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19 Nov 07 - 10:17 AM (#2197464) Subject: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: brunettebuffy Hello, relatively new person here. How d'y'do? I am trying to increase my repertoire at the moment, and somone very nice *tactfully* pointed out that most of the songs I like to do are quite sedate, and that I might think about adding some more up-tempo ones. I prefer ones that either I've learned from someone else or have come through my family, but we're pretty much out. I'd rather not start learning all the ones off lots of famous people's new CDs (call me picky but there it is). I am a bit stumped, to be honest. Does anyone have any suggestions for songs, or where I might look? I'm not so hot on the music reading, so anything with music files, even snippets, would be just top. Cheers! BB ------- Me: What day is it? Him: Umm, Septober. |
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19 Nov 07 - 10:22 AM (#2197468) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: IanC What songs do you do already? :-) |
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19 Nov 07 - 10:29 AM (#2197474) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: katlaughing Keep on the Sunnyside Oh, heck, there's a bunch. Once you figure out which ones you'd like to learn, usually someone can scare up a sound file to match. Ian's got a point. It would be helpful to know which ones you already do. You could find some good ones at Barry Taylor's Tunebook site. It's not just tunes, he's got some lyrics, too, plus we've got lyrics for over 9,000 songs right here. Anyway, on Barry's site, use the drop down menu to choose which country's songs you want to lsten to, etc. Welcome to the Mudcat! |
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19 Nov 07 - 10:43 AM (#2197489) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: brunettebuffy Aw thanks. I am a bit hesitant to admit it because I'm quite new to it, and am winging it somewhat. Mostly they are already ones off old folk LPs or from my folks which in some ways seems like cheating but I'm not sure where else to get them, and I have no frame of reference to what is considered naff. So, here are a few of the songs wot I have recently dun: A Fair Maid Walking All In Her Garden Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy Who's the Fool Now (some bloke came up to me afterwards and described with a rather critical tone how it was done to death in the sixties, but I wasn't around then so I didn't know. Confidence took a knock after that, but I suppose I have to learn to be more resilient if I want to do it) Week Before Easter Attempted the Black Cook once, which was alright but it's so long I don't think I'll ever get it down completely! I did do Botany Bay, The Trees They Do Grow High and Sweet England but I got fed up of those and haven't done them in a while. I don't do it that often but some new ones would be good. I hope that has now not made me some form of folk outcast, or that the folk police are not on the way...? ------- Me: What day is it? Him: Umm, Septober. |
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19 Nov 07 - 10:46 AM (#2197494) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: The Sandman Ball Of Yarn,Hopping down in kent,Bonny ship the diamond,Banks of Sacremento,http:www//dickmiles.com |
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19 Nov 07 - 11:09 AM (#2197510) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Bert To the tune of Willikins and Dinah Harbor Le Cou Master McGrath Still I Love Him Old Orange Flute Irish Washerwoman Lane county Bachelor Rosin the Beau Ancient and Old Irish Condom Lincolnshire Poacher The Thing The Chandlers shop Also search for @BAWDY in the DT for some real fun. |
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19 Nov 07 - 11:28 AM (#2197526) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Dave Sutherland What is sedate about The Black Cook? Also just out of interest from whom did you learn it? (I ask as Dave Southerland's alter ego) |
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19 Nov 07 - 11:53 AM (#2197550) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: brunettebuffy Thanks for all the suggestions everyone :-) I learned the Black Cook from a Dave Burland LP I picked up for fifty of your English pence at a car boot sale some months ago. I love it, but there are just SO many words!! I remember snippets but I'm not sure I'll ever learn the whole thing. I will try the @BAWDY thing, although my mother has threatened to disown me if I ever do The Molecatcher in public... ------- Me: What day is it? Him: Umm, Septober. |
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19 Nov 07 - 12:33 PM (#2197590) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: GUEST,upupandaway Chicken on a Raft. A-beggin' I will go. I'll fly away. You can tell the world. Roving Sailor. Gallowspole/prickleye bush. |
