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Lyr/Tune Req: Ballad of Baby Doe / Baby Doe Tabor |
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Ballad of Baby Doe / Baby Doe Tabor From: Jim Dixon Date: 03 Dec 17 - 12:02 PM The musical score for "The Ballad of Baby Doe" (the whole opera, with music by Douglas Moore, and libretto by John Latouche) is held by many libraries. WorldCat.org might tell you where you can find it in a library near you. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Ballad of Baby Doe / Baby Doe Tabor From: GUEST Date: 02 Dec 17 - 06:04 PM I learned this song from a 45RPM record in 1964. I don't remember the artist or lyricist but I don't think it was Johnny Horten cuz I was pretty much into all his recordings. Anyways.. years after this question, I found it while I was looking for the lyrics again. Ballad of Baby Doe only mostly leads to the Opera about her. I remember most of the song but there seems to be a couple of lines missing just before the last chorus. Not sure though. In a mining town on the great divide, came a mint of Silver from the Matchless Mine, and the womenfolk ran to and fro spreading the gossip of Baby Doe.
The gossip soon spread near and far
While the miners kept working, their women kept smirking
He put her up in the Tabor House,
They laughed and threw his money away,
While the miners quit working, their women quit smirking
Poor Baby Doe died all alone,
While the wind was a sighing, Baby Doe lay a dying |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Ballad of Baby Doe / Baby Doe Tabor From: GUEST,Cyndie Date: 06 Jun 12 - 10:21 PM I'm glad that I was able to help a little. I agree that I don't think the song had anything to do with the opera, but I would dearly love to hear that song again. I remember the tune, but unfortunately, I don't remember all of the lyrics. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Ballad of Baby Doe / Baby Doe Tabor From: katlaughing Date: 04 Jun 12 - 09:47 PM Thanks, Cyndie, that's a lot more than we've had these many years. I can't believe I missed this. This is one of my fav. operas. I have a beautiful LP set with book with Beverly Sills singing Baby Toe. It is a superb production! |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Ballad of Baby Doe / Baby Doe Tabor From: GUEST,Cyndie Date: 04 Jun 12 - 06:40 PM I have also heard the song. Here are some lyrics I remember: In a mining town on the great divide, while the men dug silver from the Matchless Mine, their women folk ran to and fro spreading the gossip of Baby Doe. The scandal soon spread near and far of the girl who danced at the Silver Star and the gentleman who dressed so fine known as Tabor and he owned the mine. While the miners kept working, their women kept smirking and Tabor was loving his sweet Baby Doe. They laughed and threw his money away, until he was dropping a thousand a day, and then one day the mine shut down and Mister Tabor rolled out of town. When the miners quit working, their women quit smirking and Tabor walked out on his sweet Baby Doe. Poor Baby Doe died all alone, without a friend to call her own. They found her dead in a mining shack where she was a-waiting for him to come back. While the wind was a-sighing, Baby Doe lay a-dying and that's the sad story of sweet Baby Doe. |
Subject: RE: Baby Doe Tabor/Ballad of Baby Doe From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 27 Nov 03 - 12:12 AM Douglas Moore's opera premiered in 1956 at the Central City Opera House, and it has been performed, mainly as highlights, at the Tabor Grand Opera House in Leadville. It is regularly performed in opera houses around the world and is justly famed. Sometimes it is coupled with Moore's one act operitita "The Face on the Barroom Floor." There also was a movie, I think in the 40s ("Baby Doe"?)- I still remember scenes, but not the actors. I don't remember any music from the film, but doubt that there was a ballad. However, I think Les Benedict is looking for a song which had nothing to do with the opera or film. I wouldn't doubt that there is one, since everybody in the Rocky Mountain area knows the story, but I can find nothing on it. |
Subject: RE: Baby Doe Tabor From: Joe Offer Date: 26 Nov 03 - 09:58 PM There is an answer to this question. I found it here: http://www.culturevulture.net/Opera/BabyDoe.htm (love that URL). The Ballad of Baby Doe, which had its premiere in 1956, was commissioned by the Koussevitsky Foundation of the Library of Congress to commemorate the bicentennial of Columbia University. (Composer Douglas Moore was on the Columbia faculty.) It is one of the most popular American operas, one of very few to establish itself firmly in the contemporary repertoire, though only now getting its first production at San Francisco Opera.
Reviewed from San Francisco Opera performance, September 27, 2000 |
Subject: RE: Baby Doe Tabor From: Sandy Date: 11 Mar 97 - 01:59 AM I can't give you lyrics, but here are a few leads: I read that in 1956 John Latouche wrote the liberetto for an opera - " The Ballad of Baby Doe" It has been performed many times at the Central City Opera House. This may not be what you are looking for, though. If you really want to find it, I would check with the Denver Public Library or the Colorado Historical Society. To me, it really sounds a lot like Johnny Horton - he did a lot of historical ballads in the late 50s - but I don't know where to find listings of his song titiles.
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Subject: Baby Doe Tabor From: Les Benedict Date: 09 Feb 97 - 01:55 AM I'm looking for the lyrics and tune to a song about Baby Doe, the woman who married mining millionaire Tabor in Colorado in the 1880's. I remember hearing a recording in the late 1950's by an unknown (to me) country artist. Partial lyrics -- "... he dressed her in velvet the color of wine, his name was Tabor and he owned the mine..." and the chorus had the lines, "...while the wind was a sighin' Baby Doe lay a dyin'..." Thanks for your help. |
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