Deltachord

Ok, Woody Guthrie fans, I told you that more posts about Woody would be coming up on Deltachord’s Blog; especially posts about which artists have-written music for his lyrics that he didn’t compose music for. And here goes. First we’ll explore what the Dropkick Murphys have done with some of Woody’s lyrics. Dropkick Murphy fans are also welcome to explore.

But first, a little about The Dropkick Murphys…they originally played for kicks in Boston in a basement under a barber shop. They have recorded Cd’s with quite a few groups like Oxymoron, the Business, Face To Face, Agnostic Front, Bruisers, Anti Heroes, and the Ducky Boys.

On Blackout, which came out in 2003 they recorded “Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight” and they did a video for the song. Woody actually wrote the “Blackout” lyrics about WWII blackouts in London. According to Rolling Stone writer John D. Luerssen the band’s guitarist Ken Casey said they wanted to do the song they made “Blackout” the most hard driving song on the album because they wanted it to be very different from what Woody’s approach would have been.

“The record still contains rousing tunes rooted in Irish music & American Folk (Black Velvet Band & The Dirty Glass) and destined to be a Boston Bruins call to arms classic called “Time To Go”.” (Epitaph Records) Blackout is their fourth album. Which was also released on 10″ vinyl boasting 5 songs.

Bruce Springsteen is a Dropkick Murphys fan because they are so loyal to their fans in that they have built a community of people that they consider friends. This aspect is part of their roots in the working class and Irish heritage appeal and they live it. They are from Quincy, a suburb of Boston. The Dropkick Murphys play punk that includes bagpipes and tin whistles. Their repertoire includes political songs, friendship ballads, and bar songs.

Dropkick Murphys Video

Murphys’ Video

Hear the Dropkick Murphys

Dropkick Murphys

Woody Guthrie

Woody

Greensleeves is an Old English ballard written in an Italianate musical style. This song form is called Romanesca, which “was most popular with Italian composers of the early Baroque period “according to Wikipedia.

Although, Greensleeves is said to be of anonymous authorship, which is typical of old ballads, several authors wrote versions of it and went to the printer with them starting in the 15th century.

In September 1580, Richard Jones got a license for “A new Northern Dittye of the Lady Greene Sleeves,” with the Registers of the Stationers’ Company. Edward White did the same on that day with “A ballad, being the Ladie Greene Sleeves Answere to Donkyn his Frende.”

Jones licensed another “Greensleeves,” called “A Merry Newe Northern Songe of Greene Sleeves,”in December 1580.

William Elderton interjected his point with “Reprehension against Greene Sleeves,” in February, 1581.

Jones licensed a parody of “Greensleeves”in August 1851. In 1584, Jones released yet another version, “A New Courtly Sonet of the Lady Greensleeves,” which was included in a collection entitled A Handeful of Pleasant Delites. It was this version that became the traditional ballad, this according too The War of the Printers.

In Nevill Coghill’s translation of The Canterbury Tales (Penguin Classics) he says that green was the color for lightness in love in Chaucer’s time.

“What Child Is This,” was set to the music of Greensleeves, which will be explored in the next post.

Note: Old English was the dominate language of England and southern Scotland from the mid-5th century to the mid-12th century. The Brythonic languages were spoken before the Saxon influence.

Greensleeves
A new Courtly Sonet, of the Ladie Greensleeves.
To the new tune of Greensleeves

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves

Alas, my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously
And I have lov-ed you so long
Delighting in your companie

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

I have been ready at your hand
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both waged life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

I bought thee kerchers to thy head,
That were wrought fine and gallantly
I kept thee both boord and bed
Which cost my purse well favouredly

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

I bought thee petticoats of the best,
The cloth so fine as might be;
I gave thee jewels for thy chest,
And all this cost I spent on thee.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

Thy smock of silk, both fair and white,
With gold embroidered gargeously;
Thy petticoat of sendal right,
And these I bought thee gladly
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

Thy girdle of gold so red,
With pearles bedecked sumptuously;
The like no other lasses had,
And yet thou wouldst not love me
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

Thy purse and eke thy gay gilt knives,
Thy pincase gallant to the eye;
No better wore the Burgesse wives
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

Thy crimson stockings all of silk,
With golde all wrought above the knee,
Thy pumps as white as was the milk
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

