Origins: Moving On Song

Subject: Moving on song?
From: Mark P
Date: 03 Mar 99 - 12:05 AM

Is this an Irish song, or gypsy. Anyone have any information on this one?

Subject: RE: Moving on song?
From: Elizabeth
Date: 03 Mar 99 - 01:07 AM

Written by a fellow called Ewan mcColl for a series he wrote on the hardships of the travelling people. (source The Christy MooreSongbook) He also wrote Ride On, The Ballad of Timothy Evans and others. Try a search on the net for more specific info about Ewan! Cheers :-)

Subject: RE: Moving on song?
From: Elizabeth
Date: 03 Mar 99 - 01:20 AM

Curiosity got the better of me! Try this link.

http://www.musicblvd.com/cgi-bin/tw/0720769012920441560_105_100665

Good luck. Elizabeth

Subject: RE: Moving on song?
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 03 Mar 99 - 03:00 AM

Ewan McColl didn't write Ride On (if you mean the 'Ride On' also recorded by Christy Moore), it was written by Jimmy McCarthy.

Brian

Subject: RE: Moving on song?
From: Pete M
Date: 03 Mar 99 - 02:37 PM

Elizabeth and Mark, there's no need to go elsewhere, the "Moving on song" (along with most of MacColl's songs from the radio ballads) is in the DT here. To find the others, and songs recorded by MacColl, search the DT (search box in the upper right corner of the screen) for MacColl.

The song you asked for specifically is from the radio ballad "The Travelling people", as Elizabeth says, about the Romanies in England. The Radio ballads series, produced by Charles Parker in conjunction with Ewan and Peggy Seeger. There was also a discussion on the radio ballads late last year, and Ewan's work and influence is frequently discussed. Try a forum search for MacColl.

One small request, please try not to ascribe a song to a nationality, it is arguable that in folk song there is no such thing. If you are trying to provide more information, "..recorded by the Patagonian group 'Magillicudy Reeks'." is helpful; saying it is a Patagonian song because they recorded it is not, and it annoys the hell out of some of us!

Pete M

Subject: RE: Moving on song?
From: Elizabeth
Date: 04 Mar 99 - 04:47 AM

Woops, sorry about the Ride On gaff....got a bit carried away!!

Subject: RE: Moving on song?
From: Ferrara
Date: 04 Mar 99 - 09:08 AM

Here's a vote for everybody being more relaxed about gaffes (maybe because I make so many of them.) The world could be a friendlier and more comfortable place if one lives by the convention that people get to do dumb things from time to time without having attention called to it. ... I may start a thread about this. But I'm afriad it will become another bone of contention! (*smile*, as Bill says)