Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)

Subject: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: GUEST,Ed R
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 08:46 AM

During a nice singaround at last years Whitby festival which I had he pleasure of running, I heard a Scottish gentleman sing a wistful song with the Chorus line not dissimilar to "Will ye come to the dancing with me Ann McElwey?" or possibly "Go to the dancing"

I've not come across this before or since.

Ring any bells?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 09:12 AM

The song is Annie McKelvey. I am at work now but have the words (and music) at home and will post when I get a chance (with abc if required).

wr.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 10:02 AM

In the version I know the words go as follies:


Dumbarton's the toun where I met Anne McKelvey
She wis walkin her dug by the shore
And we strayed there for oors as the evenin wis passin
Then I followed her back tae her door

Chorus: Dae ye fancy a night at the dancin wi me?
The band in the toun ha's the finest ye'll see
And if there's no anither place ye'd raither be
Will ye come tae the dance wi me Annie?

She said "I'd like tae come doun for a night at the dancing
But ma mither she may not consent"
So I left her that night wi a kiss on the doorstep
And away back tae [x-x --- I've heard various bits of the Glasgow conurbation inserted here] I went

Chorus

She finally agreed tae a night at the dancin
I went doun tae Clydebank by train
And for three lonely oors did I wait on the platform
But I never say Annie again

Chorus

O it's often I've walked by the banks o the Leven
And watched as it flows tae the Clyde
And I'ev thought o the oors spent wi Annie McKelvey
The lassie wha wounded my pride

Chorus



I assume it's not traditional. Do you know who wrote it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: GUEST,Ed R
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 02:09 PM

THanks all. Just the job.

ABC would be a handy thing if you can manage that weerover.

And if anyone can identify where/who it's from I will be enternally grateful.

Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 03:01 PM

GUEST's post has a fair approximation of the song but there are significant differences. Will post tomorrow as I'm working pretty late and just want a dram and a chillout when I get home.

wr.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 03:20 PM

And how could I refuse you that?

E

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 08:07 PM

See here for the words as Iain MacKintosh sings them, plus a little info. The song was written by Iain Ingram not far back in time (see Ewan McVicar's comment).

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: ANNIE McKELVIE (Iain Ingram)
From: weerover
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 06:57 AM

ANNIE McKELVIE

(by Iain Ingram)

Dumbarton's the place where I met Anne McKelvie
Oot walkin alang the Clyde shore
Oh we blethered a while till as evenin was fallin
We walked the road back tae her door

(chorus)
Dae ye fancy a night at the dancin wi me?
The band in the Toon Hall's the finest ye'll see
And if there's no another place you'd raither be,
Then come tae the dance wi me, Annie

She said, "I'd like a few days tae think ower yir proposal
Ma mither wid hiv tae consent"
So we parted that night wae a kiss on her doorstep
Then back hame through Bowling ah went

Oh she finally agreed tae come oot wae me dancing
And travel tae Clydebank by train
On that cauld station platform for hours ah waited
But never seen Annie again

Noo it's oftimes ah've walked by the banks o the Leven
And followed her flow tae the Clyde
And hiv thought o ma day spent wae Annie McKelvie
The lassie that wounded ma pride

(Spelling and punctuation as in Ewan McVicar's compilation of Glasgow songs, "One Singer One Song")

T:Annie McKelvie
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:100
C:Iain Ingram
K:D
F/2-E/2| D2 F/2G/2| A3/2 z/2 B/2c/2| d G3/2 B/2| B/2 A3/2 z/2 B/2| A/2 E
3/2 F| G B A| A3| z2 F/2E/2| D2 F/2G/2| A2 B/2c/2| d/2 G3/2 B| B/2 A3/2
z/2 A/2| A3/2 B/2 A| G F E| D3| z2 F/2G/2| F E3/2 F/2| G z A/2G/2| F F G
| A z A| ^G2 G/2A/2| B/2 e3/2 D| d c B| c z A/2A/2| d2 e/2d/2| d c B| B
A G| F z A| A2 E/2F/2| G2 F/2E/2| E/2 D2-D/2-|D2||

% ABC2Win Version 2.1 1/17/97

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: GUEST,Ed R
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 08:39 AM

Well thanks everyone. Far in excess of my hopes.

Interesting notes through suzannes link about the big dancing craze in Glasgow in the 1930's. My dad would have been in his teens then, but alas too late to ask him now. Nice to think on though.

I am assuming that times shown are USA time.

