Lyr Add: Kind Words Can Never Die (A Hutchinson)

Subject: Lyric add: Kind Words Can Never Die
From: Dale Rose
Date: 10 May 98 - 11:35 PM

I seldom add songs, but I just happened to think that I probably should, just to keep the balance. Here is one of my favorites, KIND WORDS CAN NEVER DIE written by Abby Hutchinson. The Hutchinson Family, usually made up of brothers John, Judson, and Asa, and sister Abby was a truly remarkable group of singers from New Hampshire. They performed their first musical show in 1839, and left home for their first extended tour in 1842, when Abby was just 13. They were ardently anti-slavery, and eventually they began to do some abolitionist songs in their concerts. During the American Civil War, various members of the family (13 of 14 children survived to adulthood) frequently sang at war rallies and for the troops. Historians generally agree that the Hutchinson Family was a major influence on American culture. Even though John was still singing in 1895, at the funeral of Frederick Douglass, it is one of those unfortunate circumstances of life that their musical career predated recordings.

This song was published in 1855, but it would seem that it was actually written some years before that. The tune should be quite familiar to those who were around when President Truman dismissed General MacArthur. Upon his return to the states, he made the famous speech which contained the phrase, "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away." This was a line from a song which was based upon Abby's song, including the exact tune. After MacArthur's remarks, the song enjoyed a bit of a revival on radio.

Kind words can never die
Abby Hutchinson

Kind words can never die, Cherished and blest,
God knows how deep they lie Stored in the breast;
Like childhood's simple rhymes, Said o'er a thousand times,
Age in all years and climes
Distant and near.

Kind words can never die,
never die, never die,
Kind words can never die,
no, never die.

Sweet thoughts can never die, Though like the flowers
Their brightest hues may fly
In wintry hours.
But when the gentle dew
Gives them their charms anew, With many an added hue
They bloom again.

Sweet thoughts can never die, never die, never die,
Sweet thoughts can never die,
no, never die.

Subject: RE: Lyric add: Kind Words Can Never Die
From: Dale Rose
Date: 15 Dec 99 - 01:04 AM

Just bringing this up to the top to put it near the discussion of The Old Granite State. Another thing I should have mentioned is that in addition to being fervent abolitionists, they were also firm supporters of the Women's Rights movement, long before it was popular with just about anybody else.

Subject: Lyr Add: KIND WORDS/BRIGHT THINGS CAN NEVER DIE
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 05:14 PM

The melody of this song was used for the English WW1 song (any earlier records?), "Old Soldiers Never Die."
The chorus was printed in F. T. Nettleingham, 1917, "Tommy's Tunes," no. 53, p. 58, "Old Soldiers Never Die," tune given as "Kind Words Can Never Die." A parody, "This Rain Will Never Stop," is also printed on the same page. The Traditional Ballad Index only cites Silber, 1951.
The song became popular when Douglas MacArthur made his farewell speech; the American version is in the DT.

The chorus of "Old Soldiers Never Die" has the same melody as the four choruses of "Kind Words never Die" in the 1858 sheet music, in the Levy Collection, "arranged by Horace Waters, music by Sister Abby."
The 1855 sheet music, at American Memory, "composed by Sister Abby," lacks the chorus shown for the 1855 lyrics posted by Dale Rose (no reference given) at the top of this thread.

Tunes in Southern Harmony and in the Sister Abby composition are not exactly the same.

In the hymn, "There Is a Happy Land," the lyrics of which date back to 1847 (Southern Harmony, "Happy Land") and perhaps to 1838 (Sacred Harp), the tune is somewhat different. Did the hymn have a different tune before publication of "Kind Words Can Never Die"? Or did the Hutchinson Family slightly revise the tune for "Happy Land"?

These tunes need careful re-examination. "Happy Land" in Southern Harmony: Happy Land

Music arranged by Waters in the Levy Coll: Kind Words
Horace Waters Publication, 1858. "Arranged by Horace Waters," the lyrics are in a different order from those of Sister Abby, 1855, and a verse is added. Lyrics differ from those posted by Dale Rose.

At American Memory is sheet music dated 1855, "composed by Sister Abby and sung by the Hutchinson Family," published by Horace Waters, New York. The cover is titled "Kind Words Never Die," but the first page of sheet music is headed "Bright Things can Never Die." The words are not the same as those posted by Rose. It seems likely that more than one version was used by the Hutchinson Family.

KIND WORDS CAN NEVER DIE
(Bright Things Can Never Die) 1855
The Hutchinson Family

Bright things can never die,
E'en though they fade,
Beauty and minstrelsy
Deathless were made;
What tho' the summer day
Passes at Eve away,
Doth not the moon's soft ray
Silver the night.

Kind words can never die,
Cherish'd and blest,
God knows how deep they lie
Stor'd in the breast;
Like childhood's simple rhymes
Said o'er a thousand times,
Age in all years and climes
Distant and near.

Childhood can never die,
Wrecks of the past,
Float o'er the memory
Bright to the last.
Many a happy thing,
Many a daisy spring,
Float o'er times ceaseless wing,
Far far away.

American Memory: Index

Lyr. Add: Kind Words can Never Die
Arranged Horace Waters, 1858

Kind words can never die,
Cherished and blest,
God knows how deep they lie
Stored in the breast;
Like Childhood's simple rhymes
Said o'er a thousand times
Age in all years and climes
distant and near.

