To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=127668
45 messages

Poem into song? Help please

26 Feb 10 - 10:42 AM (#2850818)
Subject: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

I have just discovered a poem written by my other half Beth, (who is quite a few years younger than I)that she wrote in 1975, and as I am getting ancient now and might not be around for much longer, I
would love to surprise her by getting someone to put a simple tune to it, if it is possible.

It looks to me that the last verse might be used as a chorus, but not having the first idea of how to go about it I don't really know.


A lonely time, a lonely place,
A lonely hearts sad sigh
And far beyond an empty space
Another heart still cries,
                            for love


Plucked the petal scattered the seed
The Beech's broken bough
Yet in that rich dark soil of life
The root lies deep even now,
                            in love


The hollow hills the fields each turf
Builds up a wall between
But we in faith of hearts ne're cold
Shall build up with mountains high,
                                    of love


Always a way for love
Always a day for love
The time and the place for love
Are given to us in time


If there is anyone out there that could offer any advice or point me in the right direction to get it done I would be most grateful.


26 Feb 10 - 01:48 PM (#2850961)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: maeve

This is worth refreshing!

If the real musicians here aren't in a position to help, send me a PM and I will. It would be good if someone with the equipment and experience could give it a try first.

maeve


26 Feb 10 - 01:52 PM (#2850965)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: SINSULL

I will give it some thought, w. At least for an existing tune. LonesomeEJ and David Coffin have done this for other lyrics.


26 Feb 10 - 02:24 PM (#2850996)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: GUEST,mg

It is lovely and I think quite amenable to being put to a tune..some poetry just is not and should be kept as poetry...there is a tune already existing that is coming into my head.....my dear...it goes..mg


26 Feb 10 - 02:29 PM (#2851002)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: VirginiaTam

TheBardenofEngland is really good at putting poems to music.

Romanyman wrote this poem Marks in the Grass which John Barden put to music and performs.

Tis lovely.


26 Feb 10 - 02:41 PM (#2851014)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Amos

I can do it for you.

Send me a PM if you want it done. Let me know the kind of song you envision--from your handle I suspect something kindred to "Woody Knows Nothing But Plucking On the Bow" or a similar simple Appalachian tune. Yes?

Also advise how you want the final sent--an MP3? A CD with one song on it?

Amos


26 Feb 10 - 02:48 PM (#2851026)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Georgiansilver

When I started to read it I thought of Steeleye Spans 'Marigold' although it would possibly only fit the first four lines of the tune....... and I'm not sure how the last verse could be arranged.......
Marigold by Steeleye Span.

Best wishes,, hope you find something worthwhile anyway.


26 Feb 10 - 03:36 PM (#2851075)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: maeve

Good. I was sure you'd get some worthy, equipment-able musicians volunteering, wilbyhillbilly. Best wishes for a lovely match.

m


26 Feb 10 - 03:57 PM (#2851090)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

Thanks maeve, what a wonderful community this is.

John


26 Feb 10 - 03:58 PM (#2851094)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: maeve

Yes, it can be. I'm glad you're getting a helpful response.

m


26 Feb 10 - 04:19 PM (#2851104)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: GUEST,henryp

To make the last verse scan, simply change
Always a way for love
to
Always, always a way for love
or
Always a way, a way for love

Always a way, a way for love
Always a day for love
The time and the place for love
Are given to us in time
                   for love


26 Feb 10 - 05:17 PM (#2851133)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Tootler

If you wish to use the last verse as a chorus, then there it is not essential that you make it scan with the other verses. It is perfectly acceptable for the chorus to have a different, though related melody.


26 Feb 10 - 05:28 PM (#2851142)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: katlaughing

Beautiful poem ad I know you will get a great tune for it from this lot. It's so sweet of you to do this for Beth, BUT, you're not really that ancient, are you?*bg*

kat


27 Feb 10 - 02:48 AM (#2851386)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

Certainly feel like it sometimes, although Danny keeps me going.

What with him 9 this year, Beth a spring chicken (##) and me 70 it's a job to keep up sometimes.(I think maybe I should have rephrased that):-)

John


01 Mar 10 - 11:55 AM (#2853151)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

Well it's terrific, Amos has done a brilliant job and come up with a great tune for Beths poem.

I am over the moon, time after time I am reminded how lucky I am to be part of this community.

Thank you all so much.

John


01 Mar 10 - 12:01 PM (#2853153)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Amos

I'm glad I could help, John. I apologize for the poor quality as my mixer was on the blink and I had to use the built-in mic only. I'll send the chords along tonight.


A


01 Mar 10 - 01:12 PM (#2853222)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

Not a problem Amos, I am tweaking it a bit and it sounds ok.

Thanks again.

