Lyr Req: Old Man's Song (from Tom Rush)

Subject: Lyr Req: Tom Rush's Old Man's Song
From: GUEST,AnneMC
Date: 19 Jun 05 - 02:57 AM

Does anyone have the words to Tom's Old Man's Song?
Has anyone recorded it in recent years ?

Anne

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Rush's Old man's Song
From: Raggytash
Date: 19 Jun 05 - 05:27 AM

Anne
Have you got a line or two, I know a couple of songs which might fit the title but don't know who wrote them

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Rush's Old man's Song
From: GUEST,ANNEMC
Date: 19 Jun 05 - 06:25 AM

Hi Raggytash,
It has a line in it about an old man in the park feeding the pigeons.
Murray McLachlin wrote it, I believe. Recorded by Tom Rush probably in the 60's.

Anne

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Rush's Old man's Song
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 19 Jun 05 - 09:46 AM

The song is also on Murray's second album. The Rush version was on a Columbia LP titled Tom Rush that came out in the early '70's.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Rush's Old man's Song
From: Peace
Date: 19 Jun 05 - 01:34 PM

Murray McLaughlin is the writer.

Rush recorded it--I think it's on the same album as "Driving Wheel". I had the albums but no idea where it is now. Sorry.

Best bet might be to contact Murray directly.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Rush's Old man's Song
From: Peace
Date: 19 Jun 05 - 01:50 PM

Probably the easiest way to do that would be through SOCAN.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Rush's Old man's Song
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 20 Jun 05 - 07:46 AM

The song is on Tom Rush's album for Columbia entitle "Tom Rush".

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Rush's Old man's Song
From: kendall
Date: 20 Jun 05 - 07:50 AM

Dave Mallett wrote one about his "Old Man".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tom Rush's Old man's Song
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jun 05 - 04:00 PM

Thanks for all the info, still hoping for the lyrics - but if the chords are around (Chico?)
then they would be appreciated too !

Anne

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Man's Song (from Tom Rush)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Jun 05 - 01:28 AM

Several reputable sources, such as The Canadian Encyclopedia, say the author's name is spelled "McLauchlan."

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD MAN'S SONG (Murray McLauchlan)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Jun 05 - 08:46 AM

I listened to a couple of sound samples at allmusic, and then Googled with some phrases I heard, and found this quote at http://freeweb.supereva.com/mctaggart/index.html?p

I corrected a couple of obvious mondegreens, but since I don't know the whole song, I'm not sure the rest is correct, or if it's complete.

OLD MAN'S SONG
Murray McLauchlan

Hair on your head, white as the snow,
Old Man, stand feeding the pigeons.
Your body is rust. Skin is like dust
Seen in the last light of evening.
Lines on your face, each one a trace
Of happiness, distance and sound.
Lonely you stand. Weak are your hands,
Old Man with too few tomorrows.
Memory's gone, friends passed along,
Old Man, stand lost in your reverie.
Life has been kind, to give you this time
To dream on the strand the wind blows.
People pass by, go on their way,
Not wishing to engage conversation.
You, you know why. One look in your eyes
Reminds them their time is wastin'.
Hair on your head, white as the snow,
Old Man, stand feeding the pigeons.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Man's Song (from Tom Rush)
From: GUEST,Henryp
Date: 24 Jun 05 - 06:20 PM

Hair on your head, white as the snow,
Old man, stand feeding the pigeons.
Your body is rust, skin is like dust
Seen in the last light of evening.
Lines on your face, each one a trace
Of happiness, distance and sorrow.
Lonely you stand, weak are your hands,
Old man with too few tomorrows.

Memories gone, friends passed along,
Old man, stand lost in your reverie.
Life has been kind to give you this time
To dream unrestrained as the wind blows.
People pass by, go on their way,
Not wishing to engage conversation.
You, you know why. One look in your eyes
Reminds them their time is wastin'.

Hair on your head, white as the snow,
Old man, stand feeding the pigeons.

Tom Rush is one of the great, great interpreters of songs. He also shows a rare sense of humour. On his electric album, simply called Tom Rush, he paired Old Man's Song with another Murray McLaughlan song, Child's Song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Man's Song (from Tom Rush)
From: GUEST,Wesley S
Date: 24 Jun 05 - 07:23 PM

There is sheet music available if you need it. The song was published in a Tom Rush songbook called "Wrong End Of The Rainbow". It's out of print but I have a copy. Can I assume you've visited Rush's website ? He sends out "letters" from time to time if you sign up.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Man's Song (from Tom Rush)
From: rangeroger
Date: 25 Jun 05 - 02:44 AM

AnneMC, I also have a copy of the Tom Rush songbook.

If you join the Mudcat,you could send me a PM with your snail-mail address, and I would be more than glad to send you a copy of the music.

rr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Man's Song (from Tom Rush)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jul 08 - 11:09 PM

I like to play the song in Am ... something like Am / G / Am / Em /Am simple but pretty with a simple root note of the cord followed by a couple of two-note finger picks to keep a simple,slow rhythm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Man's Song (from Tom Rush)
From: evansakes
Date: 21 Jul 08 - 01:30 PM

Below is the chord structure I play as learnt from Tom Rush's version (bars in triplet time)

The first lot of lyrics posted above is wrong in a few places (ie "dream on the strand")
The second lot posted by HenryP are correct ("dream unrestrained")


Am/Am/D7/G
C/Em/Am/Am
Am/Am/D7/G
C/Em/Am/Am

G/C/Em/F
C/G/Esus4/E7
Am/Am/D7/G
C/Em/Am/Am