The Man in the Moon (Lewis ‘Scan’ Tester)

Ok, the good news is it’s a waltz, and it’s moderately slow!
Chosen for the punters who are taking a trip to space for their holidays and later, to the Moon.
Return tickets from SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic.

I did record four instrument tracks and more good news, I foot tapped (enthusiastically) through three of them.

Bodhran, mandolin, double stopped octave mandolin and drone (and foot tapping X3).


https://youtu.be/jPYFkOakojM


And the bad news?
The lyric syllables didn’t seem to fit the melody so I didn’t sing it.
I’m sure some of you will be quite disappointed to receive this news, though probably not as disappointed as those moon-bound passengers if they have a stop over.

Finally : *Ten points if you can see a logical error in the lyrics*

X:1
T:Man in the Moon
C:Lewis 'Scan' Tester
M:3/4
L:1/8
K:D
S:Lester /Bailey
O:Tune: Scan Tester. Lrics: The Alfred Williams Manuscript
A2 |\
d3e d2 | c2 B2 A2 | d2e2f2 | g4fg |\
a4g2 | f2g2e2 | d3 e fe | d2 cB A2 |
d3e d2 | c2 B2 A2 | d2e2f2 | g4fg |\
a4g2 | f2g2e2 | d3 e fe | d4 |]
fg |\
a6 | a6 | g2e2f2 | g6 | f3 efg |\
a2f2d2 | B2c2d2 | e2 cB A2 |
d3e d2 | c2 B2 A2 | d2e2f2 | g4fg |\
a4g2 | f2g2e2 | d3 e fe | d4 |]
W: V1
W:When a bumper is filled, it is vexing, no doubt,
W:To find when you rise that the wine has run out;
W:And sure ‘tis an equally unpleasant thing,
W:To be asked for a song when you’ve nothing to sing.
W:I could try something old, if an old one would do,
W:But the world it is craving to have something new.
W:What to select for the words or the tune,
W: in fact, know no more than the Man in the Moon.
W:
W:The Man in the Moon a new light on us throws;
W:He’s a man we all talk of but nobody knows;
W:And though a high subject, I’m getting in tune—
W:I’ll just have a turn at the Man in the Moon.
W:
W:V2
W:The Man in the Moon must lead a queer life,
W:With no-one around him, not even a wife,
W:No friends to console him, no children to kiss,
W:No chance of his joining a party like this.
W:He changes his house each quarter unpleasant,
W:Living first in a circle and then in a crescent;
W:If he rents by these quarters so fast going by,
W:I should think he is rented uncommonly high;
W:
W:But he’s used to high life, for all circles agree,
W:That none move in such a high circle as he,
W:And though nobles go up in their royal balloon,
W:They can’t get introduced to the Man in the Moon.W:
W:
W:V3
W:Tis said that some people are moonstruck, we find,
W:And the Man in the Moon may be out of his mind,
W:But it can’t be for love, for he’s quite on his own—
W:No girls there to meet him by moonlight alone;
W:
W:It can’t be ambition, for rivals he’s none—
W:At least he is only eclipsed by the sun,
W:And though in his prospects overclouded he sees,
W:The Man in the Moon can make light of all these.
W:
W:In drinking, I fear, he may sometimes surpass,
W:For he always looks best when seen through a glass;
W:And in smoking, though you may smoke morning and noon,
W:You can’t blow a cloud like the Man in the Moon!

HERE’S another thread with The Man in the Moon as part of a medley.

It has a nice cradle-rocking rhythm, quite comforting and lighthearted.
To me, the metric of the lyrics does fit the tune, basically, if you know where to start on the upbeat and where not.

Verry Nice Simon ! NIce feel and playing through the whole tune. Like to hear that singing you mention.The first run of 7 notes or so is just like The Gentle Maiden.

Thanks Gents, sorry Bertram I’m not sure I understand that, it would help greatly if you would you please post the singing version, thanks.

Oh, The Gentle Maiden’s a lovely one, thanks Frank, I could sing it but it might be better accompanied by a flute or fiddle.
...I do have a low D whistle...

That was quite lovely, Simon.

Thanks for the inspiration Don, it certainly wasn’t easy learning how to double stop on the beat -I can’t do it on upbeat rhythms yet.

I was afraid for a moment I'd have to record a singing version myself but was lucky to find others who did that for me.

This is a rendition of the band Full English (reminding me a bit of Steeleye Span), and they do what I suspected - using upbeats, multiple-note-syllables and additional notes to fit the lyrics in:

Cool, I like it a lot, it’s where the words flow over the rhythm and the melody.
Reminds me of dystopian genres where poems are recited and melodies are played at the same time, occasionally even by the same person.

5/4 or 7/8 time could become popular again.


None of the usual suspects so far...
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...Group-Week-549

I think the melody sung is the primary artifact (it's a song, after all), while instrument parts form more of a simplified accompaniment.

I totally agree with you, Bertram. The lyrics must be the main element of any song and the instrumental input should be the backdrop to the lyrics. I have often listened to songs played as tunes, and in many the cases the melody is not strong enough to stand wordlessly: equally there are songs whose melodies are very strong and can easily stand on their own. The version you have posted here by Full English has a lovely blend of vocal (and vocal harmonies) with the instruments being played by the musicians.

The ‘error’ or poetic licence is in the line,
‘At least he is only eclipsed by the sun,’

-in fact, the moon has never been eclipsed by the sun. An exception being if you were to jump off the earth at some point, come to a relative full stop, and wait for six months.

Then you could sing the song in a spacecraft, and the sense of the lyrics would be literal.

I noticed that, Simon, and it is not the only astronomical hilarity in the song. That the moon "looks best when seen through a glass" is a funny hint as well.

Aaah whisky!

https://youtu.be/6NCo55QgfuI