Molly Malone

http://ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden/php/music/Molly_Malone.mp3
3596297
audio/mpeg

Sean Murphy has composed a nicely detailed page on Molly Malone. He writes:

As well as being known and sung internationally, the popular song ‘Cockles and Mussels’ has become a sort of unofficial anthem of Dublin city. The song’s tragic heroine Molly Malone and her barrow have come to stand as one of the most familiar symbols of the capital. In addition, Molly’s international pulling power is shown by the fact that she scores hundreds of ‘hits’ on the Internet, many of them relating to ‘Irish pubs’ bearing her name. It seems perfectly natural therefore that Molly should have been commemorated by erecting a statue to her in Dublin, which monument has become a familiar landmark at the corner of Grafton Street and Suffolk Street. Let us now travel back in time to see what we can find out about the real Molly Malone.

Read the rest of his story here:
http://homepage.eircom.net/~seanjmurphy/irhismys/molly.htm

Special thanks to Sonnet Simmons for her wonderful vocal on Molly Malone. And Happy Birthday too!

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Malone

Lyrics:
G] In Dublin’s Fair [Em] City
Where the [Am] [D] girls are so pretty
[G] I first laid my [Em] eyes on sweet [Am] Molly [D] Malone
[G] As she wheel’d her [Em] wheel barrow
Through [Am] streets broad and [D] narrow
Crying [G] cockles and [Em] mussels [Am] alive, [D] alive [G] o!

Chorus
[G] Alive, alive [[Em] o!, [Am] alive, alive [D] o!
Crying [G] cockles and [Em] mussels [Am] alive, [D] alive [G] o!

She was a fishmonger
But sure ’twas no wonder
For so were her father and mother before
And they each wheel’d their barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive, alive o!

Chorus

She died of a fever
And no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
But her ghost wheels her barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive, alive o!

Chorus X3

Greensleeves

La ghirlandata (1873)
Londra, Guildhall Art Gallery

. . . Greensleeves . . . Text below from: http://soundexp.com/history.html

In the 15th through the early 17th centuries, music began to be printed and sold. Musical themes spread rapidly throughout Europe, particularly those developed by the troubadours of Provence in earlier centuries. With the coming of the Renaissance, the Church lost some of its power to control ideas. The notion of courtly love, so despised by the clergy, was celebrated once again. Of course it was hardly taken seriously, but its imagery was still powerful and it sounded good.

There is a long standing debate over whether England’s King Henry VIII (circa: ) did, in fact, write “Greensleeves,” one of the most celebrated, and certainly most frequently performed, love songs ever written. It’s doubtful whether we can ever know for sure. This much we do know: Henry VIII was well educated and thought of himself as quite the Renaissance man. He played several instruments including organ, harp, and virginals, so he certainly could have picked out the melody. We have a love letter written by him to Anne Boleyn which displays an eloquence (and impatience) that leads one to believe he could have written the song’s lyrics. Lines from this letter such as “struck by the dart of love” sound a bit trite, but it shows he probably knew a decent metaphor when he heard one. Most likely the tune already existed and Henry simply added his own lyrics since this was a perfectly acceptable practice in those days. Henry, no doubt thought of himself as a latter day troubadour wooing his lady love. But, as Anne was to find out, like some other troubadours of olde, Henry was a fickle lover and quickly moved on the next muse.

Punning sexual allusions and bawdy language were quite common in the love songs of this period. The Renaissance delighted in images of outdoor lovemaking and thinly disguised it by employing the metaphor of dancing as in Thomas Morley’s song, “Now Is the Month of Maying” (‘Barley-break’ is Renaissance-speak for ‘a roll in the hay’)

The Spring, clad all in gladness,
Doth laugh at Winter’s sadness, fa la,
And to the bagpipe’s sound
The nymphs tread out their ground, fa la.
Fie then, why sit we musing,
Youth’s sweet delight refusing, fa la.
Say, dainty nymphs, and speak,
Shall we play at barley-break? fa la.

During the reign of Elizabeth I, Shakespeare, like other playwrights, sprinkled songs throughout his stage plays. We don’t have know the original melodies but, like Greensleeves, they were probably sung to well-known tunes of the day, whichever ones the actors happened to know. Although Shakespeare’s love sonnets are deeply moving, the love songs in his plays tend to be more for laughs. Slow ballads probably didn’t go over well with a rambunctious live audience just waiting for an excuse to throw rotten vegetables!
. . .

