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26 Mar 03 - 06:30 PM (#919132) Subject: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: GUEST,James H. Silver I have lyrics for a song "The Blacksmith" Apparently this is not correct title as I cannot find either the lyrics or the melody. Collected from a local folk singer. I cannot recall his name. First line of song: Twenty years ago last Christmas came a tender to My wife. First line of Chorus: Sure I dream as the hammer strikes the anvil. any leads as to the origin of this song or it's title and the music in any format would be appreciated. Thanks |
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26 Mar 03 - 06:40 PM (#919139) Subject: Lyr Add: The Blacksmith From: Sorcha Didn't find a tune, but just for completeness, here are all the lyrics: The Blacksmith (songwriter?) Twenty years ago last Christmas Came a tempter to my wife Stole the only flower I cherished And I vowed I'd have his life In the street one day I met him In my eyes that villain grinned Then the curse of Cain came o'er me 'Twas on that very day I sinned Chorus: Sure I dream as the hammer strikes the anvil And I dream as the sparks light on the floor Of my blue eyed turtle dove She's the only girl I loved As she stood outside that good old smithy door Twelve months passed then came my trial In the court I saw my wife And as I heard her beg for mercy As they sentenced me to life Twelve long years I read her letters Only comfort I can tell When I heard that she was dying 'Twas then my lonely spirits fell Chorus; Late one night I dodged the warder O'er the prison wall I sprang I got home footsore and weary At the breaking of the dawn She was glad so glad to see me In my arms that night she died When the warders rushed the doorway They found me kneeling there inside When they saw her lifeless body And I kneeling on the floor They said Jack my lad we trust you Come back when you've laid her low Chorus: Last two lines to finish...... |
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26 Mar 03 - 06:41 PM (#919141) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: Desert Dancer James, your "local folk singer": English, American, other -- ? |
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26 Mar 03 - 07:58 PM (#919212) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: GUEST,Q Found a reference to the song being sung at a funeral (a favorite of the deceased) at Monasterevin, Kildare. So could be Irish. The title is "The Blacksmith." The site is listed as www.irishmusicmail.com, but the message is that it is no longer there. Someone was looking for it last year at another website, and posted the same words that Sorcha posted above- (same last two lines missing). |
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26 Mar 03 - 08:07 PM (#919217) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: Joe Offer Sorcha, where did you find the lyrics you posted? -Joe Offer- |
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26 Mar 03 - 08:38 PM (#919235) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: GUEST,Q Just ran across Maddy Prior and Steeleye Span and "The Blacksmith" collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1909- not the same song- This one is ca. 19th century (see Contemplator website and discussions in the Forum and lyrics in the DT). The same, variant: "trad. Irish arr. by Planxty," same as the Steeleye Span song Blacksmith with words and Midi. There many Blacksmith songs. It isn't the Sharp-Karpeles or the Spike Jones or the Big Band tune of the 1940s---. Nothing more found about an Irish song with the lyrics posted by Sorcha. No luck! |
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26 Mar 03 - 09:05 PM (#919251) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: Sorcha Oh, sorry. I always seem to forget that, don't I? Found here: http://users.cgiforme.com/irishlyrics/messages/4331.html Which seems to be the site above that is no longer available...... |
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26 Mar 03 - 09:31 PM (#919277) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: Malcolm Douglas The Blacksmith arranged by Planxty was not from Irish tradition; they learned it from The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs, and never pretended otherwise. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't bother to read sleevenotes; which I suppose is the reason for the misinformation on the site Q mentions. The same untruth is repeated on innumerable websites, unfortunately. I too have drawn a blank on the song James asks about. From information in another thread, I guess that he is in Canada. It looks like a fairly modern song on the face of it, but we'll perhaps hear from someone who has actually heard the thing somewhere. |
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27 Mar 03 - 01:48 AM (#919354) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: Joe Offer Well, tracing the link Sorcha posted, it appears that this "Blacksmith" may have been recorded by Foster and Allen. It's on their "Forty Shades of Green" and "Best Of (Vol 1)" albums. I have some Foster & Allen, but not those albums. -Joe Offer- |
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27 Mar 03 - 07:20 PM (#920089) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: McGrath of Harlow John Bunyan's "To be a pilgrim" is sung to a version of the more common Blacksmith. (Not the one James H Silvere ius looking for.) |
