Jesu Joy Of Man’s Desiring By J. S. Bach

Jesu Joy.mp3:
– Click To Play
I first learned this tune from Pete Seeger’s “Goofing Off Suite” in the mid 1950s. Years later when it was time to make up a Rickenbacker introduction for Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” I used a few notes from this J.S. Bach piece which happen to match part of the melody of the chorus. I also played this as an instrumental break in the Byrds’ song “She Don’t Care About Time” and remember how much George Harrison, who as visiting our Columbia Records studio at the time, liked it.

Vicar of Bray

mp3:
Vicar of Bray – Click To Play
This is an 18th century satirical song about a clergyman staying in power no matter who was king.
Here is a detailed annotation of the lyrics:

Lyrics:

[D] In good King [A] Charles’ [D] golden [A] days, [D] when loyalty no [A] harm [D] meant,
[D] A zealous [A] high [D] churchman was [A] I, [D] and so I gained [A] preferment.
[A] To teach my flock, [D] I never missed
[A] Kings are by God [D] appointed
And damned be [A] he who [D] dare [A] resist or touch the Lord’s [A] annointed. [D]

[A] And this be law, I [D] shall maintain
[A] Until my dying [D] day, sir
That [D] what – [A]soever [D] king may [A] reign,
[D] Still I’ll be the Vicar of [A] Bray, [D] sir.

When royal James usurped the throne, and popery came in fashion,
The penal laws I hooted down, and read the Declaration.
The Church of Rome, I found, did fit
Full well my constitution
And I’d have been a Jesuit, but for the Revolution.

cho:

When William was our King declared, to ease the nation’s grievance,
With this new wind about I steered, and swore to him allegiance.
Old principles I did revoke
Set conscience at a distance,
Passive obedience was a joke, a jest was non-resistance.

cho:

When Royal Anne became our queen, the Church of England’s glory,
Another face of things was seen, and I became a Tory.
Occasional conformists base
I blamed their moderation;
And thought the Church in danger was from such prevarication.

cho:

When George in pudding time came o’er, and moderate men looked big, sir
My principles I changed once more, and I became a Whig, sir.
And thus preferment I procured
From our new Faith’s Defender,
And almost every day abjured the Pope and the Pretender.

cho:

The illustrious house of Hanover and Protestant succession
To these I do allegiance swear — while they can hold possession.
For in my faith and loyalty
I never more will falter,
And George my lawful king shall be — until the times do alter.

cho:

The Star of County Down

mp3:
Star of County Down – Click To Play

This lovely Irish song was written in the 1800s by Cathal MacGarvey from Ramelton, County Donegal. The tune is traditional and has been used in “Dives and Lazarus” as well as “My Love Nell” and the hymn, “I Heard The Voice of Jesus.”

Lyrics:

[Gm] Near Banbridge Town in the County Down
One morning last July,
From a boreen green came a sweet colleen
And she smiled as she passed me by.
She looked so sweet from her two bare feet
From the sheen of her nut brown hair.
Such a winsome elf, sure I shook myself
For to see I was really there.

From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay and
From Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I’ve seen like the fair colleen
That I met in the County Down.

As she onward sped, sure I scratched my head,
Then I looked with a feeling rare,
And I says, says I, to a passer-by,
“Who’s the maid with the nut brown hair?”
He looked at me and he says, to me,
“That’s the gem of the Ireland’s crown.
Young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann,
She’s the star of the County Down”.

From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay and
From Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I’ve seen like the fair colleen
That I met in the County Down.

At the harvest fair and she’ll be there
So I’ll dress in my Sunday clothes,
With my shoes shone bright and my hat cocked right
with a smile for a nut brown rose.
No pipe I’ll smoke, no horse I’ll yoke
‘Til my plough is rusty brown.
‘Til a smiling bride, by me own bedside
Sits the star of the County Down.

From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay and
From Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I’ve seen like the fair colleen
That I met in the County Down.

Columbus Stockade Blues

mp3:
Columbus Stockade Blues – Click To Play
“Columbus Stockade Blues” is a classic bluegrass song written by Thomas Darby in the 1920s.

Lyrics:

Columbus Stockade Blues

[G] Way down in Columbus, Georgia
[D7] Want to be back in [G] Tennessee
Way down in Columbus [D7] Stockade
Babe don’t you ever think of [G] me

[C] You can go and leave me if you [G] want to
[C] Never let it cross your [D7] mind
[G] If in your heart you truly love another
[D7] Leave me little darling, [G] I don’t mind

Last night as I lay sleeping
I dreamt I held you in my arms
When I awoke I was mistaken
I found was peering through the bars

You can go and leave me if you want to
Never let it cross your mind
If in your heart you truly love another
Leave me little darling, I don’t mind

Many a night with you I’ve rambled
Many an hour with you I’ve spent
Thought I had your heart forever
Now I find it was only lent

You can go and leave me if you want to
Never let it cross your mind
If in your heart you truly love another
Leave me little darling, I don’t mind

Blow The Candle Out

mp3:
Blow The Candle Out – Click To Play

“Blow The Candle Out” is an old English sailors song (though not necessarily a sea chantey) dating from 1724 or earlier and also known and sung in Ireland, Scotland, and the U.S.

In this version a young man is about to enter military service for three years, a tragic development in view of his recent marriage to his true love. He promises to resume their love life when he returns, hoping to find a two-year-old son or daughter.

Lyrics:

[Em] Late last Saturday [D] evening
I went to see my [Em] dear
[Em] The candles were all [D] burning
And the moon shown bright and [Em] clear
[G] I rapped upon her [D] window
[Bb] To ease her of her [A7] pain
[Em] She rose and let me [D] in and
Barred the door [Em] again

I like well your behaviour
And this I often say
I cannot rest contented
While you are far away
The roads they are so muddy
I cannot roam about
So roll me in your arms, love
And blow the candle out

Your father and your mother
In yonder room do lie
Hugging one another
So why not you and I
Hugging one another
Without a fear or doubt
So roll me in your arms love
And blow the candle out

And if we prove successful, love
Please name it after me
Hug it neat and kiss it sweet
And dap it on your knee
When my three years are ended
And my time’s run out
Then I will prove my indebtedness
By blowing the candle out

Scottish Reel

mp3:
Scottish Reel – Click To Play

It is the Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and time for a Scottish Reel to dance in the refreshing season filled with birds, flowers and love. A wee bit of a dram might make it all the more delightful.

My wife Camilla suggested that the Rickenbacker 12-string with electronic compression sounds like a bagpipe and indeed it does!
Happy Spring!

Lyrics:

Instrumental Music

Low Bridge Everybody Down

mp3:
Low Bridge Everybody Down – Click To Play

The Erie Canal was America’s first “Super Highway” running from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. Construction began in 1817 and was completed in 1825. It ran 363 miles and created great wealth for New York City. Eventually railroads replaced it for commercial use. It still exists partially as a recreational waterway.

About the song from Wikipedia:

Lyrics:

Capo on 1st fret.
[Em] I’ve got an old [Bm] mule, and [G] her name is [Am] Sal, [Em] Fifteen years on the [D] Erie [Em] Canal
[Em] She’s a good old [Bm] worker and a [G] good old [Am] pal, [Em] Fifteen years on the [D] Erie [Em] Canal
[G] We’ve hauled some barges in [D] our day, [C] filled with lumber, [B7] coal and hay.
[Em] And every [Bm] inch of the [G] way I [Am] know, [Em] From Albany to [D] Buff [Em] alo

[G] Low bridge, [D] everybody down, [G] Low bridge, [D] cause we’re coming to a town.
[Em] You can always [Bm] tell your neighbor; [G] you can always tell your [Am] pal.
[Em] If he’s ever navigated on the [D] Erie [Em] Canal

We’d better look ’round for a job old gal, Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
You bet your life I wouldn’t part with Sal, Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
Giddyap there gal we’ve passed that lock, we’ll make Rome ‘fore six o-clock
So one more trip and then we’ll go, Right straight back to Buffalo

Low bridge, everybody down, Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town
Once a man named Mike McGinty tried to put it over Sal
Now he’s way down at the bottom of the Erie Canal

Oh, where would I be if I lost my pal? Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
Oh, I’d like to see a mule as good as Sal, Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
A friend of mine once got her sore, Now, he’s got a broken jaw.
Cause she let fly with her iron toe and kicked him into Buffalo.

