Origins: River (Bill Staines)

Subject: Tune REQ: River - Bill Staines
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 06 Jan 99 - 08:22 AM

Can anyone provide a MIDI of Bill Staines "River"? I'd like to learn it but can't afford to buy any more CDs for a while (I've got those holiday credit card blues).

Subject: RE: Tune REQ: River
From: Musicman
Date: 07 Jan 99 - 02:21 AM

Hello Susan-marie.

I can give you midi, ra, and noteworthy versions of the song, or even a fax if you want. Send me an email so I can send it to you direct. Not sure how to send files like that on the mudcat. Or, send me a fax number.

I'm at: [e-mail]

Paul

Subject: RE: Tune REQ: River
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 07 Jan 99 - 07:44 AM

For anyone who's interested: Paul will be sending me the music and since I've been meaning to learn to use the midi/text program, I'll attempt to post the tune here once I have it. Stay tuned.

Subject: RE: Tune REQ: River
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 07 Jan 99 - 09:09 AM

Paul - My e-mail to you got sent back as undelivered - "no such host". My fax is 301/384-0459 and my e-mail is [e-mail]

Send me the music either way (fax or e-mail me a MIDI) or both ways to be sure, and I'll post it on the forum. Thanks so much.

Subject: Tune Add: RIVER (Bill Staines)
From: Barbara
Date: 07 Jan 99 - 09:15 PM

susan, would you like the midi file too?

MIDI file: river.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Tempo: 120 (495868 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0480 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0384 0 60 064 0096 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 55 080 0576 0 55 064 0144 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 62 080 1104 0 62 064 0096 1 55 080 0192 0 55 064 0048 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0384 0 60 064 0096 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 55 080 0384 0 55 064 0096 1 55 080 0096 0 55 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 1104 0 60 064 0096 1 55 080 0192 0 55 064 0048 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0384 0 60 064 0096 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 55 080 0576 0 55 064 0144 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 62 080 1104 0 62 064 0096 1 55 080 0192 0 55 064 0048 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0384 0 60 064 0096 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 55 080 0384 0 55 064 0096 1 55 080 0096 0 55 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0384 0 64 064 0096 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 1296 0 60 064 0144 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064 0144 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064 0144 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064 0144 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064 0144 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 65 080 0576 0 65 064 0144 1 65 080 0384 0 65 064 0096 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 1104 0 64 064 0096 1 55 080 0192 0 55 064 0048 1 65 080 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 55 080 0288 0 55 064 0072 1 55 080 0096 0 55 064 0024 1 65 080 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 0192 0 60 064 0048 1 55 080 0192 0 55 064 0048 1 55 080 0192 0 55 064 0048 1 65 080 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 65 080 0192 0 65 064 0048 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 60 080 2736 0 60 064
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:3/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
C5D|E4EF|E2E2D2|C4A,2|G,6|E4EF|E2D2C2|D6|
-D4G,2|E4F2|E2E2D2|C4A,2|G,4G,C|E4EF|E4D2|
C6|-C4G,2|E4EF|E2E2D2|C4A,2|G,6|E4EF|E2D2C2|
D6|-D4G,2|E4F2|E2E2D2|C4A,2|G,4G,C|E4EF|E4D2|
C6|-C6|G6|-G6|G6|-G6|G6|-G2F2E2|D2E2F2|G6|
G6|G2F2E2|D3EF2|F6|F4F2|EDC2D2|E6|-E4G,2|
F3ED2|C2G,3G,|F3ED2|C2G,2G,2|F3ED2|D2G2G2|
F2E2D2|C6|-C6|C6|-C19/4||

Subject: RE: Tune REQ: River
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 08 Jan 99 - 08:10 AM

Oooooo yes, Barbara, thanks.

Subject: DT Correction: River (Bill Staines)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Feb 21 - 03:41 PM

I would suppose that this is the one song I sing more often than any other. It's on page 226 of the Rise Up Singing Songbook, but it's been years since I've had to open the book Most Bill Staines songs are right in the "sweet spot" of my vocal range, so I sing a lot of them. But this one is my favorite.
My corrections are from the 1980 Folk-Legacy Bill Staines songbook, If I Were a Word, Then I'd Be a Song. The corrections of the DT lyrics are very minor. I've also added the punctuation from the songbook, but not in italics.

RIVER (DT Lyrics) I was born in the path of the winter wind And raised where the mountains are old The springtime waters came dancing down And I remember the tales they told The whistling ways of my younger days Too quickly have faded on by But all of their memories linger on Like the light of a fading sky. River, take me along In your sunshine, sing me your song Ever moving and winding and free You rolling old river, you changing old river Let's you and me river run down to the sea! I've been to the city and back again I've been moved by some things that I've learned Met a lot of good people and I called them friends Felt the change when the seasons turned I heard all the songs that the children sing And listened to love's melodies I've felt my own music within me rise Like the wind in the autumn trees. CHORUS Someday when the flowers are blooming still Someday when the grass is still green My rolling waters will round me bend And flow into the open sea So here's to the rainbow that followed me here And here's to the friends that I know And here's to the song that's within me now I will sing it where'er I go.

RIVER (DT Correction) (Bill Staines) I was born in the path of the winter wind And raised where the mountains are old. Their springtime waters came dancing down: And I remember the tales they told The whistling ways of my younger days Too quickly have faded on by But all of their memories linger on Like the light in a fading sky. River, take me along, In your sunshine, sing me your song. Ever moving and winding and free, You rolling old river, you changing old river, Let's you and me river, run down to the sea! I've been to the city and back again; I've been moved by some things that I've learned, Met a lot of good people and I've called them friends, Felt the change when the seasons turned. I've heard all the songs that the children sing And listened to love's melodies; I've felt my own music within me rise Like the wind in the autumn trees. CHORUS Someday when the flowers are blooming still, Someday when the grass is still green, My rolling waters will round the bend And flow into the open sea. So here's to the rainbow that's followed me here, And here's to the friends that I know, And here's to the song that's within me now: I will sing it where'er I go.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Words and Music by Bill Staines.
Copyright Mineral River Music
Recorded by Bill on "Whistle of the Jay", FSI-70

@water @chorus
filename[ RIVRTAKE
DC

Popup Midi Player

Original Folk-Legacy recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h30hARqfiFY

And a magnificent 2015 performance with the Mystic Chorale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDeM7kqzrvk

Subject: RE: Tune Req: River (Bill Staines)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Feb 21 - 05:27 PM

https://www.google.com/search?q=River+(Bill+Staines)&rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA846CA846&oq=River+(Bill+Staines)&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i61&so

Subject: RE: Origins: River (Bill Staines)
From: GerryM
Date: 16 Feb 21 - 05:22 AM

The vinyl Whistle of the Jay has a booklet of lyrics. The lyrics given there differ in a few very small ways from what Joe has posted as "DT Correction":

1st stanza, line 4 does begin with "And"

3rd stanza, line 3 "I've" instead of "I"

5th stanza, 3rd line "the" instead of "me"

Last stanza, line 1 "that's" instead of "that"

Listening to the recording, it seems to me that in the 4th verse both the 1st and 3rd lines start with "I", not "I've". Also, he drops a lot of "g" in the chorus; "movin'", "windin'", "rollin'", "changin'".

---

Thanks, Gerry. The songbook agrees with everything but the "and." I've made corrections according to your suggestions. -Joe-

https://folkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/folk-legacy/FLG00070-LP.pdf

https://folkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/folk-legacy/FLG00070-CD.pdf