Friday, December 25, 2009

DECEMBER THE 25TH

Only one song would be appropriate for today. Whether you choose to do a Take This Tune this week or not, kick back for a moment and enjoy this salute to a wonderful day written for the musical "SCROOGE"



December The 25th

Of all the days in all the year
that I'm familiar with
There's only one that's really fun
December the 25th
Correct!


Ask anyone called Robinson
or Brown or Jones or Smith
Their favorite day
And they will say
December the 25
Correct!


(refrain)
December the 25th, me dears
December the 25th
The dearest day in all the year
December the 25th!
Correct!


At times we're glad to see the backs
of all our kin and kith
But there's one date we celebrate
December the 25th
Correct!


At times our friends may seem
devoid of wit and pith
But all of us are humorous
December the 25th
Correct!


(refrain)


If there's a day in history
that's more than any myth
Beyond a doubt one day stands out
December the 25th
Correct!


I don't hear any arguments
So may I say forthwith
I wish that every day could be
December the 25th


(refrain)




Friday, December 18, 2009

Emmanuel

One of my favorite Advent carols is "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." Its Latin lyrics date to the 9th century, its melody to the 13th. The familiar English lyrics we sing today were composed by John M. Neale in 1850, and the tune adapted and harmonized by Thomas Helmore in 1854. Here it's sung by Loreena McKennitt:



O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lowly exile here
Until the Son of God appear

Chorus

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of hell thy people save
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave

Chorus

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight

Chorus

O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav’nly home
Make safe the way that leads on high
and close the path to misery

Chorus

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height
In ancient times did’st give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe

Chorus

What impressions do you get from this, with its origins in plainchant? Start writing~~Fairweather

p.s.  My thanks to Fairweather for taking over this week as I have been semi out of commission until next week .... Jamie

Friday, December 11, 2009

Light One Candle




Tonight is the First night of Chanukah which lasts through next Friday evening. So Take This Tune this week is Peter Paul and Mary's "Light One Candle"



Light one candle for the Maccabee children
Give thanks their light didn't die;
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied;
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand;
light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker's time is at hand!

chorus:
Don't let the light go out,
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our love and our tears!

Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe;
Light one candle for those who are suff'ring
The pain that we learned long ago;
Light one candle for all we believe in,
That anger not tear us apart;
And light one candle to bind us together
With peace as the song in our heart!

(chorus)

What is the memory that's valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died?
We cry out "they've not died in vain,"
We have come this far, always believing
That justice will somehow prevail;
This is the burden and This is the promise,
This is why we will not fail!

(chorus)

Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!




Friday, December 4, 2009

Children Go Where I Send Theee

We are now headed into the winter holidays. I'll try to give some time to all the traditions in some fashion, but to kick it off, a great spiritual with many variations that draws on both the Old and New Testaments sung by the incomparable Audra McDonald.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee one by one
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee two by two
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee three by three
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee four by four
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.





Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee five by five
Five for the gospel preachers
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee six by six
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the gospel preachers
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee seven by seven
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the gospel preachers
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee eight by eight
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the gospel preachers
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee nine by nine
Nine for the ninety nine in line
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the gospel preachers
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee ten by ten
Ten for the ten commandments
Nine for the nine all dressed so fine
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the gospel preachers
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.





Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee eleven by eleven
Eleven for the eleven who went to heaven
Ten for the ten commandments
Nine for the nine all dressed so fine
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the gospel preachers
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee twelve by twelve
Twelve for the twelve Apostles
Eleven for the eleven deriders
Ten for the ten commandments
Nine for the nine all dressed so fine
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the gospel preachers
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Diamonds and Rust




A little late getting this up due to an after Thanksgiving jaunt to Mount Ranier, but this is one of my favorite Joan Baez songs. We have all had that other important person on the line after years. So take this tune and tell me a story.



