Kroužek u Vily Doris 2009/10
The Song
& The Story
Weeks 15, 16
We stay in Scotland for two famous songs from either side of the Jacobite uprisings; one about another of Scotland's heroes, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the other a version of an older song rewritten by Rabbie Burns.
The Skye Boat Song Ye Jacobites by Name
Weeks 13,14: Robert Burns
On 25th January Scots celebrate the birthday of their beloved bard Robbie Burns with selections of his songs and poems and, of course, piping in the haggis, that 'king of puddings'. He wrote in the dialect of lowland Scots which stll retains more of the Germanic origins of modern English as well as some words of gaelic and Scandinavian origin, enough to make it almost unintelligible to most English speakers. He also collected and completed a large collection of Scottish folk song and poems. Like many great music legends he died young.
To a Mouse My Luve is Like a Red Red Rose Green Grow the Rashes O
Week 12: William Brown
Another sing-along song from Britain's
industrial era thought to have been written by political writer and illustrator
Arthur T. Hagg for the Independent Labour
Party. The story is symbolic rather than referring to an actual worker or
industry and was intended as a protest
against an economic system many saw as grossly unfair.
Week 11: Poverty Knock
Christmas is over, the money all spent and once again we have to rise on cold dark mornings to earn some more. This song seems to fit perfectly. It's a great sing-along song but also tells us something of the hardships of textile workers in 19th century England. The Houghton Weavers made it popular during the 70's.
Week 10: Silent Night
The story about the mice eating holes in the bellows of the church organ is an appealing myth but it is still remarkable how this Christmas hymn composed for midnight mass in the Austrian village of Orbensdorf eventually became a world favourite.
Week 9: Mrs. Hooligan's Christmas Cake
We're already into Advent. It's a bit late for making a Christmas pudding but here's a seasonal cake recipe that takes some beating.......hammering or sawing! This old musichall favourite appeared in the late 19th century under a variety of names though best known by this unlikely monika, probably a corruption of Hulaghan.
Week 8: Spancil Hill
An old favourite of mine based on the true story of Michael Considine who emigrated from county Clare in 1870. He moved first to Boston and then to California where due to serious illness he died. This isn't Considine's original version but the more popularised version that evolved from it. It's homesick nostalgia hit a chord with emmigrant Irish not only in America.
Week
7: Nelson's Blood, All for me GrogAs fresh water never kept well on long sea journeys beer or wine was often added to make it more palateable. Ships sailing to the West Indies started to use rum instead. This mixture got its name from Admirable Vernon who started this custom whose crew nicknamed him Old Grog because of his grogham cloak. Another name for it was Nelson's blood as after Admiral Nelso died he was transported back to England preserved in rum.
Week 6: Now I'm Easy
A classic song written by Scots born singer Eric Bogle who emmigrated to Australia. It tells of the hardship and struggle of Australia's so-called 'cockatoo farmers'. The main character of this song doesn't die...but all his family do and he isn't that for off himself! I promise there'll be something more cheerful next week.(before we get back to the murders, hangings and robberies again!)
Week 5: The Wild
Colonial Boy
One of my personal favourites about a famous Australian outlaw, or bushranger as they were called. Similar to the famous Ned Kelly, young John Dohnohue escaped from 'British justice' to become a kind of Robin Hood figure, robbing rich farmers and aristocrats and helping the less fortunate. His name is changed to Jack Duggan in the song to avoid charges of sedition. The name of the policeman who shot him was also changed, probably because Mugglestone is almost impossible to make a rhyme with.
Week 4: Waltzing Matilda
The story of Australia's unofficial anthem by their famous poet Andrew Barton "Banjo" Patterson.
Week 3: Sixteen tons
Originally
released by country singer Merle Travis, this song about the hard working life
of a tough miner became an international hit, recorded by dozens of famous
artists. It also refers to the "truck" system of paying miners in
tokens which could only be exchanged for goods at the coal company's own
store. As the company also owned the houses they lived in and deducted
rent and other expenses from their earnings before they got them many miners
were permanently in debt to the company.
Week 2: John Hardy
John
Hardy was also a railroad worker but became famous for quite a different reason.
After losing in a card game he shot another worker, Thomas Drews. According to
some versions the two men were both in love with the same woman and Hardy became
jealous of his rival. John Hardy was tried and hanged near the courthouse in
McDowell County. Three thousand people came to see his execution.
Before his death he made his peace with God and repented for what he had done.
Recording: One of the few recordings of Leadbelly on accordion
Week 1: John
Henry 
Black American railroad work gangs often sang songs to accompany their work. Some of these were normal labourers though many gangs were often slaves or prisoners. The rhythm of the song matched the rhythm of the task, such as hammering spikes or lifting rails together. The ballad of John Henry is probably one of the best known of these songs and there are many versions. The lead singer might start with a random verse and the group would keep it going. Sometimes workers from other areas might have different verses or someone might invent a verse of their own.
The song tells of a competition between John Henry and the new steam drill that was replacing workers at that time. John Henry won the competition but then died from the effort.
Version with lyrics above in a modern recording from Roger McGuinn's FolkDen:
Performances from The John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip:
Performances from Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections, 1937-1942: