Lyr Req: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)

Subject: RE: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 May 13 - 05:17 PM

Thanks, Larry.

Charley Noble

Subject: Origins: 'Song For Gale' by Larry Kaplan
From: Larry Kaplan
Date: 27 May 13 - 01:49 PM

Hi,

I have been posting some songs on YouTube and thought this recording of 'Song For Gale' might be of interest. Thanks

Larry Kaplan

'Song For Gale' by Larry Kaplan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)
From: GUEST,hg
Date: 25 Nov 11 - 08:47 AM

thanks, joe...it's for someone else who wants to see if Larry will do a concert... love, hg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Nov 11 - 02:59 AM

Hi, Harpgirl-
Maybe it would be an idea to call Caroline Paton at Folk-Legacy Records, 1-800-836-0901
She keeps track of many of the people who have recorded on the Folk-Legacy label, and you'll love talking to Caroline. Buy a few CDs from her - I'm sure she'll appreciate the business. Do you have all the Golden Ring recordings? They're my favorites.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)
From: GUEST,hg
Date: 24 Nov 11 - 11:16 PM

Anyone know how Larry Kaplan can be contacted?
love, harpgirl

Subject: Lyr Add: SONG FOR GALE (Larry Kaplan)
From: GUEST,Larry Kaplan
Date: 26 Jun 11 - 05:45 PM

Well, here's how I wrote "Song For Gale" and here's how I sing it in performance. It was/is common for open boat fishermen to sit facing forward and push the oars forward to row, so that phrase was intentional. Thanks! LK


SONG FOR GALE
(Larry Kaplan)

Blue skies, south wind
Fish jumpin' into your hand
What a time to be working old Nantucket Sound
From the Island into the Mainland

Worn out, smellin' of bait
You'd come home at the end of the day
And the sun over West Chop
Those warm summer breezes
Made you think it would never change

CHORUS: Get me my fiddle
         We'll sing all the old songs
         Now you take the high notes
         And I'll sing the low
         Good times and hard times
         They're worth all the tellin
         It won't matter to me
         If you sing em that well

I remember the time when you worked for a living
Pushing hard just to get back to shore
When you busted your back or you just wouldn't eat
They don't talk much of that anymore
When you sat with the old folks
Fell asleep from their stories
Stayed awake with the howling winds
Sang your songs till the children were all tucked away warm
And the night tides come rolling back in

CHORUS

Blue skies, south wind
Fish jumpin into your hand
What a time to be working old Nantucket Sound
From the Island into the Mainland

CHORUS
                                 Larry Kaplan
                                 c, 1988, Hannah Lane Music

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 04:37 PM

Be sure to look at the Bowdoin thread, which has a post from Larry himself. This is what Celtaddict says about him in that thread:

Larry Kaplan is a pediatrician in Connecticut; by day he arranges programs for children with medical problems, and by night he writes wonderful songs that people like Gordon Bok record. Talk about someone who is blest in his work.

By the way, Click here for photos of West Chop Lighthouse - I really need to get a lighthouse plug in here...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 04:22 PM

Joe-

Thanks so much! That was just what I was after and it makes a better starting point for learning.

I hope you enjoyed listening to Larry sing this one again! It's a fine song.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: DT Correction: SONG FOR GALE (Larry Kaplan)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 03:55 PM

Hi, Charley-
Here are the notes and lyrics from the CD booklet from Larry Kaplan's delightful Worth All the Telling collection, Folk-Legacy CD-122

1. SONG FOR GALE (Kaplan, © 1988, BMI)
Larry: guitar, 2nd guitar, vocal • Frank: fiddle

This was written for E. Gale Huntington of the island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Gale is an author, historian, farmer, fisherman, sailor, teacher, fiddle player, song collector, and a close friend who, in his 90 years, has brought so many wonderful songs to so many people. During one of his recklessly slow drives "up island," Gale recalled for me how quickly so much has changed there.

Song For Gale
(Larry Kaplan, 1988)

Blue skies,
South wind,
Fish jumping into your hand.
What a time to be working
Old Nantucket Sound
From the islands into the mainland.

Worn out,
Smelling of bait,
You'd come home by the end of the day.
And the sun over West Chop,
Those warm summer breezes,
Made you think it would never change.

CHORUS
Get me my fiddle,
We'll sing all the old songs.
Now you take the high notes
And I'll sing the low.
Good times and hard times,
They're worth all the telling;
It won't matter to me
If you sing 'em that well.

I remember the time
When you worked for a living,
Pushing hard just to get back to shore.
When you busted your back
Or you just wouldn't eat.
They don't talk much of that anymore.

