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Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight
DigiTrad:
I BID YOU GOODNIGHT
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Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: Snuffy Date: 24 Dec 01 - 12:05 PM 1629 I BID YOU GOODNIGHT I have taken this tune from the Incredible String Band's 1968 LP The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter. 'A Very Cellular Song' is 12m.55sec and 'I Bid You Goodnight' starts 0:45 into it and runs to 2:37. Mike Heron receives songwriting credit for the whole song, but there are several other ISB songs which incorporate parts of the Bible, the Prayerbook or religious songs. Their words are pretty close, but the ISB omit two lines that are in the DT text. (or, as their version is 12 years earlier, perhaps two lines have been added in the DT version :-}). The Good night, good night, good night lines are effectively sung as a backing: I have included only two of them in the tune - the third one being sung at the same time as the start of the next line. I BID YOU GOODNIGHT Lay down, my dear sister, won't you lay and take your rest Won't you lay your head upon your saviour's breast And I love you, but Jesus loves you the best And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight Lord I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight One of these mornings, bright and early, and fine Good night, good night, good night Not a cricket, not a spirit going gonna shout me on Good night, good night, good night I go walking in the valley of the shadow of Death Good night, good night, good night And Thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me Good night, good night, good night Oh, John the wine he saw the sign Good night, good night, good night Oh, John say, I seen a number of signs Good night, good night, good night Tell A for the Ark, that wonderful boat Good night, good night, good night Y'know they build it on the land, gettin' water to float Good night, good night, good night Oh, tell B for the Beast at the ending of the wood Good night, good night, good night Y'know he eat all the children when they wouldn't be good Good night, good night, good night I remember quite well, I remember quite well Good night, good night, good night When I was walking in Jerusalem just like John Good night, good night, good night ABC format:
X: 221 Click to playTo play or display ABC tunes, try concertina.net |
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Subject: RE: Tune Add: Please Post Tunes Here -2 From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 24 Dec 01 - 01:25 PM The first section of I Bid You Goodnight came from the Bahamaian singer Joseph Spence. |
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Subject: ADD: And We Bid You Goodnight (Grateful Dead) From: Joe Offer Date: 08 Sep 03 - 03:04 PM This song intrigues me. I've loved it since I first heard Bill Staines sing it (it's on his Bridges CD). Snuffy's tune is more-or-less the one I'm familiar with, although I don't think I've ever heard the Incredible String Band or Grateful Dead versions. I didn't find a thread on it, but I moved the two messages above here from generic threads so the information would be easier to find. I found this Grateful Dead version of the lyrics here (click). Are there other versions? -Joe Offer- And We Bid You Goodnight Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest, Won't you lay your head upon your savior's chest, I love you all, but Jesus loves you the best And we bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight. I would never ride, well, I would never ride (goodnight, goodnight) But His rod and His staff, they comfort me (goodnight, goodnight) Tell "A" for the ark, that wonderful boat (goodnight, goodnight) Tell "B" for the beast at the ending of the wood (goodnight, goodnight) You know it ate all the children when they wouldn't be good, Walking in Jerusalem just like John (goodnight, goodnight) I go walking in the valley of the shadow of death, And we bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight. There's nothing in the Traditional Ballad Index on this song. Here's another message about this song that got buried in a generic thread: Thread #58799 Message #934122 Posted By: GUEST,Tom Henehan 15-Apr-03 - 03:20 PM Thread Name: Religion and Song Circles Subject: RE: Religion and Song Circles
