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27 May 13 - 02:04 PM (#3519720) Subject: Origins: 'Dear Friends/Gentle Hearts'--L. Kaplan From: Larry Kaplan Hi, Here is my version of "Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts" which I wrote after visiting the Stephen Foster Memorial in Pittsburgh. Happy to share it. Larry Kaplan 'Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts' by Larry Kaplan |
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27 May 13 - 04:18 PM (#3519771) Subject: RE: 'Dear Friends/Gentle Hearts'--L. Kaplan From: Joe Offer Hi, Larry - these are the words we have for "Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts," as collected by Dick Greenhaus (DG) for the Digital Tradition in 1996. Do you have any stories to tell us about the song? Any corrections to the lyrics? Please be sure to tell us how to get permission to use this song on recordings, etc. -Joe- DEAR FRIENDS AND GENTLE HEARTS (from the Digital Tradition) (Larry Kaplan) Down at Bellevue Hospital Out on those nameless wards, Tonight a young man passed away Alone, without a word. Brought there from a boarding house On the Bowery downtown, And on his bed a list of things The nurses there had found. A coat, a hat, his pants, a vest And a beat-up pair of shoes, And, in his pocket, signed by him A dollar I.O.U., And a slip of folded paper Torn off from a paper bag, The first words of another song The whole world might have had. cho: "Dear friends and gentle hearts..." Whatever your last songs may be Are they lost out in America Between the centuries? Are the melodies still waiting For the ones who need to hear, Though the oiano halls and minstrel shows Have faded through the years? Well, the hospital had sent for me But no more would they do, My name and my address taken from Poor Stephen's I.O.U. They said "he's just a vagabond So many more like him. They spend the last few cents they have On poor man's rum and gin. But hard times in America Are hared times for us all, Some folks bide for better days Some must take the fall. Some can turn to poetry Or lose themselves in song, Some set out to change the world Then lose the path they're on. cho: So, yes, I know this gentleman Perhaps you've heard the cheers When Mr. Foster graced this country's Finest halls for years. And he led us in the choruses This whole great nation knew But he never recognized his worth Or what his songs could do. Now pride brought down by poverty Is such a tragic thing. No who the man may be It steals most precious things. It takes the faith to know yourself It robs the will to try, But, if it spares your poetry The music never dies. cho: Though we seek mirth and beauty And music light and gay, There are frail forms fainting at the door, Though their voices are silent, Their pleading looks will say "Oh, hard times, come again no more." Copyright Larry Kaplan, BMI @music @death filename[ DEARGNTL RG oct96 |
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27 May 13 - 08:46 PM (#3519862) Subject: DT Corr: Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts (L.Kaplan) From: Larry Kaplan Joe--thanks for asking. Just a few corrections as made below.I usually sing the last verse of Foster's "Hard Times Come Again No More" but took it out of this posting. In answer to your question on how to reach me, permission, etc...just send an email to "mysundayshoes@googlemail.com" or mail at PO Box 641, Essex, CT. 06426. DEAR FRIENDS AND GENTLE HEARTS (Larry Kaplan) Down at Bellevue Hospital Out on those nameless wards, Tonight a young man passed away Alone, without a word. Brought there from a boarding house On the Bowery downtown, And on his bed a list of things The nurses there had found. A coat, a hat, his pants, a vest And a beat-up pair of shoes, And, in his pocket, signed by him A dollar I.O.U., And a slip of folded paper Torn off from a paper bag, The first words of another song The (this??) whole world might have had. CHORUS: "Dear friends and gentle hearts..." Whatever (WHEREVER??) your last songs may be Are they lost out in America Between the centuries? Are the melodies still waiting For the ones who need to hear, Though the piano halls and minstrel shows Have faded through the years? Well, the hospital had sent for me But no more would they do, My name and my address taken from Poor Stephen's I.O.U. They said "he's just a vagabond" So many more like him. They spend the last few cents they have On poor man's rum and gin. But hard times in America Are hard times for us all, Some folks bide for better days Some must take the fall. Some can turn to poetry Or lose themselves in song, Some set out to change the world, Then lose the path they're on. CHORUS: So, yes, I know this gentleman Perhaps you've heard the cheers When Mr. Foster graced this country's Finest halls for years. And he led us in the choruses This whole great nation knew But he never recognized his worth Or what his songs could do. Now pride brought down by poverty Is such a tragic thing. No matter who the man may be It steals most precious things. It takes the faith to know yourself It robs the will to try, But, if it spares your poetry The music never dies. cho: Words and music by Larry Kaplan Copyright,c,1992, Hannah Lane Music,BMI Recorded: 1993, "Worth All The Telling" Folk Legacy Records,Inc. CD-122, Sharon, Ct. |
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27 May 13 - 09:14 PM (#3519868) Subject: RE: 'Dear Friends/Gentle Hearts'--L. Kaplan From: Barbara Thanks for these lovely postings, Larry, I've always enjoyed your songs. Do you have more than the one album? Also, are we supposed to deduce your correct email from the one listed above? Or is it really 'googlemail'? Blessings Barbara |
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27 May 13 - 09:54 PM (#3519882) Subject: RE: 'Dear Friends/Gentle Hearts'--L. Kaplan From: Larry Kaplan Thank you Barbara for your kind words. Sorry about the email address. It is new and I need to go back and check what mess I might have made in setting it up. Maybe it should be listed as Gmail. I am working on getting a bunch of music down "on tape" to assemble into a number of CDs,(or whatever one assembles work on now). It's moving along--sometimes simply not fast enough to my liking---but I just thought it was time to share what I can on YouTube and Mudcat. I will keep working at it. Best. LK |
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27 May 13 - 10:42 PM (#3519886) Subject: RE: 'Dear Friends/Gentle Hearts'--L. Kaplan From: Joe Offer Hi, Larry - I listened to the song on the "Worth All the Telling" CD, and there were a couple of places where I had questions. Can you check above and tell us what you really want in the places I've marked in brown? Thanks. -Joe Offer- P.S. I went to googlemail.com, and it took me right to gmail.com. I'll bet both work the same and you can use either address. |
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28 May 13 - 06:02 AM (#3519960) Subject: RE: 'Dear Friends/Gentle Hearts'--L. Kaplan From: Larry Kaplan Joe, Yes, these kinds of little changes pop up all the time. It probably comes from trying too hard to remember ones own lyrics. Sandy Paton, bless him, always suggested including a "disclaimer" that there might be discrepancies between what is written and what is recorded. What I have included as lyrics are the words I intended and what you hear on the CD worked ok but weren't what I wrote. Perhaps the "folk process" begins even with the writer of the song! I'm afraid this is a habit I will never be completely cured of.... LK |