Lyr Req: Contentment

Subject: Contentment
From: Zania
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 06:06 AM

I am searching for the lyrics of the song 'Contentment' It is the remnant of a shape note hymn I'm told - whatever that may mean. Some of the lyrics are as follows.

While we are here with our friends so dear, We will drive dull care away.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Contentment
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 09:32 AM

Obviously, if you were to use one of the search engines we have here to look for contentment, you'd probably get vast and unmanageable results; a phrase from the song is likely to work best in this sort of case. If you type drive dull care away into the "Digitrad and Forum Search" box which you'll find on the main Forum page, you'll get a small list of incidences of that phrase here, one of which will be the Digital Tradition file

DRIVE DULL CARE AWAY

Which may well be what you are looking for.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Contentment
From: GUEST,Zania
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 08:08 PM

Thanks Malcolm for taking the time to try to help but I've tried that already. I do have some additional info though. The song was collected from the Gorman family on Prince Edward Island by Sandy Ives.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Contentment
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 09:26 PM

If you want a particular variant of a song, it's probably a good plan to give all the background information you have when first asking the question, rather than saving it till later. Publication details are as follows:

Drive Dull Care Away noted by Edward D. ("Sandy") Ives from Charles Gorman of Prince Edward Island, Canada, in August 1958. Published in Drive Dull Care Away: Folksongs from Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown: Institute of Island Studies, 1999); Roud Folk Song Index number 13988.

The book, and accompanying CD, seems to be in print and available from the usual booksellers at a reasonable price. I doubt if much of the the content is available for nothing on the web as yet; after all, even folksong collectors do have to make a living.

Subject: Lyr Add: DULL CARE (from The Sacred Harp)
From: Nathan in Texas
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 09:54 PM

When you're looking for a shape note hymn, a good bet is the Sacred Harp songbook. It indexed in various ways, including by words included in the songs at:

http://fasola.org/index/0Index.html
I looked there under the word "drive" and found the following, apparently the original from which the "remnant" came. Interesting to compare the original (if so this is) with the recorded version linked by Michael Dougals, above.

[98 refers to the page number in the 1991 Revision of THE SACRED HARP

DULL CARE 98 ]
Tune: E. J. King, 1844
Meter: Common Meter (8,6,8,6)

Why should we at our lot complain,
Or grieve at our distress?
Some think if they could riches gain,
They'd gain true happiness.

Chorus:
Ah! we're much to blame,
We're all the same --
Alike we're made of clay;
Then, since we have a Savior dear,
Let's drive all care away.

Why should the rich despise the poor?
Why should the poor repine?
A little time will make us all
In equal friendship join.

(Chorus)

The only circumstance of life
That ever I could find
To soften cares and temper strife
Was a contented mind;

Chorus:

When we've this in store,
We have much more,
Than wealth could e'er convey;
Then, since we have a Savior dear,
Let's drive all care away.

When age, old creeping age comes on,
And we are young no more,
Let's all repent the sins we've done,
Nor grieve that youth is o'er;

Chorus:

We'll more faithful be
Than formerly,
And constantly to pray;
Then, since we have a Savior dear,
Let's drive all care away.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Contentment
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 03:00 AM

In his book, Drive Dull Care Away, Sandy Ives transcribed a version of "Drive Dull Care Away" that he heard from Charlie Gorman in 1958. The verses are almost what we have in the Digital Tradition. the chorus is:

Away, away, away, away -
We will drive dull care away!
And while we're here with our friends so dear
We'll drive dull care away.

It's a great book - I'd recommend it highly. Click here for a thread about the book.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Contentment
From: GUEST,Zania
Date: 02 Jul 02 - 12:43 PM

I now have the words. Thanks to all those who tried to help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Contentment
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Jul 02 - 12:59 PM

Hi, Zania - what words did you find?
If they're different from what's posted above, please post them here and tell us what you know about them.
-Joe Offer-