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Thread: Olde English tunes in Appalachia

  1. #1

    Default Olde English tunes in Appalachia

    Might be of interest: "The Blue Sky Boys" - old-time country group - sing a version of "The Unquiet Grave" (Childs: 78) that probably arrived with the Mayflower. They do a modified version of "Scarborough Faire" called "Oh Marry in Time" (an echo of "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme," me thinks) which is also of interest ("Presenting The Blue Sky Boys - Bill & Karl Bolick" on Spotify.)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eIhvE9ds1w

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  3. #2
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Olde English tunes in Appalachia

    I attended a work shop a while back tracing the roots of Appalachian ballads and fiddle tunes back to their sources across the Atlantic. It was fascinating. Words change a little, tunes change a little, but once pointed out it is easy to hear.

    The example that turned on the lights for me was the Louvin Brothers song Knoxville Girl comes from an English ballad called Wexford Girl.

    There was a movie about documenting Appalachian ballads and discovering the similarity, but I can't remember the name of the movie. Ill find it. Iris DeMent was in the movie, as was my favorite dulcimer player Don Pedi.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  5. #3

    Default Re: Olde English tunes in Appalachia

    Yeah! - Please le us know when you find that documentary film - sounds interesting.

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    Unfamous String Buster Beanzy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Olde English tunes in Appalachia

    One I was surprised by is The Golden Vanity, which is pre-Elizabethan. It was redone as a satirical send up of Walter Raleigh in his day. That later version took the mickey out of him having such a fabulous ship that he was afraid to take it out of harbour incase it got nicked by other pirates, having originally nicked it himself.
    It has since been reworked and sung by many famous OldTime singers under many titles.

    Here's a bit about it from Sabine Baring-Gould ;
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    Eoin



    "Forget that anyone is listening to you and always listen to yourself" - Fryderyk Chopin

  7. #5

    Default Re: Olde English tunes in Appalachia

    Quote Originally Posted by Beanzy View Post
    One I was surprised by is The Golden Vanity, which is pre-Elizabethan. It was redone as a satirical send up of Walter Raleigh in his day. That later version took the mickey out of him having such a fabulous ship that he was afraid to take it out of harbour incase it got nicked by other pirates, having originally nicked it himself.
    It has since been reworked and sung by many famous OldTime singers under many titles.

    Here's a bit about it from Sabine Baring-Gould ;
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_1708.JPG 
Views:	106 
Size:	1.13 MB 
ID:	157518

    Click image for larger version. 

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Views:	153 
Size:	671.6 KB 
ID:	157519
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyn_EQMz7rQ

  8. #6
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Olde English tunes in Appalachia

    Quote Originally Posted by billkilpatrick View Post
    Yeah! - Please le us know when you find that documentary film - sounds interesting.
    It wasn't a documentary, it was a drama. Not the greatest movie, kind of a manipulation of stereotypes, more or less, but caught some great musical moments, and my musicologist friends tell me it is musically accurate, within the drama anyway.

    The movie is Songcatcher. And you can find trailers and likely the whole movie on line.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  9. #7

    Default Re: Olde English tunes in Appalachia

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    It wasn't a documentary, it was a drama. Not the greatest movie, kind of a manipulation of stereotypes, more or less, but caught some great musical moments, and my musicologist friends tell me it is musically accurate, within the drama anyway.

    The movie is Songcatcher. And you can find trailers and likely the whole movie on line.
    Ahhh - Ok - Thanks.

  10. #8

    Default Re: Olde English tunes in Appalachia

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    The movie is Songcatcher. And you can find trailers and likely the whole movie on line.
    I like that movie. I agree, as film making/writing goes, not the greatest, but it holds up music and singing for what it once was, which was, well, woven into people's lives. Songs were what rooted and united people. People would mourn, fight, heal and party through song. Also, it was really cool seeing and hearing Iris Dement and Taj Mahal.

  11. #9
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Olde English tunes in Appalachia

    there ain't no castles in Appalachia! That's why, "Campbell's Farewell to Red Castle" is called, "Campbell's Farewell to Red Gap." We have the Gaps!

    I love the old-time tunes!

    f-d
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