New songbook:Francis & Day's Community Song Album

Subject: RE: New songbook:Francis & Day's Community Song Album
From: GUEST,John frm Kemsing
Date: 24 Mar 15 - 11:44 AM

Reading this thread reminded me I have a "CAMP FIRE & FIRE SIDE SONG BOOK" by Francis & Day (Francis, Day & Hunter ltd.). I can determine no date but it is priced 2/0d, overstamped 2/6d. The contents, 46 songs, are listed inside the front cover and reference to J.Alpert of Australia and N.Z. is made. If it were to be issued in our "P.C." world there would be riots on the street but it is very informative, all the same.

Subject: RE: New songbook:Francis & Day's Community Song Album
From: GUEST,#
Date: 23 Mar 15 - 12:59 PM

This link says 1931 for #1 in series.

Subject: RE: New songbook:Francis & Day's Community Song Album
From: GUEST,Paul Clarke
Date: 23 Mar 15 - 12:32 PM

I gather I used to have two copies of the F&D Community Songbook: does it contain quite a few US black songs in what is now seen as offensive transliterations of black speech ("ob" for "of", etc.). I also recall a very extended version of Shenandoah, with verses I don't recall seeing elsewhere since. These copies came from different branches of my family, which make them at the latest early-mid thirties, but just as likely 1920s. I remember a terracotta coloured linen cover, with two black 'framing' lines impressed near the edge. Also, very little text (black, in caps, just the book's title, I think) at the centre of the cover. Those I've seen online have the publisher's name and other details I'm sure weren't on our copies. I assume we had different editions to them, but not sure what no. it was. I guess all 6 weren't issued at the same time, but sequentially, edited to reflect changing musical tastes.

Subject: RE: New songbook:Francis & Day's Community Song Album
From: Steve Byrne
Date: 26 Nov 12 - 12:16 PM

Francis & Day produced Harry Lauder's songbooks in the 1900s, see the list here.

Subject: RE: New songbook:Francis & Day's Community Song Album
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Nov 12 - 11:11 PM

Found Community Song Album No. 2. It's signed on the front by my great uncle who was in WWI and lived in Canada until the 30s. I'm thinking he purchased the book there. There's no date. Price on cover is 6 d. The footer on page reads F.&D.Ltd.19215. 1921? Dave ([e-mail])

Subject: RE: New songbook:Francis & Day's Community Song Album
From: GUEST,Kevin Smith
Date: 05 Sep 12 - 08:51 PM

I found a Francis & Day's No1 Popular and COMMUNITY SONGSTER for All Occasions Words of over 125 Songs Old & New Everybody's Favourites. there is no date, but the Copyright is by J.Albert & Son pty. ltd, 137-139 KING STREET SYDNEY. does this help anyone?

Subject: RE: Help: Another new songbook
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 14 Nov 02 - 10:06 AM

Looks like I got mine cheap. £1-99 in an Oxfam shop. And yes, it is the full version with accompaniments, sol-fa & Uke arrangements.
The difference between its cover price and those quoted by GtD for nos 2 & 3 (10shillings compared to 1shilling & sixpence)may be that book 1 contains 129 songs.

Nigel

Subject: RE: Help: Another new songbook
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 14 Nov 02 - 09:31 AM

The series - Francis & Day's Community Song Album No's 1 - 6 were certainly printed in large numbers over a long period of time. I don't have any dates, but the copies I have of numbers 2 and 3 were priced on the cover at 1/6 (one shilling and sixpence to those in foreign climes).
All six books are listed plus the Camp Fire and Fire Side song book, all at the same price. I cannot find a publication date, but all the comunity song album books contain (and I quote) 32 songs with Full Words, Music, Tonic Sol-Fa and Ukelele arrangements.
I think I picked up my copies in a charity shop.
Quack!
Geoff the Duck!

Subject: RE: Help: Another new songbook
From: IanC
Date: 14 Nov 02 - 04:33 AM

Community song books were in vogue in Britain from about 1920 to 1940 or so. Most of the newspapers, for example, serialised songs and then published them in books at the end of a year or so. This one seems to have simply been produced by a book publisher.

This book is available on the web from about £7 ($11). It's described thus.

Publisher: London, Francis, Day & Hunter, c.1920; 215mm.W X 280mm., 192pp. Book G, red cloth, gilt lettering, sunned & rubbed, stamp on FFEP. No DW. Popular song-book of period.

There is also a Number 2 available, with similar price tag.

:-)

Subject: RE: Help: Another new songbook
From: MMario
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 01:45 PM

Earliest date I found for a Francis & Day publication was 1912 - the latest 1959

That's just from a quick google -

Subject: Help: Another new songbook
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 01:37 PM

Just picked up another new songbook at my local "Oxfam" shop. No publication date inside, can anyone help ?

"Number One

Francis & Day's

Popular and Community
Song Book

For all Occasions

Price 10/- net (overstamped 7/6 net)

Francis, Day & Hunter, Ltd.,
138-140 Charing Cross Road
London
WC2"


Nigel