Obit: Sydney Carter (1915-2004)

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Flash Company
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 07:53 AM

Sorry to hear of S.C's death, Anyone recall his entry in the EFDSS artists list? It went 'I sing my own unaccompanied songs and occasionaly ring a bell'
In my singing days I sang his song about Eros & London
One leg up and one leg dahn
Like an old Cock sparrer
Filing ove Piccadilly wiv me bow and arrer!

He will be missed

FC

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: greg stephens
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:57 AM

Lovely man, a real sweetie and a true original I've been singing "Down Below" for years, a song which escaped into mainstream entertainment via Ian Wallace's splendid recording.
   I have just spent four days making what one might term healing or reconciling music in a Quaker Meeting House, so this seems a very good time for me to be thinking about Sydney Carter.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:53 AM

A fine and talented man who will be missed, but whose songs will keep him with us.

The only song of his I've sung regularly over the years is "The Telephone Song" but of course these days you have to explain to some of the audience what buttons A and B on a payphone were all about and the fact that telephone exchanges had names.

I remember the TV programme Micca referred to above very well, what a sursprising amount of Folk we had on TV in those days.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Willa
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:48 AM

Found this quotation on the Stainer site:
Sydney's faith is contained in this quotation from his poem Interview:

"So what do you believe in?
Nothing fixed or final,all the while I travel a miracle. I doubt,
and yet I walk upon the water"

http://www.stainer.co.uk/carter.html

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:47 AM

I remember that my old friend George Belton, traditional singer from Sussex, loved Sydney Carter's songs, particularly 'Mixed Up Old Man'. He gave it as much respect as any of the old songs in his repertoire and sang it with great relish. 'It's a good song' was his verdict, and therefore worth singing. I am saddened by the loss of this thoughtful and creative man. How ironic that he should end in the fog of Alzheimer's disease. But a look at the list of the songs he wrote shows that he will not be forgotten as long as folks like to sing. A legacy left by a remarkable man. May Rest in Peace.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:45 AM

"Curiously, we appear to have eight Sydney Carter tunes in DT, so perhaps either the publisher has relented, or decided to ignore us.


No we don't - just check. In place of the songs there's a notice saying that the song in question isn't allowed in the DT because of the publishers. Most of them seem to be in the Mudcat threads though.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:12 AM

Never realised he wrote 'One More Step'which we used to sing in the school where I teach (only a couple of verses though). I always enjoyed that one so may revive it and even learn the other verses for myself.
He will not be forgotten while we sing his songs.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Micca
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:01 AM

Jeanie,thanks for the link, I think it shows what a masterful songwriter Carter was, how he took the essence of Villons original and re-phrased it, Many, many thanks

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Nessie
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 05:51 AM

He made his mark, and lives on.
RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 05:48 AM

Bon Voyage Sydney Carter, we will not meet in the after life, as I'm sure you're going upwards.
John.... Favourite song.. Putting out the Dustbins

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Peace
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 01:40 AM

I first heard Lord of the Dance in Montreal. It was and is a remarkable song. I think also I may have heard Louis Killan play it. I am sadden that a good writer has passed on, but happy that he stopped by.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: GUEST,Pat Cooksey.
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 11:31 PM

Cheers Syd. Farewell to a decent, honest man, who was part of a
tradition that sadly no longer exists.
Sydney lived the latter part of his life unaware of the influence
he had on others, those who knew him knew otherwise.

R.I.P.

Pat.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: matai
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 10:20 PM

I have always loved his 'Crow on the Cradle' which I have performed many times with a small refrain that I added to the tune of rock-a-bye baby: Rock-a-bye on the tree top
          When the wind blows the cradle will rock
          When the bomb fall the baby will die
          No one will live to kiss her good-bye
A bit dire I know but it works.
My son who claims he learned the song from me plays it as a rock song and he's added another nursery rhyme: little boy blue, come blow up your horn, the sheep's down the meadow, the cows are all gone: (or something like that)it works too.
So how's that for a bit of digital tradition. Thanks Sydney, we have so loved that song.. in spite of/because of what we've done to it.
Matai

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: rich-joy
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 09:03 PM

Our a cappella harmony group "Work-in-Progress" is working on the lovely "Julien of Norwich" at present (Denis and Lyn Tracey,in Oz, always did a nice version of this one).