Lyrics:
. . . [Em] Alas, my love, you [D] do me wrong,
To [C] cast me off [B7] discourteously.
[G] For I have loved you [D] well and long,
[C] Delighting [B7] in your [Em] company.

Chorus:
[G] Greensleeves was all my [D] joy
[C] Greensleeves was my [B7] delight,
[G] Greensleeves was my [D] heart of gold,
And [C] who but my [B7] lady [Em] greensleeves.

Your vows you’ve broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.

chorus

If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.

chorus

My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet you wouldst not love me.

chorus

You couldst desire no earthly thing,
but still you hadst it readily.
Your music still to play and sing;
And yet you wouldst not love me.

chorus

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me. . . .

Wade in the Water

C01U.jpg

Camilla and I were on the road when I remembered this song and thought it would be a good one to record. I used my iBook and free cross platform software called Audacity along with my Samson C01U USB microphone. This is a great mic for the road because you don’t need an interface of any kind to record. You just plug into the USB jack and you’re good to go.

We discussed the song and decided make some changes. The original meaning of the song was inspired by John 5:4 in the Bible. “For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and troubled the water. Then whoever first stepped in after the troubling of the water was made whole of whatever disease he had.” We changed the meaning to reflect Deuteronomy 31:3 “The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, [and] he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: [and] Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.”

Lyrics:
[Am] Wade in the water
[Dm] Wade in the water [Am] children
[Am] Wade in the water
[C] God’s gonna [G] part the – [G] wa [Am] ter

Wade in the water
Wade in the water children
Wade in the water
God’s gonna part the – water[C]

Well who those children [G] dressed in [Am] red?
[C] God’s gonna [G] part the – [G] wa [Am] ter
[C] Must be the [G] children that Joshua [Am] led
[C] God’s gonna [G] part the – [G] wa [Am] ter

I said wade in the water
Wade in the water children
Wade in the water
God’s gonna part the – water

Nowl who those children dressed in black?
God’s gonna part the water
Goin’ to the promised land and never comin’ back
God’s gonna part the water

Said wade in the water
Wade in the water children
Wade in the water
God’s gonna part the – water

Well who those children dressed in green?
God’s gonna part the water
They’re marching to a land they never have seen
God’s gonna part the water

Wade in the water
Wade in the water children
Wade in the water
God’s gonna part the – water

Well who those children dressed in white?
God’s gonna part the water
They must be the children called Israelites
God’s gonna part the water

I said wade in the water
Wade in the water children
Wade in the water
God’s gonna part the – water

Wade in the water
Wade in the water children
Wade in the water
God’s gonna part the – water
God’s gonna part the – water
God’s gonna part the – water

(c) 2006
New lyrics by Roger McGuinn – McGuinn Music (BMI)
Camilla McGuinn – April First Music (ASCAP)

Mary Had A Little Lamb

marie.jpg

Thomas Edison, the father of audio recording recited the first stanza of this poem in testing his new invention, the phonograph in 1877, making this the first audio
recording to be successfully made and played back. It was all done on tin foil.

They say the song springs from a true story:

As a girl, Mary Sawyer (later Mrs. Mary Tyler) kept a pet lamb, which she took to school one day at the suggestion of her brother. A commotion naturally ensued.

Lyrics:
Written By: Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book, 1830's
Copyright Unknown

[G] Mary had a little lamb,
[D] Little lamb, [G] little lamb,
Mary had a little lamb,
Its [D[ fleece was white as [G] snow

And everywhere that Mary went,
Mary went, Mary went,
Everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go

It followed her to school one day
School one day, school one day
It followed her to school one day
Which was against the rules.

It made the children laugh and play,
Laugh and play, laugh and play,
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school

And so the teacher turned it out,
Turned it out, turned it out,
And so the teacher turned it out,
But still it lingered near

And waited patiently about,
Patiently about, patiently about,
And waited patiently about
Till Mary did appear

'Why does the lamb love Mary so?'
Love Mary so? Love Mary so?
'Why does the lamb love Mary so?'
The eager children cry

'Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know.'
Loves the lamb, you know, loves the lamb, you know
'Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know.'
The teacher did reply