Well, I'll be damned
Here comes your ghost again
But that's not unusual
It's just that the moon is full
And you happened to call
And here I sit
Hand on the telephone
Hearing a voice I'd known
A couple of light years ago
Heading straight for a fall

As I remember your eyes
Were bluer than robin's eggs
My poetry was lousy you said
Where are you calling from?
A booth in the Midwest
Ten years ago I bought you some cufflinks
You brought me something
We both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust

Well, you burst on the scene, already a legend
The unwashed phenomenon
The original vagabond
You strayed into my arms
And there you stayed
Temporarily lost at sea
The Madonna was yours for free
Yes, the girl on the half-shell
Could keep you unharmed

Now I see you standing with brown leaves falling around
And snow in your hair
Now you're smiling out the window of that crummy hotel
Over Washington Square
Our breath comes out white clouds
Mingles and hangs in the air
Speaking strictly for me
We both could have died then and there

Now you're telling me you're not nostalgic
Then give me another word for it
You who are so good with words
And at keeping things vague
'Cause I need some of that vagueness now
It's all come back too clearly
Yes, I once loved you dearly
And if you're offering me diamonds and rust
I've already paid

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving at Alice's Restaurant






I was informed that there was only one song I could put up for Thanksgiving. So here it is. I hope you are all happy, healthy, and surrounded by those you love and are having a wonderful holiday.


This song is called Alice's Restaurant, and it's about Alice, and the
Restaurant, but Alice's Restaurant is not the name of the restaurant,
That's just the name of the song, and that's why I called the song Alice's
Restaurant.

You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant
You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant
Now it all started two Thanksgivings ago, was on - two years ago on
Thanksgiving, when my friend and I went up to visit Alice at the
Restaurant, but Alice doesn't live in the restaurant, she lives in the
Church nearby the restaurant, in the bell-tower, with her husband Ray and
Fasha the dog. And livin' in the bell tower like that, they got a lot of
Room downstairs where the pews used to be in. Havin' all that room,
Seein' as how they took out all the pews, they decided that they didn't
Have to take out their garbage for a long time.

We got up there, we found all the garbage in there, and we decided it'd be
A friendly gesture for us to take the garbage down to the city dump. So
We took the half a ton of garbage, put it in the back of a red VW
Microbus, took shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed
On toward the city dump.

Well we got there and there was a big sign and a chain across across the
Dump saying, "Closed on Thanksgiving." And we had never heard of a dump
Closed on Thanksgiving before, and with tears in our eyes we drove off
Into the sunset looking for another place to put the garbage.
We didn't find one. Until we came to a side road, and off the side of the
Side road there was another fifteen foot cliff and at the bottom of the
Cliff there was another pile of garbage. And we decided that one big pile
Is better than two little piles, and rather than bring that one up we
Decided to throw our's down.

That's what we did, and drove back to the church, had a thanksgiving
Dinner that couldn't be beat, went to sleep and didn't get up until the
Next morning, when we got a phone call from officer Obie. He said, "Kid,
We found your name on an envelope at the bottom of a half a ton of
Garbage, and just wanted to know if you had any information about it." And
I said, "Yes, sir, Officer Obie, I cannot tell a lie, I put that envelope
Under that garbage."

After speaking to Obie for about fourty-five minutes on the telephone we
Finally arrived at the truth of the matter and said that we had to go down
And pick up the garbage, and also had to go down and speak to him at the
Police officer's station. So we got in the red VW microbus with the
Shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed on toward the
Police officer's station.

Now friends, there was only one or two things that Obie coulda done at
The police station, and the first was he could have given us a medal for
Being so brave and honest on the telephone, which wasn't very likely, and
We didn't expect it, and the other thing was he could have bawled us out
And told us never to be seen driving garbage around the vicinity again,
Which is what we expected, but when we got to the police officer's station
There was a third possibility that we hadn't even counted upon, and we was
Both immediately arrested. Handcuffed. And I said "Obie, I don't think I
Can pick up the garbage with these handcuffs on." He said, "Shut up, kid.
Get in the back of the patrol car."

And that's what we did, sat in the back of the patrol car and drove to the
Quote Scene of the Crime unquote. I want tell you about the town of
Stockbridge, Massachusets, where this happened here, they got three stop
Signs, two police officers, and one police car, but when we got to the
Scene of the Crime there was five police officers and three police cars,
Being the biggest crime of the last fifty years, and everybody wanted to
Get in the newspaper story about it. And they was using up all kinds of
Cop equipment that they had hanging around the police officer's station.
They was taking plaster tire tracks, foot prints, dog smelling prints, and
They took twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles
And arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each
One was to be used as evidence against us. Took pictures of the approach,
The getaway, the northwest corner the southwest corner and that's not to
Mention the aerial photography.

