Not Same Old Circle Songs

Subject: Not Same Old Circle Songs Again!
From: fsharpdim7
Date: 30 May 03 - 12:06 PM

We have a great song circle that is held twice a month on Saturday afternoons in a suburb of Chicago. Since we are playing for fun, we do not attempt difficult songs. But I at least get a little tired of the same old songs - as great as they are (thanks especially to "Rise Up Singing" for most of our material).
What songs would you all suggest for something new or different that the group might want to make their own after a few trys?
Thanks, Chris

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: MMario
Date: 30 May 03 - 12:10 PM

What are a few of your "standards"? Might be able to suggest something similar but different - to ease you out of the rut...

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 30 May 03 - 12:10 PM

i like to sing alot of my own stuff...

parodies are also nice...

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: fsharpdim7
Date: 30 May 03 - 12:20 PM

The most requested songs for our circle are "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms," "Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound," "Midnight Special," etc. - the standard '60's/70's folk canon. I think we need to break out, but probably not too far from the "true vine."
Thanks again, Chris

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: artbrooks
Date: 30 May 03 - 12:27 PM

It sounds like your group is in the sing-along mode like we are. Our song circle in Albuquerque has theme nights...Spring, drinking, work, and so forth. That seems to bring the non-RUS songs out of the woodwork. Try pulling some of your own favorites out of the DT and making song sheets to pass around.

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 30 May 03 - 12:28 PM

or try calling for a night or two when RUS is not permitted...and rotate it around....

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: MMario
Date: 30 May 03 - 12:32 PM

Or do some call and response type songs that don't require song sheets if you can lead the "calls" - gospel or shanty

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: fsharpdim7
Date: 30 May 03 - 12:36 PM

I don't set the rules - any specific songs that anybody else has been singing lately to break out of the old chesnuts which have appealed to folks? My taste seems to be too "something" for the group. I thought Guabi, Guabi would be a winner, but not.
A good strong, sing-along chorus is probably an essential.
Thanks again, Chris

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 May 03 - 01:14 PM

In our weekly song circle consisting of 12-15 people, we don't have theme nights but we do tend to have an occasional run of similar subjects for a round or two. Death and Destruction seems to be a typical one. After twice around, I tend to say something like, OK, now each of us has to sing the happiest song we know- just to get back on an even keel.

Of course, that doesn't really apply to one songwriting musician, Buddy Tabor. He says happy songs depress him. :)

Group songs we do, led by one or two individuals, are songs like 'Across the Great Divide', 'Hard Times', 'Green Rolling Hills of West Virginia', 'The Texas River Song', 'Roll to the River', 'River', 'Monongehela Gal', 'The Miner's Song', 'It's Snowing on Raton', 'I Never Will Marry'; recently we've added 'Mingulay' and 'When We Gather Once More', and lots, lots more... You get the idea- it's pretty eclectic. We have a lot of fun.

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: fsharpdim7
Date: 30 May 03 - 02:01 PM

After a walk around the block, my choice for tomorrow is between "Sweet Song from Yesterday" and "Ripple" -- both good RUS stalwarts, which haven't been done for a while. I'm learning the bass and after I get a good groove down, I'll try "Precious Friend," which I think needs a good bass line to bring out its best.
Thanks for the help, Chris

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 30 May 03 - 02:09 PM

you know...Genie has a wonderful parody of Ripple....

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: black walnut
Date: 30 May 03 - 02:15 PM

Any songs with choruses or lines that repeat are good for a song circle: Braw Sailing, Botany Bay, The Ploughman, Another Train, The River Mother Nature and Me, Freedom, Amazing Grace, Angels of the Wild, Lilies of the Field, When the Roll is Called up Yonder, Hine Ma Tov. I like to do my own songs, or learn songs from CD's/books and then find out if there are other versions of it to learn - if something sticks in my brain and I wake up singing it in the middle of the night it's usually a good one for the song circle.

~ b.w.

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: fsharpdim7
Date: 30 May 03 - 02:45 PM

I think the Ripple parody is a little too intense for our group, but I do threaten to do Hot Soup's parody - "I can't remember the last thing on my mind" -- I just keep forgetting to do it!!
Chris

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: GUEST,Martin Gibson
Date: 30 May 03 - 05:18 PM

Assign everyone to come back with a new song.

Get a book of 100 songs and pass it around.

Either that, or try to promote some new people to come to your jam.

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 30 May 03 - 06:06 PM

You could just burn the books.

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 30 May 03 - 06:15 PM

Carter Family material is some of the most singable stuff around. The tunes are easy to pick up and there are lots of great choruses, e.g., Orphan Child, Walkin in the King's Highway, Distant Land to Roam. Don't think I've ever heard anybody say "Oh no, not another Carter Family song!"

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Feb 06 - 04:15 PM

Ebbie lists a few popular circle songs, including 'Across the Great Divide'
Which 'Across the Great Divide' is this? Is it old, eg., Carter Family or an old Gospel song?

Subject: RE: Not Same Old Circle Songs
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 15 Feb 06 - 04:22 PM

I expect she was talking about the Kate Wolf song. Lyrics and chords in the forum here, plus a link to a site where you can hear it.