Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!

Subject: Lyr Add: FOOLIN' AROUND
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 03 Nov 02 - 07:45 PM

Every once in awhile I come across a great, fantastic, stupendous song from the past that is in danger of disappearing into obscurity. About 2 years ago Anna Larson of Takoma Park Maryland sang such a song, "Foolin' Around", an English Vaudeville or Beer Hall song that she learned from her father. Friday night she was at a song circle and was kind enough to sing it again and transcribe the words for me.

She doesn't know anything more about the song. I asked her if I could post it here to see if the Mudcat could help us find out more about it. She said she would be thrilled to learn more. So has anyone else know the song, or know more about its origins, authors, if sheet music exists, chords, etc.. ?

The Lyrics are:

FOOLIN' AROUND
English Vaudeville Song

As sung by Anna Larson of Takoma Park Maryland.  She says of the song: "I learned this from my father, Arthur Larson, who picked it up while he was at Oxford in the 1930's"

Responsibility
don't mean a thing to me.
It's just calamity.
I can't do nothin' for it.
There's nothin' worries me.
There's nothin' hurries me.
I'm wild and fancy free.
Havin' a wonderful time... just,

Foolin' around.  Foolin' around.
Pickin' 'em up and layin' 'em down.
I've even lost my memory,
so I can say I'm conscious free.

Got no sweety.  Got no name.
Got no reference where I came,
'cause what I crave is far from fame,
while I'm foolin' around... hey-hey,
All the time foolin' around.

Oh, sometimes flush, sometimes flat.
Nothin' on my mind but an old straw hat.
No family, no pedigree,
and I don't care nothin' about nobody!

When it snows, when it blows,
I'm gonna travel where the weather's gonna suit my clothes.
I'm gonna shuffle these feet where the green grass grows.
Then I'll start a-foolin' around, hey.

Foolin' around.  Foolin' around.
Sometimes up and sometimes down.
But, no one to tell me when or why,
I want no knots I can't untie.

I like lilies best on land,
but I can't use them in my hand.
I want both feet at my command,
while I'm foolin' around.... hey-hey,
All the time foolin around, I mean,
While I'm foolin' around.
 

Thanks,
JAB

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 10:20 PM

Please help

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 05:43 PM

Interesting song but not one I've ever run across. Let's keep reviving this thread till some of the folks focused on the BS threads get back to this serious but interesting business.

Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr&Crd Add: Foolin' Around
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 12:39 AM

Here are the Lyrics and Chords:

Foolin' Around

English Vaudeville Song as sung by Anna Larson of Takoma Park Maryland.  She says: "I learned this song from my father, Arthur Larson, who, I believe, picked it up while he was at Oxford in the 1930's"

(G)...Responsibility (Cm)...don't mean a thing to me.
(G)... It's just cal(E7)amity. (A7)...I can't (D7)...do nothin' for it.
(G)...There's nothin' worries me. (Cm)...There's nothin' hurries me.
(G)...I'm wild and (E7)fancy free. (A7)Havin' a (D7)wonderful (G)time (G7)just,

(C)Foolin' around. (G7)Foolin' around. (C)Pickin' 'em (C7)up and (F)layin' 'em (Fm)down.
(C)I've even (E7)lost my (A7)memory, so (D7)I can say I'm (G7)conscience free.
(C)Got no sweety. (G7)Got no name. (C)Got no (C7)reference (F)where I (Fm)came,
'cause (C)what I (E7)crave is (A7)far from fame, (D7)while I'm (G7)foolin' a(C)round... (E7))hey-(A7)hey,
(D7)All the time (G7)foolin' a(C)round.

Oh----, (E7)sometimes flush, sometimes flat. (A7)Nothin' on my mind but an old straw hat.
No (D7)family, no pedigree, and I (G7)don't care nothin' about nobody!
(E7)When it snows, when it blows, I'm gonna (A7)travel where the weather's gonna suit my clothes.
I'm gonna (D7)shuffle these feet where the green grass grows. Then I'll start a-foolin' a(G7)round, just.
 