If not then weerover has gone above and beyond, posting ABC stuff at 06:57 am.

Indebted to you all as ever

Ed

Times shown on posts are MudCat Official time - East Coast USA - joeclone

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 09:40 AM

Thanks very much from me too to weerover. Interesting to see the 'proper' version. I've moved down south now so I can't ask the person I got it off where he heard it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 11:02 AM

Very welcome GUESTs both. If you like this, you'll certainly enjoy Ewan McVicar's collection previously referred to - availability I believe discussed in a previous thread.

wr.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Come/Go to the dancing with me?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 08:56 PM

Was the tune original? It sounds like an adapted instrumental waltz.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 07 Jun 10 - 02:05 PM

Iain Ingram wrote 'Annie McKelvie' in the early '80s, while living in Dunoon, Argyll and singing regularly at Dunoon Folk Club.

We formed the group 'Kilts 'n' Co-op Sandals' (Iain Ingram, Iain Williams, Alison Duncan, Malcolm Currie)to perform a production by the same name at the Fringe in 1984, featuring Iain's songs; a cassette of some of these(Kilts 'n Co-op Sandals: A Clydeside Folk Review of Original Songs by Iain Ingram)was produced later that year.

The first public performance Annie McKelvie (outside of Cowal!) was at the Marymass Festival in Irvine, in the Harbour Arts Centre.
Iain has written a considerable number of songs, almost all his tunes are original, there are only one or two set to existing tunes (Miss McGill and Puddles.
The group performed during Archie Fisher's 'Parade' series in 1985 (?)- one of the programmes was about the Fair holidays when thousands of folks travelled 'doon the watter' for their Summer break.

Some of his songs can be heard on the extremely rare copies of the above mentioned Kilts 'n' Co-op Sandals cassette, (Days o' Doon the Water, Dandelions and Daisies, Puddles, Behind the Factory Wall, Victoria Blue, Summer Romances, Speakeasy, A Bankie Lad, Dear Green Place, Vaudecille Dancer, Cowal Games, Can You See the Clown, Lappin's Rolls)

Milngavie Pipe Band's 'The West Highland Way' cd (Annie McKelvie and Braes o' Appin)

Alex Beaton, formerly in The Cumberland Three and now a kilted performer in USA has used some of Iain's more humorous songs on some of his recordings.

A charity cd for the Clydebank Hospice of A Bankie Lad performed along with children from a local primary school

Iain Ingram: Words O' Fiction (Mulholland Records 2005) (Braes o' Appin, Closing o; the Day, The Whistling canary, Calton Rose, The Star, Wild Days, The Fishing Trip, Awa' Frae Hntershill, The Cowal Games, Miss McGill, Mountains o' the Sea, Keekin' Ower the Wa', The Boorns, Words o' Fiction, The First and Last, Lunderston Bay, Annie McKelvie)

To hear the rest of Iain's many songs you just have to try to get to a session or ceilidh he's at!!
NB there are several interpretations of Annie McKelvie on youtube - none are as Iain performs it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 Jun 10 - 02:23 PM

The tune has a vague family resemblance to the verse part of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from my Friends".

I'm still not convinced it's entirely original, though I'd expect the ur-tune to be a lot older than the Beatles.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Jun 10 - 03:49 PM

Annie McKelvie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 07 Jun 10 - 07:48 PM

Hi Jack,
I'll need to listen to Iain's singing again, but I am of the Beatles generation and don't remember ever noticing that connection before! I'll tell him to check out this forum himself - tho' lots of other people have picked up the song very few of them have ever heard the original, so they have adapted it, both words and music!!! For example the link from John McKenzie (immediately after your comment) shows a group singing a version that to my ear is a distant cousin of the one Iain wrote!
- I can tell you exactly how the song moved out into the wide world - I sang an unaccompanied version in Jean Redpath's singing class at Stirling University probably in 1985 or 86; Chris Miles was visiting the class that day and picked the song up, sang it at lots of festivals that year - and from then on it spread! However - the way I sang it was not how Iain wrote / sings it (for a start I can't play guitar) so immediately there were changes in the style, tho' I am pretty sure my words and tune would have been accurate. I guess songs are like children, once they are out in the big world you can't control them any more!!!
I know Iain thinks a lot about his tunes, making sure they are original - have you heard him singing his song? Not sure if I have the expertise to send it to you but maybe we can get to a session in Edinburgh some of these days?!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 03:38 AM