The Grateful Dead often closed their shows with "I Bid You Goodnight" -- hardly a traditionally religious group, albeit promoters of / participants in a certain school of spirituality. The sudden change of pace usually served to bring a nice sense of closure to a very long evening. |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: GUEST,Phil h Date: 08 Sep 03 - 03:19 PM The lyrics sheet that originally came with the ISB LP back in 1968 credit 'Words and music to "Bid You Goodnight" by The Pindar Family' can anyone shed any light on that attributioin? Phil |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Murray MacLeod Date: 08 Sep 03 - 03:48 PM Waterson/Carthy do a superb version of this. I don't have the CD but I know they have recorded it. Murray |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Barbara Date: 08 Sep 03 - 04:08 PM The song was collected in the Bahamas from Joseph Spence and the Pindar family and can be found on "The Real Bahamas", I think it's a Folkways album from the early sixties. The compilation of Bahamian street music was collected --very roughly -- by Jody Stecher and ? someone else I know but the name escapes me at the moment. It included the hymn "Lay down my dear sister/brother" in the middle of it, and has most of the verses found on Incredible String Band album (Hangman's Beautiful Daughter). I can go check in the vinyl dynosaur file and see if I can still find the album. The Spence/Pindar family version is similar to the ISB's only it is much rawer and more powerful. The word "goodnight" for example, on the Spence/Pindar recording is one long slide each time, rather than a series of notes. I like the Incredible String Band, but it bugs me that they copyrighted it in their own names rather than Brother Spence and his friends. Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Barbara Date: 08 Sep 03 - 04:14 PM Oops, I meant to say I like the Incredible String Band, but it bugs me if they copyrighted it in their own names rather than Brother Spence and his friends/relatives, the Pindar family. Sounds like the liner notes had it at least partly right. I would be very surprised if this wasn't original to Spence and the Pindar Family, since it is so much the style of the music they create. Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: dick greenhaus Date: 08 Sep 03 - 05:22 PM "The Real Bahamas" was (and still is) a Nonesuch release. Available, like everything else, from CAMSCO. 800/548-3650 |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: GUEST Date: 08 Sep 03 - 06:07 PM ...to be destroyed... Naw sorry the destroyer! |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Tig Date: 08 Sep 03 - 06:10 PM The version I've heard is sung by Bill Caddick and the Jackfield Riverbillies. Great song |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Murray MacLeod Date: 08 Sep 03 - 06:44 PM "..................by Jody Stecher and ? someone else I know but the name escapes me at the moment..........." Just guessing here, but was it Ry Cooder ? Murray |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Burke Date: 08 Sep 03 - 06:56 PM I knew there was more here somewhere. Joe, check this thread. Go to Sandy's second post & following. Also go to your favorite online CD site & listen to 30 secs. of Lonnie McIntorsh singing "Sleep On, Mother Sleep On" on Yazoo's How Can I Keep From Singing, Vol. 1 or Document's Memphis Gospel: Complete Works (1927-1929) |
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Subject: Lyr add: Sleep on, beloved From: Burke Date: 08 Sep 03 - 07:06 PM Here's another message It has 4 verses that have been harvested, but there are more at Cyberhymnal. Sleep on, belovèd, sleep, and take thy rest; Lay down thy head upon the Savior's breast; We love thee well, but Jesus loves thee best— Good night! Good night! Good night! Calm is thy slumber as an infant's sleep; But thou shalt wake no more to toil and weep; Thine is a perfect rest, secure and deep— Good night! Good night! Good night! Until the shadows from this earth are cast, Until He gathers in His sheaves at last; Until the twilight gloom be over past— Good night! Good night! Good night! Until the Easter glory lights the skies, Until the dead in Jesus shall arise, And He shall come, but not in lowly guise— Good night! Good night! Good night! Until, made beautiful by love divine, Thou, in the likeness of thy Lord shalt shine, And He shall bring that golden crown of thine— Good night! Good night! Good night! Only "Good night," belovèd—not "farewell!" A little while, and all His saints shall dwell In hallowed unison indivisible— Good night! Good night! Good night! Until we meet again before His throne, Clothed in the spotless robe He gives His own, Until we know even as we are known— Good night! Good night! Good night! Words: Sarah Doudney, Psalms of Life (published by Houlston), 1871. Music: Ira D. Sankey, 1884. Doudney wrote the lyrics on the occasion of a friend's death. Sankey saw them while in Bristol, England, and wrote music for them shortly thereafter. The song was sung at the funeral of preacher Charles H. Spurgeon. |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Joe Offer Date: 08 Sep 03 - 07:51 PM I've had a great time today, listening to various versions of this song. I find I have several versions right here, but I need help finding them because of the various names and versions of the song. You'll find lyrics to "Sleep On Mother, Sleep On" and lots of other information on this song in the thread titled Great Dream from Heaven (Joseph Spence). Grey Wolf's information on the Waterson-Carthy recording is all by itself in a generic thread, so I'll post a copy here. -Joe Offer-
