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10 Apr 99 - 11:59 AM (#69687) Subject: LYR. REQ: Choucounne From: dick greenhaus I tried this a long time ago, but a forum search didn't turn it up---I guess it's one of the Lost Threads. Anyhow, a song (lullaby) called Choucounne seems to be the unofficial folk national anthem of Haiti. It was reportedly composed in Creole by a gentleman who was a prominent Haitian poet; its chorus has been borrowed for a song called Yellow Bird (in English). It has, IMHO, a marvelous melody. Does anyone have the lyrics in Creole? It's been recorded by The Tarriers (who only had a transliteration of the words and didn't know what they meant) and by Bud and Travis (a record I've never heard). I have a smudged copy of transliterated lyrics which don't help me much. |
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02 Jan 07 - 12:34 AM (#1924522) Subject: Lyr Add: CHOUKOUN / CHOUCOUNE (Haitian Creole) From: Jim Dixon CHOUCOUNE is now in the DT but I don't think the accents display correctly. Hopefully they will in this version. Copied from here. The lyrics are in Haitian Creole. CHOUKOUN Words, Oswald Durand; Music, Michel Mauleart Monton; 1883. [After each chorus, repeat lines 2, 3, and 5 of the same chorus. For the first verse, this would be: "kon mwen sonje sa, mwen genyen lapenn, de pye-mwen nan chenn".] 1. Dèyè yon gwo touf pengwen [pinguin bush] Lòt jou mwen kontre Choukoun Li souri lè li wè mwen Mwen di: "Syèl, ala bèl moun!" (x2) Li di: "Ou trouve sa chè?" CHORUS: Ti zwezo nan bwa ki t' ape koute (x2) Kon mwen sonje sa Mwen genyen lapenn Ka depi jou-sa De pye mwen nan chenn 2. Choukoun se yon marabou Jè li klere kou chandèl Li genyen tete debou A si Choukoun te fidèl (x2) Nou rete koze lontan Jis zwezo nan bwa te parèt kontan (x2) Pito bliye sa Se twò gran lapenn Ka depi jou-sa De pye mwen nan chenn 3. Ti-dan Choukoun blan kou lèt Bouch-li koulè kayamit Li pa gwo fanm, li gwosèt Fanm konsa plè mwen touswit (x2) Tan pase pa tan jodi! Zwezo te tande tout sa li te di (x2) Si ou sonje sa Yo dwe nan lapenn Ka depi jou-sa De pye mwen na chenn 4. N' ale lakay manman-li Yon granmoun ki byen onèt Sito li wè mwen li di: "A mwen kontan sila-a nèt" (x2) Nou bwè chokola nwa Eske tout sa fini, ti-zwezo nan bwa (x2) Pito bliye sa Se two gran lapenn Ka depi jou-sa De pye-mwen nan chenn 5. Yon ti blan vini rive Ti bab wouj, bèl figi wòz Mont sou kote, bèl chive Malè-mwen, li ki lakÚz (x2) Li trouve Choukoun joli Li pale Fwanse, Choukoun renmen li (x2) Pito bliye sa Se two gran lapenn Choukoun kite mwen De pye-mwen nan chen |
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03 Jan 07 - 03:54 AM (#1925432) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: Wilfried Schaum This seems to be the original poem by Oswald Durand, published in 1896. |
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05 Jul 16 - 04:37 AM (#3799068) Subject: Lyr Add: CHOUCOUNNE (Oswald Durand) From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Choucoune Creole Words by Oswald Durand (1840-1906) Haitian Folk Song "Choucoune" is Haiti's most popular melody. Its rhythm is that of the meringue, the national dance of Haiti, a complicated habañera rhythm. The Haitians claim that the meringue cannot be played adequately by a white man. Certainly it is true that the intricate rhythmic shadings which the Haitian achieves in his performance are impossible to reduce to writing, employing, as we must, the conventional symbols of notation in current use. "Choucoune" is a girl's pet name. The words of this song were written by Oswald Durand, Haiti's foremost poet. The actual composer of the music is unknown. The text of the song is in creole, the patois (a mixture of French and African) spoken by natives. I first saw my sweet Choucoune Within a thick grove of trees; I said, "You're as fair as the noon!" She smiled and she seemed quite pleased. I said, "You're as fair as the noon!" "I thank you sir," said Choucoune. Little birds heard all that we had to say; Little birds were listening all the day! Ah, my tender one, Dainty, slender one, By the stars above I declare my love! Ah, my tender one, Dainty slender one, Smiling, gay Choucoune! coune! The eyes of my dear Choucoun Shine clear as the candlelight; Her smile, like the sun at noon, Is radiant, and warm, and bright; Her smle, like the sun at noon, Is radiant; my fair Choucoune! Chorus Note: The quintuplets (5) are sung with rhythmic freedom, without attempting exact divsions of measure. [McConathy, Beattie, Morgan, Music Highways and Byways, The Music Hour Series,(New York: Silver Burdett Co., 1936, pp.97-99)] |
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05 Jul 16 - 04:52 AM (#3799069) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Refresh of the Webster.edu linkage: #891: A review of the Choucoune material from Gage Averill |
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05 Jul 16 - 07:45 AM (#3799082) Subject: RE: Haitian creole From: Felipa I'd be interested to know more about the status of Haitian Creole as a language. Is it standardised enough to be considered a language in its own right or is it a variable mixture of French and indigenous language/s? Does it have any official or public status in Haiti, for instance in schools or government or media/broadcasting? I've just seen that there are Haitian Creole lessons available on the internet. And Wikipedia says it is the ONLY language of most Haitians - but it also says that until 2000, French was the only language of instruction in Haitian schools. Most of my questions are answered in the History section of this Wikapedia article |
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05 Jul 16 - 08:07 AM (#3799083) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: Monique It's the 1st official language of Haiti. Some stuff about it (in French). |
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05 Jul 16 - 05:51 PM (#3799139) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Felipa: And Wikipedia says it is the ONLY language of most Haitians Monique: It's the 1st official language of Haiti. I've yet to meet the monolingual Haitian, but that's just me. Haitians are a people divided; by complexion, location, politics, religion, whatever. It has always been thus. Witness the subject matter of Durand's century+ old poem here and the fact it is in Kreyol makes it an exception in his body of work. |
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05 Jul 16 - 05:56 PM (#3799140) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch I have no idea how it came about the earliest documentation of Haiti's Choucoune (the song, not he poem) is to be found in an American grade school songbook. It would be hard to imagine more age inappropriate subject matters. Ergo we get the hopelessly "cleaned-up" & sterilized version posted above. Pure speculation on my part but, one suspects Melville & Frances Herskovits' nearly concurrent field work in Haiti and the Northwestern U. - Silver Burdett – McConathy connection had something to do with it. See: Herskovits, Melville & Frances, Life in a Haitian Valley, (New York: Octagon, 1937) See also: Lis Camille And: Herskovits, Melville & Frances, Trinidad Village, (Melville papers, Northwestern U, 1939) also (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1976) |
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09 Jul 16 - 06:53 PM (#3799585) Subject: Lyr Add: CHOUCOUNNE (K Dunham, J-L Destiné) From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Choucounne By Katherine Dunham and Jean-Léon Destiné De`ye` yon gwo touf pengwen Lo`t jou mwen kontre Choukoun Li souri le` li we` mwen Mwen di: "Sye`l, ala be`l moun Mwen di: "Sye`l, ala be`l moun Li di: "Ou trouve sa che`?" Ti zwezo nan bwa ki t' ape koute Ti zwezo nan bwa ki t' ape koute Kon mwen sonje sa Mwen genyen lapenn Ka depi jou-sa De pye mwen nan chenn Kon mwen sonje sa Mwen genyen lapenn De pye mwen nan chenn Choukoun se yon marabou Je` li klere kou chande`l Li genyen tete debou A si Choukoun te fide`l A si Choukoun te fide`l Nou rete koze lontan Ti zwezo nan bwa ki t' ape koute Ti zwezo nan bwa ki t' ape koute Kon mwen sonje sa Mwen genyen lapenn Ka depi jou-sa De pye mwen nan chenn Kon mwen sonje sa Mwen genyen lapenn De pye mwen nan chenn ?Choucounne? Each year at carnival time in Haiti, a composition is selected as the ?theme song? of that particular holiday season and is honored throughout the duration of the carnival. Usually a merengue is chosen, as this is the most popular social dance in Haiti. The merengue Choucounne is typical of these gay, romantic, carnival honored songs. It is the story of a flirtation between a boy and a girl named Choucounne, and is sung in French patois by Katherine Dunham, Jean-Léon Destiné, and the entire ensemble. [Dunham, Katherine & Ensemble, Afro-Caribbean Songs and Rhythms, Decca, A-511, 4x78rpm, 1947*] *Recorded 1945 YouTube: Choucounne - Katherine Dunham & Her Ensemble (1946) Notes: The lyrics printed here are from my transcription, it's a bit off (see below.) This is the ?original? Kreyol publication of the song, not the poem. Contrary to the posts above and Averil's statements on Webster.edu, the artist sings only the first two verses of the original Oswald poem. American anthropologist-choreographer (and Herskovits student) Katherine Dunham passed through the Caribbean about the same time as her mentor, making additional stops in Jamaica & Martinique. The Dunham Company also performed a live version of Choucounne as part of their roadshows. The full orchestration, with lyrics, is on file in the Dunham Collection; Southern Illinois U.; Special Collections Research Center. It may be a while before I get back there. Maybe somebody closer can contribute: http://archives.lib.siu.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=6 See also: [Dunham, K., Cook, T., Journey to Accompong, (New York: Henry Holt & Co, 1946)] |
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09 Jul 16 - 07:35 PM (#3799591) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch My formatting must of fell apart up there somewhere, sorry. I should point out the spelling of the title, one n or two, will bring very different search results online. The latter, and Dunham's preference, might be considered Francophone or bourgeois, depending on the audience. If one compares the carnival theme references in Dunham's liner notes with Cowley's remarks on Lis Camille (see above,) and Colby (see below,) one can see we've got a couple of themes running in parallel; carnival music and tricky peoples and lefty-folkie Chicago musicians. The last two have a huge overlap, it's a given. Lyr Add: Colby (Martinique) We can also see the history of the Kreyol version of Yellow Bird is typically Caribbean (ie: derivative with multiple variations) though it's rarely studied in any broader context. |
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10 Jul 16 - 07:18 PM (#3799727) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Also on the subject of the song title, there is: Lyr Add: Little Bird (Ti Zoizeau) A children's folk song, also from Haiti, sometimes confused with an alternate title for Choucoune that began to crop up in the latter half of the 20th century. There are many variations on the spelling of both. |
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26 Jul 16 - 05:21 PM (#3802169) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch More on spelling variation: Chaconne (Seeger & Hamilton) Chacoune (Tarriers – Calypso Heatwave score) Chaucoun (Tarriers – commercial releases) Chocounne (Travis Edmonson) Chauconne (Andre Toussaint) Chocoune (Bamboushay Steel Band) Choo Choon (Audley Williams & the V.I.P.s) Chouconne (Merrymakers Steel Orchestra) Lovely Choucoune (The Phoenix Singers) |
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12 Nov 16 - 05:54 PM (#3820206) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch The first appearance of Choucoune in print (Music Highways and Byways, 1936, see above) is under the sub-heading A Musical Travelogue Through Latin America. For the first time in 60+ years I've just noticed the section co-editor is one Irma Goebel Labastille, yet another "Chicago musician." Irma Goebel, a classically trained pianist, was actually born in Germany and emigrated to Chicago with her parents. She eventually moved to New Jersey and married Ferdinand Labastille himself recently immigrated from… wait for it… Haiti. He was a professor of languages at Columbia U. I wonder which one of them, if either, did the English translation. Trivia: Their only child was Creole-American Woodswoman extraordinaire Anne Labastille (circa age 3 years at Choucoune's first printing.) |
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01 Dec 16 - 03:24 PM (#3823912) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch From: So Long Castro Pt. Deux: "If Batista had retained power with American support, what would have happened to Cuban music? what DID happen to Cuban music under Castro?" Joe I can think of no reason the Cuban outcome under Batista would have been radically different from the Bahamas of today. We will never know. As it happened, the content became mostly Cuban-American music. An auspicious time to review a couple of the 1950s recordings of Choucoune methinks: Cuban born Celia Cruz recorded the subject title for the American Seeco label (New York) in 1958, as the revolution was unfolding back in Cuba. She and her husband were exiled by Fidel. Cruz was already a U.S. cultural treasure and only continued on that path. Haitian ex-pat Martha Jean Claude recorded with Celia Cruz for Seeco and solo for the pre-revolutionary Cuban label GEMA. Claude's leftist credentials were enough for her to (mostly) remain in Cuba but label owners Guillermo & Rafael Álvarez Guedes, and Ernesto Brito became refugees. They set up shop in Puerto Rico and South Florida along with Jose Armada Sr. and so many others. None of them were owned by the Americans though their music was popular with stateside (and European and domestic Cuban) consumers. They were guilty of being decadent, bourgeoisie showgirls and media capitalists. The nationalized labels left behind in Cuba failed miserably even with the bounty of free content, no competition and no royalties to the artists. A Soviet era rationing system was required to prevent any world music from becoming more popular with Cuban listeners than their state approved & sponsored Fidelista fare. American born Jose Armada Jr. (Josesito) and Joey Boy Records, on the other hand, are still doing business at the exact same fifty-year-old South Florida address and still treating customers right just like his father before him. |
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01 Dec 16 - 04:50 PM (#3823930) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: John MacKenzie Choucounne Nina and Frederick. This is the only version I know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB3VuJ5HzbM |
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09 Jul 17 - 04:48 AM (#3865206) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch HIJACKING HAITIAN SONGS "Lacking a strict copyright and means of launching famous Haitian tunes in the United States, American music makes [sic] are using our music under new names and lyrics. With Caribbean songs and tunes breaking into U.S. hit parades and top tune lists, the hijacking of Haitian music has soared out of proportion to the credit Haiti is receiving. The best example of taking a Haitian tune and substituting new lyrics is evident in what happened to Haiti's beloved song «Choucoune», famous for 70 years since Poet Oswald Durand and Musician Moliard Montant [sic] composed the words and music. Harry Belafonte's album, «Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean», has a song «Don't Ever Love Me», which is unmistakably «Choucoune». In addition, the Norman Luboff Choir's album; «Calypso Holiday», includes a song entitled «Yellow Bird» which also is certainly «Choucoune». It is time that credit was given where credit is due, especially where Haitian culture is concerned. Some kind of control should, for the best interests of «advertising» our art, be placed on songs «borrowed» from Haiti by foreign musicians." Editorial, Haiti Sun, 22 Sept 1957, p4. |
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09 Jul 17 - 05:16 AM (#3865213) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Haitian nationals have had full access to the North American copyright/publishing process since its inception. Monton & Durand contemporary Haitian classical-folk composer Justin Elie (1883 – 1931) was with Carl Fischer Music based in New York's East Village. Same house as occupying U.S.M.C. favorite son John Philip Sousa. Business is business. It was the Haitian national government that was out of control. The second North American copyright for Choucoune, the first for a French-Creole version, was issued to American Katherine Dunham in 1946. Haitians would be hard pressed to name a more qualified Yank advocate for Haitian arts & culture. Haiti's Choucoune is neither the oldest example of the tune in the document record (that would be Martinique's Colby) nor the most popular (that would be the Yank's Yellow Bird ). Haiti's was the most popular variation on the melody for the decade leading up to Harry Belafonte's calypso craze in 1956-57. The Euro-American lefty folkie party line hasn't changed much since the Sun's 1957 editorial but I cannot locate a documented, retrievable reference of Choucoune, the M. Monton song, dated earlier than 1946. |