After the ordeal, we went back to the jail. Obie said he was going to put
Us in the cell. Said, "Kid, I'm going to put you in the cell, I want your
Wallet and your belt." And I said, "Obie, I can understand you wanting my
Wallet so I don't have any money to spend in the cell, but what do you
Want my belt for?" And he said, "Kid, we don't want any hangings." I
Said, "Obie, did you think I was going to hang myself for littering?"
Obie said he was making sure, and friends Obie was, cause he took out the
Toilet seat so I couldn't hit myself over the head and drown, and he took
Out the toilet paper so I couldn't bend the bars roll out the - roll the
Toilet paper out the window, slide down the roll and have an escape. Obie
Was making sure, and it was about four or five hours later that Alice
(remember Alice? It's a song about Alice), Alice came by and with a few
Nasty words to Obie on the side, bailed us out of jail, and we went back
To the church, had a another thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat,
And didn't get up until the next morning, when we all had to go to court.
We walked in, sat down, Obie came in with the twenty seven eight-by-ten
Colour glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back
Of each one, sat down. Man came in said, "All rise." We all stood up,
And Obie stood up with the twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy
Pictures, and the judge walked in sat down with a seeing eye dog, and he
Sat down, we sat down. Obie looked at the seeing eye dog, and then at the
Twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy pictures with circles and arrows
And a paragraph on the back of each one, and looked at the seeing eye dog.
And then at twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy pictures with circles
And arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one and began to cry,
'cause Obie came to the realization that it was a typical case of American
Blind justice, and there wasn't nothing he could do about it, and the
Judge wasn't going to look at the twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy
Pictures with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each
One explaining what each one was to be used as evidence against us. And
We was fined $50 and had to pick up the garbage in the snow, but that's not
What I came to tell you about.

I Came to talk about the draft.

They got a building down New York City, it's called Whitehall Street,
Where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected,
Neglected and selected. I went down to get my physical examination one
Day, and I walked in, I sat down, got good and drunk the night before, so
I looked and felt my best when I went in that morning. `Cause I wanted to
Look like the all-American kid from New York City, man I wanted, I wanted
To feel like the all-, I wanted to be the all American kid from New York,
And I walked in, sat down, I was hung down, brung down, hung up, and all
Kinds o' mean nasty ugly things. And I waked in and sat down and they gave
Me a piece of paper, said, "Kid, see the phsychiatrist, room 604.

And I went up there, I said, "Shrink, I want to kill. I mean, I wanna, I
Wanna kill. Kill. I wanna, I wanna see, I wanna see blood and gore and
Guts and veins in my teeth. Eat dead burnt bodies. I mean kill, Kill,
KILL, KILL." And I started jumpin up and down yelling, "KILL, KILL," and
He started jumpin up and down with me and we was both jumping up and down
Yelling, "KILL, KILL." And the sargent came over, pinned a medal on me,
Sent me down the hall, said, "You're our boy."

Didn't feel too good about it.

Proceeded on down the hall gettin more injections, inspections,
Detections, neglections and all kinds of stuff that they was doin' to me
At the thing there, and I was there for two hours, three hours, four
Hours, I was there for a long time going through all kinds of mean nasty
Ugly things and I was just having a tough time there, and they was
Inspecting, injecting every single part of me, and they was leaving no
Part untouched. Proceeded through, and when I finally came to the see the
Last man, I walked in, walked in sat down after a whole big thing there,
And I walked up and said, "What do you want?" He said, "Kid, we only got
One question. Have you ever been arrested?

And I proceeded to tell him the story of the Alice's Restaurant Massacre,
With full orchestration and five part harmony and stuff like that and all
The phenome... - and he stopped me right there and said, "Kid, did you ever
Go to court?"

And I proceeded to tell him the story of the twenty seven eight-by-ten
Colour glossy pictures with the circles and arrows and the paragraph on
The back of each one, and he stopped me right there and said, "Kid, I want
You to go and sit down on that bench that says Group W .... NOW kid!!"
And I, I walked over to the, to the bench there, and there is, Group W's
Where they put you if you may not be moral enough to join the army after
Committing your special crime, and there was all kinds of mean nasty ugly
Looking people on the bench there. Mother rapers. Father stabbers. Father
Rapers! Father rapers sitting right there on the bench next to me! And
They was mean and nasty and ugly and horrible crime-type guys sitting on the
Bench next to me. And the meanest, ugliest, nastiest one, the meanest
Father raper of them all, was coming over to me and he was mean 'n' ugly
'n' nasty 'n' horrible and all kind of things and he sat down next to me
And said, "Kid, whad'ya get?" I said, "I didn't get nothing, I had to pay
$50 and pick up the garbage." He said, "What were you arrested for, kid?"
And I said, "Littering." And they all moved away from me on the bench
There, and the hairy eyeball and all kinds of mean nasty things, till I
Said, "And creating a nuisance." And they all came back, shook my hand,
And we had a great time on the bench, talkin about crime, mother stabbing,
Father raping, all kinds of groovy things that we was talking about on the
Bench. And everything was fine, we was smoking cigarettes and all kinds of
Things, until the Sargeant came over, had some paper in his hand, held it
Up and said.