"Silver in the Stubble" has long been a Folk Club favourite - and long before most of the singers could truly relate to its content!!!

I remember concerts of Frankie Armstrong's where she did a few of Sydney's numbers : "Girl in a Garden" (viewed from a train and with the train's rhythm) and "I Come Like a Beggar" both spring to mind.

Tunesmith, that song you remembered may have been "Middle-Aged, Middle-Class, Mediocre" - I have it in the Galliard Ltd publication from 1969 : "Songs of Sydney Carter, In the Present Tense, Book 2"

Vale, Sydney ...



Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Barbara
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 09:01 PM

Curiously, we appear to have eight Sydney Carter tunes in DT, so perhaps either the publisher has relented, or decided to ignore us.
These are:
SILVER IN THE STUBBLE
JULIAN OF NORWICH
WALK IN THE LIGHT
RAT RACE
LORD OF THE DANCE
MAN WITH A MICROPHONE
EVERY STAR SHALL SING A CAROL
CROW ON THE CRADLE
And many more in the threads. Here is my favorite: John Ball
Good journey and Godspeed, Sydney Carter.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 08:31 PM

Click here for a very nice page on the Lovely in the Dances CD.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 07:42 PM

LONDON (Reuters) - British composer Sydney Carter, author of the popular song "Lord of the Dance," died in London on Saturday aged 88, according to a spokesman for his family.
Carter, a Christian poet and folk singer, adapted a melody from a Shaker hymn when he wrote the song in 1963.

A church and school choir favorite, the song has become a modern classic, rerecorded many times as well as lending its name to American dancer Michael Flatley's hit musical show.

Writing about the song in 1974, Carter said: "I see Christ as the incarnation of the piper who is calling us. He dances that shape and pattern which is at the heart of our reality."


He shall be missed on this side of the ocean as well.
Arkie

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Jeanie
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 07:41 PM

That's a beautiful song, Micca. Here is a link to the 15th century French poem, 'Ballade des dames de temps jadis' by Francois Villon, on which these lyrics are based, giving the text in medieval French and in English: Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan?

- jeanie

Subject: Lyr Add: LIKE THE SNOW (Sydney Carter)
From: Micca
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 07:12 PM

I searched for a certain Sydney Carter song for many years, I heard Martin Carthy sing it on a Sunday afternoon TV show that had Carter and Nadia Cattouse as the principle performers,and it stuck(or part of it did) I asked Martin at a festival for the words, and he said he couldnt help as he had only learned it for that performance and didnt keep it in his repetoire. I found it through a link provided in the Mudcat a few years ago and it seems very apropos at this time.
Mr Carter may you find, beyond the door, that which you would wish for,

Like the Snow
By Sydney Carter

Tell me, where did Helen go?
Here is where she had her dwelling.
She has vanished like the snow -
Where, there is no way of telling;
Here is where she had her dwelling.
All the while they come and they go -
Where, there is no way of telling;
She has vanished like the snow.

What became of Heloise?
Abelard - he was her lover -
Notre Dame or Saint Denys;
Where he went I can't discover.
Abelard, he was her lover.
All the while they come and they go -
Where, there is no way of telling;
She has vanished like the snow.

Joan came riding from Lorraine -
Everybody knows the story.
England burnt her in Rouen;
Theirs the shame and ours the glory,
Everybody knows the story -
All the while they come and they go -
England's shame and France's glory,
She has vanished like the snow.

Where the time and where the place is -
That is what I'd like to know,
Where their glory and their grace is
When they vanish like the snow.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: vectis
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 06:53 PM

Sad day. I'm still singing a few of his songs and they still get a good reception.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 06:50 PM

Down Below

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 06:43 PM

Well that settles SOME of the songs I will be doing at Dog Days Afternoon tomorrow. I wonder if the Torygraph will do an Obit .

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Willa
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 06:37 PM

One of my favourites: http://www.crixa.com/muse/unionsong/u115.html

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 06:21 PM

There's no problem with having the words in the threads, just on the DT. Trying to understand why that is the case is a bit hard, but that's how it works.

