Category: songs

trad

Continue reading “Randy Dandy-o”

trad 

Robert Burns wrote in 1788 "The last stanza of this song is mine: it was composed out of compliment to one of the worthiest fellows in the world, William Dunbar Esq, writer to the signet Edinburgh, and Colonel of the Crochallan Corps-a club of wits who took that title at the lime of raising the Fencible regiments. RB." The 'Crochallan' part of the title came from the innkeeper of the Anchor Close tavern (where the Crochallan Fencibles met), Dawney Douglas loved whistling the old Gaelic air Cro Chalien (Colin's Cattle).

Rattlin’ roarin’ Willie oh he held to the fair
For to sell his fiddle an’ buy some other ware
Bu’ partin’ with his fiddle th’ saut-tear blin’t his eye
Rattlin’ roarin’ Willie! You’re welcome home to me

Oh Willie come sell your fiddle Oh sell your fiddle so fine
Willie come sell your fiddle and buy A pint o’ wine
“If I should sell my fiddle the worl’ Would think I was mad”
But many a rantin’ day My fiddle an’ I have had

As I came by Crochannan, I cannily keekit bent
Rattlin’ roarin’ Willie was seaten at yon boord-en
Seaten at yon boord-en, and amang good company
Oh rattlin’ roarin’ Willie! You’re welcome home to me 

Dougie MacLean 1981

The waves crash in the tide rolls out
It’s an angry sea but there is no doubt
That the lighthouse will keep shining out
To warn a lonely sailor

And the lightning strikes And the wind cuts cold
Through the sailor’s bones Through the sailor’s soul
‘Til there’s nothing left that he can hold
Except a rolling ocean

Chorus:
Oh I am ready for the storm
Yes sir ready I am ready for the storm
I’m ready for the storm

Oh give me mercy for my dreams
‘Cause every confrontation seems
To tell me What it really means
To be this lonely sailor

And when the sky begins to clear
The sun it melts away my fear
I shed a silent weary tear
For those who mean to love me

The distance it is no real friend
And time will take its time
And you will find that in the end
It brings you me This lonely sailor

And when You take me by the hand
You love me, Lord, You love me
And I should have realized
I had no reasons to be frightened 

trad 1870s

While often associated with cowboy singing and the Red River that is part of the Texas-Oklahoma border, the origins of the song appear to instead be from the Red River that makes up the North Dakota-Minnesota border and flows into Manitoba. Canadian folklorist Edith Fowke believes the song's origins are in 1870 and the narrator is a Métis woman.

From this valley they say you are going,
I will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile,
For alas you take with the sunshine
That has brightened my pathway awhile.

Chorus:
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 girl who has loved you so true.

For this long, long time I have waited
For the words that you never would say,
But now my last hope has vanished
When they tell me you’re going away.

When you go to your home by the ocean
May you never forget the sweet hours
That we spent in the Red River Valley
Or the vows we exchanged mid the bowers.

Will you think of the valley you’re leaving?
Oh, how lonely and dreary ’twill be!
Will you think of the fond heart you’re breaking
And be true to your promise to me. 

David Francey 1999

David Francey: https://davidfrancey.bandcamp.com/track/red-winged-blackbird

Chorus:
Thought I heard a red-winged blackbird
Red-winged blackbird down my road
Thought I heard a red-winged blackbird
Red-winged blackbird down my road

He’ll be there beside the river
When winter finally breaks its bones
He’ll be king among the rushes
He’ll be master of his home

Safe as Moses in the rushes
Makes his home on the river wide
Every time I hear him singing
Makes me feel like spring inside

He’ll be in there singing his heart out
He’ll be telling stories too
Of where he went to winter last year
How he’s going back there too

Dick Gaughan 1983

I come like a comet new born Like the sun that arises at morning
I come like the furious tempest That follows a thundercloud’s warning
I come like the fiery lava From cloud-covered mountains volcanic
I come like a storm from the north That the oceans awake to in panic
I come because tyranny planted My seed in the hot desert sand
I come because masters have kindled My fury with every command
I come because man cannot murder The life-giving seed in his veins
I come because liberty cannot Forever be fettered by chains
I come because tyrants imagine That mankind is only their throne
I come because peace has been nourished By bullets and cannon alone
I come because one world is two And we face one another with rage
I come because guards have been posted To keep out the hope of the age

From earliest times the oppressed Have awaked me and called me to lead them
I guided them out of enslavement And brought them to high roads of freedom
I marched at the head of their legions And hailed a new world at its birth
And now I shall march with the peoples Until they unfetter the earth
And you, all you sanctified moneybags Bandits anointed and crowned
Your counterfeit towers of justice And ethics will crash to the ground
I’ll send my good sword through your hearts That have drained the world’s blood in their lust
Smash all your crowns and your sceptres And trample them into the dust
I’ll rip off your rich purple garments And tear them to rags and to shreds
Never again will their glitter Be able to turn people’s heads
At last your cold world will be robbed of It’s proud hypocritical glow
For we shall dissolve it as surely As sunlight dissolves the deep snow

