Lyr Req: Before I Met You (Seitz, Lewis, Rader)

Subject: That was before I met you
From: TJO
Date: 07 May 02 - 03:51 PM

I thought I had seen pretty girls in my time But that was before I met you I never saw one that I wanted for mine But that was before I met you.

I thought I was swinging the world by the tail I thought I could never be blue I thought I'd been kissed and I thought I'd been loved But that was before I met you. --------------------------------------------------

That much of the song just popped into my mind the other day. So I address the assembled wisdom of the Mudcat and ask: Is there more? Where and when is it from? Who wrote it? Sang it?

-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: That was before I met you
From: GUEST
Date: 07 May 02 - 03:57 PM

Written by Charles L. Seitz, Joe Lewis, Elmer Rader

Recorded by loads of people

Lyrics here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: That was before I met you
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 12:43 AM

Is "Before I Met You" written by Charles L. Seitz, Joe Lewis, Elmer Rader just another folk song that has been copyrighted?

Did Carl Smith have a copyright also?

From North Louisiana String Band: Troy DeRamus sings lead on this mountain folk song, which he learned from Ray Beebe about twenty-five years ago. Ray was performing it before Lester Flatt's recording popularized it. From Ceolas: TRACES DE MON BOGHEI (By Buggy Tracks). Cajun, Waltz. USA, southwestern Louisiana. D Major. Standard. A(Vocal)ABA(Vocal)AB. A related song is Carl Smith's "Before I Met You," according to Raymond Francois (1990). Source for notated version: Doris Matte (La.) [Francois]. Francois (Yé Yaille Chère!), 1990; pgs. 481-482. Swallow Records SW-LP6003, Doris Matte.

What do you think?

-Richie

Subject: Lyr Add: THAT WAS BEFORE I MET YOU
From: Tiger
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 08:39 AM

There's another verse that hasn't been mentioned. Here's the whole thing.

GUEST - How certain are you of that authorship?

THAT WAS BEFORE I MET YOU — Flatt & Scruggs

I thought I had seen pretty girls in my time,
That was before I met you.
I never saw one that I wanted for mine,
That was before I met you.

CHORUS (each stanza)
I thought I was swingin' the world by the tail.
I thought I could never be blue.
I thought I'd been kissed and I thought I'd been loved,
But that was before I met you.

I wanted to ramble and always be free,
That was before I met you.
I said that no woman could ever hold me,
But that was before I met you.

They tell me I must reap just what I have sown,
Darlin', I hope it's not true.
For, once, I made plans about livin' alone,
That was before I met you.

Subject: Lyr Add: BEFORE I MET YOU (from Carl Smith)
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 08:52 AM

"Before I Met You" written by Charles L. Seitz, Joe Lewis, Elmer Rader is listed as copyright holder and under also listed in Reba and Dolly's arrangements.

BEFORE I MET YOU - Carl Smith's Version:

I thought I had seen pretty girls in my time
That was before I met you
I never saw one that I wanted for mine
But that was before I met you.

CHORUS: I thought I was swingin' the world by the tail
I thought I could never be blue
I thought I'd been kissed and I thought I'd been loved
But that was before I met you.

I wanted to ramble and always be free
But that was before I met you
I said that no woman could ever hold me
But that was before I met you.

The Flatt and Scruggs version has been posted before on another thread. I was just wondering if the info from North Louisiana String Band is correct: Troy DeRamus sings lead on this mountain folk song, which he learned from Ray Beebe about twenty-five years ago.

Is this a folk song?

Richie

Subject: Lyr Add: BEFORE I MET YOU (from Troy DeRamus)
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 10:51 PM

Lyr. Add: BEFORE I MET YOU

From Troy DeRamus- North Louisiana String Band

I thought I had seen pretty girls in my life,
But that was before I met you.
I'd never seen one that I wanted for mine,
But that was before I met you.

Chorus: I thought I was swinging the world by the tail,
I thought I would never be blue,
I thought I'd been kissed, and I thought I'd been loved,
But that was before I met you.

They say I must reap just what I have sown,
But, Darling, I hope that's not true,
'Cause one time I made plans about living alone,
But that was before I met you.
(Chorus)

Notes: Troy DeRamus sings lead on this mountain folk song, which he learned from Ray Beebe about twenty-five years ago. Ray was performing it before Lester Flatt's recording popularized it. He is joined on the chorus by Don Mayo's tenor and Herman White's bass to recreate the basic country harmony heard in old hillbilly and gospel songs.

From what I can gather Troy DeRamus version from the late 40's or early 50's would pre-date Flatt and Scruggs.

-Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: That was before I met you
From: GUEST,Jimmy Powells
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 03:09 PM

Does anyone know if the tune to Before I met You is traditional or was it written at the same time as the song. I need to know as a friend has written a commercial song using this tune and we don't want to be sued so we may change the tune but it works well with this tune.
Many thanks
Jimmy Powells
England
Web: www.jimmypowells.co.uk

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Before I Met You (Seitz, Lewis, Rader)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 12:16 PM

Can you tell me the date this song was written/copyrite?
Thanks P. Howard

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Before I Met You (Seitz, Lewis, Rader)
From: Gene
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 03:55 PM

At BMI.COM



BEFORE I MET YOU
BMI Work #100167

Songwriter/Composer Current Affiliation CAE/IPI #

DENNY JAMES WILLIAM BMI 588642006
LEWIS JOE CANNONBALL NA 0
SEITZ CHARLES L BMI 28285867

Artists
FLATT AND SCRUGGS
MC ENTIRE REBA
PRIDE CHARLEY
SELDOM SCENE

===
G

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Before I Met You (Seitz, Lewis, Rader)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 11:47 PM

United States Copyright Office says:
Before I met you. Words & music: Charles L. Seitz, Joe "Cannonball" Lewis & Elmer Rader.
Registered 1955, renewed 1983.