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08 Jul 04 - 05:17 AM (#1221185) Subject: Lyr Add: LADY GAY (from Buell Kazee) From: Roberto Help correct this transcription. I've put a question mark where I'm not sure of what I hear. Thank you. R Buell Kazee, Legendary Kentucky Ballad Singer, British Archive Of Country Music BACM CD D 027; ballad recorded in 1928 There was a lady and a lady gay Of children she had three She sent them away to the North Countree For to learn their grammaree They had not been that (?) very long Scarcely six months and a day (?) Till death, cold death (?), came hasting along And stole those babes away It was just about old Christmas time The night being cold and clear She looked and she saw her three little babes Come runnin' home to her She's (?) set a table both long and wide And on it she put bread and wine - Come eat, come drink, my three little babes Come eat, come drink of mine We want none of your bread, mother Neither we do want your wine For yonder stands our Saviour dear And to Him we must resign Green grass grows over our heads, mother Cold clay is under our feet And every tear you shed for us It wets our winding-sheet |
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13 Jul 04 - 01:08 AM (#1224338) Subject: ADD Version: Lady Gay (Child #79) From: Joe Offer Hi, Roberto - I couldn't find the Buell Kazee recording right off, but I found this in the meantime. It's from a CD called Am I Born to Die: An Appalachian Songbook, by Mason Brown and Chipper Thompson. Brown says he learned it from a 1960's folk-revival tape, from a recording by Buell Kazee or Bascomb Lamar Lunsford. Maybe it will help us understand the Kazee recording. -Joe Offer- Lady Gay Chorus: There was a lady, Lady Gay Of children, she had three Sent them away to the north country, For to learn their grammery They hadn't been there very long Scarcely six months and a day When death, cold death, come hastin' along Stole them babies' lives away Repeat chorus It was long 'round Martinmas The nights being cold and clear She looked and seen her three little babes Come a—runnin on to her She set a table long and wide And on put bread and wine Come eat, come drink, you three little babes Come eat, come drink of mine Repeat chorus We want none of your bread, mother Neither do we want your wine For yonder stands our savior dear And to him we must resign Repeat chorus Green green grass grows above Cold clay beneath her feet And every tear you shed for us It wets our windin' sheet Fare thee well, mother dear Fare thee well, to barn and byre An' fare thee well, you pretty little gal That tends our mother's fire Repeat chorus There's also a very credible rendition of the song on a CD called Inside Dave Van Ronk. |
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13 Jul 04 - 01:22 AM (#1224341) Subject: ADD Version: Lady Gay (Buell Kazee) From: Joe Offer I think I found the same recording you found, and it seems to me you have a pretty darn good transcription. I hear "She's set a table," but it could just as well be "she set a table." Lady Gay (as sung by Buell Kazee) There was a lady and a lady gay Of children she had three She sent them away to the North Countree For to learn their grammaree They had not been there very long Scarcely six months and a day Till death, cold death, came hasting along And stole those babes away It was just about old Christmas time The night being cold and clear She looked and she saw her three little babes Come running home to her She's set a table both long and wide And on it she put bread and wine - Come eat, come drink, my three little babes Come eat, come drink of mine We want none of your bread, mother Neither we do want your wine For yonder stands our Savior dear And to Him we must resign Green grass grows over our heads, mother Cold clay is under our feet And every tear you shed for us It wets our winding-sheet Recorded 16 January 1928, Brunswick 212. From Folk Song America, Smithsonian Collection of Recordings. The notes tantalizingly say, "A longer version of 'Lady Gay,' recorded at a 1969 Seattle concert, can be heard on the June Appal album Buell Kazee." |
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13 Jul 04 - 02:02 AM (#1224350) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: buell kazee's lady gay #79 From: Roberto Thank you very much, Joe. And I'll try to find the June Appal album as well. Roberto |
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13 Jul 04 - 02:17 AM (#1224356) Subject: Lyr Add: THE LADY GAY (Buell Kazee) From: Stewie Here is the slightly longer version on June Appal mentioned by Joe in his posting above: THE LADY GAY There was a lady and a lady gay And children she had three She sent them away to the north country For to learn their grammarie They had not been there very long Scarcely six months and a day Till death, cold death, came hastening along And took those babes away 'There is a king in heaven', she cried 'He wears a golden crown Pray, send me down my three little babes Tonight or in the morning soon' It was just about old Christmas time The nights being long and clear She looked and she saw her three little babes Come running home to her She set a table both long and wide And on it she put bread and wine - 'Come eat, come drink, my three little babes 'Come eat, come drink of mine' 'We want none of your bread, mother Neither do we want your wine For yonder stands our Saviour dear And to Him we must resign' She fixed a bed in a little back room And over it she put white sheets And over it the golden spread Where those three babes might sleep 'Take it off, take it off', cried the oldest one 'Take it off, take it off', cried she 'For yonder stands our Saviour dear And with Him you soon will be' 'Green grass grows over our bed, mother Cold clay lies under our feet And every tear you shed for us It wets our winding sheet' Source: transcription in booklet accompanying 'Buell Kazee' June Appal LP JA 009 of a recording of Buell Kazee at a Seattle concert in 1969. The recording was made by Mark Wilson. --Stewie. |
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13 Jul 04 - 12:17 PM (#1224655) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: buell kazee's lady gay #79 From: Malcolm Douglas The Brunswick 212 recording is transcribed in Bronson, II, 79.30, pp 257-8. There are a few very minor differences from Joe's: v1 line 4 omits "for"; v3 line 2, has "nights"; v4 line 1, "She set". |