Lyr ADD: Who Murdered the Minutes (Treece)

Subject: RE: Req: ee cummings - Who Murdered the Minutes
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Nov 12 - 07:52 PM

There's an excellent page on the Joan Baez Baptism album at http://basementrug.com/903. Apparently, the album is a collection of poems by various authors, set to music by Peter Schickele, better known as P.D.Q. Bach.

Interesting stuff.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cummings
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 11:49 AM

you can hear Baez sing it on Youtube.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cummings
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 10:31 AM

I still sing my old setting of maggie, milly, molly and may from time to time. When we moved to the Lancashire coast I was delighted to see it formed part of the street art in Saint Annes Square. I'll be digging it out in time for our Poems & Pints session at Fylde.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me) it's always ourselves we find in the sea.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: Jack Campin
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 10:00 AM

Wish I could recall the tune for the ee cumings words - thanks for those, they are lovely!

I don't think I've heard that for 30 years, but I found the tune unforgettable. I thought about transcribing it from memory, but as you might expect it's on YouTube...

...but they've changed a few notes since I heard it. I wish people wouldn't do that to old records.

Subject: Lyr Add: WHO MURDERED THE MINUTES (Henry Treece)
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 09:47 AM

WHO MURDERED THE MINUTES
(Henry Treece)

Who murdered the minutes,
The bright, golden minutes,
The minutes of youth?
I, said the soldier, dressed in his red coat,
I with my trumpet, my sword and my flag,
I murdered the minutes.
I took the minutes and what good I did,
For see how the black men kneel, he said.

Who killed the hours,
The gay purple hours,
The hours of faith?
I, said the Parson, in his black cloak.
I with my book and my bell and my pen,
I killed the hours.
I killed the hours
As my holy right,
and see how the people kneel at night.

Who slew the years,
The sweet precious years
The years of truth?
I, said the lover, in her gay gown,
I with my lips and my breasts and my eyes,
I slew the years.
I slew the years,
My silly talk;
And see how you kneel to me in love.


by Henry Treece (1911-1966)
recorded by Joan Baez in 1968

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 08 Oct 03 - 11:49 AM

Yes, "The Magic Wood." Also another credited to Treece, listed as "Old Welsh Song."

"The Magic Wood" was also printed in 1995 as a children's book, with illustrations by Barry Moser. Does anyone have it, or remember the song? I'd like to know if either form is suitable for a Halloween spooky story reading party...

Thanks
Claire

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: GUEST,James
Date: 08 Oct 03 - 09:53 AM

Didn't that album also contain another poem by Henry Treece about going into a wood at Night, or am I confused ? Just curious.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Oct 03 - 09:10 AM

Here's my transcription of a couple of sound samples I found:

WHO MURDERED THE MINUTES
(Henry Treece)

...dressed in his red coat.
I with my trumpet, my sword and my flag,
I murdered the minutes.
I took the minutes and what good I did,
For see how the black men kneel, you said.
Who killed the hours? ...

* * *

From that small sample, it sounds as if the poem is modeled on WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN?

Here's some information about the poet/author, Henry Treece (1911-1966).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 03:16 AM

Can't help with the words - evne the legendary Google came up with nothing about the poem, but here is e e cummings' idea of hell -

"HELP ME, MY CAP'S LOCK IS STUCK!"

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: GUEST,Ana
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 01:14 AM

Ah rj we must be around the vintage. (Sadly) it is said that if you can remember the 60's you weren't there! - maybe that's why my memory failed me re the author of "who Murdered the Minutes"!

Wish I could recall the tune for the ee cumings words - thanks for those, they are lovely!

Now....can anyone help with the words for "....Minutes"?

Cheers
Ana

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: rich-joy
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 05:39 AM

I've read that there was a book to accompany that Baez BAPTISM LP, but sadly, I never came across it in Oz ...
That album had a profound effect upon me as a 60s sixteen year old!!!

I also have great trouble finding Treece's work (so many people have never heard of him) - Savoy Books (UK) published four paperback novels (that I know of) in the 80s - and I occasionally come across a kid's book in an OpShop, but there is so much still undiscovered ...

Cheers!
R-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: open mike
Date: 05 Oct 03 - 03:28 PM

cannot find lyrics/text for
WHO MURDERED THE MINUTES
by H. Treece
any one else?

Subject: Lyr Add: ALL IN GREEN MY LOVE WENT RIDING
From: Amos
Date: 05 Oct 03 - 09:52 AM

All in green my love went riding
  by: e.e. cummings
  
  
  
  All in green went my love riding
  on a great horse of gold
  into the silver dawn.
  
  four lean hounds crouched low and smiling
  the merry deer ran before.
  
  Fleeter be they than dappled dreams
  the swift sweet deer
  the red rare deer.
  
  Horn at hip went my love riding
  riding the echo down
  into the silver dawn.
  
  four lean hounds crouched low and smiling
  the level meadows ran before.
  
  Softer be they than slippered sleep
  the lean lithe deer
  the fleet flown deer.
  
  Four fleet does at a gold valley
  the famished arrows sang before.
  
  Bow at belt went my love riding
  riding the mountain down into the silver dawn.
  
  four lean hounds crouched low and smiling
  the sheer peaks ran before.
  
  Paler be they than daunting death
  the sleek slim deer
  the tall tense deer.
  
  Four tall stags at a green mountain
  the lucky hunter sang before.
  
  All in green went my love riding
  on a great horse of gold
  into the silver dawn.
  
  four lean hounds crouched low and smiling
  my heart fell dead before.
  
  
  
  From "Tulips and Chimneys", 1923  

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: open mike
Date: 05 Oct 03 - 04:15 AM

from this page http://www.vanguardrecords.com/baez/Baptism.html
ilearned that the lyrics yo want were penned by:

# WHO MURDERED THE MINUTES
(H. Treece)


the e.e.cummings was this:
18. ALL IN GREEN WENT MY LOVE RIDING
      (e.e. cummings)

Subject: Lyr Req: ee cumings
From: GUEST,Ana
Date: 05 Oct 03 - 02:53 AM

ee cumings wrote a poem called "Who Murdered the Minutes", which Joan Baez sang (many moons ago!).

Can sort of recall the tune, but not the words.

Be grateful for any help with them

Cheers - Ana

[name edited by pedantic elf]