folkie proverbs

Subject: folkie poverbs
From:
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 05:21 PM

A carpenter friend is always dropping his trade's rules of thumb into conversation: "Measure twice, cut once"; "take care of your tools and they'll take care of you"; "buy another man's tools, you buy another man's troubles." Do folkies have this kind of occupational lore? I'd like to collect some for one of the sub-pages at the Missouri Folklore Society's website. Anybody who wants to play, it'd be good to have the proverb, any necessary explanation, and the year and place you first heard it. Any interest?

Adam

Subject: RE: BS: folkie poverbs
From: Amos
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 05:26 PM

What an interesting question! If I know any, they're buried.

But I'll see if I can think of any!

A

Subject: RE: BS: folkie poverbs
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 05:36 PM

Sometimes you play the gig... Sometimes the gig plays you...

If it's out of tune, it's too far out of tune...

Subject: RE: BS: folkie poverbs
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 06:04 PM

One melodeon ok, two melodeons bad, half a melodeon better!

Only joking, but it might catch on!(I've nothing against them personally, but they seem to be the but of the gentle insults-maybe it should be bodhrans or banjos or guitars!)

Subject: RE: BS: folkie poverbs
From: Wesley S
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 06:09 PM

We tune because we care ?

Subject: RE: BS: folkie poverbs
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 06:10 PM

No you don't Wes... you tune because it's the LAW!

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: folkie poverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 06:25 PM

Tuning is for wimps.

Good enough for folk.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 06:32 PM

You'd know all about being a wimp eh MgoH...

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Little Hawk
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:03 PM

No Dylan song can be overanalyzed...

(and by the way, they don't have anything to do with drugs, I'm sad to tell you...in 99% of cases)

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Little Hawk
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:08 PM

What's the difference between a dead skunk in the middle of the road and a dead folksinger in the middle of the road?

The skunk was on his way to a paying gig.

Does that count?

There have been a few legendary exceptions to the above general rule...Baez, Dylan, PPM, etc...most of whom were accused of "selling out" by various envious people at various times, who wished they could've done it too. Most, but not all of these exceptions were managed or at least courted by Albert Grossman, the king of paying gig arrangement.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:09 PM

Have you got no homes to go to!

Show me the way to go home - I'm tired and I want to go to bed.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: GUEST,Fred Miller
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:19 PM

Very very old, but true--a lutenist spends 70% of the time tuning, the rest of the time playing out of tune.

I'll try to invent a couple just to keep the ball in the air while the real folk think it over.

To each his own, or it's equivalent.

It's better to have tuned and mis-tuned, than never to have tuned at all.

A banjo in the hand is worth two in the van.

If the mountain music won't come to Mohamed, Mohamed must go to the mountain music.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Amos
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:26 PM

"Close enough for folk music" is the one every folkie has heard.

"Ain't no horse sang it", attributed to Bill Broonzy on the Topic that Shall Not Be Named ('what is folk music, anyway?) is widely known, also. Folkies are very fond of the ancient expression, "Alas my love you do me wrong...:". This goes hand in hand with the old saw "What do you call a folkie who has broken up with his girlfriend?"..."Homeless".

I suppose you could start some new ones -- "A string in time saves one", for example. "Fools use chords that wise men never play". "The devil finds keys for idle capos". "Better to be hung for a banjo player than hung for a bodhran player".

But no-one has head these before!

A

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:35 PM

"Hell, I've still got four strings..."

"I think it's time we tuned up."

"I may be too drunk to tune, but I can still play."

(They really ought to be applicable in other contexts, using the folk music experience as a metaphor fro life generally.)

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Morticia
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 08:22 PM

My daughter insists that the folkie rule is; " and they all died"

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: GUEST,Sister7
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 08:22 PM

--I've quoted Dylan's words as proverbial. Dylans tunes were what he saw as he walked through dylan's life. There were pumps, and the vandals had taken the handles. The pumps were for the people. Free water. The water companys arranged for the handles to be taken. Who cares if the city workers were ordered to do it? Did anyone ask you, the end user? Having to pay for water when your pipes don't work and you can't afford repair is a bitch. Dylan was angry. --So you guys stick with it. You are needed by this generation, and the next, and ... if you quit, who will sing to their muses? Huh?

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 08:22 PM

I always it was 'Its close enough for Folk and Government work'.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 08:26 PM

"In the people's key of G"

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 09:51 PM

After Always insert THOUGHT.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From:
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 12:05 AM

Inserting thought is usually a good thing. But keep 'em coming -- are there particular situations you have sayings for -- somebody fails to turn up, or turns up when they might as well not have, etc.?

Adam

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Bert
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 12:16 AM

It was in tune when I bought it!