When you sat with the old folks,
Fell asleep from their stories,
Stayed awake with the howling winds,
Sang your songs till the children
Were all tucked away warm,
And the night tides come rolling back in.
Get me my fiddle...

Blue skies,
South wind,
Fish jumping into your hand.
What a time to be working
Old Nantucket Sound
From the islands into the mainland.
Get me my fiddle...

---

Now, here's what I hear on the recording:

Blue skies,
South wind,
Fish jumping into your hand.
What a time to be working
Old Nantucket Sound
From the island into the mainland.

Worn out,
Smelling of bait,
You'd come home at the end of the day.
And the sun over West Chop,
Those warm summer breezes,
Made you think it would never change.

CHORUS
Get me my fiddle,
We'll sing all the old songs.
Now you take the high notes
And I'll sing the low.
Good times and hard times,
They're worth all the telling;
It won't matter to me
If you sing 'em that well.

I remember the time
When you worked for a living,
Pushing hard just to get back to shore.
When you busted your back
Or you just wouldn't eat.
They don't talk much of that anymore. (no chorus here)

When you sat with the old folks,
Fell asleep from their stories,
Stayed awake with the howling wind,
Sang your songs till the children
Were all tucked away warm,
And the night tides come rolling back in.
Get me my fiddle...

Blue skies,
South wind,
Fish jumping into your hand.
What a time to be working
Old Nantucket Sound
From the islands into the mainland.
Get me my fiddle...

---

From the CD bookled:

Some lyrics in this recording may differ from those included in this booklet. The intended words are the printed versions. (LK)

---

Sol, what Cindy Kallett album is it on? Anybody know of other recordings of this song? I swear I've heard it from other singers, besides Kaplan and Zentz.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 03:43 PM

In Cindy Kallet's version the fist stanza is split in 2 with another chorus added after "mainland". That is how it has usually been performed at Mystic and that is how I sing it.

                                             SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)
From: Peace
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 03:05 PM

Song For Gale ......... v.34#1 ......... p.76
                   Larry Kaplan

The above is regarding SingOut Magazine. That might settle it.

Subject: Lyr Req: Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 02:29 PM

Yes, I know this song is in the DT but my question is whether the lyrics are what Kaplan composed. Here's what's in the DT:

SONG FOR GALE

(Words and music by Larry Kaplan
Written for E. Gale Huntington of Martha's Vineyard
Copyright Larry Kaplan 1988, BMI)

Blue skies, south wind, fish jumpin' in your hand
What a day to be working old Nantucket Sound
From the islands into the mainland;
Worn out, smelling of bait,
You'd come home by the end of the day
And the sun over West Chop,
Those warm summer breezes
Made you think it would never change.

Chorus:

Get me my fiddle we'll sing all the old songs
Now you take the high notes, and I'll sing the low
Good times and hard times, they're worth all the telling –
It won't matter to me if you sing 'em that well.

I remember the time when you worked for a living
Pulling hard just to get back to shore
When you busted your back or you just wouldn't eat
They don't talk much of that anymore;
When you sat with the old folks, fell asleep from their stories,
Stayed awake with the howling winds;
Sang your songs till the children were all tucked away warm,
And the night tides come rollin' back in.

(repeat first verse)

Here is how I'm transcribed Bob Zentz singing this song, which has some major changes which may be part of my confusion:

SONG FOR GAYLE (Sic)

(Words and music by Larry Kaplan
Written for E. Gale Huntington of Martha's Vineyard
Copyright Larry Kaplan 1988, BMI
As sung by Bob Zentz on BOB ZENTZ: Hove-to and Drifting, © 1999)

Blue skies, south wind, fish jumpin' into your hand
What a time to be working old Nantucket Sound,
From the island into the mainland;
Worn out, smelling of bait,
You'd come in when the wind drove you home,
And the sun over West Chop,
Those warm summer breezes,
Made you think that it never could change.

Chorus:

So get me my fiddle, we'll sing all the old songs
You take the high notes, and I'll sing the low
Good times and hard times, they're all worth the telling –
It don't matter to me if you sing 'em that well.

Oh, I remember the days when you worked for a living,
Pulling hard just to get back to shore
And you busted your back till you just couldn't eat
They don't talk much of that anymore. (CHO)

I stayed awake with the old folks, fell asleep to their stories,
Sang songs in the howlering wind;
Told stories till the children were all tucked away warm,
And the night tide came rollin' back in. (CHO)

I'm thinking of singing this song at a memorial service and I'd appreciate any feedback on Kaplan's original version.

Charley Noble