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Goodnight songs

10 Aug 03 - 02:43 PM (#999786)
Subject: Goodnight songs
From: GUEST,Peg

Does anyone know why they call them "goodnight songs"?


10 Aug 03 - 03:28 PM (#999809)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: Geoff the Duck

I recall a friend of mine finishing a night in the pub with Goodnight Ladies - You know someone is geting desperate when thry get to "Goodnight Landlady's second cousin half removed's best friend Doris's favourite dog Elmo!".
He was still in the pub singing, half an hour later as we left and saw the door locked behind us...
Quack!
GtD.


10 Aug 03 - 03:47 PM (#999817)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: GUEST,Q

Goodnight songs- do you mens songs like Goodnight Ladies, which close up the joint-dance etc.? Or Goodnight Joe, Me Gotta Go? (or was that goodbye?).
Some I remember: Goodby, Old Paint, Should Auld Aquaintance ---, The Waltz You Saved for me, Goodnight, Sweetheart, Till We Meet Again,


10 Aug 03 - 03:50 PM (#999820)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: Sorcha

On the Goodnight Loving Trail...........(grin)


10 Aug 03 - 03:55 PM (#999824)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: GUEST,Q

Goodbye, Old Strawberry Blonde?


10 Aug 03 - 04:25 PM (#999838)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: GUEST,Peg

No--I mean songs like Newry Town and The Flash Lad. They call them "goodnight songs," apparently.


10 Aug 03 - 05:33 PM (#999866)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: GUEST,Q

Who calls those songs that? In England? The subject is saying goodnight in a permanent way, but I havent heard them called that in the States or Canada.


11 Aug 03 - 05:32 PM (#1000467)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson

Stating the obvious, the protagonist is about to be executed, and is saying his "goodnight" to all. McPherson's Lament would be a good example, as are the ones you gave.


11 Aug 03 - 07:02 PM (#1000496)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: Joe_F

Ah well, in *that* case, "The Night before Larry was Stretched".


12 Aug 03 - 01:44 PM (#1000945)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: Nerd

The term you're looking for is "goodnight ballads." The idea is that it is the criminal's "last goodnight."

Peter Bellamy used to say that it was a curious fact that no-one ever says "good night" in a goodnight ballad. He was wrong, of course. In the most common family of goodnight ballads, which includes Newry Highwayman, Flash Lad, Adieu Adieu, etc, the protagonist "shut the shutters and bade them good night." Indeed, the various versions of this ballad are so widespread that it is conceivable that the term "goodnight ballad" derives from this line.


12 Aug 03 - 11:18 PM (#1001166)
Subject: RE: Goodnight songs
From: bflat

I heard a song two days ago on the radio that I would classify as a "Goodnight Song." It is by Tom Chapin entitled: I Need A Lullaby. It has a soothing sound. Very sweet, definiately not a horrid tale. I don't remember the CD's title but a search would likely provide that info.

Ellen