Aye, I thought the version they sand wis a wee bittie different frae what I remembered too, Gallus Moll. Not heard it sung live for many years, so I can't remember it 100%

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 08:08 AM

Hi John, do you remember when / where you heard it, who sang it by any chance?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 09:04 AM

Not sure, possibly Alan Prior, or Hector Gilchrist, but don't take my word for it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: GUEST,Clive Pownceby
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 11:38 AM

I've heard Alison Younger of Bryony and Strawhead connections sing this on many occasions, and she does a fine job with it. I may be wrong but I think she said she'd heard Willie Scott do it and maybe got it from him!!!! It must've been before 1989 if that's the case.
Anyway, if you meet her(she's certainly at Whitby this year) sound her out!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 07:04 PM

The video is not unlike versions I've heard, and i think I recognise that bloke nearest the camera!
There seem to be 2 different ways of singing the bit of the chorus "you'd rather be": some folk sing it in a downward scale, and others upwards!

Subject: Lyr Add: ANNIE McKELVIE (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 07:53 PM

Here's Iain's words as printed in his cd Words O Fiction - not sure where the 'dug' came from in an earlier listing!
The One Singer, One Song (Ewan MacVicar) version is correct and how Iain used to sing the song way back when.
Tattie Bogle, his tune goes up on 'you'd rather be'.

Dumbarton's the place
Whaur Ah met Anne McKelvie
Oot walking alang the Clyde shore
Oh we blethered a while
Till, as evening was falling,
We walked the road back tae her door

    chorus
    Dae ye fancy a night at the dancing wi me
    The band in the toon ha is the finest you'll see
    And if there's no anither place you' rather be
    Then come tae the dance wi me Annie

She said "Ah'd like a few days
Tae think ower yer proposal
Ma mither wid have tae consent"
So we pairted that night
Wi a kiss on the doorstep
And back hame through Bowling Ah went

    chorus

Oh she finally agreed
Tae come oot wi me dancing
And travel tae Clydebank by train
On that cauld station platform for hours Ah waited
But never seen Annie again

    chorus

Now it's aft times A've walked
By the banks o the Leven
And followed her flow tae the Clyde
And hae thocht o ma day spent wi Annie McKelvie
The lassie wha wounded ma pride

    chorus

In actual fact Iain's pronounces of many more of the words colloquially, eg 'raither'
- I am also sure he used to sing 'took the road back tae her door' - but he is allowed over twenty-five or so years to alter the words of his own song!
The song was based on an experience Iain had in 1966, with a girl he met at Balloch Folk Club - her name was not Annie McKelvie!!!! (I believe he has actually forgotten what she was called)

I think the song is popular in part because it is an experience that we have all had at some point in our lives - the tune is catchy and attractive, and I know Iain thinks of the song as being set in Edwardian times rather than the 60s!

I've not heard Alison Younger's version, will look out for it - Willie Scott did come to our summer school class one year, but I can't remember which or whether he heard me sing the song - as I said before Chris Miles became the source of it probably 1985 or maybe it was 1986 onwards. We have since even heard 'country' versions!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 03:14 PM

Thanks GM for clarifying the tune variations: I suppose on the night one has to go with whoever is singing it, and "making the song their own", but good to know how iain himself did it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 04:59 PM

Hi Tattie Bogle, are you likely to be at Laurie's on Sunday for the visit of Sheila Stewart to the Ballads Club ? Or somewhere else our paths might cross in the next few weeks, and I'll sing it to you as Iain does (close as I can!) - or better still, drag Iain along and get him to do it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 12 Jun 10 - 01:46 PM

Yes, planning to go!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 12 Jun 10 - 06:31 PM

See you tomorrow, sing you as near to the original as possible - Iain's in Crocketford so you'll have to wait till another time to hear himself!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Braes o' Appin (Iain Ingram)
From: GUEST,Graeme Dempster
Date: 02 Oct 10 - 11:51 AM

Hi

Wondering if anyone can help? Recently attended the folk club in the Ettrick Bar in Dumbarton recently and everyone knew the words to a song Braes O' Appin and they played it. Does anyone know the lyrics to this song?

Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: GUEST,Gallus Moll
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 11:59 AM

Hi Graeme,
I think I have already answered your request for lyrics in another posting (on 3rd or 4th October?
I see that you heard the song in a pub in Dumbarton so you are not too far away from Iain (the songwriter - or me for that matter) so one or both of us could meet you somewhere and sing you the tune, or you could even buy a cd!!!!
Think Iain is away this week, maybe next, I'm off next week, so sometime towards end October. early November?