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: GUEST,Fred Miller
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 09:06 AM

Well, it's not a proverb, but at my parent's folkie gatherings someone used to do a little blessing giving thanks for the friends here with us today, and for some others who thankfully are not with us here today.

Folkies should have a patron saint of lost verses.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 03:37 PM

Seattle, 1946: "Blessed are those who count, for they shall keep time."

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 04:01 PM

Of course there's always what Thoreau wrote, which seesm remarkably apposite to folkies, literally and metaphorically: If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 04:07 PM

"There are no bad notes, just bad choices." Or something like that -- said by Rick Watson.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 04:38 PM

There's is never a right version of a song, just a variant you might like better.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 04:46 PM

Thank you, Sister7. Your comments are accurate and thoroughly appreciated, at least by me. The vandals have indeed taken the handles. We pay for it every day. In Cuba I saw people who had enough smarts,and initiative to make their own handles, instead of going to the mall and buying themselves a pacifier or two to kill the pain of being rendered helpless, meaningless, and ridiculous.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 04:56 PM

To pick is human; to tune, divine

Real folksingers have day jobs.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 05:37 PM

If you play it fast enough they won't notice the mistakes.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 06:26 PM

They will always play the tunes you know when you don't have your instrument with you.

If you do have it with you, they will always play the tunes you know, whilst you are at the bar or in the toilet.

Otherwise known as St Cecilia's law and amendments.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Gareth
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 06:46 PM

In "Sir Patrick Spens I clean forgot the 42nd verse
So I sang the 22nd, twice as loud and in reverse
And no one noticed it......

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 06:48 PM

I took my harp to a party, and nobody asked me to play.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 07:04 PM

I said I wanted to sing unaccompanied, so they all left the room.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Mudlark
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 07:35 PM

It sounded better in the store...

The opening thread reminded me of a favorite carpenter's haiku...I know the construction (little carpenter joke) isn't quite right but it went something like

I cut
I cut again
Leg still too short

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 07:55 PM

It sounded better when I was rehearsing it.
Okay, that's three excuses-- now you have to sing/play it.
or, You've used up your excuses, now play.
Autoharps stay in tune unless 1. the temperature changes more than two degrees or 2. until you start to play.
One wrong note is a mistake, two is jazz.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 08:14 PM

"If you keep on picking that thing it'll never get better!"

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Micca
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 08:53 PM

Kevin the "folkie2 varient I heard was." Some march to the beat of a different drum, some Polka"!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Gurney
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 05:48 AM

To a heckler.... "Spoken like a true professional. - YOUR MOTHER!" dickgreenhaus.. Day jobs, love it! Gareth.. I used to sing 'The Folker' too.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: GUEST,Paulo
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 06:57 AM

I think this one came from Diz Disley - The trick is to get it in tune, and then weld it.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: GUEST,iamjohnne
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 09:57 AM

You can pick your friends And you can pick your nose, You just can't pick your friend's nose.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 11:31 AM

"I'm a bit out of practice on this one, but we'll see how it goes..."

"Anybody got a capo?"

"And you'll notice that the fingers never leave the hands..."

"It goes somethin' like this..."

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 11:38 AM

"What have we just been playing?"

"What key were you playing in?"

"I thought I knew that one."

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 11:43 AM

Tune it or DIE!!

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Sibelius
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 01:32 PM

Collective noun for folkies: a barful.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Leadfingers
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 01:44 PM

At Falmouth Folk Festival,1976,it was agreed after some discussion that the best any Folk performance can ever be is Average.an adage I have lived by ever since,especially on the rare occasions I managed an 'Average'myself

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 01:51 PM

(Superficially plausible but logcally impossible, Leadfingers. Given some of the terrible stuff we all do sometimes, that would mean that the average was well below average...)

"Like looking for a plectrum on a pub floor."

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Dave Swan
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 02:18 PM

A folkie with beer is a folkie with friends.

Whose auto runs best will never arrive at a session alone.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: GUEST,Gray D (in a cybercafe)
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 05:50 PM

One of my favourite intro's (God bless Cosmotheka):-

"We've had a request not to do the next number.

But we don't do requests, so here it is."

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: Fortunato
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 06:14 PM

"No matter what you do, never, ever eat the fish sandiwich at Eddie Leonard's Sandwich Shoppe." Washington DC, 1978.

Subject: RE: BS: folkie proverbs
From: GUEST,eoin o'buadhaigh
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 06:19 PM

I'm not drunk but my fingers are. I 'learnt' it by ear - but I think he was drunk when he played it for me. Thats funny, the guy I learned the song from left out the last three verses as well. A bird never flew on one wing! so sing another song.