that doesn't come and applaud out of relief.
I can't say it never fails but almost never. Maybe I read the audience.
A few times I sang it with one of those voice operated wagging flowers, and it got more laughs still in the verse about dying flower.

having said that there are plenty of times with some songs when the silence was so oppressive I wished I had chosen "safe".

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: mooman
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 02:16 PM

Mary...Well I like "Ye Banks and Braes of Bonny Doon" so there's at least two of us!

A lot of people here don't like Ani DiFranco but I think she's a great songwriter, singer and guitarist. Saw her live a couple of weeks ago, what a great performer!

Although I was brought up with mainly traditional music I think I'm reasonably eclectic in my taste so we have a huge selection of different stuff!

mooman

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 02:03 PM

I love classical and opera, but I've been ridiculed all my life from everyone around me. One of my absolute favorites is the Wedding Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor. It's hard for me to understand why others aren't moved by it. Same with the last movement of Beethoven's 6th Symphony.

Then there's Bonnie Doon (Ye Banks and Braes).

I'm tempted to say to others, "You just don't get it!" But I just try to keep an open mind and listen to their music too. I came to appreciate opera, Bach, jazz and even Mozart late in life.

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 02:02 PM

Oh I can't tell you THAT. It might turn our someone lese here likes them too, then it wouldn't be true anymore.

*G*

Worse, enough of you might like them that I'd tell my IRL pals they are all wrong, and then there'd be a mess!

~S~

Subject: RE: Songs that no one likes but you
From: Justa Picker
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 01:32 PM

I am the only one in my family that LOVES bluegrass music. I can only listen to it and enjoy when alone in my car. If I have it playing, in proximity of anyone in my family it "Dad, please turn that crap off."

The rest of the time I am forced to endure Britanny Spears, Destiny's Child, Baha Men, N-Sync, Backstreet Boys, and other most forgetable music...which is why I made the office in my home sound proof, for those sanity saving escapes from time to time. :-)

...Out of all the stuff my 11 year old daughter listens to, the only artist I will confess to liking is Christina Aguilera (but only certain songs), who I happen to think is exceptionally talented. (I mean that....but don't spread it around!)

Subject: Songs that no one likes but you
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 01:20 PM

I have been playing music for and with others, either informally or for actual compensation, for a long time--though I have gained little fame, and had none of what one might call success, I have played a lot of songs, often to good effect. But there have been songs that no one seemed to ever like but me.

I have always, for instance, been fond of "The Jam on Gerry's Rocks", which never seems to get much response from anyone. "The Unquiet Grave", unaccountably, never draws much response, and among more contemporary things, "Mad About the Boy" is generally ignored, as are "There's a Small Hotel" and "I Cover the Waterfront"

As a general rule, of course, when songs don't get much response, I leave them off my set lists(even songs that I have written myself, such as "Stick it in your Ear, Uncle Fud", and "I'm OK, You're OK, and he's not to Bad") but they are songs that I like, and would like to perform--

With that in mind, I am curious about songs that the rest of you like, but have not had much luck with.