Do you remember who was singing the Braes O Appin that night?
GM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 25 Jul 15 - 04:23 AM

The chap nearest camera in that video is George Archibald, who now sings with a group called Ragged Glory.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 26 Jul 15 - 08:41 PM

And sang it at Cullerlie this weekend: someone had asked for it on Friday night, and we all knew the chorus but not all the verse words. Thanks to t'internet we were able to fulfil the lady's request last nighti (but it does seem there are many versions of the chorus tune out there.....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jul 15 - 08:53 PM

Believe it or not, I met Annie McKelvie herself - though she's now married and has a different surname. She and her husband were sitting in at a session in the Wally Dug in Edinburgh, and someone sang the song. She then confessed that she was the same Annie McKelvie, and told us the story of going out with Iain (as far as I recall). There were several other witnesses who can corroborate.

My favourite rendition of the song has to be Joe Aitken's...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: GUEST,Chris Wright
Date: 26 Jul 15 - 08:54 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sorry, last post was mine!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: GUEST,gallus moll
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 02:50 PM

Alas you did not meet Annie McKelvie, as the name is fictional!
The story is based, loosely, on an event that did occur - but the song is out of Iain's imagination.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: GUEST,Chris Wright
Date: 28 Jul 15 - 05:22 AM

Well, she seemed very sure! Maybe there's more to the story than Iain's let on?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 24 Apr 16 - 10:10 AM

oops, just read this -- - !

I've known Iain for about 35 years, and have heard many of his stories which I won't repeat! I am quite sure that the aforementioned lady, maiden name McKelvie, was not the inspiration / stimulus for Iain's song!

(apart from anything else - the girl was not called Annie or McKelvie)

Many of Iain's songs begin with a small incident or remark - - but the song usually then takes its own direction, it is not the detailed story of that particular occurrence!

Some of the historical songs are accurate (e.g. Quintin Hill, A Bankie Lad, Ill Wind Frae Cumberland) or as accurate as Iain can make them from his researches; but like any writer he may then introduce a character who personalises the experiences -- without that character ever having been a real person!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 26 Apr 16 - 01:06 PM

A wee addendum I've heard some people sing after the final chorus: not sure that it would be in Iain's original words, but after "Then come tae the dance wi' me Annie", an extra line, "I'll wait at the dance for ye, Annie". I like it, rounds off the song nicely, but wondered if Gallus Moll would know?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: GUEST,gutcher
Date: 26 Apr 16 - 05:06 PM

Have heard that Graham Irvine ex. Dunoon, fine strings player and master of the three row button box had a hand at the composing of the tune for Annie McKelvie---any confirmation G.M.--T.B.?.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 26 Apr 16 - 08:31 PM

Sorry, I wouldn't know, Gutcher, but GM might.
Incidentally, the song was sung at our local Folk Club tonight by one of the "Floor Spots"!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 27 Apr 16 - 11:58 AM

Graham started off his folk career as a teenager at Dunoon Folk Club! He was already a piper, started as about a 15 year old attending the club - and getting a len' o' all sorts of instruments, anything he'd not tried before; he could knock a tune out of everything he picked up - - and once he met Billy MacGuire and his button box -- that was it.
Iain lived in Dunoon for about 6-ish years early to mid '80s. He actually finished the Annie McKelvie composition in his caravan when on holiday at Loch Morlich (I think that's where he said!) and on his return absolutely wowed us at the club with the new song.
I don't think Graham had a hand in the tune-writing but I shall ask them both and let you know! The late Iain Williams who played Lowden guitar along with Iain did some wonderful arrangements and harmonies for many of the songs. Lynn Shevitz O'Shay also did arranging for Iain, of the songs for our 1984 Fringe show Kilts 'n' Co-op Sandals.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 27 Apr 16 - 12:07 PM

NB Iain didn't write or sing the verse about wait for ye Annie -- - but I'll tell him of it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Apr 16 - 07:18 AM

Thanks G.M.
I hope to meet up with Graham in Skye at the end of May.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Annie McKelvie (Iain Ingram)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 28 Apr 16 - 07:43 PM

please give Graham a hug from me -- -alas these days we all seem to meet at funerals more than sessions!

Am still waiting to hear from Iain re Graham and also the variant end line- - - -