John


01 Mar 10 - 01:38 PM (#2853248)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: open mike

is there any way the rest of us can hear it?
you tube? face book? something?

also - could we see the lyrics to marks in the grass?

here are some pix of the marks that remain from wagons
that went on the Oregon trail and the California trail
between 1840 and 1870 - still visible today in NV and OR.

http://www.elkorose.com/catrailosinoryndon.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Trail_Ruts_%28Guernsey,_Wyoming%29


01 Mar 10 - 07:26 PM (#2853582)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Amos

G ------------------Am
A lonely time, a lonely place,
C---------------------D
A lonely hearts sad sigh
G ------------------Am
And far beyond an empty space
C---------------------D
Another heart still cries,
D----G
for love

          C------------G
CHO: Always a way for love
Am-----------------G
Always a day for love
Am----------------G
The time and the place for love
G--F--------E------Am
Are given to us in time

Plucked the petal scattered the seed
The Beech's broken bough
Yet in that rich dark soil of life
The root lies deep even now,
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ in love
         C------------G
CHO: Always a way for love
Am-----------------G
Always a day for love
Am----------------G
The time and the place for love
G--F--------E------Am
Are given to us in time


The hollow hills the fields each turf
Builds up a wall between
But we in faith of hearts ne're cold
Shall build up with mountains high,
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊof love


         C------------G
CHO: Always a way for love
Am-----------------G
Always a day for love
Am----------------G
The time and the place for love
G--F--------E------Am
Are given to us in time


(I will post a link for others to hear when I have made a better cut of it.)


01 Mar 10 - 08:52 PM (#2853655)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Amos

Here's a better rendition for those as want to hear it. It is an MP3, about 4.5Megs.

A


02 Mar 10 - 04:52 AM (#2853857)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: open mike

yay, team! what a great collaborative effort...thanks to the writer, the singer, and the one who made the request for the music to be added
. I hope it was well received by Beth!


02 Mar 10 - 05:10 AM (#2853871)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

I just told Beth to click the link this morning, she was absolutely stunned, tears flowed, I don't think she has come down to earth yet.

She had no idea this was happening and I can only reiterate my thanks to Amos for the look on her face, it was fantastic.

John


02 Mar 10 - 05:52 AM (#2853896)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Mr Red

Mudcat strikes again.

A true community.


02 Mar 10 - 07:48 AM (#2853997)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Charley Noble

Nice work!

Charley Noble


02 Mar 10 - 01:20 PM (#2854254)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

I have just put the song on Youtube for anyone that would like to visit

A Way For Love


John


02 Mar 10 - 01:26 PM (#2854261)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Amos

Dang, I wish I had enunciated better. Thanks, John!


A


02 Mar 10 - 01:28 PM (#2854263)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

It's GREAT!

John


02 Mar 10 - 01:41 PM (#2854277)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Lonesome EJ

You know THIS is what makes this site so damned fascinating. I love Amos's way with a song, and the lyrics for this are perfect for his style. I tried strumming this before I saw the video, but couldn't decipher how the tune would work with that G-F-E-Am. Now I hear it, it's just a brilliant touch, and something I never would have thought of. Beautiful poem. Beautifully rendered. I look forward to hearing this at Peace Cabin.


02 Mar 10 - 01:55 PM (#2854290)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: M.Ted

Sorry, Willyhillbilly, but if someone in my family took one of my poems and tossed it out on the internet for someone write lyrics to, I'd have them flayed alive.

First off, it's not your poem to publish, and you published it. Second, an artist has certain legal rights to unpublished work that are lost when it is published. Thirdly, now that the song has be broadcast, Amos, who your sister doesn't know from Adam, shares, with her, the rights to the song based on her poem.

That's not even getting into the issues of meddling with someone else's art work--

You may think that your sister will be pleased, but consider this, she wrote it, with her
own sense of how it should sound and feel. Amos has now imposed his sense of how it
should sound and feel(which alters the very tightly drawn meter beyond recognition)--maybe she'll like Amos's "impovement", but I think that if she wanted it to scan that way,
she would have written it that way.

Last, bottom line is that hundreds of thousands of people visit this site, many of whom are musicians and singers who are looking for new material, and who can, and quite possi bly will learn and start playing this song, without you sister's knowledge or permission.

Bad play, artistically and legally. Amos, you should have known better than to post the recording.


02 Mar 10 - 02:26 PM (#2854322)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

Oh dear Oh dear, there is always one! All I will say is that you are entitled to your opinion, which your diatribe above is just that, but please before you get so excited in future, just get all the facts (right) first.

If you take the time to read ALL the posts you will find that Beth is my wife, not sister, she is absolutely over the moon with Amos's interpretation.

With regard to publishing, permissions were requested and granted before it was published, and my wife is keen to record it herself.

If others want to learn and sing it she will be highly honoured and hopefully most of those that do will give a credit to the authors, whatever happens though, it is absolutely nothing to do with you, but as I said, you are welcome to your opinion, after all we do have free speech on here, thank goodness.

