Origins: Versions of Green Fields of America

Subject: Versions of Green Fields of America
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jun 04 - 10:04 PM

Hi, I'm confused. Andy Irvine(?) did a version of this song (which I think may also be known as Green Fields of Canada) with Planxty; Mary Dillon did it with Deanta. I really like both; is one more traditional/"correct" than the other? Are there other good versions out there and where will I find them?

Also my source for word (maybe the DT?) says it is from "The Stone Fiddle" -- anyone have more info than that?

Thanks

Bekki

Subject: RE: Versions of Green Fields of America
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 14 Jun 04 - 11:01 PM

Paddy Tunney's set of the song has appeared on recordings and in print variously as The Green Fields of Canada and as The Green Fields of America. It appears under the former title in his book The Stone Fiddle: My Way to Traditional Song (Dublin: Gilbert Dalton, 1979, pp 156-7), as he got it (eventually) from his mother Brigid. The DT file Green Fields of Canada purports to be copied from Paddy's book, but is not an accurate transcription.

The DT file Green Fields of America (3) reckons to be "from singing Paddy Tunney" (sic) but is very different. Maybe he had two versions of the song.

Also in the DT is Green Fields of America (2), taken from one of those Ossian anthologies that credit no sources, and Green Fields of Amerikay, from the Sam Henry Collection, which, though on the same subject, is essentially a different song.

There are corrections to the first DT transcription mentioned in this Forum thread: The Green Fields of Canada, with some comments from John Moulden, a considerable scholar of Ulster music, which are pertinent to your question.

You could find most of that yourself via the onsite search engine here, of course. What you wouldn't find that way is these broadside editions of the song, printed in the mid 19th century. They are at the Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads website:

The green fields of America

You'll see how the song has changed over time. "Authenticity" is very subjective, and opinions differ widely. Andy Irvine is a Revival rather than traditional singer, so, fine though his recording of the song was, it's an arrangement of a traditional song rather than a version in its own right, if you see what I mean; at least at this stage. I'm not familiar with Mary Dillon's background. In both cases, though, you'll get a more accurate picture of the song as it has circulated in oral tradition if you go back to their sources (assuming they say who they were; if I remember correctly, Irvine recorded a shortened form of Paddy's set).

Subject: RE: Versions of Green Fields of America
From: Bearheart
Date: 15 Jun 04 - 06:54 PM

Thanks Malcolm,

I think Andy left out one of the verses that I found in the DT but other than that is quite close to that version.(I think it's the first version you mention).
I will look at the references you mention. Thank you very much for your help.

Bekki

Subject: RE: Versions of Green Fields of America
From: Bearheart
Date: 15 Jun 04 - 07:17 PM

Well, I've looked at all of this and now I'm not sure where I got the words that I have-- may have been a different source altogether-- the 1st DT version clearly has several more verses than the one I have or Andy Irvine's, or Mary Dillon's. I think in fact hers is quite close to his, except she had the verses in a different order.
She starts with the verse "so pack up your sea-stores..." which is not the same as any other version I've seen, but seems to have all the same verses in somewhat different order. Is Paddy Tunney's version the usual one that is sung? Perhaps I'll just stick with it. The difficulty is in the fact that the melody requires two of the verses as it is sung through...
But I will trace the Forum thread and look for some of the other sources (Tim Lyons is a good bet, no?). I think my sister has that album on vinyl.
Thanks again.

Bekki

Subject: RE: Versions of Green Fields of America
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 15 Jun 04 - 08:27 PM

I suspect that almost all revival recordings of the song derive ultimately from Paddy Tunney, though they will often have been learned from records made by intermediate revival performers (the Mary Dillon arrangement sounds like a second or third generation one, if it starts with that verse: perhaps learned from Sean Cannon, who recorded it in the late '70s, and I think began it that way). That's not to say that these don't form part of a tradition, but it isn't in the main the same tradition that Paddy belonged to, though in part deriving from it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Versions of Green Fields of America
From: GUEST,Ballyholme
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 05:05 PM

I used to host a radio show in Northern Ireland and remember Deanta telling me that they got the idea for recording The Green Fields of America/Canada from hearing a track that I had played. This is going back quite a few years but I believe it may have been a version Paul Brady recorded for a compilation released by Temple Records. The album was put together to raise money for a charity.

If I'm right, then Paul's version may well have come from Paddy Tunney but at the same time, I'd be surprised if Mary Dillon hadn't heard the song previously, moving, as she did, in traditional singing circles.

Subject: RE: Origins: Versions of Green Fields of America
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 05:35 PM

Ballyholme, the album must have been 'Feed the Folk' (1985). I have Paul Brady's version on tape but haven't taken the words down, so I can't tell you right now how they go. Will have to dig out that tape ...

Subject: RE: Origins: Versions of Green Fields of America
From: GUEST,Ballyholme
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 08:06 PM

Absolutely spot on, Suzanne. I have the album somewhere in the house but it will take an expedition to find it.