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Subject: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... From: GUEST,stephen.wright130@ntlworld.com Date: 17 Apr 06 - 05:51 PM I have searched and searched for the Martin Carthy tuning/chords/fingerpicking style of 'The Trees They Do Grow High', and cannot find it anywhere. I adore this song, and it would give me great pleasure to learn it. I can sing it quite well, and it would be the icing on the cake to actually play it on my acoustic guitar. Can anybody help?? |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Car From: GUEST,RR Cook Date: 22 Jun 06 - 11:44 AM An old tune about a lad growing up and being seen thru the eyes of his young wife. Recorded by Joan Baez and many others. |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: Scrump Date: 22 Jun 06 - 11:48 AM The Pentangle did a good version, too. |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: GUEST Date: 22 Jun 06 - 11:51 AM Alex Campbell's version 'Lang A-growing' is a good Scottish one too. |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: Kara Date: 22 Jun 06 - 05:14 PM I used to play this on the guitar, so it musy be pretty simple. Try Am C Em and G |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: pavane Date: 23 Jun 06 - 02:46 AM The request was specifically for Martin Carthy's version. I did understand that he played everything using the same ('modal') tuning but I am not sure what it is or how accurate the statement was. Also, he recorded this very early in his career (was it on his 1964 album?) and may not have settled on that tuning at the time. |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Car From: GUEST Date: 23 Jun 06 - 12:12 PM My belief is that this song was done in standard tuning. His C tuning did not come in to use until the 1970s. However, even his early playing had a bit of mystery to it because he knew his way so well around the instrument. The CD "Both Ears and Tail" has a rag performed on it and the guitar work is very accomplished. That was in standard tuning and I think comes from the year 1966. Martin was destined to become one of the great guitarist., Listen to his skill on the recent Ruskin Mills CD. Long may he be fruitful! |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: GUEST Date: 27 Jun 06 - 09:54 AM Here's a link I just found of somebody playing Carthy's version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULGD6Qqtr9M&search=martin%20carthy |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 27 Jun 06 - 10:13 AM Okay, I'm just a humble folkie who uses the computer to communicate and to edit music. So could somebody explain the site that's linked in the post above? I mean, does the video stop and start, stop and start, on everybody's computer or is it just mine? If it's not just mine, what's the idea? To drive people nuts? One thing I do know - I would never risk messing up my computer by downloading from such a site. ----------------- There's a song on the Digital Tradition called "Bonny Boy." Is it the same song as "The Trees they do grow high?" Just curious. |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: GUEST Date: 27 Jun 06 - 10:15 AM I think one needs a pretty fast modem connection to view it properly. I've never had any trouble with viewing things in YouTube; I think it's a reputable enough site, but then my computer knowledge is very limited. Anyway, it's standard tuning. I don't think 'Bonny Boy' is the same as 'The trees...' - not if it's the one that starts something like 'I once loved a boy and a bonny, bonny boy' as sung by Anne Briggs et al. |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: MMario Date: 27 Jun 06 - 10:19 AM the one in the DT as "bonny boy' (not 'the Bonny Boy' or 'the bonny, bonny boy' is the same - the others aren't |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: Muttley Date: 28 Jun 06 - 04:20 AM Not sure if this is the one: Different Title but the "Life of a young man seen through the eyes of his wife/widow" rang a bell - as did the line "The trees they do grow tall" which is found in the fourth verse The version I have posted is that done by Steeleye Span (which from all accounts Carthy helped found along with Prior and Hart) Because I can no longer 'finger-pick' thanks to motorcycle accident induced head injuries / brain damage, I tend to 'slow strum'. Hope it helps Muttley LONG A-GROWING (?The Trees They Do Grow High) As [D]I was a-[Bm]walking by [Em]yonder church [G]wall I saw [D]four-and-twenty [Bm]young men, a-[Em]playing at their [G]ball. I [D]ask-ed for my own true love, but [Bm]they wouldn't [Em]let him [G]come For they [A]said the [Bm]boy was [Em]young - but a-[Bm]grow---[G]ing. [D]"Father, dear [Bm]father, you've [G]done to me much [Em]wrong. Ye have [D]tied me to a [Bm]boy when you [Em]know he is too [G]young." "But [D]he will make a [Bm]Lo---rd for [Em]you to wait u[G]pon, And a [A]Lady [Bm]you will [Em]be while he's [Bm]grow---[G]ing." "We'll [D]send him to [Bm]College for [Em]one year or [G]two, And [D]maybe then in [Bm]time the [Em]boy will do for [G]you. I'll [D]buy you white [Bm]ribbons to [Em]tie about his [G]waist For to [A]let the [Bm]ladies [Em]know that he's [Bm]mar--[G]ried." The [D]trees they do grow [Bm]high and the [Em]leaves they do grow [G]green. The [D]day is past and [Bm]gone, my love, that [Em]you and I have [G]seen. It's [D]on a cold [Bm]winter's night that [Em]I must lie a[G]lone For the [A]bonny [Bm]boy is [Em]young, but [Bm]grow--[G]ing. [D]At the age of [Bm]sixteen [Em]he was a married [G]man, And [D]at the age of [Bm]seventeen a [Em]father to a [G]son, And [D]at the age of [Bm]eighteen his [Em]grave it did grow [G]green: Cruel [A]death had [Bm]put an [Em]end to his [Bm]grow---[G]ing. And [D]now my love is [Bm]dead and [Em]in his grave doth [G]lie. The [D]green grass grows [Bm]o'er him so [Em]very, very [G]high. I'll [D]sit and I will [Bm]mourn his fate un[Em]til the day I [G]die, And I'll [A]watch all [Bm]o'er his [Em]child, while he's [Bm]grow---[G]ing. |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Car From: Genie Date: 01 Sep 09 - 09:04 PM So is the version that Martin Carthy does? It's an interesting variation on this tale and song. |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: Rasener Date: 02 Sep 09 - 03:44 AM Real Time do a lovely version of that with the lovely voice of Judy Dinning. They have a CD with it on. It's called Home Thoughts and the tracks on that CD are High Germany (Trad) Gallowa' Hills (Trad) Home Thoughts (Dinning/Speirs) Spootiskerry - Frank's Reel - McFadden's Reel - MacArthur's Road. (Ian Burns - John MacCusker - Trad - Dave Richardson.) Rock 'n' Roll Slave (Gold) A Saltire in the Sky (Speirs) Bonnie Glenshee (Trad) This Love ( Dinning/arr. Real Time) The Trees They Do Grow High (Trad) The Hurricane - President Garfield - The Banshee - The Cape Breton Fiddlers' Welcome to Shetland. (J.S.Skinner - Trad - John McMahon - Willie Hunter) Haughs O' Cromdale (Trad) Safe Home (Robinson) Stay Young (Gallagher/Lyle) http://www.thelandthelightthelocals.com/catalog.htm |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 02 Sep 09 - 12:12 PM I decided to write down what's she's singing on the Pentangle version seen on YouTube. I'll send the MIDI to joy for the DT. (I hope the DT is still taking MIDI's.) Am Em G Please note - I'm not saying these are the exact chords Pentangle used. They are chords one would expect from the notes of the tune. However, they are probably right. But don't be discouraged if you can't play complex chords. You can add your personal touch by refusing to bellow each verse, with the same swoops on the same notes, the way that singer does. (The Mudcat owes me big time for listening to that over and over to get the timing.) They are for an alto voice. The lowest note is the A below the staff. Click to play |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 02 Sep 09 - 12:21 PM Well, heck, the chords moved when posted. Here are the right words: Trees - Am leaves - Em green - G Many's - EM true - G seen - Am watched - Em -lone - G? Bm? young - Em dai- G -ing - Em Early music is one of my hobbies, and I like that Bm choice. It sounds ancient. |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: Joe Offer Date: 02 Sep 09 - 06:11 PM I posted the MIDI Leeneia sent me. It sounds good to me, much closer to the tune I know than what I see in the DT. I first thought the tune need to be more completely resolved at the end, but now I'm getting used to it. I also put a <pre> preformat tag before and after </pre>the chords to regularize the spacing. I hope they're more to your liking now, leeneia. -Joe- Click to play |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 03 Sep 09 - 10:11 AM Thanks, Joe. They are in the right places now. What do we know of the history of the lyrics and tune? |
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Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Trees They Do Grow High... (Carthy) From: Jack Campin Date: 03 Sep 09 - 10:55 AM I'm rather lost with the proliferation of links to versions of this song, but I haven't spotted this one, which I first heard as a kid at a family-and-neighbours sing-round-the-piano gathering. I believe I've also heard it sung by two female voices in harmony. I assumed it was a classical parlour arrangement of the tune that RVW says was the other Phrygian tune for it in the notes to the Penguin book (it isn't Phrygian, neither is the Penguin tune):
Yes it does go that fast, to spinechilling effect, though you slow down a bit at the end of each verse. Where's it from? |
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