That is all I will say on the subject.

John


02 Mar 10 - 02:32 PM (#2854328)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Andy Jackson

M.Ted you're a grump!
..."she was absolutely stunned, tears flowed, I don't think she has come down to earth yet"
I think you have to trust people to know how those closest to them will react.


02 Mar 10 - 02:35 PM (#2854331)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Amos

I will add to the above, that the thing was never conceived of as a legal proposition, nor should have been. Surely there is still room on this godforsaken jaded planet for humans to sing and play for each other without bringing out bloody-minded legal beagles in heat. THe tune I wrote was a gift to John and Beth, although I have not met them in person; in exchange for which he may make a donation to the Cat if he wishes.

A


02 Mar 10 - 02:45 PM (#2854346)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T

Back to what's important.

Beth wrote an abolutely beautiful poem, and it does transform into an equally beautiful song.

Amos did what was asked of him, and as usual, did it superbly, and WH's description of Beth's reaction says all that need be said.

I Love it, and I wish I had written anything that good.
Don T.


02 Mar 10 - 02:54 PM (#2854356)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Amos

M. Ted:

I have to concur with the "grump" diagnosis today.

As for your charges of meddling, it is, I hope clearly understood that if Beth or John do not like the adaptation, they can ask for a different one or throw it out altogether.

Why you choose to alter the character of our transaction, in which you were not part, escapes me at the moment. If it is just because my adaptation offended your finely-drawn aesthetic sensibilities, I can only apologize with the observation that each of us is entitled to our own rotten taste. De gustibus, non disputandum.

My GOO'ness, sir! Deep breaths.


A


02 Mar 10 - 03:01 PM (#2854361)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Lonesome EJ

LOL!


02 Mar 10 - 04:23 PM (#2854416)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: M.Ted

Sorry. I wrote fast and what was meant to be slightly amusing rejoinder came off like a visit from the Grim Reaper. I'm usually more circumspect, but I must have missed the med cart;-(

I am sure that the receipient(I'm not taking any more chances) was pleased. It's a very gesture, tastefully done (differences about meter aside), and worthy of great appreciation.

The song is good enough that, given you have had one person tell you that they're working it out, there are probably between 70-100 others out there have it and are working it out right now, and they'll do what they want with it--


02 Mar 10 - 04:47 PM (#2854440)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Amos

Ah, thank you , Ted; you are more a gentleman than I. Graciously put. If the 70 to 100 are and remain anonymous, or sing only for their "noble few" fans, I see no harm. What's the point of a poem that never reaches a heart?

A


02 Mar 10 - 05:15 PM (#2854462)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: frogprince

About the time I'm wondering how much more of the garbage around here I can take, something reminds me that this place can be GREAT.
                  Dean


02 Mar 10 - 05:30 PM (#2854476)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: wilbyhillbilly

Beth read the posts and insisted on having her say so here it is...

"Wow, Amos, Thank you, I am somewhat lost for words. Honoured and blessed that someone would care for my poem enough to treat it so beautifully. It fits well, so very well. An understatement but intended to suggest that it needs nothing more, nothing less. For others to hear and enjoy 'our song' is yet another layer to my happiness. I hope that one day I can do justice to your musical interpretation and that others will 'hear' in my singing how well it fits. Beth xx"

Hope that clarifies the situation :-)

John


02 Mar 10 - 06:07 PM (#2854503)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Amos

Please give her my thanks for her sweet remarks. I am so glad she liked the tune.


A


04 Oct 14 - 01:34 PM (#3666056)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: maeve

Once again, this is worth refreshing.

Read Beth's poem and have a listen to the song Amos built with her words and his tune. This is a prime example of the sort of generous spirit that drew me to Mudcat.

Maeve


08 Jun 18 - 10:29 AM (#3929823)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Mrrzy

Hey I got another one, should I start a new thread?

Ilex is a holly
An ibex is a goat.
An iris is a flower.
An ibis likes to float.
An oryx is another goat. OK, an antelope.
That ibis was a wading-bird.
Onyx is a stone.
And now, I fear, my cross-word
Puzzle is all done.
(c) Me, Today.


08 Jun 18 - 06:30 PM (#3929889)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: GUEST,Joe_F

Steal it! Most of the good tunes have been written already.


10 Jun 18 - 12:37 PM (#3930135)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Mo the caller

All the best tunes are written and done
There are no new tunes no more
All the best tunes are written and done
What tune would these words do for?

(Since we're being silly)

No tune Mrzzy unless 'the elephant is a pretty bird' tune would fit


11 Jun 18 - 08:31 AM (#3930267)
Subject: RE: Poem into song? Help please
From: Donuel

There is generosity above the line. Kibitzing is below.