Origins: Lonesome Robin

Subject: Tune Req: Tune to the song 'Lonesome Robin'
From: Morgon
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 11:40 AM

Hello all!

I'm looking to see if anyone can point me to a recording of the tune "Lonesome Robin"? I first heard this beautiful and sad song at the 2001 Mississippi River Celtic Arts Festival in St. Louis, when Pat Broaders (extroadinary bouzouki player) sand it at the closing concert of the week. I obtained the lyrics from Pat last week, but have not been able to find the melody, and my memory's a bit sketchy on how it goes...

Any help is greatly appreciated!

~Morgon

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune to the song 'Lonesome Robin'
From: MMario
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 11:45 AM

lonesome robin

4.4 meg

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune to the song 'Lonesome Robin'
From: Declan
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 11:53 AM

Two recordings that I know of :

One by Barry Moore (now known as Luka Bloom) on his Treaty Stone Album on Mulligan Records c 1978.

Second is by John Canny, Kevin Carey and Terence O Reilly (singer) on their Suantrai Album, from 2001 available through WWW.Custysmusic.com

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune to the song 'Lonesome Robin'
From: kendall
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 12:25 PM

Ed Trickett Folk Legacy, and Helen Schneyer Folk Legacy.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune to the song 'Lonesome Robin'
From: Morgon
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 01:13 PM

Ah, thanks ever so much MMario, the .MP3 was a great help.

~Morgon

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune to the song 'Lonesome Robin'
From: MMario
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 01:18 PM

That's where I learned it...

BTW - Anyone that can and would be willing to TRANSCRIBE? It's one of the "missing tunes"

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune to the song 'Lonesome Robin'
From: Barbara
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 02:36 PM

Mario, I can do it, but not for a few days. The play I am in opens Friday. I have the Helen Schneyer version, so I'll listen to yours first and see if it's different.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Tune to the song 'Lonesome Robin'
From: MMario
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 02:39 PM

Thanx! either would be fine with me...though as Malcolm would remind me to say - please attribute source.

Subject: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: GUEST,Mac tattie
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 10:18 AM

I have recently heard two versions of this grand song written by Bob Coltman. Any more info on Bob Coltman and this and any other of his songs? cheers

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 11:21 AM

One of my favourite writers. I've recorded Patrick Spencer, and LOVE at least a dozen of his other songs. He may be the greatest TOTALLY UNKNOWN song-writer, using traditional forms.
Devil in the Garden
Don't you know your old Sweetheart the best
When they closed the Minstrel show.
etc.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: Susan of DT
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 07:36 PM

A search of the Digital Tradition for Coltman yields 10 songs you can look at and there are CDs in print. You can get them from Camsco, of course

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: sharyn
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 10:51 PM

Bob Coltman also wrote a wonderful anti-war song for the U.S. Bicentennial, called "Valley Forge." He has an album of ballad re-writes based on the Child Ballads called Son of Child("Patrick Spencer" is the only one that's really good in my opinion).

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: Art Thieme
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 11:14 PM

Way back in the '50s there was a gal with a guitar singing her songs at the No Exit Coffeehouse in Evanston, Illinois. Her name was Dodi Kallick. She sang the first Bob Coltman song I ever heard, a lovely love song called "Web Of Birdsong". Recently, Dodi's daughter Kathy Kallick (of the Good Ol' Person's bluegrass band in California) has made a fine CD of songs from her mother's repertoire. Included on that fine recording (at my behest, I add proudly) is that very song---Web Of Birdsong. It's woth finding and buying.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: GUEST,maddy
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 11:31 PM

bob coltman recorded a bunch of stuff for minstrel records too long ago - 2 albums were lonesome robin and son of child. you can find out more about minstrel records - don't know if they have a website.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: Art Thieme
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 09:37 PM

And the longer tale that inspired "Lonesome Robin" can be heard in full in the Child ballad "Robin Hood's Death".

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 May 16 - 05:27 PM

Up above, Declan says that the song was recorded by Barry Moore, now known as Luka Bloom. I found the following recordings at YouTube:

• Luka Bloom, 2012
• Barry Moore, 1977

Both recordings are lovely. I had forgotten that this song was written by Bob Coltman. That's an extra benefit. That Coltman guy writes good songs.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 19 May 16 - 11:11 AM

Barry Moore also recorded it when he was part of a trio with Noel Hill and Tony Linnane, called "Inchiquin" on a double-album recorded during the "4th Irish Folk Festival" tour of Germany. Always liked that song, but hadn't noticed till I read the above who had written it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 19 May 16 - 11:14 AM

ps - recorded in 1977.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lonesome Robin
From: GUEST,MtnManMike
Date: 08 Mar 21 - 10:56 AM

Hopefully adding to a five year old thread isn't discourteous; just wanted to add a reference here to another recording of this song. Helen Schneyer was a guest on the January 27, 1996 episode of Prairie Home Companion and "Lonesome Robin" was the song performed. Listening to the old PHC episodes is actually how I came across this song, and thus this thread looking for more information.

As long as the site remains online (obviously, the content is not mine to control), the show may be listened to here:
https://www.prairiehome.org/shows/58387.html

Garrison Keillor's introduction and interview of Helen Schneyer begins at 18:10 in the audio stream on the site and the song is sung at 19:40.