St. Clair's Defeat

St_Clair_Campaign.jpg

I first heard this song at the Gate of Horn in Chicago. Bob Gibson and Bob Camp were a duo for a short time and this was one of thier most intense songs. It’s about The Battle of Wabash River. It was also known as ‘St. Clair’s Defeat’ which was fought on November 4, 1791 between the United States and an American Indian confederacy, as part of the Northwest Indian War (also known as ‘Little Turtle’s War’). The American Indians were led by Michikinikwa (‘Little Turtle’) of the Miamis and Blue Jacket of the Shawnees. The Americans were led by General Arthur St. Clair. The Indian confederacy was victorious. The battle was the most severe defeat ever suffered by the United States at the hands of American Indians; indeed, in proportional terms it was the worst defeat that United States forces have ever suffered in battle. As a result, President George Washington forced St. Clair to resign his post, and Congress initiated its first investigation of the executive branch.
More information at these URLs:
wikipedia.org
QM Museum
Ohio
britannica.com
Lyrics:
[Em] Was November the fourth in the [G] year of ninety-[D] one
[Em] We had a sore engagement near [D] to [Em] Fort [D] Jeffer [Em] son
[G] Sinclair was our commander, which [Bm] may remembered be
[Em] But we left nine hundred soldiers in [D] that [Em] Western Terri[D] tory[Em]At Bunker’s Hill and in Quebec, where many a hero fell
Likewise out on Long Island, it is I the truth can tell
But such a dreadful carnage, never did I see
As happened all out on the plains, near the River St. Marie

Our militia was attacked, just as the day did break
And soon were overpowered, and forced into retreat
They killed major Ouldham, and major Briggs likewise
While horrid yells of anguished souls resounded through the skies

Major Butler he was wounded the very second fire
His manly bosom swelled with rage they forced him to retire
Like one distracted he appeared, when thus exclaim-ed he
Ye hounds of Hell shall all be slain but what revenged I’ll be

We had not very long been broke, when General Butler fell
He cries my boys I’m wounded, pray take me off this field
My word says he, what shall we do, we’re wounded every man
Go charge your valiant heros and beat them if you can

He leaned his back against a tree, and there resigned his breath
And like a valiant soldier, sunk into the arms of death
When blessed angels did await, his spirit to convey
Into celestial fields, he did quickly bend his way

We charged again and took our ground, which did our hearts elate
But there we did not tarry long, they soon made us retreat
They killed our major Ferguson, which caused his men to cry
Stand to your guns says valiant Ford, we’ll fight until we die

Our cannon balls exhausted, artillery men all slain
Our musketeers and riflemen, their fire they did sustain
Three hours more we fought like men, and they were forced to yield
While three hundred bloody warriors lay stretched across the filed

Says colonel Gibson to his men, my boys be not dismayed
I’m sure that true Virginians were never yet afraid
Ten thousand deaths I’d rather die, than they should gain this field
With that he got a fatal shot, causing him to yield

Says major Clark, my heros, we can no longer stand
We shall strive to form in order, and retreat the best we can
The word retreat being passed around, they raised a dreadful cry
Then helter skelter through the woods like wolves and sheep they fly

We left the wounded on the field, O heavens what a shock!
And many bones were shattered, and strewn across the rock
With scalping knives and tomahawks, they robbed some of their breath
While raging flames of torment, tortured other men to death

Was November the fourth in the year of ninety-one
We had a sore engagement near to Fort Jefferson
Sinclair was our commander, which may remembered be
But we left nine hundred soldiers in that Western Territory

Children Go Where I Send Thee

Go_Where_I_Send_Thee.gif

A traditional spiritual with a meaning for each number. I have placed the meaning next to the verses in parentheses.
Lyrics:
[E] Children go [A] where I [E] send [A] thee
[E] How [A] shall I [E] send [A] thee?
[E] I’m gonna [A] send thee [E] one by one [A]
[E] One for the [A] Little Bitty [A] Baby
[E] Who was born, [A] born, [E] born in [B7] Bethlehem [E]

Two for Paul and Silas

Three for the Hebrew children

Four for the four who stood at the door (Mathew Mark Luke and John)

Five for the Gospel preachers (Mathew Mark Luke and John and all Gospel preachers)

Six for the jars where the wine was mixed (Miracle at the wedding feast at Cana)

Seven for the seven who came from Heaven (Seven-fold Spirit of God)

Eight for the eight who sealed their fate (The eight people who entered Noah’s Ark)

Nine for the ninety-nine in line (Those waiting while the Good Shepard sought His one lost sheep)

Ten for the ten commandments

Eleven for the eleven who went to Heaven (The eleven disciples minus Judas Iscariot)

Twelve for the twelve Apostles

Oh Mary Don't You Weep

Oh_Mary.jpg

A good old gospel song from the southern United States. This has been recorded by many folk singers and exists in numerous versions.

