Lyr Req: Bird in a Cage (Jean Ritchie)

Subject: Lyr req: Bird in a cage
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 07:37 PM

Hi,

I know there are some versions in the DT. Does anyone have Jean Ritchie's lyrics?

Any other lyrics beside those in the DT?

Thanks,

Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Bird in a cage
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 01:56 PM

A tough one to narrow down.
There are a lot of variants, as well as floating verses, and many titles.

Are you looking for those that speak of a lover that went away and left the girl with child?
Others speak of the girl pining for her lover who has gone away, but pregnancy not mentioned. The "Dearest Dear" group here; I don't think this is what you are after.
American versions only?

The verse about wishing 'her breast was made of glass' may be a floater. Others speak of the 'blackest crow' (called a floater by the Trad. Ballad Index). Both are used to show that the girl will never be false.

A few titles:
The Lass of Roch Royal (Child 76)- some of the versions in Bronson.
I Love You Well- Used by Randolph to group them.
The Blackest Crow- see thread 49071; 38681
Bird in a Cage
Breast of Glass- see esp. thread 38681
My Dearest Dear- Trad Ballad Index, Sharp, etc.
Banishment- Belden
Lonesome Dove (II)- Trad Ballad Index
The Brisk Young Lover-Sharp
Lover's Lament- Sandburg
Sweet Ellen, Mary Ann
etc.

Thread 38681 has several versions and refers to others. Some seem to be descended from a parlor song. An old and much-used theme.

MOre than one song with the title "Bird in a Cage." See album by Old 97's; a completely different song. Sandburg, "The American Songbag," p. 213, has another.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Bird in a cage
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 02:19 PM

Banishment," in Belden, is from a Civil War diary.
It has verses with- 'dearest dear', 'heart made of glass' (not breast) and the 'crow that is so black'. Grief at a lover gone, but no pregnancy. The lyrics are too incomplete to warrant posting.

H. M. Belden, Ed., 1940 and reprints, "Ballads and Songs," pp. 484-486.

(The song, "A May Morning," 1894, begins "Come out, come out, my dearest dear,..." but it is a happy song, no pining for a lost lover or breast of glass, etc. Levy Sheet Music.)

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Bird in a cage
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 05:45 PM

Thanks Q for your help.

I really wanted lyrics for "Bird in a Cage" and I know KyTrad (Jean Ritchie) did a song with that title.

The "Bird in the Cage" in the DT doesn't seem to be the right type of song. Notlooking for those that speak of a lover that went away and left the girl with child.

I know there is a "bird in a cage" lyric for Down in the Valley but it seems like a floating verse.

All the songs from the Dearest Dear/Ten Thousand Miles/Lonesome Dove/Blackest Crow might be related to the Sharp version which is close to what I'm looking for.

Richie

Subject: Lyr Add: BIRD IN A CAGE (Jean Ritchie)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 07:30 PM

BIRD IN A CAGE by Jean Ritchie

Bird in a cage, Love,
Bird in a cage.
Begging for freedom,
Dying a slave,
Dying a slave.

High on the mountain,
Valley so low;
All you can feel, dear,
Is the cold rain and snow,
Cold rain and snow.

Turn your back on me,
Court whom you please;
I can't forget you,
Darlin', I can't get free.
I can't get free.

I'm a bird in a cage, Love,
Just a bird in a cage.
Begging for freedom,
And I'm dying a slave,
Dying a slave.

Build up your walls, Love,
Build them so high.
Only let me see you,
Darlin', as you pass by,
As you pass by.

For I'm a bird in a cage, Love,
Little bird in a cage.
Begging for freedom,
And I'm dying a slave,
Dying a slave.

SOURCE: Jean Ritchie: Celebration of Life (Geordie, 1971), p. 52.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Bird in a cage
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 09:18 PM

Thanks Masato,

Glad you're still around. It's been several years since I started posting here again.

This is interesting to me because the first verse is found in Sharp's Down in the Valley/Birmingham Jail, the second verse has two songs Down in the Valley/Cold Rain and Snow (Sharp also), the other verse seem to relate to Free Little Bird (which also has the Bird in a cage lyric).

Masato, I assume this is a waltz(3/4) time? Does the melody resemble "Down in the valley"? The repetition of the last line makes it hard to fit.

Thanks again,

Richie

Subject: Lyr Add: A BIRD IN A GILDED CAGE (Lamb, Von Tilzer
From: Warsaw Ed
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 10:26 PM

How about the Bird in a Guilded Cage? Harry Von Tilzer 1900
Public Domain Music Sequenced by Benjamin Tubb www.pdmusic.org/
under Music 1900-1922 [first song]

"A Bird in a Gilded Cage" (1900)
Sung With Great Success by May A. Bell.
Words by Aurthur J. Lamb, 1870-1928.
Music by Harry Von Tilzer, 1872-1946.