(Skipping first of the three parts of the tune)
I’ll tear down your cobweb morality Shatter the old chain of lies
Catch all your blackhooded preachers And choke them as though they were flies
I’ll put a quick end to your heavens Your gods that are deaf to all prayer
Scatter your futile old spirits And clean up the earth and the air
And though you may choke me and shoot me And hang me your toil is in vain
No dungeon, no gallows can scare me Nor will I be frightened by pain
Each time I’ll arise from the earth And break through all your weapons of doom
Until you are finished forever Until you are dust in the tomb 

Howard Dietz & Arthur Schwartz 1948

Written for a Broadway musical revue, Inside USA, which celebrated each of the then 48 states. It played 399 performances and ran one year, closing on Valentine's Day of 1949. It has traditionally been interpreted as a love song, from its musical theater inception to later covers, notably by artist Blossom Dearie. In Inside USA, the song was originated by Jack Haley and Estelle Loring.

Copper comes from Arizona
Peaches come from Georgia
And lobsters come from Maine
The wheat fields are the sweet fields of Nebraska
And Kansas gets bonanzas from the grain
Old whiskey comes from old Kentucky
Ain’t the country lucky New Jersey gives us glue

Chorus:
And you, you come from Rhode Island
And little old Rhode Island is famous for you

Cotton comes from Louisiana
Gophers from Montana
And spuds from Idaho
They plow land in the cow land of Missouri
Where most beef meant for roast beef seems to grow
Grand canyons come from Colorado
Gold comes from Nevada Divorces also do

Pencils come from Pennsylvania
Vests from Vest Virginia
And Tents from Tent-essee
They know mink where they grow mink in Wyo-mink
A camp chair in New Hamp-chair, that’s for me
And minnows come from Minnesota
Coats come from Dakota But why should you be blue

Carol Denney 2004

Finest Kind liner notes say "metaphor for the Iraq war dead...in small town West Virginia. The quiet, dignified voice of this song reflects a rural community where discussion of the war is more nuanced but, as she says, 'the loss of one person is felt deeply, and mourned collectively.'" There are two other choruses but changing up choruses every time is hard for social sings.

Finest Kind: https://ianrobb1.bandcamp.com/track/the-riley-boys

It was lovely in the spring, all the flowers were in bloom
And we met beside the shore for a moment
There were birds and there were planes flying patterns all around
And we shared a single sound for a moment

Chorus:
If the Riley boys were here they would tell us not to cry
Dry your eyes they’d say there’s work to do tomorrow
If the Riley boys were here we’d hold fast another year
And be thankful for what mercy we could borrow

If it’s quiet in the streets it is not for want of feet
That would march if they could only find the way
If the halo round the light on this quiet street tonight
Were the hearts that wander by it would be crying

It’s so hard to read the news and so beautiful outside
And the world that seemed so wide now seems so broken
All the things we love and keep in our dreams and in our sleep
Startled birds that we have suddenly awoken 

Nancy Kerr 2023

"A reflection on the demise of the British steel industry, written after standing in an old Sheffield steel forge, now an industrial heritage museum and reminiscent of the bones of a great whale."

Melrose Quartet: https://melrosequartet.bandcamp.com/track/rise-no-more

What mired Jonah’s creature To see her rise no more?
What fate conspired to breach her One hundred miles from shore?
For our children stand in silence And view her bones in awe
This heart unreal, these ribs of steel Shall sleep and rise no more

Chorus:
Rise no more oh rise no more We shall not meet my friend on Canaan’s shore
Where heav’nly arcs our souls restore So sleep and rise no more

Like a drunken man still drowning Work’s thirst long gone before
The veins within her pounding Not blood but molten ore
For she drew no dragon’s bonus To burn all England’s poor
All those who bleed this earth for greed Go sleep and rise no more

The legend of her shining Dark carols only sing
Of casting ore and grinding The echoes only ring
Bright tears upon us raining From steelos gone before
For all that streamed is nought but dream So sleep and rise no more 

Pete Sutherland 1999?

(repeat each line of verses)
A long time ago
we don’t know how long
There lived a man named Robin
and this is Robin’s song
He was living in the trees
he was swinging down the vines
With his men all dressed in green
and Marion by his side

Chorus:
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, roamed around the neighborhood
Helping people out of trouble like he knew he should
Knew he should, should be good, good old Robin Hood

King John held a contest
to catch Robin Hood
With a prize golden arrow
saying “boy won’t this be good”
The beggar drew his bow
it was Robin in disguise
He was the best of all them
So of course he won the prize

King John robbed the people
Till he heard the doorbell ring
It was merry men a-calling
Upon the robber king
There’s a fire in the castle
It was set by Little John
The king jumped out the window
And he ran the marathon

Now were they really people
In those tights and pointy hats
Or was it like the movie
Starring bears and snakes and cats
Now Robin married Marion
And they lived out in the forest
They lived happily ever after
Now here comes the chorus