Oh Mary Don’t You Weep

Mf – If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus

Pb – Oh, Sisters Don’t You Weep

1. Sandburg, Carl / American Songbag, Harcourt Brace Jovan…, Sof (1928/1955), p476 (Pharaoh’s Army Got Drownded)
2. Leisy, James F. (ed.) / Songs for Pickin’ and Singin’, Gold Medal Books, sof (1962), p198
3. Carawan, Guy & Candie / Sing for Freedom, Sing Out, sof (1990), p 58
4. Lynn, Frank (ed.) / Songs for Swinging Housemothers, Fearon, Sof (1963/1961), p312
5. Best, Dick & Beth (eds.) / New Song Fest Deluxe, Charles Hansen, Sof (1971/1948), p148
6. Winds of the People, Sing Out, Sof (1982), p 35
7. Blood, Peter; and Annie Patterson (eds.) / Rise Up Singing, Sing Out, Sof (1989/1992), p 63
8. Sandburg, Helga (ed.) / Sweet Music, Dial, Bk (1963), p101 (Pharaoh’s Army)
9. Abe and Malka. Mandelblatt, Abe & Malka A. / 100 Guitar Accompanyments, Amsco, Sof (1974), p156
10. Davis, Bill. Sounds of the Smokies, Old Traditions BWD 51471, LP (197?), cut#A.04
11. Halifax Three. Halifax Three, Epic BN 26038, LP (1963), cut#B.06
12. Hurt, Mississippi John. Mississippi John Hurt, Vol. 3. Sacred and Secular, Heritage (England) HT320, LP (1988/reis/), cut# 9 (Mary Don’t You Weep)
13. Hurt, Mississippi John. Worried Blues, Piedmount PLP-13161, LP (196?/?), cut# 9
14. Hurt, Mississippi John. Garwood, Donald / Masters of Instrumental Blues Guitar, Oak, Fol (1967), p43
15. Kingston Trio. Close Up, Capitol T 1642, LP (1961), cut#A.04 (Don’t You Weep Mary)
16. Kingston Trio. Rediscover the Kingston Trio, Folk Era FE 2001, LP (1985), cut#A.04 (Oh, Mary)
17. Leadbelly. Leadbelly’s Last Sessions, Part 4, Folkways FA 2942, LP (196?/?), cut# 11 (Mary Don’t You Weep)
18. Leadbelly. Lomax, John & Alan Lomax (eds.) / Leadbelly. A Collection of World Famou, Folkways, sof (1959), p51 (Mary Doncha Weep)
19. Schilling, Jean. Old Traditions, Traditional JS-5117, LP (1967/1974), cut#A.03 (Mary Don’t You Weep)
20. Seeger, Pete. Seeger, Pete / American Favorite Ballads, Oak, Fol (1961), p78
21. Sheer, Anita. Anita Sheer, MGM E-4225, LP (196?), cut#B.06
22. Steamboat Entertainers. Galax International, Heritage (Galax) 067, LP (1988/?), cut# 19
23. Taussig, Harry. Taussig, Harry / Folk-Style Guitar, Oak, Sof (1973), p 97

Lyrics:
OH, MARY DON’T YOU WEEP

CHORUS:
[G] Oh, Mary, don’t you [D] weep, don’t mourn;
Oh, Mary, don’t you [G] weep, don’t mourn;
[C] Pharaoh’s army got [G] drowned,
Oh, [D] Mary, don’t you [G] weep.

X2

[G] Well if I could I surely [D] would,
Stand on the rock where [G] Moses stood.
[C] Pharaoh’s army got [G] drowned,
[G] Oh, [D] Mary, don’t you [G] weep.

CH X 2

One of these morns about twelve o’ clock
This old world is going to reel and rock
Pharaoh’s army got drowned,
Oh, Mary, don’t you weep.

CH X 3

Ruben Ranzo

Ranzo_in_Oilskins.jpg

Ruben Ranzo

Ruben Ranzo, an inexperienced sailor is shanghaied aboard a whaling ship. The captain’s daughter takes pity on him, teaches him navigation and the finer points of sailing, marries him and he becomes the finest sailor on the seas.

