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Folksong advice

18 Nov 98 - 11:56 AM (#45943)
Subject: Desperately Seeking Folksong Advice
From: CTB

I am looking for a selection of folksongs to complement a text. I would like to rediscover some outstanding old music from the British Isles and celtic traditions that are in the public domain. I need suggestions for the following:

1) An intersting and catchy jig or gigue to demostrate the feeling of 6/8 meter.

2) An old english reel that includes a number of rests: The idea is to still feel the beat in the absence of sound.

3) A waltz or dance tune that also serves as a love song. A song and a dance tune in one.

4) A love song that could be sung as a duet.

5) A celtic or British Isles siren song.

Many thanks for your help.


19 Nov 98 - 12:20 AM (#46046)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: DonMeixner

1. Haste To The Wedding

2. Hmmmm. How about a Polka instead.

3. The Rose of Allendale.

4. Peggy Gordon or Lezzie Lindsay

5. The Garten Mother's Lullaby, Jock O' Hazeldean The Waterlilly( See Pricilla Herman's album of the same name.)

Not a perfect list but a start


19 Nov 98 - 01:31 AM (#46054)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Alan of Australia

G'day,
Well, not The Waterlily unless you want an Aussie song - the words were written by Henry Lawson.

Cheers,
Alan


19 Nov 98 - 02:31 AM (#46064)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Murray on Saltspring

For (4), maybe "The Crookit Bawbee", which has alternate verses and the opportunity to harmonise on the last one. But what do you mean by a siren song, exactly?


19 Nov 98 - 06:33 PM (#46179)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Animaterra

Siren song... do you mean a selkie song?


19 Nov 98 - 09:00 PM (#46203)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: DonMeixner

Alan,

I meant that exact song and i knew it was a Lawson poem. I can't help myself. Its a beautiful song and poem. Celtic and British Isles music can only be improved by its inclusion.

Don


20 Nov 98 - 09:46 AM (#46248)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Bert

Number 4's gotta be "Oh No John"


21 Nov 98 - 03:05 AM (#46335)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Jon Bartlett

No. 5 the Siren Song: there's a lot of songs about coppers walking their beat, but none that come quickly to mind about sirens (maybe the Theme from Z-Cars?). The celts, of course, didn't use sirens on their eponymously-named paddy wagons :> Jon the offsider


21 Nov 98 - 03:02 PM (#46382)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: harpgirl

No. 3 could be "Waltz of the Wind" harp


21 Nov 98 - 11:43 PM (#46417)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Alan of Australia

Don,
In that case good on yer mate! It's always good to promote Aussie songs.

Cheers,
Alan


22 Nov 98 - 04:48 AM (#46437)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Matin Ryan

Jon

"Z-cars"?.... You're on your Tod(d)!

regards


22 Nov 98 - 04:24 PM (#46480)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Alice

That's funny!! A warning siren mixed up with a female singing siren.... one chases you away from danger... the other lures you in to death.


23 Nov 98 - 11:15 AM (#46580)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Bert

For the NON-Limeys among us, we should explain that it's
Zed Cars and the theme tune is Johnny Todd which is in DT.


23 Nov 98 - 04:24 PM (#46611)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Jerry Friedman with another useless fact

The police siren is named after the mythological siren. Originally it was supposed to be a musical instrument, and the inventor found that it sounded especially good under water, so he named it after Homer's aquatic singers. It never caught on for any tune but "eeeeoooooeeeeeoooo..." though (or are those the lyrics?).


24 Nov 98 - 02:43 PM (#46671)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Bo

For #4 I would recommend a duet of Banks of Lochlomand & Red is the Rose. Two voices, two stories, two cultures -- no waiting.

One tune and two sets of words. Shows an aspect of the folk process and the shared heritage at the same time.

Bo


23 Jan 02 - 03:04 PM (#633963)
Subject: RE:The Crookit Bawbee
From: GUEST,Michele Buchanan

I'm looking for lyrics to an old Scot's song, "The Crookit Bawbee" anyone have it? Hope so, thanks much, Michele Buchanan


23 Jan 02 - 05:07 PM (#634046)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: CraigS

If you're talking siren songs as in I'm a woman and I want a man, The Cuckoo's Nest is what you want- but to get the full version you need the kind of singer that charges $30 for ten minutes, if you know what I mean!


23 Jan 02 - 07:41 PM (#634133)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Malcolm Douglas

It's a bit odd to resurrect a three-year-old thread to ask for something that surely must have shown up in the search results that found this, but Crookit Bawbee can be found (two sets) in this more recent discussion:  bent baubie


23 Jan 02 - 07:58 PM (#634145)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: GUEST

Indeed Malcolm,

"Perversity is the muse of modern literature"
Susan Sontag, Against Interpretation (1966)

Not that much literate is ever said here, present company excepted


23 Jan 02 - 09:26 PM (#634204)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Amos

Why does quoting Susan Sontag entitle you to act like a conceited little dick? She wasn't that good.

A


24 Jan 02 - 04:51 AM (#634429)
Subject: RE: Folksong advice
From: Hrothgar

Jerry

I know a few musical instruments that might sound better underwater.