Lyr Add: One Little Fambilee

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: One Little Fambilee
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 08:29 PM

Here's a link to Ella performing in PORGY: click here for photo
Fascinating what one can find via the Google search engine.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: One Little Fambilee
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 08:22 PM

Nice to get a nibble on this thread after so many years! Ella would be amused.

Bob-

I'm delighted that you've come up with a related song. Ella did perform for years as a professional minstrel singer in the late 19th century and no doubt had access to a wide range of sources. The painting of Ella by my grandmother is certainly striking. One personal thing I can add is the tiny locket on her necklace has an image of her daughter who died at a very young age. I did find an image of Ella on the stage in a performance of PORGY from a New York City Public Library archives from around 1929. She was a great source of songs, and love, and made a lasting impression on my mother.

Jim-

Thanks for updating the URL. There's definitely a cubist painting in the background of the painting, which is set in my grandparents' apartment on West 10th Street in Greenwich Village. I'll have to check with Dahlov and see if she can further identify it.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: One Little Fambilee
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 12:31 PM

By the way, painting that Charley Noble refers to can still be seen, although the URL has changed. Here it is:

Ella Madison and Dahlov by Marguerite Thompson Zorach, ca. 1919, at Williams College Museum of Art.

There doesn't seem to be any reference to music in the painting—unless that's a cubist/abstracted guitar in the background; I can't make out what it's supposed to be.

For those interested in this sort of thing, see the thread Paintings of folk musicians and dancers (which is probably due for an update).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Little Family
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 10:11 AM

Charley,

I want to thank you for your extraordinary songs from Ella Madison.

This one starts out, at least, as The Little Family. Not the one in the DT, but a rare ballad-style hymn about Lazarus traditional around eastern Kentucky. Jean Ritchie sings it, I believe. A version from her elder sister May is printed in Evelyn K. Wells' The Ballad Tree,Ronald Press, NY 1950, p 190. Since it's not in the DT, I copy it here.

The mystery is how it got into Ella Madison's repertoire away up in New York. I'd guess that means it may have circulated in published form, maybe in a hymn book. But of course she uses only the first verse, so could have heard it from a street singer perhaps.

Best wishes, Bob

THE LITTLE FAMILY

There was a little fam'ly lived up in Bethany,
Two sisters and one brother composed this family,
With prayer and with singing, like angels in the sky,
At morning and at evening they raised their voices high.

They lived in peace and pleasure for many lonely years,
And laid away their treasure beyond this vale of tears,
Though poor and without money, their kindness made amends,
Their house was always open to Jesus and his friends.

Although they lived so happy, so kind, so pure and good,
Their brother was afflicted, and by it thrown in bed,
Poor Martha and her sister, they wept aloud and cried,
But still he grew no better, he lingered on and died.

The Jews came to the sisters, laid Lazarus i the tomb,
And tried for to comfort, and drive away their gloom,
When Jesus heard the tidings, far in a distant land,
So swiftly did he travel to see that lonely band,

And while he was a-coming, Martha met him on the way,,
And told him that her brother had died and passed away,
He blessed and he cheered her, and told her not to weep,
For in him was the power to raise him from his sleep.

Yet while he was a-coming, Mary met him, lonely too,
Down at his feet a-weeping, rehearsed the tale of woe,
When Jesus saw her weeping, he fell a-weeping too,
And wept until they showed him where Lazarus was entombed.

He rolled away the cover, and looked upon the grave,
And prayed unto his father his loving friend to save,
And Lazarus in full power came from the gloomy mound,
And in full life and vigor he walked upon the ground.

So all you who love Jesus, and do his holy will,
Like Mary and like Martha you'll always use him well,
He'll comfort and redeem you, and take you to the skies,
And bid you live forever, where pleasure never dies.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: One Little Fambilee
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Aug 03 - 08:36 AM

Here's some background notes on Ella Robinson Madison's theatrical and musical career in the late 19th century:Click Here!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: One Little Fambilee
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Apr 03 - 11:17 AM

We'll try the link again: http://www.williams.edu/WCMA/collections/american/mzorach_dahlov.html
Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr Add: One Little Fambilee
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Apr 03 - 11:04 AM

Here's another gosphel song from my mother's nursemaid Ella Madison that was written down by Winifred (Wendy) Holt; for a nice painting of Ella and my mother back then, try this link:www.for more info: www.williams.edu/WCMA/collections/american/mzorach_dahlov.html+ella+madison&hl=en&start=9&ie=UTF-8):

One Little Fambilee

(As sung by Ella Madison in the early 1920's)

Dere was one little fambilee
Come down from Bethalee;
Two sisters an' one broder, Lord,
Composed dis fambilee.

Wid a-singin' an' wid a-prayin',
Lak angels in da sky,
One morning an' one evening, Lord,
Dey done raised dere voices high.

Chorus:

Broder Gabriel, will ya han' down ya robe?
Broder Gabriel, will ya han' down ya robe?
Han' down ya robe untwil I leave this world!

I wish I was an angel
An' wid dem angels stan',
A crown upon my forehead, Lord,
An' a harp right in my han'.

Right dere by my Savior,
So glorious an' so bright,
I'd play de sweetes' music, Lord,
An' I'd praise him day an' night. (CHO)

Well, the link failed but a Google search does have a "cached" version.

I haven't found anything close to this song in my searches but I'd welcome any comments.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble