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06 Mar 07 - 11:57 AM (#1988261) Subject: Origins: Songs based on non-classical instrmentls From: Scrump In another thread started by Leadbelly, a subthread started on the topic of songs that had been based on existing instrumentals, excluding classical tunes. Here are what we got so far. If you know of any more, let's hear about 'em. --------------------------------------- A Walk in the Black Forest - Salena Jones (original instrumental Horst Jankowski) Stranger on the Shore (original instrumental version by Acker Bilk; vocal version by Michael London) Spanish Flea (orig instr version by Herb Alpert; vocal version by Kathy Kirby) Cast Your Fate To The Wind (orig instr Sounds Orchestral; vocal version Shelby Flint) I think the last vocal version was a US hit but the other two didn't make the charts in the UK or US, unlike the original instrumental versions. Kathy Kirby charted with her vocal version of Dance On, but the Shadows' instrumental version (released about the same time) was a bigger hit (reached UK top 3). Zambesi - Stargazers Dance on - Kathy Kirby Swinging Shephard Blues - Ella Fitzgerald Faithful Hussar - Vera Lynn Bluebell Polka - Alma Cogan No other Love - Ronnie Hilton Stranger in Paradise - Tony Bennett Hot diggity - Perry Como Stranger on the shore - as mentioned plus Bobby Rydell Canadian Sunset - Andy Williams Never on a sunday - Chordettes Skokiaan - Four Lads In the folk world there must be some examples too. One that springs to mind is the song by the Fureys (not sure if they wrote the lyrics?) about O'Carolan, set to one of his tunes (Planxty Irwin). More non-folk ones: Because you're young - James Darren Moonlight Serenade - Vaughn Monroe Raunchy - Webb Pierce Charmaine - The Bachelors Take Five - Sarah Vaughn In the Mood - Andrew Sisters Washington Square - Ames Brothers Apache - Sonny James The Harry Lime Theme - Donald Peers |
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06 Mar 07 - 12:30 PM (#1988315) Subject: RE: Origins: Songs based on non-classical instrmentls From: Jack Campin A large proportion of Burns's output. Most good editions of his work will tell you where he got the tunes (often recently composed fiddle tunes). "Caller Herrin" (tune by Nathaniel Gow, words by Caroline Nairne). "Up and Awa wi the Laverock" (I forget who wroite the words, the tune is part of "The Jig of Slurs" by G.S. MacLennan). I'd never heard of Alma Cogan singing words to The Bluebell Polka, or that such words existed - has somebody got them? |
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06 Mar 07 - 04:08 PM (#1988589) Subject: RE: Origins: Songs based on non-classical instrmen From: Leadbelly Jack, concerning Bluebell Polka it seems that my memory resp. google didn't serves me well when I assigned this song to Alma. Now, I do believe Jimmy Shand was responsible for it. Manfred |
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06 Mar 07 - 10:23 PM (#1989021) Subject: RE: Origins: Songs based on non-classical instrmentls From: GUEST,Gerry The Yiddish ballad Papirosn consists of lyrics set to a pre-existing tune. I think the same may be true for Ale Brider because I've heard a different set of words sung to the same tune (Bay Mayn Rebbe Iz Gevezen a Ganeyva, or something like that). I've also heard a song, Liebe Tochter, to the tune of Tanz, Tanz, Yiddelekh, and I'm pretty sure the tune came first. |
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07 Mar 07 - 01:31 AM (#1989096) Subject: RE: Origins: Songs based on non-classical instrmentls From: Little Robyn I think I remember how the Bluebell polka went. It started something like: Doing the two step in the merry month of June, Or was it May? I forget now. Robyn |
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07 Mar 07 - 05:32 AM (#1989224) Subject: RE: Origins: Songs based on non-classical instrmentls From: Grab Give me your hand - Wolfe Tones Just curious, or is it just me that thinks all those mentioned so far are at best mediocre hack jobs? Graham. |
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07 Mar 07 - 06:12 AM (#1989245) Subject: RE: Origins: Songs based on non-classical instrmentls From: Scrump Just curious, or is it just me that thinks all those mentioned so far are at best mediocre hack jobs? You may well be right - many of these lyrics were probably written to try to cash in on the popularity of an existing tune. In most cases, the public didn't bite, and these discs flopped (never or underestimate the public's taste - but never overestimate it either! :-)) |
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07 Mar 07 - 10:27 AM (#1989493) Subject: RE: Origins: Songs based on non-classical instrmentls From: Scoville One of the Old Crow Medicine Show songs--Poor Man? I forget which one--uses the old jazz tune "Pig Ankle Rag", which probably has a known composer somewhere since, being jazz, it can't be that old, but has passed into folk tradition. |
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07 Mar 07 - 09:05 PM (#1990124) Subject: RE: Origins:Songs based on non-classical instrumentals From: GUEST,Gerry Came up with another Yiddish example (maybe). Fisherlid, as recorded by The Klezmatics, has lyrics by Aliza Greenblatt (mother-in-law to Woody Guthrie), which she put to the traditional Hasidic tune Ve'eyneynu tireno. But I don't know whether that Hasidic tune was a song or an instrumental. |
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08 Mar 07 - 09:30 AM (#1990436) Subject: RE: Origins:Songs based on non-classical instrumentals From: Scrump Donovan's recording of the song "Atlantis" followed The Shadows' 1963 instrumental hit "Atlantis". ...a pity they were completely different though :-) I'll get me coat. |