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28 Mar 03 - 04:41 PM (#920765) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: GUEST,James H. Silver Further to Blacksmith: Folk singer as I recollect was Canadian. Met at a festival some 15 to 20 years ago. He hastily wrote the lyrics down for me and I did the song for a number of years from memory. He however was not the composer of the song. However I have forgotten the melody over the years from no longer doing the song. now only remember the melody of the chorus. would like to add the song to my repitore once again but cannot recall the melody. Singer possibly might have been from the Cape Breton area of Nova Scotia, Canada. Good deal of scottish and irish music played in that area. James H. Silver, N. S. Canada |
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02 Apr 03 - 11:45 AM (#924550) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: GUEST,James H. Silver Gladys at Gladys' Celtic Corner has a midi of this song. She sent it to me. |
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02 Apr 03 - 02:10 PM (#924659) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: GUEST,Les B. I would surmise, given the words, that this is not the fiddle tune "The Jolly Blacksmith" ?? |
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02 Apr 03 - 02:18 PM (#924663) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: MMario James - can you forward the midi? if so - please send to lpola@edutech.org I can post it and link it to this thread |
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26 Jul 04 - 07:45 PM (#1234326) Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Blacksmith???? From: GUEST,Willows Folk recording of 'the Blackmith' 'The Willows Folk' have just recorded the Blacksmith tune. We play it in G. Small midi file excerpt available on request. from Mary Chowen mary@willowsfolk.co.uk web site www.willowsfolk.co.uk
-Joe Offer- |
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29 Mar 08 - 05:01 PM (#2300585) Subject: Lyr Add: THE BLACKSMITH From: Sandy Mc Lean I sometimes sing a song that I learned long ago called The Blacksmith. I think that I got it from a Foster and Allen recording that I can no longer find. I often see discussion of a different song by the same name on the forum and it is in the DT twice but I see nothing on this one, which I think tells a better story. Slainte, Sandy ^^ THE BLACKSMITH [G] Twenty years ago last [D] Christmas Came a tempter to my [G] wife Stole the only flower I [D] cherished And I vowed I'd have his [G] life In the street one day I [D] met him In my eyes that villain [G] grinned Then the curse of Cain came [D] o'er me 'Twas on that very day I [G] sinned…… [Em] Chorus; Sure I [C] dream as the hammer strikes the [G] anvil And I [D] dream as the sparks light on the [G] floor….. [Em] Of my [C] blue eyed turtle [Am] dove She's the [G] only girl I [Em] loved As she [G] stood outside that [D] good old smithy's [G] door Twelve months passed then came my trial In the court I saw my wife And I heard her beg for mercy When they sentenced me to life Twelve long years I read her letters The only comfort I can tell When I heard that she was dying 'Twas then my lonely spirits fell Chorus; Late one night I dodged the warders O'er the prison wall I sprang I got home footsore and weary At the breaking of the dawn She was glad so glad to see me In my arms that night she died When the warders rushed the doorway And they found me there inside When they saw her lifeless body And I kneeling on the floor They said Jack my lad we'll trust you Come back when you've laid her low Chorus; |
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29 Mar 08 - 07:10 PM (#2300679) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Blacksmith From: Malcolm Douglas Already posted (by Sorcha) 5 years ago in thread Tune Req: The Blacksmith????. A little more information is in that discussion, but not much. I said then that it seemed a modern song, and I've no reason to alter that opinion; though a little more information would be helpful. I would expect that some kind of copyright information was provided on the Foster and Allen recording: perhaps someone could quote it? Vast numbers of folk have their records. Even I have one (it was very cheap) but it doesn't include the song in question. It's over-written and melodramatic where the traditional song of the same name is understated and reflective. It's hardly surprising that it's rarely mentioned by comparison. |
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29 Mar 08 - 08:35 PM (#2300726) Subject: RE: Tune Req/Lyr ADD: The Blacksmith???? From: Sandy Mc Lean Thanks Joe and Malcolm! I tried a dt and forum search but I couldn't find that old thread. |
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31 Mar 08 - 07:46 AM (#2301888) Subject: RE: Tune Req/Lyr ADD: The Blacksmith???? From: Jim Dixon Foster and Allen's recording of THE BLACKSMITH can be found on their 1997 album "Forty Shades of Green: A Tribute to Old Ireland" and on "The Greatest Hits," 2001. They call it "traditional." I listened to a sound sample at Allmusic.com, and I found the tune strangely upbeat given the subject matter, but that might be just Foster & Allen's performance. It's in waltz time. |
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31 Mar 08 - 08:41 AM (#2301917) Subject: RE: Tune Req/Lyr ADD: The Blacksmith???? From: MMario and JIm has sent me the midi - will post as ABC later today - and forward the midi to Joe O for posting wherever it is we're posting midi's these days. |
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28 Jun 17 - 12:32 PM (#3863302) Subject: RE: Tune Req/Lyr Add: The Blacksmith (Foster & Allen) From: GUEST,Patrick Wall This "Blacksmith" song sounds like an old 1920s, 1930s or 1940s country song by a singer like Jimmie Rodgers or Moon Mullican (it is not by those 2 singers as I have all their recordings). It is similar to songs that Jimmie Rodgers did like "I'm free from the chaingang now" and "Moonlight and skies". |