Folk Songs to Keep!

Subject: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Sail
Date: 12 Jan 99 - 06:35 PM

What are mudcatters favorite folks songs?

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Jan 99 - 07:15 PM

that one has sort of been done several times in different forms...lets see if we can point you to the threads before we start all over..

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Kris
Date: 13 Jan 99 - 05:00 AM

No! lets be spontaneous and start all over. I like a nice little fresh thread that I can post to without thinking 'Ooh I can't put that, someone else said it in 1997'.

My favourites at the moment are : (and they're all in the Dig Trad database)

Peggy Gordon & Come kiss me love (same tune & go nice together & both in the DT).

Silver Dagger. (the 'in her right hand' one in DT)

Bonnie Light Horseman. ('light horsemen' give 3 versions in DT)

Cold wet & rainy night. (cold haily rainy night in DT)

Kris

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Lesley N.Lesley N.
Date: 13 Jan 99 - 06:33 PM

Here are a few off the beaten track as it were:

Tom Bowling
MacCrimmon's Lament
Bonnie Lighter Boy (Aka My Darling Ploughman Boy)
Megan's Fair Daughter
Laird o' Cockpen (except I like the older versions where she DOESN'T accept the pompous ass)

And, of course I have to include Bonnie Lesley by Burns - May not be a great tune but I have a special fondness for it....

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Bill DBill D
Date: 13 Jan 99 - 09:04 PM

wow...MacCrimmon's Lament! Not exactly easy listening...but surely as powerful a song as you will find anywhere!.nice choice!

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Lesley N.Lesley N.
Date: 14 Jan 99 - 10:18 AM

I think what makes it even more powerful is the history behind it - which you probably know but I don't mind being redundant. It was written by MacCrimmon's sister in 1745 when her brother went off to war.

The midi I did of it (based on Helen Hopekirk's version [1905]) turned out wonderfully. If you're interested it's here. There are some neat links to places that have information on who the MacCrimmons were.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Big MickBig Mick
Date: 14 Jan 99 - 11:36 AM

Lesley,

What a lovely link that was. I learned a great deal. And one of the links will take you to the best short explanation of the Bean-sidhe that I have seen. She is very misunderstood, thanks to that lovely little film, Darby O'Gill and the little people.

Thanks for the lovely link.

Mick Lane

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Lesley N.
Date: 14 Jan 99 - 05:02 PM

The movie where she terrified me was "Jack the Giant Killer" (A 1962 MGM movie with Kerwin Matthews that was later redone as a musical - which ruined it). The special affects were neat for their time and the banshee was truly horrible!

A bit off track - sorry. Has there ever been a thread on favorite "least known" folk songs?

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: alison
Date: 14 Jan 99 - 07:00 PM

Hi,

For those of you interested in Irish folklore there was indeed a link to a lovely site...

Irish Folklore

I was working in an old hospital in Belfst one night when I got a phone call, from the nurse in the next ward along the corridor..... she wanted me to check on my patients because she said she had heard a banshee singing and crying, and so far all of her patients were still alive..... so I checked and mine were OK too. Sure enough though, one of her old ladies was dead by the morning.

(Remember.. it's OK to hear a banshee, she's probably crying for someone you know or are related too..... but if you see her..... she's there for you!!!!)

I love "Jack the Giant Killer"...... remember being terrified of it as a child. Must get the video out and have another look... thanks for reminding me.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: alison
Date: 14 Jan 99 - 07:07 PM

Lesley,

Thanks for your folksongs site...... it is great.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Lesley N.
Date: 14 Jan 99 - 07:22 PM

Well, you all must take some credit for it - after all, you're where I get a lot of the information from! I do find some tunes that aren't on DT that I'd love to add the lyrics here. Sort of returning the favor. Anybody know what I need to do?

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Roddy
Date: 14 Jan 99 - 09:14 PM

Alison, don't they have Mná Sí (plural of banshee recte Bean Sí)in Montana? It is said that the Bean Sí only caoins (keens) upon the impending demise of someone of a particular family. It has been said that even when such a family has emigrated, the Bean Sí has followed. Perhaps the most well-documented of a spirit following a particular family was that of the Cooneen Ghost. Now that WAS something to make one shiver !!!!! :-(( Roddy

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jan 99 - 10:27 PM

Lesley, we'd love to have you post tunes. Alan of Australia has written a program that converts MIDI files into text that can be pasted into the Mudcat "Reply to Thread" box - that's those little red numbers you sometimes see in threads. It's not too hard to get his MIDITXT program working. Click here for information or to download the free MIDITXT program.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: alison
Date: 15 Jan 99 - 12:06 AM

Hi Roddy,

Yes it's true..... if you follow the link above it tells you. The Bean si/ is usually associated with a particular family, and has been known to follow that family to different countries.

Come on Roddy... tell us the story.....

Slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Lesley N.
Date: 15 Jan 99 - 09:11 AM

Joe - as ading lyrics and music is a bit off topic from "Folk Songs to Keep!" and might take a while I thought I'd start another thread!

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Allan S.
Date: 15 Jan 99 - 06:27 PM

THe story about the Banshee appears in many cultures. Check Urban Legends. THe same story appears in South African folklore. Im not saying that it is not true. Who was it that said "There are many things between Heven and Earth-----"

Subject: RE: Folk Songs to Keep!
From: Susan A-R
Date: 16 Jan 99 - 12:31 AM

My favorites change, depending on what's going through my head of a given week/day. I had always seen lyrics to the Jute Mill Song, but hadn't heard it until I got a Magpie recording of it. Lovely one, and it WON'T leave my head. Also fond of "Lads O' The Fair" "We Lived Over Yonder Banks" the Oyster Band's "The Old Dance" "Now is the Cool of the Day" (who was looking for good a capella sing alongs?) Leon Rosselson's "The News From Nowhere" "Do YOu Love an Apple" "The Smuggler's Sonng" . . .

I like lots of 'em.