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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Minstrel (Graham and Eileen Pratt) From: Joe Offer Date: 31 Jul 23 - 04:41 PM from Elizabeth Block: New verse, wrote it a week or two ago: I sing my song to fight injustice, Of righteous wrath to stoke the fires, When nations we call democratic Oppress and kill like evil empires. When some grow rich beyond all measure, When some aren't paid enough to live, A song may be a feeble weapon, A song is what I have to give. |
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Subject: Origins: The Minstrel (Pratt) From: Joe Offer Date: 16 Aug 21 - 11:41 AM Thread #11535 Message #4117637 Posted By: GUEST,jugmws 23-Aug-21 - 05:06 PM Thread Name: 'I SANG A SONG'? -Nick Dow- what song???-Minstrel Subject: RE: 'I SANG A SONG'? - Nick Dow - what song???
I am a little bemused by all these comments about The Minstrel as sung by Eileen Pratt. My understanding of this is that the song itself was written by someone entirely different called Stewart Hendrickson. Two extra verses were written later by Robert Rodriquez, though the song itself is long enough as it it is in original form. Thread #11535 Message #4117641 Posted By: GUEST,Nick Dow 23-Aug-21 - 05:30 PM Thread Name: 'I SANG A SONG'? -Nick Dow- what song???-Minstrel Subject: RE: 'I SANG A SONG'? - Nick Dow - what song???
Here are the Lyrics as I learned them. Thread #11535 Message #4117650 Posted By: GUEST,jugmws 23-Aug-21 - 06:38 PM Thread Name: 'I SANG A SONG'? -Nick Dow- what song???-Minstrel Subject: RE: 'I SANG A SONG'? - Nick Dow - what song???
Nick you really should attempt it again; it is a great song & with your skill you can carry off the tonal change easily. I had not come across Robert Rodriguez, but if I met him I would like to ask why he thought it needed the extra verses ? Graham sent me a package last week & is still very active, though more on choral scene now. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Minstrel (Graham and Eileen Pratt) From: wendyg Date: 07 Apr 21 - 07:04 AM Came across this thread these many years later. I heard Graham sing the song at a British folk club (no idea which one any more) and learned it off his and Eileen's record. I don't recall sitting down and consciously changing any of the lyrics, but in performance it's pretty typical that a singer will gravitate to slightly alterations that feel more natural. That certainly explains the alterations marked above as "for scansion". I personally will not be adding Bob Rodriguez's verses. While they're nicely done, I don't think they are in keeping with the rest of the song, which focuses on the minstrel's role throughout these various stages of (English) history. Rodriguez's verses seem to me to be about the events *around* the minstreal, a real difference. (Also, at least one of the verses is presumably fictional, and for me that also does not fit the point of the song.) The MP3 of my recorded version is still available at the link above. wg |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Minstrel (Graham and Eileen Pratt) From: VirginiaTam Date: 17 Nov 08 - 09:04 AM Ok forget that request. I just followed a series of links from one above and found out what they are up to. Doh! Also found out in my search for Gram & Eileen Pratt on the Mudcat, that I was guest, poetspider on MC back in 2003, looking for Doll thy ale. Think I have contracted the alzhiemers. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Minstrel (Graham and Eileen Pratt) From: VirginiaTam Date: 17 Nov 08 - 08:57 AM Damn! I wish I had been Mudcatting back in April 2006. I had picked out the verses (after many listens to audioucassette) and taught it to my daughter in 2002 or 2003. Though I see I misinterpreted coalpit as pulpit. Thanks for that correction. What has happened to Graham and Eileen Pratt. Anyone know? Should I start a new thread for that? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Correction to 'The Minstrel' (Pratt) From: Barbara Date: 28 Sep 08 - 04:43 PM I first heard this song from Simon Trevelyan of the Vancouver BC Folk Song Society, and he learned it from the blind NYC singer, Robert Rodriquez. Robert wrote two more verses for it and entered it in a song competition of some sort, which he won. (This all from his telling). Here are his two verses, which he added to the beginning. I sang my song in glen and heather To rouse the tribes in time of war I sang my song to Pict and Druid Of mythic heroes in days of yore But when the might Roman legions Brought fire and sword onto our land No more was heard the sound of singing The legions stilled the harper's hand I sang my song to noble Arthur And Guinevere his fabled Queen I sang of songs of knightly valor And of the hallowed Grail ne'er seen But when the bloody Saxon reavers Came plundering Albion's fair shore They drenched our lives in blood and fire And darkness filled the land once more Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Correction to 'The Minstrel' (Pratt) From: Irene M Date: 28 Sep 08 - 08:54 AM I have been singing this for 30 years and have the song-sheet the published way back when. Verse 1 is fine,as is verse 2. Verse 3, line 3 should read "amid the pigs and geese and cattle". Verse 4, line 2 ends rhyme, not rhymes. Line 4 ends crime (singular). Line 6 is "all those who left the poor oppressed" Verse 5, line 3 ends sirens (plural). Line 7, delete the word "for" at the start. Verse 6 is: My voice grows tired, my eyes are weary My aging memory nearly gone I've sung my song for lord and lady I've sung it too for common man But 'til there's no more time for singing Until we reach the story's end I'll always find the strength within me To rise and sing my song again. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Correction to 'The Minstrel' (Pratt) From: Terry McDonald Date: 28 Sep 08 - 04:43 AM You could ask Graham Pratt - PM me and I'll give you his e-mail address. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Correction to 'The Minstrel' (Pratt) From: Joe Offer Date: 27 Sep 08 - 05:17 PM Any other corrections to the lyrics posted by Jeri? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE MINSTREL (Graham and Eileen Pratt) From: Jeri Date: 25 Apr 06 - 08:10 AM Here it is with Richard's corrections, except for his own changes. I think we ought to try to get the song in the DT the way it was written. THE MINSTREL (Graham and Eileen Pratt) I sang my song at Hastings' battle To praise the deeds of Charlemagne. I sang of Arthur and of Roland, That man remember their great fame. I sang to rouse a sinking nation, That king and man might never yield. But when the battle cry was over, We all lay dead on Hastings' field. I sang my song to conquer loved ones. I sold my voice to him who paid, To sing his lady gentle love songs, To lend his passion subtler shades. And when my silver-throated praises At last did melt her heart of stone, They paid me and they both departed, And left me there to sing alone. I sang my song at fair and market, A song much bawdier than before. Amidst the pigs the geese and the cattle, I sought to please the crowd once more. I sang to win applause and favour, Songs of the cuckold and the whore. And though I gladly took their money, I missed the songs I'd sung before. I sang my song at times of anger. I found new purpose in my rhymes. At kings and queens, I'd point the finger, And bid them see the nation's crimes. How bitterly did I condemn them, All those who bled the poor oppressed, But the time was not yet ripe for changes, And I hung at Tyburn with the rest. I sang my song in mill and coal-pit, My voice all cracked with dust and fumes. I took my tune from the factory siren, I took my rhythm from the looms. But whether anybody listened, Or paid attention, I can't say. For I couldn't stand the smoke and the chimneys, So packed my bags and moved away. My voice is tired. My eyes grow weary. My aging memory's nearly gone. I've sung my song for the lord and lady. I've sung it for the common ones. Until there's no more time for singing, Until we reach the stories' end, I'll always find the strength within me To rise and sing my song again. @music filename[ MINSTRL TUNE FILE: MINSTRL (missing) CLICK TO PLAY XX |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Correction to 'The Minstrel' (Pratt) From: GUEST,The black belt caterpillar wrestler Date: 25 Apr 06 - 07:40 AM From memory the corrections from Richard match with the author's original performances, the best of which I thought was on the "Magic Pear tree" cassette. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Correction to 'The Minstrel' (Pratt) From: Richard Bridge Date: 25 Apr 06 - 04:41 AM Here is a link to the Grossman performance: I cannot see how to download the mp3. The Minstrel Working from that performance, and in places from the scansion, I have the following suggestions: - 1. The verse now added is not the last verse, but the penultimate verse. 2. V1 L4 "that man remember" (comment, a nice use of the residual subjunctive in English) 3. V3 L3 "Amidst the pigs..." 4. V4 L8 Delete "And" (comment, this is my change suggested for scansion reasons: the original seems so good I would be surprised if the additional syllable were correct) 5. V5 L3 (NB the correct V5 when the re-ordering has been done) delete "the", pluralise "siren" to "sirens". Again I suggest this simply for scansion reasons. 6. V6 L1 "My voice is tired; my eyes grow weary" 7. V7 L3 "for lords and ladies" Again I suggest this simply for scansion reasons. 8. V7 L5 "Until there's no more time for singing". |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE MINSTREL (Graham and Eileen Pratt) From: Joe Offer Date: 25 Apr 06 - 03:26 AM OK. This is what we have for the whole text, including the last verse. Any other corrections? Can anybody send us the tune? -Joe Offer- THE MINSTREL (Graham and Eileen Pratt) I sang my song at Hastings' battle To praise the deeds of Charlemagne. I sang of Arthur and of Roland, That men remember their great fame. I sang to rouse a sinking nation, That king and man might never yield. But when the battle cry was over, We all lay dead on Hastings' field. I sang my song to conquer loved ones. I sold my voice to him who paid, To sing his lady gentle love songs, To lend his passion subtler shade. But when my silver-throated praises At last did melt her heart of stone, He paid me and they both departed, And left me there to sing alone. I sang my song at fair and market, A song much bawdier than before. Amidst the pigs and geese and cattle, I sought to please the crowd once more. I sang to win applause and favour, Songs of the cuckold and the whore. But though I gladly took their money, I missed the songs I'd sung before. I sang my song in time of anger. And found new purpose in the rhymes. At kings and queens, did point the finger, And bid them see the nation's crimes. How bitterly did I condemn them, All those who left the poor oppressed, But the time was not yet ripe for changes, I hung at Tyburn with the rest. I sang my song in mill and coal-pit, My voice all cracked with dust and fumes. I took my tune from the factory sirens, I took my rhythm from the looms. But whether anybody listened, Or paid attention, I can't say. I couldn't stand the smoke and chimneys, So I packed my bags and I moved away. My voice grows tired. My eyes are weary. The aging memory nearly gone. I've sung my song for lord and lady. I've sung it too for common man. Until there's no more time for singing, Until we reach the stories' end, I'll always find the strength within me To rise and sing my song again.
Wendy Grossman has an online recording of the song here (click). This transcription matches what I hear on Grossman's recording, but it's possible that Grossman has altered parts of the song. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: Correction to 'The Minstrel' (Pratt) From: Richard Bridge Date: 24 Apr 06 - 02:55 PM May I point out a verse missing in the digitrad? As the late Dave Bryant pointed out 4 years ago the penultimate verse is missing. The words he posted then (as he said "from memory") do not perfectly tally with the Wendy Grossman singing that I have also found on the internet, which are as follows: - "I sang my song in mill and coal-pit, My voice all cracked with dust and fumes. I took my tune from the factory siren, I took my rhythm from the looms. But whether anybody listened, Or paid attention, I can't say. For I couldn't stand the smoke and the chimneys, So packed my bags and moved away." All the other internet sources I have found point back to the digitrad or a mirror so it would be nice to restore this verse to the digitrad version. |
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