"Kids, this-piece-of-paper's-got-47-words-37-sentences-58-words-we-wanna-
Know-details-of-the-crime-time-of-the-crime-and-any-other-kind-of-thing-
You-gotta-say-pertaining-to-and-about-the-crime-I-want-to-know-arresting-
Officer's-name-and-any-other-kind-of-thing-you-gotta-say", and talked for
Forty-five minutes and nobody understood a word that he said, but we had
Fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils on the bench there,
And I filled out the massacre with the four part harmony, and wrote it
Down there, just like it was, and everything was fine and I put down the
Pencil, and I turned over the piece of paper, and there, there on the
Other side, in the middle of the other side, away from everything else on
The other side, in parentheses, capital letters, quotated, read the
Following words:

("KID, HAVE YOU REHABILITATED YOURSELF?")

I went over to the sargent, said, "Sargeant, you got a lot a damn gall to
Ask me if I've rehabilitated myself, I mean, I mean, I mean that just, I'm
Sittin' here on the bench, I mean I'm sittin here on the Group W bench
'cause you want to know if I'm moral enough join the army, burn women,
Kids, houses and villages after bein' a litterbug." He looked at me and
Said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send you fingerprints
Off to Washington."

And friends, somewhere in Washington enshrined in some little folder, is a
Study in black and white of my fingerprints. And the only reason I'm
Singing you this song now is cause you may know somebody in a similar
Situation, or you may be in a similar situation, and if your in a
Situation like that there's only one thing you can do and that's walk into
The shrink wherever you are ,just walk in say "Shrink, You can get
Anything you want, at Alice's restaurant.". And walk out. You know, if
One person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and
They won't take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony,
They may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them.
And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in
Singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. They may think it's an
Organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day,I said
Fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and
Walking out. And friends they may thinks it's a movement.

And that's what it is , the Alice's Restaurant Anti-Massacre Movement, and
All you got to do to join is sing it the next time it come's around on the
Guitar.


With feeling. So we'll wait for it to come around on the guitar, here and
Sing it when it does. Here it comes.

You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
That was horrible. If you want to end war and stuff you got to sing loud.
I've been singing this song now for twenty five minutes. I could sing it
For another twenty five minutes. I'm not proud... or tired.
So we'll wait till it comes around again, and this time with four part
Harmony and feeling.

We're just waitin' for it to come around is what we're doing.

All right now.
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Excepting Alice
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Da da da da da da da dum
At Alice's Restaurant

Friday, November 20, 2009

We Gather Together

To get us all in the mood for Thanksgiving, an old hymn from the Netherlands sung by Celtic Women with a message of thanks and the joining together of those we love.



We Gather Together


We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to His name: He forgets not his own.
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine

So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!
We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Sweet Baby James

Written by James Taylor as a lullabye for the baby nephew named for him, Sweet Baby James has in many ways become Taylor's signature song.  Today you get two versions of the same song almost 40 years apart by the same artist. Have fun and take this tune.





Sweet Baby James 1970








Sweet Baby James 2008





There is a young cowboy he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for Summer, his pastures to change
And as the moon rises he sits by his fire
Thinking about women and glasses of beer
And closing his eyes as the doggies retire
He sings out a song which is soft but it's clear
As if maybe someone could hear
Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rock-a-bye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rock-a-bye sweet baby James
Now the first of December was covered with snow
And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Lord, the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frosting
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go
There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
A song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me
Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rock-a-bye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rock-a-bye sweet baby James

Friday, November 6, 2009

As If We Never Said Goodbye



Sunset Boulevard




As If We Never Said Goodbye
From Sunset Boulevard

I don't know why I'm frightened
I know my way around here
The cardboard trees, the painted seas, the sound here...
Yes, a world to rediscover
But I 'm not in any hurry
And I need a moment

The whispered conversations in overcrowded hallways
The atmosphere as thrilling here as always
Feel the early morning madness
Feel the magic in the making
Why, everything's as if we never said goodbye

I've spent so many mornings just trying to resist you
I'm trembling now, you can't know how I've missed you
Missed the fairy tale adventure
In this ever spinning playground
We were young together

I'm coming out of make-up
The lights already burning
Not long until the cameras will start turning...
And the early morning madness
And the magic in the making
Yes, everything's as if we never said goodbye

I don't want to be alone
That's all in the past
This world's waited long enough
I've come home at last!

And this time will be bigger
And brighter than we knew it
So watch me fly, we all know I can do it...
Could I stop my hand from shaking?
Has there ever been a moment
With so much to live for?

The whispered conversations in overcrowded hallways
So much to say not just today but always...
We'll have early morning madness
We'll have magic in the making
Yes, everything's as if we never said goodbye
Yes, everything's as if we never said goodbye...
We taught the world new ways to dream!



Thursday, November 5, 2009

Dona Nobis Pacem






It's not too late to go get your own peace globe to post at Peace Globes or to take this tune and sing a song of peace.  To view other Participants, visit Peace Globe Central at:



While you are here:  Take This Tune and sing loud enough for the whole world to hear.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

When October Goes




There is only one reason for this song and it is a totally selfish one: I love it. It is not only my favorite October or Fall song, but it is one of my favorite forever songs. Johnny Mercer wrote some magnificent lyrics but this one was just laying around in box after his death when Barry Manilow .... yeah yeah that Barry Manilow, got permission to set it to music.

When October Goes ended up on what I consider the best album Manilow ever recorded simply because he went back to his Jazz roots, a piano, and a group of great musical friends: 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe.




When October Goes
Johnny Mercer (lyrics) & Barry Manilow (Music)

And when October goes
The snow begins to fly
Above the smokey roofs
I watch the planes go by

The children running home
Beneath a twilight sky
Oh, for the fun of them
When I was one of them

And when October goes
The same old dream appears
And you are in my arms
To share the happy years

I turn my head away
To hide the helpless tears
Oh how I hate to see October go

I should be over it now I know
It doesn't matter much
How old I grow
I hate to see October go

Friday, October 30, 2009

Bringing Mary Home






I was driving down a lonely road on a dark and stormy night
When a little girl by the road side showed up in my head lights
I stopped and she got in the back and in a shaky tone
She said my name is Mary please won't you take me home
She must have been so frightened all alone there in the night
There was something strange about her cause her face was deathly white
She sat so pale and quiet there in the back seat all alone
I never will forget that night I took Mary home
I pulled into the driveway where she told me to go
Got out to help her from the car and opened up the door
But I just could not believe my eyes the back seat was bare
I looked all around the car but Mary wasn't there
A small light shown from the porch a woman opened up the door
I asked about the little girl that I was looking for
Then the lady gently smiled and brushed a tear away
She said it sure was nice of you to go out of your way
But thirteen years ago today in a wreck just down the road
Our darling Mary lost her life and we srill miss her so
So thank you for your trouble and the kindness you have shown
You're the thirteenth one who's been here bringing Mary home
You're the thirteenth one who's been here bringing Mary home

Thursday, October 29, 2009

The Highwayman



Alfred Noyes (1880-1958)
The Highwayman

PART ONE

THE wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding — Riding — riding
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard,
And he tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred;
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

And dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say—

"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."

He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet, black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the West.

PART TWO

He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon;
And out o' the tawny sunset, before the rise o' the moon,
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red-coat troop came marching — Marching — marching
King George's men came matching, up to the old inn-door.

They said no word to the landlord, they drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed;
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through her casement, the road that he would ride.

They had tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest;
They had bound a musket beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!
"Now, keep good watch!" and they kissed her.
She heard the dead man say—
Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way!

She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!

The tip of one finger touched it; she strove no more for the rest!
Up, she stood up to attention, with the barrel beneath her breast,
She would not risk their hearing; she would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood of her veins in the moonlight throbbed to her love's refrain .

Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hoofs ringing clear;
Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding,Riding, riding!
The red-coats looked to their priming! She stood up, straight and still!

Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him—with her death.

He turned; he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.

Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat,
When they shot him down on the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with the bunch of lace at his throat.

* * * * * *

X

And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding — Riding — riding
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.

Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard;
He taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred;
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Monster Mash



I was working in the lab late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise


He did the mash
He did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
He did the mash
It caught on in a flash
He did the mash
He did the monster mash


From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes


They did the mash
They did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They did the mash
It caught on in a flash
They did the mash
They did the monster mash


The zombies were having fun
The party had just begun
The guests included Wolf Man
Dracula and his son


The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds
The coffin-bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, "The Crypt-Kicker Five"


They played the mash
They played the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They played the mash
It caught on in a flash
They played the mash
They played the monster mash


Out from his coffin, Drac's voice did ring
Seems he was troubled by just one thing
He opened the lid and shook his fist
And said, "Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist?"


It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash
The monster mash
And it's a graveyard smash
It's now the mash
It's caught on in a flash
It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash


Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band
And my monster mash is the hit of the land
For you, the living, this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you


Then you can mash
Then you can monster mash
The monster mash
And do my graveyard smash
Then you can mash
You'll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash
Then you can monster mash


Monday, October 26, 2009

The Legend of Wooly Swamp



If you ever go back into Wooly Swamp son you better not go at night
There's things out there in the middle of them woods
That'd make a strong man die from fright
There's things that crawl and things that fly
And things that creep around on the ground
And they say the ghost of Lucias Clay gets up and it walks around.

CHORUS:
But I couldn't believe it, I just had to find out for myself
And I couldn't conceive it, I never would listen to nobody else
No I couldn't believe it, I just had to find out for myself
That there's some things in this world you just can't explain.

The old man lived in the Wooly Swamp way back in the gurgling woods
And he never did do a lot of harm in the world
But he never did do no good
People didn't think too much of him
They all thought he acted funny
The old man didn't care about people anyway
All he cared about was his money.
He'd stuff it all down in Mason jars and bury it all around
But on certain nights if the moon was right
He'd dig it up out of the ground.
He'd pour it all out on the floor of his shack
And run his fingers through it.
Old Lucias Clay was a greedy old man
And that's all there ever was to it.

CHORUS

The Crayton boys were white trash they lived over on Parvis Creek

They were a real snake and sneaky as a cat
And belligerent when they'd speak.
One night the oldest brother said ya'll meet in the Wooly Swamp later
We'll get old Lucias' money and we'll pitch him to the alligators.
They found the old man out in the back with a shovel in his hand
And thirteen rusty Mason jars he just dug up out of the sand.
And they all went crazy and they beat the old man
Then they picked him up off the ground
Then they threw him in the swamp and they stood there and laughed
Till the black water sucked him down.
Then they turned around and went back to the shack
And they picked up the money and ran.
But they hadn't gone nowheres when they realized
They were running in quicksand.
And they struggled and screamed but they couldn't get away
Then just before they were gone
They could hear that old man laughing
In a voice that was loud and strong.

Now that's been fifty years ago an' if you go back by there again
There's a spot in the yard in back of that shack
Where the ground is always wet.
And on certain nights if the moon is right
And you're down by the dark footpath
You can hear three yound men screaming
And you can hear that old man laugh.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

The Unquiet Grave



The Unquiet Grave

(traditional ballad circa 1400)
The wind doth howl today m'love
And a winter's worth of rain
I never had but one true love
In cold grave she was lain
Oh I adored my sweetest love
As any young man may
So I'll sit and weep upon her grave
For twelve-month and a day
One true love is eternity for two
Three four nevermore
Will I see my love true
The twelve-month and a day foregone
The dead began to speak
"Oh who sits weeping on my grave
And will not let me sleep?"
"'Tis I, m'love, upon thy grave
Who will not let you sleep
For I crave one kiss of your lips
And that is all I seek"
"You crave one kiss of my cold lips
But I am one year gone
If you have one kiss of my lips
Your time will not be long
Let me remind thee, dearest one
A patient heart to keep
For we professed eternal love
That lives though I may sleep"
There down in yonder garden grove
Love, where we once did walk
The finest flower that ever was seen
Has withered to a stalk
The stalk is withered dry, my love
Though our hearts shan't decay
So make yourself content, my love
Till god calls you away"

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Gravedigger



Gravedigger

Cyrus Jones 1810 to 1913
Made his great grandchildren believe
he could live to a 103
A hundred and three is forever when you’re just a little kid
So, Cyrus Jones lived forever

Gravedigger
When you dig my grave
Could you make it shallow
So that I can feel the rain
Gravedigger

Muriel Stonewall 1903 to 1954
She lost both of her babies in the second great war
Now, you should never have to watch your only children lowered in the ground
that means you should never have to bury your own babies

Gravedigger
When you dig my grave
Could you make it shallow
So that I can feel the rain
Gravedigger

