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Tune Req: The Idiot (Stan Rogers)

15 Feb 97 - 04:53 AM (#2239)
Subject: stan rogers
From: ghamburg @vom.com

looking for the notation "the idiot" by stan rogers

16 Feb 97 - 11:58 AM (#2278)
Subject: stan rogers
From: ghamburg@vom.com

If anybody have the notes to the Stan Rogers tune called "The idiot'' please contact me , thanks.

16 Feb 97 - 10:01 PM (#2290)
Subject: RE: stan rogers
From: Will

I think that the song book, "Stan Rogers, Songs From Fogarty's Cove" has the song. You might get lucky and find it at a library.

19 Feb 97 - 09:20 PM (#2405)
Subject: RE: stan rogers
From: ron k

There is a good website of Stan Rogers songs. Check out http://log.on.ca/summerfolk/ffw.html I think you can find something there.

22 Feb 97 - 02:08 AM (#2458)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE IDIOT (Stan Rogers)
From: Bo Vandenberg

There really is no replacement for the book. I recommend "Songs From Fogarty's Cove" or whatever they replace it with as I understand they are not re-issuing it.

Anyway here are the words to Idiot, enjoy.

THE IDIOT
Words and music by Stan Rogers, Pro Canada, published 1981 by Fogarty's Cove Music, Inc. Source: Stan Rogers, Songs From Fogarty's Cove p102

I often take these night shift walks when the foreman's not around
I turn my back on the cooling stacks and make for open ground
Far out beyond the tankfarm fence where the gas flare makes no sound
I forget the stink and I always think back to that eastern town.

I remember back six years ago, this Western life I chose,
And every day, the news would say some factory's going to close.
Well I could have stayed to take the Dole, but I'm not one of those.
I take nothing free, and that makes me an idiot, I suppose.

chrs: I bid farewell to the eastern town I never more will see
But work I must so I eat this dust and breath refinery,
Oh I miss the green and the woods and streams and I don' like cowboy clothes
But I like being free and that makes me an idiot I suppose.

So come all you fine young fellows who've been beaten to the ground.
This western life's no paradise, but its better than lying down.
Oh, the streets aren't clean, and there's nothing green, and the hills are dirty brown
But the government Dole will rot your soul back there in your hometown.

chrs: So bid farewell to the Eastern town you never more will see.
There's self-respect and a steady cheque in this refinery.
You will miss the green and the woods and streams and the dust will fill you nose.
But you'll be free, and just like me, an idiot, I suppose.

22 Feb 97 - 06:32 PM (#2476)
Subject: RE: stan rogers
From: dick greenhaus

Thanx much for the lyric.

27 May 03 - 10:56 AM (#959769)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Idiot (Stan Rogers)
From: MMario

X:1
T:The Idiot
C:Stan Rogers
N:'Songs from Fogarty's Cove'
I:abc2nwc
M:2/2
L:1/8
K:D
"^Verse:"z6(D E)|F2A2A2F2|E2E2F2A, A,|B,2D2D2B,2|
w:I_ of-ten take these night shift walks when the fore-man's not a
B,4z3A,|B,2D2D2D B,|A,2D2D2E2|F2(A G) (G/2 A/2 G) F2|
w:-round I turn my back on the cool-ing stacks and make for_ o__-pen
E4z2E2|F2A2A2(G F)|E2E2F2A, A,|B,2D2D2B,2|
w:ground Far out be-yond the_ tank-farm fence where the gas flare makes no
B,4z2D C|B,2D2D2C B,|A,2D2D2F2|(F G) (A F) (G F) E2|
w:sound I for-get the stink and I al-ways think back to_ that_ East_-ern
D4"^Chorus:"z2B B|B2B2(B/2 c/2 B) A G|
w:town. So I bid fare-well__ to the
A2A2A2(G A)|(F E) D2D2F2|F4z2D2|B2B2B2A G|
w:east-ern town I_ ne_-ver more will see But work I must so I
A2A2A2G2|F2D G- G2(F/2 G/2 F)|E4z2A G|F2(G A) A2G F|
w:eat the dust and breath re-fin_-er__-y, Oh I miss the_ green and the
E2E2F2A, A,|B,2D2D2(C B,)|B,4z2D C|B,2D D D2(C B,)|
w:woods and streams and I don't like cow-boy_ clothes But I like be-ing free and_
A,2D2D2zG|F G A2(F/2 G/2 F) E2|D4z2z2
w:that makes me an id-i-ot I__ sup-pose.

27 May 03 - 03:35 PM (#959963)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Idiot (Stan Rogers)
From: Barbara

You wouldn't get Sing Out!, would you, mario?
Blessings,
Barbara

27 May 03 - 03:40 PM (#959967)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Idiot (Stan Rogers)
From: MMario

No, I don't. I should; but I don't.

27 May 03 - 05:35 PM (#960032)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Idiot (Stan Rogers)
From: Barbara

I asked because mine came in today, and has both Northwest Passage and this song in it.
Blessings,
Barbara

27 May 03 - 07:11 PM (#960088)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Idiot (Stan Rogers)
From: GUEST,shaina

i just tried to sing this baby last weekend at an acapella sing and got stumped by the second verse. thanks!

13 Jun 08 - 11:54 PM (#2365610)
Subject: Thread bump
From: JesseW

Just felt like boping this one up to the top again. Good 'ol song. I heard it first from a friend of mine; a fellow contra dancer -- wonder where she is now?

Hm. I wonder what parodies have been written of this one...

(P.S. I came across by simply picking random threads, using the following little JS bookmarklet:
javascript:null((function(){window.location.href="http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid="+Math.floor(Math.random()*100000)})())

Feel free to use it yourself (or have someone add a "random thread" feature to the software? )