Thread #17947 Message #177552
As Gervase has mentioned there's a cracking funeral song on the first, self titled Waterson:Carthy album. |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Stefan Wirz Date: 09 Sep 03 - 01:48 PM the second guy was Peter K. Siegel (more info at my Joseph Spence discography at http://www.wirz.de/music/spence.htm) |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Roberto Date: 10 Sep 03 - 02:01 PM From the booklet of Bahamas 1935, Chanteys and Anthems from Andros and Cat Island, Deep River of Song, The Alan Lomax Collection, Rounder 11661-1822-2: I BID YOU GOODNIGHT (AAFS 500 A1) Sung by a group of men from Andros Island. Recorded at Elisha Porter's house, Grantsdown, Nassau, Bahamas in August, 1935. A well known anthem wake song in the Bahamas, traditionally sung at the end of a wake. An earlier form of the same song, the Sankey hymn "Sleep On Beloved", is known as a funeral song among North Yorkshire fishermen. The unusual version here is sung without the familiar verses but rendered with amazing excitement. "Very emotional", noted Alan Lomax years after this was recorded. Listeners may be familiar with a more relaxed and complete version of "I Bid You Goodnight" by the Pinder family (The Real Bahamas, Volumes 1 and 2, Nonesuch 79300 and The Spring of Sixty-Five, Rounder 2114). (Except for occasional words, the rhyming verses of the lead singer cannot be interpreted). ... (Last verse) Last Sat'day night and the night before Now I had a dream that my mother she been dyin' Listen me children, Jesus love you best, I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Barbara Date: 10 Sep 03 - 02:12 PM The Real Bahamas album was collected in June 1965, and from the unattributed liner notes: Most of the major Bahama Islands lie no further than 200 miles off the Florida coast. The United States has had a greater influence on the history and develpment of this British colony than did the Spanish speaking Caribbean islands to its south and east. This is also true in the case of the music present in this album -- the religious vocal music of "rhyming spirituals" and "ant'ems". The song and the style heard here are the fruit of alternate periods of contact with and isolation from the US mainland. The Bahama colony was established at about the same time as the Carolina colony: about 1670. Negroes [sic] were imported from Africa as slaves -- Ibos, Ijos, Yorubas, Mandingoes, Ashantis -- to both places, as well as to other British settlements in the New World. Tribal identity quickly vanished in the mainland colonies, but the Negro's awareness of his particular African heritage remained intact in many of the European colonized islands. This was so in the Bahamas where the surrounding waters provided temporary insulation against "corrupting" outside influences; there is still an awareness of tribal distinction in some parts of the Bahamas...Here the very old songs were preseved (and are in fact still sung), and a distinctly Bahaman style of singing developed simultaneously with the...American Negro spiritual. The "rhyming spiritual" is the distinctive Bahaman type of religious song. "Rhyming" simply means pronoucing rhymes against a melodic background of voices. The rhymer -- the lead singer -- sings a memorized or improvised rhythmic narrative part that continues to build in intensity while the other singers repeat a chorus behind him -- that is, they sing the song. Traditionally, the song contains some specific Biblical reference; the rhyming is an emotional musical exposition of the pertinent Bilbical story -- or it is in some manner related to the subject matter of the song. The rhyming style reached its greatest heights during the sponge fishing in the 1930s. There is a West African tradition of singing sermons which has been carried on, and perhaps even improved upon, in the New World. All through the American South and in the Northern Negro ghettoes, church services are conducted by preachers who bring their congregations to the point of hysteria by the gradual transition during the sermon from speech to song -- song of trememdous intensity and power. Rhyming seems to be the combination of the traditions of singing sermons and African drum and bell rhythms. The basic rhythmic pattern in rhyming is one that is found often in contemporary West African intrumental music, carried by the drums or tongueless bell -- a rhythm that has been popularized in America