Thy gown was of the grossie green,
Thy sleeves of satten hanging by,
Why made thee be our harvest Queen.
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

Thy garters fringed with the golde,
And silver aglets hanging by,
Which made thee blithe for to beholde
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

My gayest gelding I thee gave,
To ride where ever liked thee,
No Ladie ever was so brave
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

They set thee up, they took thee downe,
They served thee with humilitie,
Thy foote might not once touch the ground
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

For everie morning when thou rose,
I sent thee dainties orderly;
To cheare thy stomack from all woes
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
But still thou hadst it readily;
Thy musicke still to play and sing
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

And who did pay for all this geare,
That thou didst spend when pleased thee,
Even I that am rejected here
And thou disdainst to love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

Well I will pray to God on high,
That thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves.

Greensleeves, now farewell! adieu!
God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Ladie Greensleeves

Woody Guthrie–a great music pioneer of the U.S. is deceased but his music is in a revival, which started with wire recordings of a concert, he performed at the YM-YWHA’s Fuld Hall in Newark, New Jersey, for about 25 people.

These two spools of wire recordings are the only extant examples of Woody performing live. The wire recordings were sent to the Woody Guthrie Archives in N.Y. in 2001, by Paul Bowerman. He had recorded Woody’s performance as well as other people during the period between the late 1940’s and the early 1950’s. It was his hobby.

The Foundation’s decision in 2003 to release the recordings for the public to enjoy was a boon for Woody fans. Eighteen wired tracks were cleaned and edited by Airshow Mastering. These tracks offer songs, stories, and conversation.

The new release also includes songs by Jorge Arevalo Mateus, previously unpublished photos of Woody and his wife, Marjorie, and technical explanations of the restoration procedure.

More concerning Woody’s revival will be published here soon.

Examples: Woody and the Dropkick Murphys, Woody and the
Klezmatics etc.

References:
http://www.woodyguthrie.org/livewirepressrelease.htm
Woody Guthrie: Dead and Kicking
By Geoffrey Himes
New York Times News Service
via Press-Register
Mobile, AL
http://www.woodyguthrie.org/merchandise/klezmatics.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackout_(Dropkick_Murphys_album)bum

The Album:
THE LIVE WIRE: Woody Guthrie in Performance 1949
Released:10/6/07

Organizations:
Woody Guthrie Coalition
www.WoodyGuthrie.com

Hear Woody Guthrie:
http://www.artistdirect.com/
http://www.rhapsody.com/woodyguthrie

Contemporary Artists Playing Historical American Music

I heard some great songs on Acoustic Cafe on 92zew last Sunday and I thought I’d share the music, so to speak. The ones that were most interesting from a 50-song, 3-CD set called Song of America.

This project was the brainchild of Janet Reno, which surprised me, but hey, the music is good and the historical songs are done by contemporary artists. It is a wonderful thing that these artists were interested in this music.

In the words of Janet Reno:

“The historical detail of the songs fascinated me and I suggested that Ed Pettersen record a whole album of songs focusing on key periods in American history, in order to tell our story to young people who might find joy in learning history through music.”

The Artists and Songs

Earl Bullhead - “Lakota Dream Song”
Julie Lee - “Once More Our God Vouchesafe To Shine”
Blind Boys of Alabama - “Let Us Break Bread Together”
John Wesley Harding - “God Save the King”
Elizabeth Foster - “Young Ladies in Town”
Malcolm Holcombe - “The Old Woman Taught Wisdom”
Ed Pettersen - “The Liberty Song”
Harper Simon - “Yankee Doodle”
The Wilders - “Jefferson & Liberty”
Steven Kowalczyk-Santoro - “Hail Columbia”
Take 6 - “Star Spangled Banner”
Beth Nielsen Chapman - “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child”
Freedy Johnston - “Peg and Awl”
BR549 - “Sweet Betsy From Pike”
Will Hill and Jehnean Day Washington - “Trail of Tears”
Minton Sparks and Pat Flynn - “Declaration of Sentiments”
Fisk Jubilee Singers - “Go Down Moses”
Mavericks [ft. Thad Cockrell] - “Dixie’s Land”
Marah - “John Brown’s Body”
Joanna Smith - “Battle Hymn of the Republic”
Janis Ian - “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye”
Tim O’Brien - “Thousands Are Sailing to Amerikay”
Otis Gibbs - “The Farmer Is the Man”
Joni Harms - “Home on the Range”
Jake Shimabukuro - “Stars & Stripes Forever”
Jen Chapin - “Over There”
Andrew Bird - “How You Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm”
Karen Parks - “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
Danielson - “Happy Days Are Here Again”
Andy Bey - “Brother Can You Spare a Dime?”
Jim Lauderdale - “Seven Cent Cotton and Forty Cent Meat”
Old Crow Medicine Show - “Deportee”
Suzy Bogguss - “Rosie the Riveter”
Folk Family Robinson (Black Crowes with Stan Robinson) - “Reuben James”
Scott Kempner - “Apache Tears”
Elizabeth Cook and the Grascals - “The Great Atomic Power”
Devendra Banhart - “Little Boxes”
The Del McCoury Band - “The Times They Are A-Changin’”
Kim Richey - “Get Together”
The Dynamites / Charles Walker - “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud”
Ben Taylor - “Ohio”
Anthony David - “What’s Going On”
Martha Wainwright - “I Am Woman”
Matthew Ryan - “Youngstown”
Bettye LaVette - “Streets of Philadelphia”
Gary Heffern / Chris Eckman - “Wave”
Shortee - “The Message”
Judith Edelman / Neilson Hubbard - “Sleep, My Child (Schlof Mayn Kind)”
The Wrights - “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning”
John Mellencamp - “This Land Is Your Land”

Song of America at MySpace

At Amazon

References:
http://www.myspace.com/songofamerica
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/
92zew

Music fans, you’ll enjoy looking into Tuneflow, where you can review and rate the current music entries. Thus, your contribution will help determine the winners that month.

Artists enter original songs each month. Four titles are chosen ahead of time and the bands/artists write a song about one of the titles.

You can discuss your favorite bands and artists and other musical ideas in the forum.

The styles you’ll find at TuneFlow range from rock, alternative, spirit, and techno, to r&b, hip-hop, folk, country, and world.

Look for yourself at:

http://www.tuneflow.com

If you like Renaissance Festivals and Medieval Faires, quick and lively instrumentals… jigs and planxtys, you’ll enjoy the music of Menagerie…Jon and Lisa Butts. They celebrate weddings playing and singing lovely O’Carolan tunes. They also have a repertoire for pubs. Between them they play the hammered dulcimer, guitar, flute, mandolin, harp, and penny whistle.

The Butts started Menageie in 1993; they entertain at private parties, schools, bookstores, coffee shops, and restaurants besides the faires and festivals–in the eastern and southern part of the U.S.A.

I heard Menagerie at the Renaissance Festival in Mobile, AL. last year and had to get a CD (Menagerie, Playin’ Around) because they are good musicians and friendly people.

You can enjoy their music and other performers at Renaissance Festival Podcast–addy below.

References:

http://www.renaissancefestivalmusic.com/shownotes/labels/Menagerie.shtml
http://menageriemusic.com/
http://cdbaby.com

Podcast
http://www.renaissancefestivalmusic.com/shownotes/labels/Menagerie.shtml

Download MP3’s at:

http://www.menageriemusic.com/download_mp3%27s.html

Hear Menagerie at:

http://cdbaby.com

Menagerie CD’s:

Menagerie Playin’ Around, MENAGERIE: return to the ash grove, MENAGERIE: down the brae

Seen on Dr. Phil 3 times. Sugardaddie.com, dating for Successful Men & Stunning Women.

Mark Kent, a long time resident of Mobile, AL is originally from Detroit. He plays acoustic guitar and piano and is also a vocalist, songwriter and arranger.

He is accomplished in modern and traditional folk, traditional Christian hymns, Celtic, Americana, and popular music.

Mark has been entertaining audiences since 1968 and has played in many cities across the U.S.A in different small venues and for charitable and private functions. Sometimes his cd’s have a theme as in Fisherman’s Patience. For his cd The Boy from Kibbereen he wrote his own arrangements of Irish, Scottish, and American roots music.

I heard him play yesterday and really enjoyed his great folk and Celtic fingerpicking. You can hear his music at http://cdbaby.com/