Tune Req/Lyr Add: The Blacksmith (Foster & Allen)

Subject: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: GUEST,James H. Silver
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 06:30 PM

I have lyrics for a song "The Blacksmith" Apparently this is not correct title as I cannot find either the lyrics or the melody. Collected from a local folk singer. I cannot recall his name.

First line of song: Twenty years ago last Christmas came a tender to My wife.

First line of Chorus: Sure I dream as the hammer strikes the anvil.

any leads as to the origin of this song or it's title and the music
in any format would be appreciated. Thanks

Subject: Lyr Add: The Blacksmith
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 06:40 PM

Didn't find a tune, but just for completeness, here are all the lyrics:

The Blacksmith
(songwriter?)

Twenty years ago last Christmas
Came a tempter to my wife
Stole the only flower I cherished
And I vowed I'd have his life
In the street one day I met him
In my eyes that villain grinned
Then the curse of Cain came o'er me
'Twas on that very day I sinned

Chorus:
Sure I dream as the hammer strikes the anvil
And I dream as the sparks light on the floor
Of my blue eyed turtle dove
She's the only girl I loved
As she stood outside that good old smithy door

Twelve months passed then came my trial
In the court I saw my wife
And as I heard her beg for mercy
As they sentenced me to life
Twelve long years I read her letters
Only comfort I can tell
When I heard that she was dying
'Twas then my lonely spirits fell

Chorus;

Late one night I dodged the warder
O'er the prison wall I sprang
I got home footsore and weary
At the breaking of the dawn
She was glad so glad to see me
In my arms that night she died
When the warders rushed the doorway
They found me kneeling there inside
When they saw her lifeless body
And I kneeling on the floor
They said Jack my lad we trust you
Come back when you've laid her low

Chorus:

Last two lines to finish......

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 06:41 PM

James, your "local folk singer": English, American, other -- ?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 07:58 PM

Found a reference to the song being sung at a funeral (a favorite of the deceased) at Monasterevin, Kildare. So could be Irish. The title is "The Blacksmith." The site is listed as www.irishmusicmail.com, but the message is that it is no longer there.

Someone was looking for it last year at another website, and posted the same words that Sorcha posted above- (same last two lines missing).

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 08:07 PM

Sorcha, where did you find the lyrics you posted?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 08:38 PM

Just ran across Maddy Prior and Steeleye Span and "The Blacksmith" collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1909- not the same song- This one is ca. 19th century (see Contemplator website and discussions in the Forum and lyrics in the DT).
The same, variant: "trad. Irish arr. by Planxty," same as the Steeleye Span song Blacksmith with words and Midi.

There many Blacksmith songs. It isn't the Sharp-Karpeles or the Spike Jones or the Big Band tune of the 1940s---.
Nothing more found about an Irish song with the lyrics posted by Sorcha.

No luck!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 09:05 PM

Oh, sorry. I always seem to forget that, don't I? Found here:
http://users.cgiforme.com/irishlyrics/messages/4331.html
Which seems to be the site above that is no longer available......

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 09:31 PM

The Blacksmith arranged by Planxty was not from Irish tradition; they learned it from The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs, and never pretended otherwise. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't bother to read sleevenotes; which I suppose is the reason for the misinformation on the site Q mentions. The same untruth is repeated on innumerable websites, unfortunately.

I too have drawn a blank on the song James asks about. From information in another thread, I guess that he is in Canada. It looks like a fairly modern song on the face of it, but we'll perhaps hear from someone who has actually heard the thing somewhere.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Mar 03 - 01:48 AM

Well, tracing the link Sorcha posted, it appears that this "Blacksmith" may have been recorded by Foster and Allen. It's on their "Forty Shades of Green" and "Best Of (Vol 1)" albums. I have some Foster & Allen, but not those albums.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Mar 03 - 07:20 PM

John Bunyan's "To be a pilgrim" is sung to a version of the more common Blacksmith. (Not the one James H Silvere ius looking for.)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: GUEST,James H. Silver
Date: 28 Mar 03 - 04:41 PM

Further to Blacksmith: Folk singer as I recollect was Canadian. Met at a festival some 15 to 20 years ago. He hastily wrote the lyrics down for me and I did the song for a number of years from memory. He however was not the composer of the song. However I have forgotten the melody over the years from no longer doing the song. now only remember the melody of the chorus. would like to add the song to my repitore once again but cannot recall the melody. Singer possibly might have been from the Cape Breton area of Nova Scotia, Canada. Good deal of scottish and irish music played in that area. James H. Silver, N. S. Canada

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: GUEST,James H. Silver
Date: 02 Apr 03 - 11:45 AM

Gladys at Gladys' Celtic Corner has a midi of this song. She sent it to me.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 02 Apr 03 - 02:10 PM

I would surmise, given the words, that this is not the fiddle tune "The Jolly Blacksmith" ??

