Tune Req: If I Were Not upon the Stage

Subject: RE: Tune Req: If I Were Not upon the Stage
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Oct 13 - 12:57 PM

[e-mail] Re Piano Music & Words. I have managed to obtain a copy from my library from Music & Drama Library Plymouth.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: If I Were Not upon the Stage
From: GUEST
Date: 01 May 11 - 02:56 PM

Hi I am also looking for the musical version without the words of the song- any help please?

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Tune Req: If I Were Not upon the Stage
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 28 Apr 10 - 03:46 PM

I've always heard it as a slight variation (mainly for scansion reasons) on "Old King Cole"

Old   King Cole was a merry old soul   
If I was   not up- on    the stage   

and a    merry old soul was    he:
something else I'd like to      be.

I don't know whether that helps at all!

Cheers
Nigel

Subject: RE: Tune Req: If I Were Not upon the Stage
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Apr 10 - 02:23 PM

IF I WERE NOT UPON THE STAGE was written by Tom Sutton and published in 1947. The British Library has a copy of the sheet music.

Other sources attribute the song to Thomas Sutton, Stan Bowsher, and Bill Turner. (The British Library often indicates that its cataloguing data is incomplete.)

It is listed as a 36-second cut on Paul McCartney's live album "Tripping the Live Fantastic" (Capitol Records CD 947784, 1990). However, he doesn't even sing a complete verse; he uses it for comic effect as a lead-in to HEY JUDE. You can see and hear his performance at the Tokyo Dome here, at YouTube.

YouTube also has several examples of various versions of this song being performed by amateurs.

Apart from McCartney, I can't find any evidence that it was ever recorded.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: If I was not upon this stage
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 04:14 AM

Thanks. Chord sequences are not a lot of good as we have no guitarists and a not very confident pianist.

LTS

Subject: RE: Tune Req: If I was not upon this stage
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 03:41 AM

H Liz

I remember this one but can't find a way to do a tune on here. I'm just off to Milton Keynes for the day (someone has too) but I'll get Mick to posrt it in some way tonight.

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Tune Req: If I was not upon this stage
From: Alec
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 03:34 AM

Have been able to ascertain that the chord sequence for the verse is built around:C major,A minor 7th,D minor 7th,G 7th.
And for the chorus:C,G,G 7th.
Not much I know,but I hope it is of some use.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: If I was not upon this stage
From: Alec
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 03:13 AM

Did you get my pm,LTS?
I have identified a possible source in the "'cats/Uke" thread.
I will see what else I can find.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: If I was not upon this stage
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 03:04 AM

So no-one can help then?

LTS

Subject: Tune Req: If I was not upon this stage
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 04:00 AM

Can anyone help me in getting a copy of the sheet music (for free, it's for a school) for this Scout/Cubs/Gang show favourite please?

I've tried the usual routes via Google et al, but only found the words. I need dots for a pianist. An MP3 I can rip and notate would help.

Thanks.

LTS