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09 Jul 17 - 05:21 AM (#3865214) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch John: That 1957 Nina & Frederik version was the most commercially successful Choucounne in the original French-Creole. It's credited to Massie Patterson's Jamaican-born ex-husband Sam. The Danish cover was arranged by jazz guitarist-bandleader Jørn Grauengaard. It was the Pattersons' second copyright of the Caribbean melody, Massie having already co-published Trinidad's Louis Camille with Lionel Belasco in 1943 (Calypso Songs of the West Indies.) |
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18 Oct 17 - 08:32 PM (#3883168) Subject: Lyr Add: CHOUCOUNNE (S.C. Patterson) From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch CHOUCOUNNE New Words and Music by S.C. PATTERSON (Based on a Traditional Theme) Moderately slow Oh, Oh, Oh Chou - counne Oh, Oh, Oh Chou - counne. Day yay jo gwo-to pan guan La shu- la quo-tre_Chou-counne. Le suer-re le lee wah wah Way day suel ah la belle moon. Way day suel ah la belle moon Le deem oo-troo ve sah share._ Teez wah zo no brah kee to-pe koo - te, Teez wah zo no brah kee to-pe koo - te. Pe-to blee ah sah say-tro gra la-pen ke du-pree schu-la deep wah wah mach-ine. Say-tro gra la-pen ke du-pree schlu lah deep wah wah mach-ine. Chou-counne say te - dur-ior choo Sher lee clau nay koon-shan - delle. Lee gan ya te tay dee boo Ah see Chou-counne te fe - dell Ah see Chou-counne te fe - dell New re - te -co-zain lon ton.___ Teez wah zo no brah kee to-pe koo - te, Teez wah zo no brah kee to-pe koo - te. Pe-to blee ah sah say-tro gra la-pen ke du-pree schu-la deep wah wah mach-ine. Say-tro gra la-pen ke du-pree schlu lah deep wah wah mach-ine. Ine. NOTE: French Patois Lyrics are spelled phonetically. SU 55-23 The Calypso Carnival: Ten Exciting Calypsos, Recorded on Columbia Record Album - CL 1007 "THE CALYPSO CARNIVAL," (New York: Ludlow Music, Inc., 1957, page 16) |
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21 Oct 17 - 11:18 AM (#3883718) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: leeneia A song has three main elements - the melody, the lyrics and the accessories. Accessories include the intro, the outro, the harmony and the accompaniment. In Choucoune we have a beautiful melody with words that have outlived their time. Adult males seducing teenagers is no longer considered acceptable by the civilized world. (We know she's a teenager because if were a mature village woman of say, 20, she would be married and raising children.) So somebody borrowed the melody, wrote new words, added a flute part, and voila "Yellow Bird" was born. I was a kid, and I loved it, especially the flute part. I still like it and sing it, and I play it on my mountain dulcimer. |
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23 Jun 18 - 09:40 PM (#3932945) Subject: Lyr Add: CHOUCOUNNE From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch 20 Choucoune Haïtianisches Volkslied (Méringue) “Popular song from Haïti The most popular Haitian folksong. It must have originated in 1880 or there abouts. (I first heard it and noted it down early in 1885, when it had already been in existence for some time.) Since then it has been edited by Fr. Frangeul* in Port-au-Prince, and claimed as the composition of M.Monton (born New Orleans, Sept. 29.1854. died in Port-au-Prince, May 11.1888). The words are by Oswald Durand (born in Cap Haitien, Sept.17.1840, died Port-au-Prince, April 24, 1906), the very gifted and most famous poet of the country. The Choucoune song is written in the patois créole spoken by the people of Haiti, and is naively droll, yet at the same time replete with delicate lyric charm. I give two of its seven stanzas. They are: 1. Dèhiè yon gros touff' pingoin, L'aut' jou moin contrè Choucoun'; Li sourit l'heur li ouè moin, Moin dit: Ciel á la bell' moun'! Li dit: Ou trouvez ça, cher? P'tits oèseaux ta pé couté-nous lan l'air. Quand moin songé ça, moin gangnin la pein' Car dipi jou-la, dé pieds moin lan chain'. 