Low bridge, everybody down, Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town.
If you’re looking ’round for trouble, better stay away from Sal.
She’s the only fighting donkey on the Erie Canal

I don’t have to call when I want my Sal, Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
She trots from her stall like a good old gal, Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
I eat my meals with Sal each day, I eat beef and she eat hay.
She isn’t so slow if you want to know, she put the “Buff” in Buffalo

Chorus: Low bridge, everybody down, Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town
Eats a bale of hay for dinner, and on top of that, my Sal.
Tries to drink up all the water in the Erie Canal

You’ll soon hear them sing everything about my gal, Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
It’s a darned fool ditty ’bout my darned fool Sal, Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
Oh, every band will play it soon, Darned fool words and darned fool tune!
You’ll hear it sung everywhere you go, from Mexico to Buffalo

Low bridge, everybody down, Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town.
She’s a perfect, perfect lady, and she blushes like a gal.
If she hears you sing about her and the Erie Canal.

Copper Kettle

mp3:
Copper Kettle – Click To Play

A. F. Beddoe claims to have written this song in 1953 as part of the folk opera “Go Lightly, Stranger.” However Pete Seeger says he heard the song in 1946, sung by a tall stranger named Frank. Joan Baez learned the song from Bob Gibson and recorded it for her 1962 Vanguard album “Joan Baez In Concert, Part 1.” However in this article from FolkWorks.org Ross Altman, PhD did some detective work and concluded that A. F. Beddoe did write the song after all.

Here’s a little bootlegger story:
A government official came to the home of a known bootlegger to destroy his still. The son came to the door. The “revenuer” asked to see the boy’s father. “He’s working” said the son. The agent knew what that meant. He offered the boy ten dollars to take him to the father. Boy said “Ok, give me the money now.” Agent said he’d give it when they got back. Kid said “Mister, you ain’t coming back!”

Lyrics:
Capo on 1st fret in D position:
[D] Get you a [A] copper [D] kettle
[D] Get you a [A] copper [D] coil
[Bm] Fill it with new made corn mash
[Em] And never more you’ll [A] toil

[G] You’ll just lay there by the [Bm] juniper
[G] While the moon shines [Bm] bright
[G] Watch them jugs [Bm] a-filling
In the [A] pale [Bm] moonlight

Build you a fire with hickory
Hickory, ash, and oak
Don’t use no green or rotten wood
It’ll get you by the smoke

We’ll just lay there by the juniper
While the moon shines bright
Watch them jugs a-filling
In the pale moonlight

My daddy, he made whiskey
My granddaddy, he did too
We ain’t paid no whiskey tax
Since 1792

We’ll just lay there by the juniper
While the moon shines bright
Watch them jugs a-filling
In the pale moonlight

Old Time Religion

mp3:
Old Time Religion – Click To Play

“Old Time Religion” is a classic Spiritual from the Old South! It’s something to think about in these days of Scientific Delirium Madness!

Lyrics:
[G] Give me that old time religion,
Give me that [D] old time [G] religion,
Give me that old time [C] religion, Lord
[G] It’s good [D] enough for [G] me.

It’s good enough for Momma
It’s good enough for Momma
It’s good enough for Momma, Lord
It’s good enough for me.

It’s good enough for Poppa
It’s good enough for Poppa
It’s good enough for Poppa, Lord
It’s good enough for me.

Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion, Lord
It’s good enough for me.

It was good for Paul and Silas,
It was good for Paul and Silas,
It was good for Paul and Silas, Lord
It’s good enough for me.

It was good enough for Moses
It was good enough for Moses
It was good enough for Moses, Lord
It’s good enough for me.

Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion, Lord
It’s good enough for me.

It will take you on to Glory
It will take you on to Glory
It will take you on to Glory
It’s good enough for me.

Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion, Lord
It’s good enough for me.

Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion, Lord
It’s good enough for me.

Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion, Lord
It’s good enough for me.