I think that posting a link in the DT to a thread with the lyrics whenever there was a problem with posting the lyrics in the DT would probably be considered a no no.

Here's a link to a post with another of Sydney's best songs in it, John Ball;
and here is a link to anither, George Fox; and here is Julian of Noirwich.

I'm sure there are more of them around in the Mudcat, and also elsewhere on the net. Maybe other people wpoidl,like to hunt up a few more.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 06:13 PM

G'day Jeanie and Little Robyn,

Quite a lot of the lyrics requested should still be alive in the threads where I have posted them ... but not in the DT.

I hate to see wonderful writers like Sydney Carter cheated of their credit by being lumped as "anon"/"trad" ... as much as it may be a tribute to their solid tradition of their compositions.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Jeanie
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 06:01 PM

I was typing out the lyrics from my copy of 'Baptist Praise and Worship' (publ.Oxford University Press 1992) while Bob Bolton was posting his thread, and I hadn't read it. I was unaware of the problems about posting them. Apologies if this causes difficulties - please delete them if necessary, Joe or somebody.

- jeanie

Subject: Lyr Add: ONE MORE STEP (Sydney Carter)
From: Jeanie
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 05:56 PM

I'll second everything you have said, McGrath. Here is my favourite of his songs, about that very thing: Moving On

ONE MORE STEP

One more step along the world I go,
one more step along the world I go,
from the old things to the new
keep me travelling along with you:
And it's from the old I travel to the new;
keep me travelling along with you.

Round the corners of the world I turn,
more and more about the world I learn,
all the new things that I see
you'll be looking at along with me:
And it's from the old I travel to the new;
keep me travelling along with you.

As I travel through the bad and good,
keep me travelling the way I should;
where I see no way to go
you'll be telling me the way, I know:
And it's from the old I travel to the new;
keep me travelling along with you.

Give me courage when the world is rough,
keep me loving though the world is tough;
leap and sing in all I do,
keep me travelling along with you:
And it's from the old I travel to the new;
keep me travelling along with you.

You are older than the world can be,
you are younger than the life in me;
ever old and ever new,
keep me travelling along with you:
And it's from the old I travel to the new;
keep me travelling along with you.


Sydney Carter 6th May 1915 - 13th March 2004

*   *    *

Bon Voyage, Sydney Carter, on the next step of your journey, and thank you.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Little Robyn
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 05:51 PM

Hi Bob. Maybe now we can slip the correct versions into threads here, without having them in the DT??
Robyn

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 05:45 PM

G'day Little Robyn,

I'm sad to hear that he has gone ... but he had been suffering from Alzheimer's for some years now - after a career where he was still gigging into his eighties! I first met him when he was in Australia and appeared at the (Australian) National Folk Festival in 1972 or ~3 ... then he sang later on in Sydney. I gave hime some of my photographs of his concerts and we briefly corresponded.

I have always loved his songs ... and supplied many to 'Catters - but his latter-day publishers "Stainer & Bell" won't let them be posted on lists like the Digital Tradition (our DT) ... thus continuing the unfortunate trend for groups to record badly remembered version - claim them as "Trad" - and pay no royalties!

Ah well, at least it's no longer cheating Syd ... only the fools at the helm of "Stainer & Bell"!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 05:41 PM

Talented chap. Once had a nice chat with him 30 odd year's ago. His song about mixed up( i.e.confused)middle-aged men rings more and more true as the years pass by.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 05:38 PM

That's sad, but it's not sad. He was a lovely man, as well as a great maker of songs, and a fine thinker and writer as well. I'm sure he'd have felt it was time he moved on.

It'd be a better world if there werte more people like him.

Subject: Obit: Sydney Carter
From: Little Robyn
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 05:25 PM

Our radio news has just announced that Sydney Carter Has died.
Does anyone know any more?
For those that don't recognise the name, he wrote Lord of the Dance - the song that so many people know and love (and sing and dance to). He wrote many other songs that were topical in their time and he also sang them himself at folk clubs and on the radio.