(C)Foolin' around. (G7)Foolin' around. (C)Sometimes (C7)up and (F)sometimes (Fm)down.
But, (C)no one to (E7)tell me (A7)when or why. I (D7)want no knots I (G7)can't untie.
(C)I like lilies (G7)best on land, but (C)I can't (C7)use them (F)in my (Fm)hand.
(C)I want both (E7)feet at (A7)my command, (D7)while I'm (G7)foolin' a(C)round.... (E7)hey-(A7)hey,
(D7)All the time (G7)foolin a(C)round, (E7)I (A7)mean, while I'm (G7)foolin' a(C)round.. (Db6)(C6)

If you know more about the origins of the song or have questions Anna's email is [e-mail].
 
 

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 12:41 AM

Here's the lyrics and chords in a different format: Foolin' Around

Vaudeville Song as sung by Anna Larson* of Takoma Park Maryland.  She says: "I learned this song from my father, Arthur Larson, who, I believe, picked it up while he was at Oxford in the 1930's"

|G         |        |Cm            |              |
|  Responsi|bility  |  don't mean a|thing to me.  |
|G              |E7      |A7       |D7                  |
|  It's just cal|amity.  |  I can't|  do nothin' for it.|
|G                |             |Cm               |              |
|  There's nothin'|worries me.  |  There's nothin'| hurries me.  |
|G             |E7           |A7       D7       |G    G7     |
|  I'm wild and|fancy free,  |havin' a wonderful|time just,  |

|C                |G7               |C           C7     |F          Fm    c   |
|Foolin' around.  |Foolin' around.  |Pickin' 'em up and |layin' 'em down. I've|
|C    E7      |A7         |D7           |G7                |
|even lost my |memory, so |I can say I'm|conscience free.  |
|C             |G7            |C      C7       |F       Fm     c    |
|Got no sweety.|Got no name.  |Got no reference|where I came, 'cause|
|C      E7      |A7              |D7        G7       C|      E7  A7    |
|what I crave is|far from fame.  |While I'm foolin' ar|ound. hey-hey,  |
|D7           G7       C|            |
|All the time foolin' ar|ound. Oh---,|

|E7                |                 |A7                       |                  |
|sometimes flush,  |sometimes flat.  |Nothin' on my mind but an| old straw hat. No|
|D7        |               |G7                      |          |
|family, no|pedigree, and I|don't care nothin' about| nobody.  |
|E7              |                        |
|When it snows,  |when it blows, I'm gonna|
|A7                              |                           |
|travel where the weather's gonna| suit my clothes. I'm gonna|
|D7                                |              |                           G7|          |
|shuffle these feet where the green|grass grows.  |Then I'll start a-foolin' ar |ound, just|

|C                |G7               |C         C7    |F         Fm    c  |
|Foolin' around.  |Foolin' around.  |Sometimes up and|sometimes down, but|
|C         E7     | A7             |D7             |G7            |
|no one to tell me| when or why.  I|want no knots I|can't untie.  |
|C            |G7               |C       C7      |F     Fm     c|
|I like lilies|best on land, but|I can't use them|in my hand.  I|
|C         E7     |A7           |D7        G7       C|       E7  A7    |
|want both feet at|my command,  |while I'm foolin' ar|ound,  hey-hey,  |
|D7           G7      C|      E7 A7     |D7        G7       C|     (Db6  C6)|
|All the time foolin ar|ound, I  mean,  |while I'm foolin' ar|ound.         |
* [e-mail]
 

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 12:43 AM

Last, Here is the miditext file:

---

Click to play

---

ABC format:

X:1
T:Instrument 2
M:4/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
D4E2^F2|E2D3/2B,9/2|-B,2G2A2^A2|A2G3/2^D9/2|
-^D2G2E7/2G/2|E3/2D2B,9/2|-B,2G2E4|-E3/2D/2E3/2D/2E3/2D5/2|
-D2D2E2^F2|E2D3/2B,9/2|-B,2G2A3/2^A5/2|A2G3/2^D9/2|
-^D2G2E7/2G/2|E3/2D2B,9/2|E3/2E/2E3/2^F2E/2D2|
G4F4|C3/2C/2C3/2G,9/2|D3/2D/2D3/2G,9/2|E3/2E/2E3/2C2G5/2|
F3/2F/2F3/2C4D/2|E2E2E2B,2|B,2B,3/2A,4A,/2|
A,2B,2C3/2A,5/2|D3/2B,2G,9/2|C2C2G,3/2E5/2|
D2D3/2G,9/2|E2E3/2C2G5/2|F3/2F2C4D/2|E2E2E2B,2|
B,2B,3/2A,9/2|A,3/2A,2B,2A,/2G,3/2C/2|-C2E3/2E9/2|
A,3/2A,/2A,3/2B,2A,/2G,2|C2C2D2^D2|E3/2E2E9/2|
E3/2E2E9/2|E3/2E/2E3/2E/2E2E3/2E/2|A2A3/2E5/2E2|
E2E3/2D5/2E2|E2E3/2D2E2D/2|G2A2B3/2G/2B2|
d2B3/2G9/2|E3/2E2E9/2|E3/2E2E2E/2E3/2E/2|
E3/2E/2E3/2E/2E3/2E/2E3/2E/2|A2A3/2E2E/2E3/2E/2|
E3/2D/2E3/2D5/2E3/2D/2|E2E3/2D9/2|E3/2D/2E3/2D/2E3/2D/2E3/2G/2|
-G4F4|C3/2C/2C3/2G,9/2|D3/2D/2D3/2G,9/2|E3/2E5/2C3/2G5/2|
F3/2F2C4D/2|EE2EE2B,2|B,2B,3/2A,4A,/2|A,2B,2C2A,2|
D3/2B,2G,9/2|C2C2G,3/2E5/2|D2D3/2G,4G,/2|
E2E2C3/2G5/2|F3/2F2C4D/2|E2E2E2B,2|B,2B,3/2A,9/2|
A,3/2A,2B,2A,/2G,3/2C/2|-C2E3/2E9/2|A,3/2A,/2A,3/2B,2A,/2G,3/2C/2|
-C2E3/2E9/2|A,7/2B,2A,/2G,3/2C/2|-C2||

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 11:22 AM

Could you PM me, or reply to the message just so I know that someone has read it?

Thanks

JAB

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: MMario
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 11:32 AM

never heard it to my knowledge

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 01:53 AM

GutBucketeer: I want you to know I admire and appreciate your effort to see that this song is preserved for posterity. Awhile back, when I first noticed this thread, I did make an effort to apply my searching skills with Google, and I failed to find anything definitely relevant, and consequently didn't post.

AMG/All Music Guide lists 48 recordings called "Foolin' Around". Obviously there are many different songs with that name, notably one by Buck Owens and Harlan Howard, which accounts for at least 18 of those recordings. I can't find lyrics or sound samples for most of the others, so I can't definitely rule them out, but I suspect none of them are the same as yours.

ASCAP'S database lists 12 different songs called "Foolin' Around", and BMI's lists 43! I don't know about you, but I find the task of tracking them all down a bit daunting.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: Bullfrog Jones
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 07:43 AM

You might want to check your link for the MidiText download -- it's dead!

BJ

---

I can't see a reason why we should expend much effort on MIDItext any more. I'm gradually replacing MIDItext files wiht links to MIDI files we've added at Mudcat, so people don't have to go through the hassle of conversion.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: Declan
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 08:10 AM

Sorry I can't add anything here, but I can't believe this song is English. What part of England do they say things like "Got no sweety"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 09:49 AM

The dead link is a surprise. I think the program was made by a mudcatter for posting midi's to the mudcat. I just followed the instructions and copied and pasted the text into the post. Does anyone know where the most up-to-date version is?

I also have posted the files in the jugband and fourstringbanjo yahoo groups websites along with the pdfs of the sheetmusic.

JAB

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Foolin' Around - Need More Info!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 01:12 PM

The use of the MidiText program seems to have been replaced by the Mudcat Midi Page. I have sent the file to Joe, and it should be there in a couple of days.

Mudcat Midi Page http://www.mudcat.org/midi/midibrowse.cfm


JAB