Bonny Portmore

Subject: Bonny Portmore
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 04:09 PM

Can anyone tell me what an "ornament tree" is? It is mentioned in Bonny Portmore.

Thanks

ZM

Subject: RE: Bonny Portmore
From: michaelr
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 04:12 PM

I take it to mean a conspicuously or centrally located, particularly large and old tree on a country estate.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Bonny Portmore
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 05:04 PM

The song and its relatives have been discussed here at some length in the past, and the "ornament tree" has not been neglected. See in particular:

Bonny Portmore: historical background

Origins of Bonny Portmore

Subject: RE: Bonny Portmore
From: masato sakurai
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 09:33 PM

Click here.

Subject: RE: Bonny Portmore
From: Leo Condie
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 06:28 AM

ouch, don't think much of the extra extra long version...the three verses that i sing are the only three that i like in it!

Subject: RE: Bonny Portmore
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 03:31 PM

Thank everyone. That was a big help. I think I'll stick to the short version - great age means that I don't have the memory capacity for the long one. Just think of the poor audience too ...

ZM

Subject: RE: Bonny Portmore
From: Leo Condie
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 03:34 PM

also: it's nicer to sing a sad song about a tree disappearing than it is too sing about a very rich man being sad because he won't be as pampered any more.

Subject: RE: Bonny Portmore
From: GUEST,Me
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 12:34 AM

The question in the thread title had to do about history noted in the song, not what tyros think they want in a song.

Subject: RE: Bonny Portmore
From: Leo Condie
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 02:58 AM

but that's been answered so let us get to our moaning!

Subject: RE: Bonny Portmore
From: Willie-O
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 10:28 AM

Most illuminating. I can add a whole half hour of fascinating patter to a three-minute song. All the eco-freaks are gonna love it.

I like the part where the tree comes back as a boat named "Diana". At least that's how I interpreted it. I think I'll add that one to the usual three verses.

It's interesting to note, if I've got the dates straight, that the tree fell of natural causes (?) two decades after the whole windmill & drainage fiasco. Unless the changes had exposed the tree to erosion or wind--not an unlikely scenario.

Seriously, this song can have great power. A couple of months ago, I saw the songwriter Ron Hynes playing in a pub in Cape Breton. At one point the audience was getting a bit too noisy. He performs almost exclusively his original material, with guitar, but at that moment he broke into "Portmore", a capella. Worked like a charm.

W-O