Ring around the rosey
Pocket full o'posey
Ashes to ashes
{Musical intro}
We all fall down

Gravedigger
When you dig my grave
Could you make it shallow
So that I can feel the rain
Oh Gravedigger

Little Mikey Carson '67 to '75
He rode his bike like the devil until the day he died
When he grows up he wants to be Mr. Vertigo on the flying trapeze

Oh, 1940 to 1992--

Gravedigger
When you dig my grave
could you make it shallow
So that I can feel the rain
Grave digger
When you dig my grave
Could you make it shallow
So that I can feel the rain
I can feel the rain
I can feel the rain
Gravedigger
When you dig my grave
Could you make it shallow
So that I can feel the rain
Gravedigger
Grave digger

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Ride / Midnight In Montgomery



Hank Williams

He was only 29 on New Year's Day 1953 when he passed away, but the influence of Hank Williams and his songs have been so pervasive in Country Music that almost 60 years later when the song says, "The whole world calls me Hank", it  only means one man.

Two great ghost songs have been written about performers meeting up with him when they were looking for direction, and one great song by another original who took a different road to become his own kind of legend.



Midnight In Montgomery



The Ride



Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way


Waylon Jennings

Friday, October 16, 2009

Down In The Depths





This is Cole Porter at his wittiest and most urbane. It is probably the "happiest" song about being miserable that anyone has ever been written. You are in love, you've been dumped. Unfortunately extreme wealth dripping with diamonds and furs has a hard time proving that "money can't buy happiness" particularly in well educated three syllable words, so you might as well swing out while you sing out!

Verse

Manhattan -- I'm Up a tree
The one I've most adored
Is bored
With me.
Manhattan -- I'm Awf'lly nice
Nice people dine with me
And even twice.
Yet the only one in the world I'm mad about
Talks of somebody else
And walks out.

Refrain

With a million neon rainbows burning below me
And a million blazing taxis raising a roar
Here I sit above the town
In my pet pailletted gown
Down in the depths on the 90th floor.

While the crowds at El Morrocco punish the parquet
And at "21" the couples clamor for more
I'm deserted and depressed
In my regal eagle's nest
Down in the depths on the 90th floor.

When the only one you wanted wants another
What's the use of swank and cash in the bank galore
Why even the janitor's wife
Has a perfectly good love life
And here I am facing tomorrow
Alone with my sorrow
Down in the depths on the 90th floor.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow

No real explanation this week, just a great bluegrass song that's been around nigh onto forever that got a new lease on life thanks to a blockbuster movie set in 1930s Mississippi.



The Movie  "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" featuring "The Soggybottom Boys"



The Real Group - Union Station with Alison Krauss

I AM A MAN OF CONSTANT SORROW

I am a man of constant sorrow
I've seen trouble all my day.
I bid farewell to old Kentucky
The place where I was born and raised.
(The place where he was born and raised)

For six long years I've been in trouble
No pleasures here on earth I found
For in this world I'm bound to ramble
I have no friends to help me now.

[chorus] He has no friends to help him now

It's fare thee well my old lover
I never expect to see you again
For I'm bound to ride that northern railroad
Perhaps I'll die upon this train.

[chorus] Perhaps he'll die upon this train.

You can bury me in some deep valley
For many years where I may lay
Then you may learn to love another
While I am sleeping in my grave.

[chorus] While he is sleeping in his grave.

Maybe your friends think I'm just a stranger
My face you'll never see no more.
But there is one promise that is given
I'll meet you on God's golden shore.

[chorus] He'll meet you on God's golden shore.

Friday, October 2, 2009

O Mio Babbino Caro (Oh My Dear Papa)





A change of pace this week. This is the most famous aria from Gianni Schicchi. She's a teenager.  She's in love.  She's being dramatic at the top of her lungs.  It's opera so you know things are going to get very, very complicated. Before it all goes to the hell in a hand basket, there is this glorious song pleading for daddy to understand. Unfortunately for her, daddy understands all to well.

Still virtually every soprano worth her salt has sung it simply because it is melodic, powerful and they can splash dramatically all over the place.  Luckily for all concerned, this is a comedy.  Nobody dies except the person who was dead to begin with, and all's well that ends well for a change.

So here you have great sopranos, Puccini, young love, comedy and even advertising that has used this aria to sell stuff.  Take This Tune and start writing.