Chorus:
Kind words can never die,
never die, never die,
Kind words can never die,
no, never die.

Childhood can never die,
Wrecks of the past,
Float o'er the memory,
Bright to the last.
Many a happy thing
Many a daisy spring
Float o'er times ceaseless wing
Far, far away.

Chorus:
Childhood can never die,
never die, never die,
Childhood can never die,
no, never die.

Sweet thoughts can never die,
Tho' like the flowers
Their brightest hours may fly,
In wintry hours.
But when the gentle dew
Gives them their charms anew,
With many an added hue,
They bloom again.

Chorus:
Sweet thoughts can never die,
never die, never die,
Sweet thoughts can never die,
no, never die.

Our souls can never die,
Though in the tomb
We may all have to lie,
Wrapped in its gloom.
What though the flesh decay,
Souls pass in peace away.
Live thro' eternal day
With Christ above.

Chorus:
Our souls cab never die
never die, never die,
Our souls can never die,
no, never die.

Added verse in the arrangement by Horace Waters. See link above to music in the Levy Sheet Music Collection.

Anyone know of other versions or printings?

Subject: RE: Lyric add: Kind Words Can Never Die
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 05:23 PM

Correction to link, Southern Harmony, "Happy Land": Happy Land

American Memory Index: Index

Subject: Lyr. Add: Happy Land (Southern Harmony)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Jan 12 - 03:34 PM

This hymn was linked in the thread noted by Artful Codger, but never(?) printed in full in mudcat.

HAPPY LAND

1
There is a happy land
Far, far away,
Where saints in glory stand,
Bright, bright as day.
O how they sweetly sing:
Worthy is our Savior King!
Loud let his praises ring,
Praise, praise for aye.
2
Come to this happy land,
Come, come away;
Why will you doubting stand,
Why still delay?
O we shall happy be
When, from sin and sorrow free,
Blest, blest for aye.
3
Bright is that happy land
Beams every eye;
Kept by a Father's hand,
Love cannot die.
Then shall his kingdom come,
Be a crown and kingdom won,
Saints shall share a glorious home,
And bright above the sun
We'll reign for aye.

From www.ccel.org
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/walker/harmony/fileshymn/Happy_Land.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Kind Words Can Never Die (A Hutchinson)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 26 Jan 12 - 07:41 PM

At this link it is attributed to Abby H Patton. Married name maybe?

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Kind_Words_Can_Never_Die/

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Kind Words Can Never Die (A Hutchinson)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 26 Jan 12 - 08:47 PM

Check the pdf on the left-hand side of the screen.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Kind Words Can Never Die (A Hutchinson)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Jan 12 - 08:54 PM

A "Sister Abby" mentioned in a post above as composing the song for the Hutchinsons (01 Jan 05).
This ties to Abby H. Patton, found by Guest, 999. She is listed as composer at Hymnary.org.

In this site, in notes by Alan Lewis, from NY Tribune, she claims the "music alone". That leaves the words anon.?
http://www.oocities.org/unclesamsfarm/songs/kindwords.htm

I couldn't find more on google.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Kind Words Can Never Die (A Hutchinson)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 27 Jan 12 - 01:11 AM

Abby Hutchinson Patton. "Kind Words Can Never Die: Ballad." Music: Sister Abby. First line: "Bright things can never die, E'en though they fade; Beauty and minstrelsy Deathless were made." New York: Horace Waters. 1855.

Score may be found at "The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music," levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu.

"Kind Words Can Never Die" is included on There's a Good Time Coming and Other Songs of the Hutchinson Family (LP, Smithsonian Collection of Recordings N-020, 1979).

My copy of "Kind Words Can Never Die" is in deep storage somewhere; but as I recall, there is a fifth verse.
We are requested by Mrs. Abby Hutchinson Patton to state, that of the song "Kind Words Can Never Die," she lays claim to the music alone. Through some mistake of the music publishers the words have been erroneously attributed to her. -- New York Tribune, n.d., in the Hutchinson Family Scrapbook (1906, Item 47, back).

Abby composed the music for "Ring Out Wild Bells," a favorite among the Hutchinson songs, and "Kind Words can Never Die." This latter she sold to me for ten dollars, not thinking much of it. I gave it to a music teacher for publication, and he without my knowledge put it into a Sunday-School singing-book. It therefore never brought me in much money, but it brought Abby fame, being in great demand for many years. -- John W. Hutchinson, Story of the Hutchinsons (Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1896), Volume 2 pages 301-302)

Note: Abby Patton's "Kind Words Can Never Die" appeared in several sheet-music editions. The quartet version, as far as I can tell, was published well before the main Hutchinson Family group took up the song. The soprano-alto-tenor-bass score seems to be a publisher's, not a Hutchinson Family, arrangement and can hardly be taken to represent the way the Hutchinsons performed this piece.
Alan Lewis

######################################

That is from

http://www.oocities.org/unclesamsfarm/songs/kindwords.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Kind Words Can Never Die (A Hutchinson)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 27 Jan 12 - 01:21 AM

Good brief biography here. She married a Doctor Patton in 1849. Very interesting read.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rhutch/abby_hutchinson.html