1.
The ballroom was filled with fashion's throng,
It shone with a thousand lights,
And there was a woman who passed along,
The fairest of all the sights,
A girl to her lover then softly sighed,
There's riches at her command;
But she married for wealth, not for love he cried,
Though she lives in a mansion grand.

CHORUS
She's only a bird in a gilded cage,
A beautiful sight to see,
You may think she's happy and free from care,
She's not, though she seems to be,
'Tis sad when you think of her wasted life,
For youth cannot mate with age,
And her beauty was sold,
For an old man's gold,
She's a bird in a gilded cage.

2.
I stood in a churchyard just at eve',
When sunset adorned the west,
And looked at the people who'd come to grieve,
For loved ones now laid at rest,
A tall marble monument marked the grave,
Of one who'd been fashion's queen,
And I thought she is happier here at rest,
Than to have people say when seen.

(CHORUS)

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Bird in a cage
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 10:35 PM

Hi,

Thanks.

Great song. The lyrics need to be traditional if possible, also no gold diggers.

Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Bird in a cage
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 12:02 AM

Here is the text in Belden:

BIRD IN A CAGE
1.
Say that you love me,
Give my heart ease!
As soon as my back is turned
Love who you please.
Chorus:
Bird in the cage, love (3X)
Singing so sweet.
2.
Willy, my darly,
My darly dear,
If you don't love
Foolish I fear.
3.
Build me a nest
In the tower so high
So I can see you
When you pass by.
4.
I'll write you a letter,
Some two or three lines;
When you answer
Say you'll be mine.
5.
My parents don't like you,
That you well know;
They say you are not worthy
To knock at my door.

"This somewhat incoherent song combines the idea of security in a high place with the quite different image of a captive bird. Sandburg A(merican)S(ongbag) prints a text and tune from Kentucky."

"From the MS miscellany of William Dresia of Columbus, Kansas, sent to me by Miss Lowry in 1909."
H. M. Belden, ed., 1940, "Ballads and Songs," pp. 488-489.

An untitled song with elements of the above, also with the general form of "Down on the Levee" or "Down in the Valley" or "Birmingham Jail," in Folksongs of Florida, has the verses about Willy, and build me a ..., but no bird in a cage.

Subject: Lyr Add: BIRD IN A CAGE (Jean Ritchie)
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 08:12 PM

Richie- If you're asking about my, "Bird in a Cage," I wrote it in the '60s, but I didn't record it until 1970, on my record, "Clear Waters Remembered." We recently reissued it as a CD and it should be on my website: www.jeanritchie.com The tune is an "old-timey" sounding one; the accompanying instruments on the record are banjo (Dick Weisman), guitar (Happy Traum), bass (Russ Savakus), fiddle (Eric Weisberg). It's an Up-sounding tune, and the banjo drives the singer (as in, say, "Pretty Polly"). I suppose I did borrow a few words and phrases from older songs in my repertoire, as has been done down the centuries.

The song is also published in, CELEBRATION OF LIFE, which is nigh unto 'out-of-print,' so we don't offer it for sale anymore. Here are the words as I wrote them:

I'm a bird in a cage, love,
(Just a) bird in a cage,
Begging for freedom,
(And I'm) dying a slave,
Dying a slave.

High on a mountain,
Valley so low,
All I can feel, dear,
(Is the) cold rain and snow,
Cold rain and snow.

Turn your back on me,
Court whom you please;
I can't forget you, (darlin',)
I can't get free,
I can't get free.

(For) I'm a bird in a cage, love,
(Just a) bird in a cage,
Begging for freedom,
Dying a slave,
Dying a slave.

Build up your walls, love,
Build them so high,
Only let me see you (darlin')
As you pass by,
As you pass by.

(For) I'm a bird in a cage, love,
(Just a) bird in a cage,
Begging for freedom, (and I'm)
Dying a slave,
Dying a slave.
© 1969 Jean Ritchie Geordie Music Pub. Co.

(The words in parentheses are ones that are just slipped into the tune as you need them).

Cari Norris sings this, also Aubrey Atwater, and John McCutcheon I think.
Hope all this concerns the song you want. If so, enjoy the music! I'll try to get son Jon to send the music online for you, if I can catch his coattails! JR

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Bird in a cage
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 08:21 PM

Thanks Jean,

I'll try and get a recording. Hope you are well.

God bless,

Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Bird in a cage
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 06:57 PM

thanks Richie- I'm better, but still have no voice; talk about frustrating! I heard today that the shopping cart on my website (at Folklife Family Store) has finally been fixed...hope it's true. All records, books, videos dvds, etc. of ours may be found and ordered there.    Best, Jean