It has been suggested that Ranzo is a corruption of the name Lorenzo. American whaling ships often recruited Portugese seamen in the Azores, and Ranzo may have been one of these.

* The holy stone resembled a vacuum cleaner in shape, but weighed around twenty-five pounds. A round stone was at the end of a handle. Sand was put on the deck and sailors scrubbed to get the gunk out of the wood.

Lyrics:
Oh, poor old Ruben Ranzo,
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
Oh, poor old Ruben Ranzo,
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

Oh, Ranzo was no sailor,
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
He was a New York tailor
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

He was a New York tailor
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
Shanghaied aboard a whaler,
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

They put him holy-stonin’ *
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
And cared not for his groanin’
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

They gave him lashes thirty
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
Because he was so dirty
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

They gave him lashes twenty
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
That’s twenty more than plenty
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

Ah Ranzo nearly fainted
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
When his back with oil was painted
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

The captain gave him thirty
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
His daughter begged for mercy
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

She took him to her cabin
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
And tried to ease his moanin’
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

Oh, she give him rum and water,
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
And a bit more than she ought to,
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

She gave him education
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
And taught him navigation
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

She made him the best sailor
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
On board that New York whaler
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

He married the captain’s daughter
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
And still sails on salt water
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

Now he’s known wherever them whale-fish blow,
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo
As the toughest whaler on the go,
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo

There's A Hole In The Bucket

leakyBucket.jpg

There's A Hole In The Bucket

A circle song is one that comes back to where it started and begins again. It can go on indefinitely. This is the amusing story of Henry and Maria. Their bucket leaks and she wants him to fix it, but that never happens.

A true 'catch 22.'

Lyrics:
There's a [A] hole in the [D] bucket Maria, Maria
There's a [A] hole in the [D] bucket Maria, [E] there's a [A] hole

Then why don't you fix it dear Henry, dear Henry
Then why don't you fix it dear Henry, dear fix it!

With what shall I fix it Maria, Maria?
With what shall I fix it Maria, with what?

With straw dear Henry, dear Henry dear Henry
With straw dear Henry, dear Henry with straw.

But the straw is too long Maria, Maria
The straw is too long Maria, too long

Well cut it dear Henry, dear Henry dear Henry
Well cut it dear Henry, dear Henry just cut it!

With what shall I cut it Maria, Maria?
With what shall I cut it Maria, with what?

With an axe dear Henry, dear Henry dear Henry
With an axe dear Henry, dear Henry, with an axe!

But the axe is too dull Maria, Maria,
The axe is too dull, the axe is too dull

Then sharpen it dear Henry, dear Henry dear Henry
Then sharpen it dear Henry, dear Henry then sharpen it!

With what shall I sharpen it Maria, Maria?
With what shall I sharpen it Maria, with what?

With a stone dear Henry, dear Henry dear Henry
With a stone dear Henry, dear Henry, with a stone!

But the stone is too dry Maria, Maria
But the stone is too dry Maria, to dry

Then wet it dear Henry, dear Henry dear Henry
Then wet it dear Henry, dear Henry dear just wet it!

With what shall I wet it Maria, Maria?
With what shall I wet it Maria, with what?

With water dear Henry, dear Henry dear Henry
With water dear Henry, dear Henry with water.

But how shall I get it Maria, Maria
But how shall I get it Maria, but how

In the bucket dear Henry, dear Henry dear Henry
In the bucket dear Henry, dear Henry in the bucket

There's a hole in the bucket Maria, Maria
There's a hole in the bucket Maria, there's a hole

Red River Valley

leadingpony.gif

I remember watching Roy Rogers when I was a Chicago cowboy in the 1940s. Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers sang Red River Valley in a movie by the same name. This song always reminds me of my childhood fantasies of riding the range with a cowboy hat and a good chestnut mare.
Lyrics:
Red River Valley

[G] From this valley they say you are going
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile [D]
[G] For they say you are taking the [C] sunshine
That has [D] brightened our path for a [G] while

Come and sit by my side if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
But remember the Red River Valley
And the cowboy who loved you so true

Won’t you think of the valley you’re leaving
Oh how lonely, how sad it will be?
Oh think of the fond heart you’re breaking
And the grief you are causing to me

As you go to your home by the ocean
May you never forget those sweet hours
That we spent in the Red River Valley
And the love we exchanged mid the flowers

Repeat first verse