2. Choucoun' cé gnon marabout: Z'yeux-li clair' comm' chandell, Li gangnin tété doubout'… Ah! si Choucoun' té fidèl! Nous rété causer longtemps. Jouq z'oéseaux lan bois te paraîtr' contents. Pitot blié ca, cé trop grand la pein' Car dipi jou-la, dé pieds moin lan chaine. 1. Behind a thick hedge-row The other day I met Choucoune: She smiled, when she caught sight of me. I said: “By Jove! What a handsome girl!” She said “You really think so, sir?” The little birds in the grove were listening all the while. This dream afterwards gave me great pain, For I've been madly in love ever since. 2. Choucoune was a marabout, Her eyes twinkled like a candle, And her bosom was round and full. Alas! If she'd only been true to me! We stood a long time talking together Long as ever the birds in the grove would let us. I'd rather forget it, the pain's too intense, For I've been madly in love ever since.” [Friedenthal, Albert, Stimmen der Völker (Gems of Folk Music): Echos des Peuples (Berlin: Schlesinger'sche, 1911, pp.26-27)] *Haitian music publisher Fernand Frangeul (1872-1911) the assumed source of the, as yet, unrecoverable original sheet music. It's thought by the time Frangeul got around to arranging & publishing it a piece had already been in popular circulation for some time but Friedenthal's dates are the earliest estimates I've found so far by almost a decade. Note: The text is given in German, French and English. Includes earliest music I've found so far. |
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23 Jun 18 - 09:41 PM (#3932946) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch “Die Perle unter den Liedern Haïtis ist ,,Choucoune”6 , ein über das ganze Land verbreitetes und äußerst beliebtes Volkslied, das etwa um das Jahr 1878 entstanden ist. Als Komposnist gilt der 1886 in Port-au-Prince versterbene M. Monton. Die ebenso volkstümliche Dichtung rührt von dem begabtesten Dichter des Landes, Oswald Durand (gest. 1906), her…. [Score – verse] Dan folgt voller Koketterie und Grazie der Refrain: [Score – refrain] Wieder steht im Mittelpnkt der Dichtung eine Mulattin, Choucoune, ein leichstsinniges Persönchen, das den jungen Leuten seinerseit die Köpfe verdrehte12 . Die Dichtung, im créole, dem haïtianischen Patois geschrieben, ist von drolliger Naivität, besitzt aber auch starke lyrische Reize. Da ich die Kenntnis des Französischen bei meinen Lesern voraussetze, gebe ich im folgenden eine Übersetzung, in der ich eine Redewendung im Refrain, die mir besonders charakteristisch erscheint, unübersetzt stephen lasse: dé pieds moin lan chain'. Es heißt: Car dipi jou-la (car depuis ce jour ) dé pieds moin (les pieds à moi), lan chain' (étaient enchainés). Also: Seit jenem Tage waren meine Füße wie angekettet – womit der Erzählende sagen will, daß er bis über die Ohren verliebt war. Der Übersetsung schicke ich die zwei ersten Strophen im Original voraus: 6. Ist vollständig notiert in dem oben genannten Sammelwerk, Heft 2 (Zentral-Amerika, Westindien und Venezuela). p.21 Followed by same two opening Créole verses from 1911's “Stimmen...” plus all eight verses of the Oswald poem in German. [Friedenthal, Albert, Musik, Tanz und Dichtung beiden Kreolen Amerikas, (Berlin: Hausbücher-Verlag Hans Schnippel, 1913, pp.137-141)] |
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02 May 23 - 02:25 AM (#4171292) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Choucoune From: GUEST My name is Joe and I do not know the song Choucoune from 1888 but what folks do not know is that this was first recorded in 1938 as a tune. This was not heard in English until 1957, Alan Arkin wrote an new song called Yellow Bird which was first recorded by the Norman Luboff choir. Harry Belafonti did not recorded but a set of new words called Don't Ever Love Me was much remembered. In 1987 my music teacher said she had Luboff's first version of Yellow Bird and my school Royal Blind School in Edinburgh had the record player and the words of the song for the school to sing. In 1993 i had a cd of Belafonti's songs and I first heard Don't Ever Love Me which was first recorded by him in the same year of 1957. Many singers who write new songs don't have the same Choucoune tune but use the first tune line but a new sentiment come in. I first heard this when my friend Vicky sang a song to the first part of the 1896 tune but the rest of the song don't belong to the tune. Thankyou very much all you folks from Mudcat. |