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: MMario
Date: 02 Apr 03 - 02:18 PM

James - can you forward the midi? if so - please send to [e-mail]

I can post it and link it to this thread

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith????
From: GUEST,Willows Folk recording of 'the Blackmith'
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 07:45 PM

'The Willows Folk' have just recorded the Blacksmith tune. We play it in G. Small midi file excerpt available on request.
from
Mary Chowen

[e-mail]

web site
www.willowsfolk.co.uk

---

Threads combined. Messages below are from a new thread.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BLACKSMITH
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 05:01 PM

I sometimes sing a song that I learned long ago called The Blacksmith. I think that I got it from a Foster and Allen recording that I can no longer find. I often see discussion of a different song by the same name on the forum and it is in the DT twice but I see nothing on this one, which I think tells a better story.
                Slainte,
                      Sandy
^^
THE BLACKSMITH

[G] Twenty years ago last [D] Christmas
Came a tempter to my [G] wife
Stole the only flower I [D] cherished
And I vowed I'd have his [G] life
In the street one day I [D] met him
In my eyes that villain [G] grinned
Then the curse of Cain came [D] o'er me
'Twas on that very day I [G] sinned…… [Em]
Chorus;
Sure I [C] dream as the hammer strikes the [G] anvil
And I [D] dream as the sparks light on the [G] floor….. [Em]
Of my [C] blue eyed turtle [Am] dove
She's the [G] only girl I [Em] loved
As she [G] stood outside that [D] good old smithy's [G] door

Twelve months passed then came my trial
In the court I saw my wife
And I heard her beg for mercy
When they sentenced me to life
Twelve long years I read her letters
The only comfort I can tell
When I heard that she was dying
'Twas then my lonely spirits fell
Chorus;

Late one night I dodged the warders
O'er the prison wall I sprang
I got home footsore and weary
At the breaking of the dawn
She was glad so glad to see me
In my arms that night she died
When the warders rushed the doorway
And they found me there inside
When they saw her lifeless body
And I kneeling on the floor
They said Jack my lad we'll trust you
Come back when you've laid her low
Chorus;

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Blacksmith
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 07:10 PM

Already posted (by Sorcha) 5 years ago in thread Tune Req: The Blacksmith????.

A little more information is in that discussion, but not much. I said then that it seemed a modern song, and I've no reason to alter that opinion; though a little more information would be helpful. I would expect that some kind of copyright information was provided on the Foster and Allen recording: perhaps someone could quote it? Vast numbers of folk have their records. Even I have one (it was very cheap) but it doesn't include the song in question.

It's over-written and melodramatic where the traditional song of the same name is understated and reflective. It's hardly surprising that it's rarely mentioned by comparison.

Subject: RE: Tune Req/Lyr ADD: The Blacksmith????
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 08:35 PM

Thanks Joe and Malcolm! I tried a dt and forum search but I couldn't find that old thread.

Subject: RE: Tune Req/Lyr ADD: The Blacksmith????
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 07:46 AM

Foster and Allen's recording of THE BLACKSMITH can be found on their 1997 album "Forty Shades of Green: A Tribute to Old Ireland" and on "The Greatest Hits," 2001. They call it "traditional."

I listened to a sound sample at Allmusic.com, and I found the tune strangely upbeat given the subject matter, but that might be just Foster & Allen's performance. It's in waltz time.

Subject: RE: Tune Req/Lyr ADD: The Blacksmith????
From: MMario
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 08:41 AM

and JIm has sent me the midi - will post as ABC later today - and forward the midi to Joe O for posting wherever it is we're posting midi's these days.

Subject: RE: Tune Req/Lyr Add: The Blacksmith (Foster & Allen)
From: GUEST,Patrick Wall
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 12:32 PM

This "Blacksmith" song sounds like an old 1920s, 1930s or 1940s country song by a singer like Jimmie Rodgers or Moon Mullican (it is not by those 2 singers as I have all their recordings). It is similar to songs that Jimmie Rodgers did like "I'm free from the chaingang now" and "Moonlight and skies".