Italian and then Translation in English

O mio babbino caro
Mi piace, è bello, bello
Vo' andare in Porta Rossa
a comperar l'anello!
Sì, sì, ci voglio andare!
e se l'amassi indarno,
andrei sul Ponte Vecchio,
ma per buttarmi in Arno!
Mi struggo e mi tormento!
O Dio, vorrei morir!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!

Oh my dear papa
I like him, he is handsome, handsome
I want to go to Porta Rossa
to buy the ring!
Yes, yes, I want to go there!
And if my love were in vain,
I would go to the Ponte Vecchio
and throw myself in the Arno!
I am being consumed and I am tormented!
Oh God, I'd want to die!
Papa, have pity, have pity!
Papa, have pity, have pity!

Friday, September 25, 2009

September In The Rain



Running out of month, so here is the last of the September Songs. In this one, Spring is here but the love affair is still remembered.  From 1937 the music was written by Harry Warren, the lyrics by Al Dubin. Winners of Oscars and Tonys, this team was responsible for hundreds of songs and are in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. It was introduced by James Melton in the film Melody for Two in which Donald O'Connor made his film debut at age 12 with his two brothers, Jack and Billy, doing a specialty routine. The song has gone on to become a standard, recorded by many artists since.
September In The Rain

The leaves of brown came tumbling down
Remember in september in the rain
The sun went out just like a dying amber
That september in the rain

To every word of love I heard you whisper
The raindrops seemed to play our sweet refrain
Though spring is here to me its still september
That september in the rain

To every word of love I heard you whisper
The raindrops seemed to play our sweet refrain
Though spring is here to me it is still september
That september in the rain

That september that brought the pain
That september in the rain

Friday, September 18, 2009

September Morn


September Morn
Paul Chabas


You may be noticing a theme to this month. It seems that September just has its own special muse when it comes to songwriters. With just three songs we have covered four decades and the month isn't over yet. So here is Neil Diamond's contribution to the September genre: September Morn.



Stay for just a while
Stay, and let me look at you
Its been so long, I hardly knew you
Standing in the door
Stay with me a while
I only want to talk to you
Weve traveled halfway round the world
To find ourselves again

September morn
We danced until the night became a brand new day
Two lovers playing scenes from some romantic play
September morning still can make me feel this way

Look at what youve done
Why, youve become a grown-up girl
I still can hear you cryin
In the corner of your room
And look how far weve come
So far from where we used to be
But not so far that weve forgotten
How it was before

September morn
Do you remember how we danced that night away
Two lovers playing scenes from some romantic play
September morning still can make me feel this way

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Follow Me



I had planned another song for this week and will put it up tomorrow.  You may use it any day in the coming week, but I couldn't let the passing of Mary Travers go by without a tribute. We will keep it simple. Pick the Peter Paul and Mary or just Mary Travers song that speaks to you.



Mary Travers: Follow Me

It's by far the hardest thing I've ever-done,
To be so in love with you and so alone.
Follow me where I go, what I do and who I know,
Make it part of you to be a part of me.
Follow me up and down, all the way all around
Take my hand and say you'll follow me.
It's long by on my mind, you know it's been a long, long time.
I'll try to find the way that I can make you understand
The way I feel about you and just how much I need you
To be there where I can talk to you when there's no one else round.
Follow me where I go, what I do and who I know,
Make it part of you to be a part of me.
Follow me up and down, all the way all around.
Take my hand and say you'll follow me.


You see, I'd like to share my life with you
and show you things I've seen,
places where I'm going to,
Places where I've been;
To have you there beside me
and never be alone
and all the time that you're with me,
then we will be at home.
Wash the stains of guilt away.

Follow me where I go, what I do and who I know,
Make it part of you to be a part of me.
Follow me up and down, all the way around,
Take my hand and I will follow you!

Peter Yarrow and Neil Paul Stookey have written beautiful farewells to Mary Travers. Please take the time to read them on the Official Peter Paul and Mary webpage.

Friday, September 11, 2009

September



I thought it was time to rock out a bit with a September song that many might not know, even if they know Earth Wind and Fire formed in 1969 and still going strong.  You might enjoy hitting their "Official Site" for some of their more contemporary music and truly unique sound.

In the meantime love found in September and gone by December:  Old story, simple lyrics, and a wild horn section.

September

Do you remember the 21st night of september?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing.
As we danced in the night,
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in september
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love,
Remember how we knew love was here to stay

Now december found the love that we shared in september.
Only blue talk and love,
Remember the true love we share today

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in september
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in september
Ba de ya - golden dreams were shiny days