Songs for October?

Subject: Songs for October?
From: Abuwood
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 04:04 AM

I love it when singers at singarounds are able to have a song for the season. I reckon I can fit songs for November & December, but would welcome suggestions for next month. By the way if it has a witch in it I don't sing it.....

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Jeanie
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 04:27 AM

How about: "What's the Life of a Man" (any more than a leaf) - in the DT. A beautiful song about the cycle of life and cycle of the seasons. The related thread about the earlier song "The Fall of the Leaf" also makes an interesting read.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 04:48 AM

'October Song' by Robin Williamson.

I'll sing you this October song
there is no song before it
the words and tune are none of my own
but my joys and sorrows bore it.
Beside the sea the brambly briars
in the still of evening
birds fly out behind the sun
and with them I'll be leaving.

The fallen leaves that jewel the ground
they know the art of dying
and leave with joy their glad gold hearts
in the scarlet shadows lying.
When hunger calls my footsteps home
the morning follows after,
I swim the seas within my mind
and the pine trees laugh green laughter.

I used to search for happiness,
and I used to follow pleasure
but I found a door behind my mind
and that's the greatest treasure.
For rulers like to lay down laws
and rebels like to break them,
and the poor priests like to walk in chains
and God likes to forsake them.

I met a man whose name was Time,
and he said: "I must be going,"
but just how long ago that was
I have no way of knowing.
Sometimes I want to murder time,
sometimes when my heart's aching
but mostly I just stroll along,
the path that I am taking.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 04:48 AM

October winds lament around the castle of Dromore

It in the DT Castle Of Dromore

First time I've done a clicky to a DT song, hope it works (it did for me).

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Cllr
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 05:59 AM

Bellringer first line One day in October neither drunken nor sober Cllr

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 06:12 AM

'January Man' by Dave Goulder has ALL the months. It's in the DT (0.8351) but not being as clever as Kevin and rubbish at html, I can't make the clicky thing work here.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Big Tim
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 06:50 AM

Williamson's 'October Song' is terrific. Check the recording by The Corries.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 07:00 AM

Oh, why not Robin's own? It's on the 1st (eponymous) Incredible String Band recording. Bert Jansch & Dick Gaughan have also done it justice. Many haven't. The timing's hard.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 07:46 AM

Early one morning, one day last October....

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: cetmst
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 07:47 AM

Robin Williamson's 'October Song' is in Sing Out v. 18, #6, p 14, 1969 and is recorded by Gordon Bok and Cindy Kallet on their Neighbors CD. Jean Ritchie's 'October and the Frost is Early' in her Celebration of Life book is another song naming all the months. 'October Brew' from an issue of Punch in 1867 was set to tune 'Bonny Green Garters' by Peter Bellamy and recorded on the 'Tale of Ale' CD by Free Reed Records. 'October Roses' written by Linda Allen is sung by Cindy Mangsen on her 'Songs of Experience' CD. Browsing through some old school song books returned five songs for children of various ages titled 'October' and one called 'October's Party' Also in v. 18 is 'Grey October' from England's Critics Group circa 1968 comparing October in Aberfan (Wales?) and Vietnam. Browsing through some old school song books returned five songs titled 'October' and one called 'October Music' by Katharine Whitmore and Louis Adolphe Coerne (Laurel Music Series 'Folk and Art Songs', 1925). Can mail copies of words an music if you wish. One of my favorites for which I have been trying to find the origin and the singer is titled, I think, 'In the Light of the Burning Trees'. I have transcribed what I can get of the lyrics from from a tape I made from Mary Cliff's Traditions program:

Summer is gone and the day's growing cold,
Far away honk some geese in their flight,
Here down below we start thinking of snow
And the quiet of long winter nights.
And even though times will get harder
And the darkness could make you feel old,
There's a good harvest stored in the larder
And the trees are aflame now in red, orange and gold.

Cho:
And I run through the leaves in the cold autumn breeze,
Being warmed by the fire in the (year?)
Though it's said they don't talk, I still learn a lot
In the light of the burning trees.

Too many times when I'm driving I'm blind,
Swept along thinking I've got to be
First in the line and my teeth start to grind
Like thr cobblestones down by the sea.
Yesterday morning at sunrise
Where the highway dips down by the stream
The fire of dawn was reflected
In the leaves of the trees that would beckon to me.

Cho.

There on the ground I heard a voice with no sound
Saying this is reason to be,
To seek your own place in the whole human race,
And to find it would set your heart free.
But even though times will get harder,
And the darkness could make you feel old,
There's a good harvest stored in the larder,
And the wisdom you hear in the trees is your soul.

Cho.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Peg
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 10:17 AM

I think the John Wood song has a section on autumn in it, as all    the seasons are covered ("For every season of the year, John Wood has brewed a special beer")

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Barbara
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 05:33 PM

cetmst, I'm wondering if the word in the chorus could be "leaves"?
All Among the Barley is September not October, but the words are interchangeable and the sentiment is one of fall.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 05:53 PM

Joni Mitchells 'Urge for Going'    meadow grasses turning brown, summer time falling down...etc etc...???

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 06:19 PM

October Roses.

~S~

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: GUEST,AArk
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 06:21 PM

What about Dave Webber's beautiful "Lady Of Autumn"?

Search "Lady of Autumn" in forum.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: mg
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 10:45 PM

Cliffs of Baccalieu (sp??)

mg

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: GUEST,Bernie
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 11:01 PM

"The Burning Tree" is by Elmer Beal,Jr. of Bar Harbor,Maine......recorded in 1985 on the LP by DIFFERENT SHOES,["One size fits all"] on the Fretless label,distributed by Rounder.....

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: mg
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 11:31 PM

I have one but I forget one of the verses...

It's about a beautiful maple tree in Toledo, Washington, where I went to high school.

One autumn day so long ago when I was just a girl
I sat beneath a maple tree and watched its colors swirl
And there beyond the falling leave of orange, red and gold
Was the world's most perfect mountain for my young eyes to behold..

Missing verse

And yet I knew that maple tree if taken to the mill
Would lessen many's the sleepless nights and cover many's the bill
If it met the perils of the ax or withered from within
I'd remember that proud maple tree and the beauty that had been

So armed with resolution and the lessons I had learned
I gathered up my courage and one day I returned
And there in bright October's light in golden disarray
The maple tree was standing...but..the mountain blew away

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: GUEST,reggie miles
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 11:42 PM

How about this one? There's not a witch within it which can be found but it's still gross enough to make a creepy Halloween song or recitation with which (not "witch") to freak out those little goblins whilst they're gobblin' up their goodies after a long evening's trick or treat trek. Grossosity!

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Abuwood
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 03:08 AM

Thanks everyone, some great suggestions to get me thinking, I love the Robin Williamson son, I'll have to try and find the tune.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 03:31 AM

So much for NORTHERN HEMISPHERE October songs...

How about some SOUTHERN hemisphere ones? :-)

Robin

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 04:15 AM

'October Song' chords: found this in a previous thread. Sounds (roughly) OK

(E)I'll sing (A)you this (E)October song
there (B7)is no song be(E)fore it.
the words and (A)tune are none of my (E)own
for my (B7)joys and sorrows (E)bore it.
Beside the (E???)sea the brambly (E)briars
in the (B7) still of (E)evening,
birds fly (A)out behind the (E)sun,
and (B7)with them I'll be (E)leaving.

Someone suggested Dm instead of the dodgy E which sounds marginally better. If you google around the various ISB sites you might find a download of the tune. Better still, get the CD!

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 06:20 AM

Thiepval

posted by Micca is an excellent, non witch related Halloween song (wish I had the tune)

Another name for Halloween is Martinmas. There is a fine tred song in DT called Martinmastide

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 06:23 AM

http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=3875

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 10:13 AM

There are far too many. Have you any particular day in October in mind?

Abby Sale
(Senior Editor, The Happy! File.)

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: MAG
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 10:37 AM

Bill Staines' "October Winds."

("October winds   have come to town, and summer's o'er the hill.")

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 10:47 AM

Leo Kretzner's "Bold Orion" is a great autumn song. Rick Spencer's "Pirates of Winter" is too.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: winniemih
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 01:39 PM

In the autumn I always think of Kate Wolf's song "These Times We're Living In":

Down by the river the water's running low
as I wander underneath the trees
and in the park outside of town
the leaves turned brown and yellow now
are falling on the ground ....

From her recording "Give Yourself to Love"

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Barry T
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 01:52 PM

I've always been inspired by the imagery of Ian Tyson's Wild Geese.

Wild geese flyin' by
Callin' on the downwind as they go
No answers they send
And springtime has too many miles to go.
Fly through the miles
Of country I've never seen before.
Why does the wind
Say you ain't comin' back any more?

Where I live this is a sight and sound that marks the time of year better than any calendar!

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 04:15 PM

Can I sneak in one of my favorite poems, Vagabond Song? Perhaps you could set it to music.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Padre
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 04:31 PM

The "Reuben James":
'Twas the last day of October that they saved 44
   From the cold icy waters off that cold Iceland shore

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 05:29 PM

Kitty's posting way back in the thread (although it was only yesterday) reminded me that One day in October is the opening of The Bellringing as sung by the late (and greatly missed) Tony Rose on Young Hunting

Or was that what Kitty was referring to anyway?

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 15 Sep 03 - 08:20 AM

And when you get round to asking about songs for April, look out 'April Morning' recorded by Tony on 'Banks of the Green Willow' . This may involve cans of worms.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: The Shambles
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 05:27 AM

http://www.geocities.com/doireanne/autumngold.html

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Splott Man
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 06:05 AM

In Welsh, October and Autumn are the same word, so how about Autumn Song by Harvey Andrews?

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: GUEST,Jim I
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 08:49 AM

As to "October Song" Countess Richard suggested the following found in another thread

"(E)I'll sing (A)you this (E)October song
there (B7)is no song be(E)fore it.
the words and (A)tune are none of my (E)own
for my (B7)joys and sorrows (E)bore it.
Beside the (E???)sea the brambly (E)briars
in the (B7) still of (E)evening,
birds fly (A)out behind the (E)sun,
and (B7)with them I'll be (E)leaving.

Someone suggested Dm instead of the dodgy E which sounds marginally better."

Looking at "The Incredible String Band" song book they give the following:

Beside the (E7)sea the brambly briars
(B7)in the still of (E)evening,
birds fly (A)out behind the (E)sun,
and (B7)with them I'll be (E)leaving.

OK They have it in G(D) but the thought is the same.

HOWEVER they give the song in DADF#AD tuning, in the key of G, played with the capo at the 5th fret, using the appropriate given chords (with 2 different G chords). Perhaps done like that the E7 probably sound better.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: GUEST,Buspassed
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 09:58 AM

'Three Score and Ten' [The Watersons]

'October's night left such a sight....'

Achingly poignant in the wake of the loss in the North Sea of the four trawlermen last week.

Subject: RE: Songs for October?
From: Mrs Scarecrow
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 12:17 PM

I have a habit of writng songs that not only fit particular seasons or months but in some cases only particular days, which makes it very hard to keep them in my memory but my Autumn song 'Keep the Dark away' would do for October and although it refers to the spirit world waking which is sort of haloweeny there is not a witch in sight! Its on the Scarecrow CD and I would be delighted if other people started singing it.