and recently in England, as the "Bo Diddly Beat." While there is some drumming in the Bahamas (practiced most probably by the descendants of those Negroes who were brought directly to the Bahamas from Africa), it had been forbidden in the mainland colonies and had to go underground so that the Negroes who moved to the South Carolina and Georgia Sea Islands after the Civil War developed a song accompaniment of intricate handclapping to make up for for the lost drums and bells. In the Bahamas, where there is little hand-clapping, the singing sermon became the means for utilizing this and other rhythms. Other features of African music, such as the call-and-response vocal pattern, all found their way into Bahaman song. Some of the rhyming heard in this record really consists of a collection of phrases which the singer transfers from song to song, regardless of the appropriateness of reference. This is explained by the fact that the singing of this kind of spiritual is less an intellectual experience than a ver powerful emotional -- even physical -- one. Rhyming, at its best, is the ultimate in musical catharsis. |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Barbara Date: 10 Sep 03 - 02:27 PM The liner notes also tell us that the Pindar songs are led by Mrs. Edith (Jenny) Pindar; originally from Andros, with the repeated chorus being sung by her husband Raymond and daughter Geneva, and that the accompaniment vocal sounds and guitar are provided by her brother, Joseph Spence. Unfortunately they ran out of room on the album for the end of the notes and so the last two songs are only identified by title and singers, and of course the last one is "I Bid You Goodnight". The notes also tell us that "while we were recording this family, a crowd of little children gathered around us in the Pindars' backyard. Geneva, who was rocking her baby to sleep throughout, sang all her high alto parts as lullabyes." Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Haruo Date: 17 Apr 05 - 08:33 PM A version of this was sung as the closing number by Bold Horizons and Watch the Sky! last night at the Northwest Seaport monthly concert at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle. Definitely audience participation material. Haruo |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: The Shambles Date: 17 Apr 05 - 08:54 PM Goodnight. |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Dave (the ancient mariner) Date: 17 Apr 05 - 11:31 PM Melanie Safka did a version of it too... |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: DADGBE Date: 18 Apr 05 - 12:58 AM Those original Nonesuch Seigel/Stecher Bahamian recordings have been a part of my life since they were first released. Now that they've been re-released on a single CD, do yourselves a great favor and buy it from CAMSCO. The songs are hauntingly beautiful, complex and just plain soul-stirring. They rank right up there with Sandy Paton's Beech Mountain collections - the best! |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: BanjoRay Date: 18 Apr 05 - 12:38 PM Tom, Brad and Alice do a superb three part harmony version of it, giving full credit to Joseph Spence. Ray |
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Subject: RE: I Bid You Goodnight From: Mark Cohen Date: 19 Apr 05 - 04:05 AM Thanks for refreshing this, Haruo. And speaking of Seattle and of Jody Stecher, this is an opportunity for me to put in a plug for Jody's sister, Janet, part of the duet Rebel Voices with Susan Lewis. Two incredibly fine singers and harmonists, with powerful voice and message. And just good people, too. Aloha, Mark |
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Subject: Lyr Add: I BID YOU GOODNIGHT (from Aaron Neville) From: GUEST,Grace Date: 05 Mar 10 - 02:59 AM This is what I get from listening to the Aaron Neville version, based on the Bahamian version. (The singer is speaking to his dying friend.) Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest I want to lay your head upon your savior's breast I love you, but Jesus loves you best I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest I want to lay your head upon your savior's breast I love you, but Jesus loves you best I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight One of these mornings bright and early and soon, goodnight Now they're pickin' up the spirit to the shore beyond, goodnight Go walking in the valley of the shadow of death, goodnight His rod and his staff gonna comfort me, goodnight John the wise said, "I saw a sign," goodnight Lord said a fire, not a flood next time, goodnight Tell A for the ark, that wonderful boat, goodnight She really loaded down, get in water to float, goodnight Now B for the beast at the ending of the world, goodnight Heed all the children that would not be good, goodnight I remember right well, I remember right well, goodnight I went walking to Jerusalem just like John Goodnight, goodnight, woah, goodnight Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest I wanna lay your head upon your saviors breast I love you, but Jesus loves you best I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: Phil Edwards Date: 05 Mar 10 - 03:24 AM There's a terrific version of this sung by David Byrne, backed by the Dirty Dozen brass band, on his Music for the Knee Plays. I think he or they will have got it from Aaron Neville, as the words sound very similar - I'll check it later. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: Haruo Date: 06 Mar 10 - 12:45 AM GUEST Grace's transcription of the Aaron Neville version is very similar to what I've heard here in Seattle from Tom Rawson, though I don't recall "I want to" or "woah", and generally it's "brother" then "sister", "walking in Jerusalem", and... Haruo |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: Haruo Date: 09 Mar 10 - 10:47 PM Actually, the "I want to" may be there, but in the form "Awana" or "Uh wanna". On further rumination. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Date: 06 Mar 16 - 12:16 AM Bid You Goodnight Lie down, my be-love-ed, Lie down and take your rest. Lay your head upon your Savior's breast, For I love you but Jesus loves you best, Bid you good night, good night, good night. Bid you fare well, fare well, fare well, Bid you so long, so long, so long. Other verses: Lie down my Boss, my madam, Little Jackie, Little Shawnie Lovin' stranger, etc., etc. This song usually closes our evening program. One after one, each member of the Island household or guest should be mentioned by name (or as near the name as Sammy can get). The Island Song Book, Foreword by John and Evelyn McCutcheon, Privately printed at The Chicago Tribune Tower, Jan. 15, 1927, p. Note: This is the same volume in which "The John B. Sails" appears; given as a souvenir to Carl Sandburg by the McCutcheons &c. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: GUEST,Dave Hunt Date: 06 Mar 16 - 09:57 AM See above...Grey Wolf - 13 Feb 2000! .my wife Maggie collected this from Willie Wright, told Norma, who went and saw Willie. The song is from the Moody and Sankey hymnal...and is still used in Staithes as a lowering down song at funerals |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Date: 06 Mar 16 - 02:52 PM No doubt. I've already commented on Bahamaian "authenticity" elsewhere. 'Nuff said. Joe had remarked on this particular volume in Songbook Indexing: Calypso/Caribbean Songbooks . Like vaudeville's "John B," this is just the earliest (??) documentation of the song in the Bahamas. In this context "Bid You Goodnight" is performed as a circle game/party song. fwiw: Sankey: "The Sweet Singer of Methodism" The Senior Methodist Missionary to the Bahamas for most of his adult life was a fellow by the name of T.H.C. Lofthouse. His son Charles was a founder of the Bahamian goombay genre in the early 20th century. ("Bahama Mama," &c.) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: Joe Offer Date: 07 Mar 16 - 12:30 AM Hi, Phil - How did you get hold of Island Song Book? Is this really something that I need to pay $150 for? I've been lusting after that book for a couple decades, but I don't really know if it's worth the lust. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Date: 07 Mar 16 - 04:21 AM Hey Joe: In a word, no. Not unless you're a Weavers or Beach Boys completist with money to burn. In addition to the famous authors, the "Little Shawnie" mentioned in the "Bid You Goodnight" other verses is cartoonist 2.0 (Howard) Shaw McCutcheon. Seems we're competing with lot of rich graphic arts collectors out there. My copy was given to my stepmother. Never learned the details. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Date: 07 Mar 16 - 04:34 AM Forgot to add one correction. This song appears on page 16 (NOT page 11.) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Add: I Bid You Goodnight From: Karen Impola Date: 15 Jan 20 - 10:59 PM Since Joseph Spence and the Pindars sang "A for the Ark" and "B for the Beast", I've always imagined that somewhere out in the ether there's a version floating around that goes through the entire alphabet. C for the Cross on Calvary? D for Daniel in the lion's den?E for . . . here my Biblical knowledge fails me. While I'm here, let me put in another plug for the Joseph Spence/Pindar Family tribute album called "Out on the Rolling Sea" that Green Linnet released in 1994. (I think somebody mentioned it above, or was that in a different thread?) Jody Stecher and cronies do a wonderful take on the song "Kneeling Down Inside the Gate", with Stecher retelling a Buddhist fable in the verses. Creative cross-cultural borrowing at its best. |
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