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19 Nov 07 - 12:35 PM (#2197592) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: katlaughing Lots of folks suggest learning songs from listening to LPs, tapes, CDs, etc. over and over - nothing wrong with that. Also, you can't take to heart what some idjit from the audience says to you about what is proper or not.I know that's easier said than done.:-) People like that are not worth your attention. There are lots of scholars here, but for the most part, they are KINDLY helpful and not rigid in their outlook. Most folks here are happy that you are singing and more than willing to help out. A couple more: Tattooed Lady Grandfather's Clock (an oldie but goodie!) |
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19 Nov 07 - 03:59 PM (#2197752) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: GUEST,Jim Carroll In a singing workshop I once was a member of we used Rocky Road to Dublin as an exercise for breath control and articulation - verse and refrain in one breath. Try it, it's good fun. Jim Carroll |
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19 Nov 07 - 04:01 PM (#2197755) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Big Al Whittle The mole catcher is a bit on the ponderous side. trad songs that I love are The Nightingale , the cornish Nightingale, Blow Away the Morning Dew, lots of shanties....too many others. If youre still struggling with the words thing these are good, cos the audience tends to know the words of the chorus, and it gives you a second to call to mind the system you have devised for remembering the words! The most interesting trad singers, sort of go beyond the words and use the words to puctuate the rhythm of the songs. in this way, they get humour and energy into the lyrics. But the first work out that mnemonic for the words. Thatis the nicest thing -the chorus, everybody knows - but when you astonish the room by confidently zipping into the correct verse - it makes them feel good, because it shows someone is in control and has been thoughtful enough to do that for them. have fun! |
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19 Nov 07 - 04:19 PM (#2197769) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: katlaughing Jim Carroll, thanks for that. I didn't know that song, have now tried it from the DT and reckon it has done more for my deep breathing and getting rid of pneumonia than any nebulizer treatments!:-)Whew, some quick phrasing there! Ah, should have said only knew the tune having only heard it as a tune piece, no words. |
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19 Nov 07 - 04:22 PM (#2197777) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Joe Offer I got a kick out of Bert's choice of Still I Love Him as an "upbeat" song. I think of it as a sad description of a very dysfunctional relationship. Still, as traditional songs go, I guess it IS upbeat. Nobody gets killed. We had a "Songs That Lift the Spirit" workshop at the Getaway two weeks ago. I think all of the songs chosen were recent compositions, although most were what I'd consider part of the folk genre. -Joe- |
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19 Nov 07 - 04:22 PM (#2197778) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Big Al Whittle Yes I was thinking of The Rocky Road, its an absolute bitch to sing when you first try. But its a great one to get that rhythmic thing going! I'd say get try something easier to start, and get the thing with the words sorted out. then when you have the words - you can start playing tricks with them. |
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19 Nov 07 - 04:32 PM (#2197786) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Art Thieme The State Of Illinois Wabash Cannonball The Fox Old Joe Clark By and By (The Cane Press Song) Froggy Went a-Courting The Lavender Cowboy The Old Woman Who Loved A Swine Blow Away The Morning Dew Stackerlee The Chivalrous Shark The Pig And The Inebriate The Frozen Logger Blood On The Saddle When I Was A Cowboy The Eddystone Light The Erie Canal The Bullhead Boat I Love My Rooster Turkey In The Straw Click Go The Shears Uncle Eph Got The Coon Groundhog Talking Guitar Blues Original Talking Blues I Like To Eat Good Old Colony Days Lady Who Swallowed A Fly Crawdad Song My Sweetheart's A Mule In The Mines Mr. Rabbit Waterbound Jerry Go And Oil that Car Zack The Mormon Engineer The Midnight Special Drill Ye Tarriers Drill Pat Works On The Railway Rock Island Line Pie In The Sky Deadheads And Suckers God Don't Like Ugly Talkin' Dust Bowl Ya Cannot Shove Your Granny Off A Bus Down In The Arkansas How Many Biscuits Can You Eat Click Go The Shears We 3 Kings Of Sloppy Joe's Bar Tittabawassee Jane Old Man Can Your Dog Catch A Rabbit Portland County Jail Hullabaloo Belay Talking Atom The Sow Took The Measils The Philadelphia Lawyer Land Of The Muskeg and The Shining Birch Tree Bowling Green Shady Grove Will Ye Go Lassie Ox Drivers Song Pokegama Bear Down By The Riverside Boatman's Dance The Gray Goose Going To Cairo Master Of The Sheepfold 2000 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall ;-) The Boll Weevil When The Wagon Was New Stewball ...and maybe a very timely song like: We've Got Franklin D. Roosevelt Back Again There's a few for you to begin learning. ;-) Art Thieme |
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19 Nov 07 - 04:41 PM (#2197796) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Joe Offer ...and I can hear your voice singing most of them, Art. You have a knack for picking traditional songs that are fun to sing and fun to hear - and there are relatively few dead people in them. -Joe- |
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19 Nov 07 - 08:29 PM (#2197933) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Art Thieme Joe, Thanks for that! I'm honored to have you say it. That list is 98% from my own repertory. And depending how you place 'em in a set, you can make a lot of serious points with seemingly innocuous songs by inserting just a few choice words of orienting intro to set time and place and context. Decent timing helps too. But a ton of my songs were serious and tragic. I could make a better, longer, list of hard-hitting songs. Life, we know, is often serious and tragic. The "lighter side" is often referred to as "comic relief." If it IS relief, it has to be relief FROM something. And to me, that SOMETHING is the basic tragedy---the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" that Shakespeare spoke of. I loved those serious tough stuff songs, and they could be given more insightful impact by setting 'em up with related humor or light songs to make a point. All the best to you, sir. Your work here is appreciated!! I hope you two are happy, healthy, wealthy --- and, hell, --- even GOOD! Art |
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20 Nov 07 - 01:21 AM (#2198029) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: katlaughing And a person could do really well at learning all of those from Art's CDs!! I did! In fact lotsa times I have an Art Thieme ear worm, singing on and on and on and on...**BG** Love you, My Fine Art! kat |
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20 Nov 07 - 03:01 AM (#2198054) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: GUEST,Jim Carroll Now you've tried 'Rocky Road' have a crack at the other test piece our workshop used, which was the Scots mouth music piece 'Tail Toddle' - a verse and two choruses in one breath, And when you get that right you can proceed to the Gilbert and Sullivan piece which begins "First we polish off some batches of political dispatches". I used to sing them in my sleep when I first started working in workshops; wonderful for developing technique, but the buggers grow on you after a time - I can still do them all (though I now have to take a breath after the first chorus of TT). Jim Carroll |
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20 Nov 07 - 04:07 AM (#2198077) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: GRex Brunettebuffy Songs were 'done to death' when they were good and popular. Don't think twice about reviving any of them. GRex |
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20 Nov 07 - 04:17 AM (#2198081) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: greg stephens Brunettebuffy: "done to death" indeed. A good song is a good song. In traditional circles, old Joe in the corner of the pub was expected to sing the same song every week, and evrybody enjoyed it. It is only the jumped-up educated clever dicks of the revival who decided sneering at stuff was cool. Sing the old songs with pleasure. And if people are avoiding them because they were "done to death", all the more reason to sing them.Lots of things were "done to death" in the 60's, sex and drugs for example. That's why nobody does them any more. Really? |
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20 Nov 07 - 04:31 AM (#2198094) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Big Al Whittle I suppose the problem with that is GRex, the people who were there when it was done to death - are still there for the main part. Well I am, anyway. I don't really accept you CAN do a song to death - if you're enjoying performing it - it will come over to the audience. i do hate it though, when someone hasn't bothered to work out a performance. you sort of feel - well if you can't give it your attention, why should I? the professionals make it look easy - when you start you need to go at it like a dope fiend. I think if you don't feel that need to try an get it right, somehow - you've got it wrong. For some reason every folk club meeting has someone who says, I haven't picked up the guitar (or whatever) for five years - sorry if its not in tune, and I forget the words. i don't know where this has come from - perhaps from the time before there were inexpensive tuners, and people didn't change their guitar strings. I wouldn't want to put anybody off singing though. |
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20 Nov 07 - 02:34 PM (#2198535) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: GUEST Well, there is certainly a lot of food for thought there. Thank you very much for your song suggestions and words of encouragement. I will keep at it :-) BB |
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20 Nov 07 - 02:50 PM (#2198545) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: GUEST,The Molecatcher's Apprentice "disown me if I ever do The Molecatcher in public..." disown and be damned...go ahead a sing it *LOL* |
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20 Nov 07 - 03:13 PM (#2198566) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Art Thieme Is "Mole Catcher" anything like "Groundhog?" Art |
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21 Nov 07 - 07:27 AM (#2199096) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Paco Rabanne The birds upon the trees..... magnificent |
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21 Nov 07 - 08:18 AM (#2199125) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Big Al Whittle Art The Molecatcher Collected by Bob Copper in about 1954 from Jim Barrett, at the Fox in North Waltham, Hants: see Chapter Fifteen, pp. 123-134, of Songs and Southern Breezes for the details; and the appendix for these words. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At Manchester City the sign of the Plough, There lives an old molecatcher, I can't tell you how. He goes a-molecatching from morning till night While the jolly young farmer goes playing with his wife. Chorus: Singing law-til-i-day, law-tili-little-i, law-til-i-day. The molecatcher jealous of the very same thing, So he hides in the bake-house and saw him come in, And when that young farmer got over the stile It caused the molecatcher to laugh and to smile. Chorus He knocked at the door and thus he did say, Pray, where is your husband, good woman, I say. He's gone a-molecatching, you need not fear, But little did she think the molecatcher was near. Chorus She went upstairs - he followed the sign, And the molecatcher followed them closely behind, And when that young farmer was in the midst of his sport The molecatcher grabbed him quite fast by his coat. Chorus He clapped his hands and laughed at the sight, Saying, This is the finest mole I've catched in me life. I'll make you pay well for ploughing my ground And the money it shall be no less than ten pound. Chorus Very well, said the farmer, the money I don't mind, For it only costs me about twopence a time. So come all you young farmer chaps, mind what you're at And never get caught in a molecatcher's trap. Chorus The version most people in English folkclubs defer to is by a talented singer called Bernard Wrigley, sometimes known as the The Bolton Bullfrog. Bernard plays the guitar very well and also a collection of of concertinas in various sizes. he is also gifted with a deep lugubrious Lancashire voice that he uses to great comic effect on this song. There one or two ruder words put in, in Bernard's version. Trad folk isn't really my thing, so apologies to the many mudcatters who know everything - if I've got it wrong. No hard feelings if you want to correct my answer. |
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21 Nov 07 - 08:21 AM (#2199128) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Richard Bridge I used to like "Molecatcher" - haven't heard it in ages. I think I'd better dig it up. Several questions. First, where are you and what is YOUR tradition? That is your touchstone (and it also affects what is easy to source). Second, what's the problem with learning stuff from your family? I sort of approve of that, it's more sort of "folk". Third, by "upbeat" do you mean cheerful, happy ending sort of stuff, or songs that you can gallop along at a good clip with a strong pulse (whether or not they have a happy ending)? Fourth, do you play or only sing? Suggestions that you can race along: - O'er the Hills and Far away (get drummer to play with you) Maui (you need guitarist - sing it as fast as he can throw the slightly tricky chord changes in teh middle, and never slow down for the chorus) Gentlemen of High Renown Daddy Fox (can be done at any speed, the US tradition is I think faster) Byker Hill Thousands of shanties (Bullshine Run makes a nice chugger, if you accept it as a shanty. I do John Dameray very fast too) Admiral Benbow (Brave Benbow he set sail... etc... version) The Princess Alice (contemporary, Dave Rickard) Johhny Dhu/Beggarman/Red haired boy (If you are celtic. Not a song fitted for an anglo-saxon!) Tree in the Bog Boss Man (Lightfoot) |
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21 Nov 07 - 08:33 AM (#2199142) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: brunettebuffy Mostly I play guitar and sing, but sometimes I just sing by myself (less to concentrate on!) I am a standard-fan, although I am just learning DADGAD (slowly). There's nothing wrong with the family stuff, but unfortunately it has to rely on ageing memories, and a limited repertoire to begin with, so I think I know it all now! By upbeat, I mean more tempo-wise. I'm not fussy if they are happy or depressing. Death counts don't worry me at all... I really like Old Joe Clark, I found a version of that last night, it's top. I think that will go on the list! I do love sea shanties, I have a CD of some Smithsonian Folkways recordings which are superb, but mostly they are done with lots and lots of voices and not much else, so I need to think more creatively with some of those... Finally I am in East Anglia. I must see if I can find any local to where I grew up. I didn't think of that...! |
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21 Nov 07 - 08:36 AM (#2199147) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: brunettebuffy PS - the bit of the Molecatcher that I think really made my Mother make the threat was that in our family, it's not "sport", it's "frolicks". We tend to replace the rhyming word in the next line with "elbow" :-) Later on, it "works out about tuppence a grind". There is a v. amusing thread somewhere about the effect of inflation on this song, and what the amount might be in today's money! I've not heard anyone other than my folks do it so I don't know if that's the Bernard Wrigley version. |
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21 Nov 07 - 08:57 AM (#2199160) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: GUEST,Young Buchan Alternatively you could go back to your normal repertoire and ask yourself if there are any happy songs with which you have fallen into the modern practice of slowing them down till they can barely drag thenselves along. I have heard people sing the delightfully cheery little love song Heather Down The Moor as if it was Die Moorsoldaten! Also for an object lesson in upbeat singing listen to recordings of Charlie Wills; this includes probably the world's only upbeat performance of Barbara Allen. |
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21 Nov 07 - 09:00 AM (#2199163) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: pavane Peter Bellamy did it like that (elbow). How about "Sorry the day I was married" And another foxhunting one, can't remember the title but it was done by Nic Jones. (maybe Bold Reyard?) It starts "You gentlemen who take delight in hunting bold Reynard the fox".. White Copper Alley (Nic Jones again) is a fast version of one of the Royal Albion/St James Hospital group of songs |
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21 Nov 07 - 09:35 AM (#2199172) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Fidjit Ok welcome to our world. You'll get lots of different advice on here. East Anglia is a big place. There's loads going on there. Reading your first plea. I understand it that you already know the stuff you want to do. Just want to get it into the 21st century. Suggest you listen to whats going on today via some folkrock groups like this No don't freak out. You don't need a whole group. just the uplifting tunes. They do a Botany Bay you might like. There's also Radio Britfolk you can check out some UP stuff on. Then there's WovenWheatWhispers It's endless. All the best. Chas |
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21 Nov 07 - 11:23 AM (#2199251) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Big Al Whittle DADGAD is a bit limited unless you have a very good teacher. there is more teaching material for standard tuning. |
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21 Nov 07 - 12:28 PM (#2199303) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Art Thieme I do belive, now that I see the lyrics, that I heard Peter Bellamy sing Molecatcher several times at festivals here in the U.S. Thanks for posting the words. Art Thieme |
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21 Nov 07 - 12:38 PM (#2199308) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Bert Well Joe, the gal in "Still I Love Him" will follow her guy to hell if that's where he goes. You can't get a love song more upbeat than that. Also Joe, Mudcat removed all my tabs. It didn't used to do that what went wrong? |
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21 Nov 07 - 05:57 PM (#2199514) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Richard Bridge There's a plethora of good East Anglian material (but I know hardly any). One is the drinking song from Just-near-Trunch "Rolling Drunk". There's "Yarmouth Town", I guess. |
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21 Nov 07 - 10:17 PM (#2199658) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Gulliver Hiya Chas, How U doin'? thanks for tip for Duncan McFarlane Band. Not much into folk-rock, but I like this! Hope to c u again, somewhere, Don |
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22 Nov 07 - 03:53 AM (#2199744) Subject: RE: Upbeat Traditional Songs From: Fidjit You're welcome Don. Plan to be over for July/August 2008 Chas |