Saturday, January 26, 2008

Sad Songs



Here are two songs I couldn't find clips for.
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6 comments:

goneforeign said...

You take me back to the early '60's, I think that's when I became aware of Jean Redpath, always liked her; what nationality is she?

January 26, 2008 at 6:48 PM
steenbeck said...

Scottish!!!

January 26, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Anonymous said...

Oh, lovely! Not so keen on the first, but Jean Redpath has that ringing clarity to her voice, like Maddy Prior or Sandy Denny. Always nice to have a hairs-on-the-back-of-the-neck moment!

January 27, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Anonymous said...

College Boy;
Is a song I 'reworded' for my daughter's adolescent rite of passage feast. I've a strong, developed voice, but am not generally known for precision of tonality. Singing across a room full of family and friends could throw one off; but on this occasion the task was clear. The on-hearers were irrelevant, I was singing for just one pair of ears. My voice fell to exactly the right pitch.

Years later, she trickled the request down to me that a re-re-write might be just the thing at her wedding. The phenomena of singing to one person among a crowd - is uncanny. That it was her father who'd just had them howling with his clever speech,cross the room to perch on a high stool and was now openly blessing this young woman, evoked many a tear.

Bem

March 25, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Blimpy said...

Hi Bembo,

Could you tell us some more about the "rite of passage feast" - I'm intrigued.

Thanks

March 25, 2008 at 7:51 PM
Anonymous said...

Oh Blimpy --(didn't get back til now)
With deep pleasure, it retrospect it is a very positive event:
I live up the Norwegian coast -- the local religious tradition (Christian) provides an induction ritual of some import at age 14 or so. Parents of the non-religious, who never-the-less appreciate aspects of the consciousness-raising about becoming, if not an adult, at least a non-child, have evolved a parallel ceremony.

Under the flag of Humanism, a day is set aside in early May where the youngsters (who've participated in group study programmes exploring philosphic themes) have a major gathering with, in our case, a youth orchestra, speeches and serious attention. Afterwards, friends and family gather for a 'better dinner' (sorry, can't recall the meny). Curiously, because so many are doing it on the same day, there is less emphasis on same-aged friends, and more on extended family. Not being an architect, I' can't describe the lovely room we met in - the spacious foyer of a residence now converted into a school. The key to our event was, having tables arranged in a large square, and having guests only sitting around the perphery. Our daughter's parents were placed on the far side from the head table, were the maid herself, and uncle (for occasion MC) and aunt were.
I sung from my spot, I think without rising.

Having carried on so at your prompting -- I confess to being rather a believer in such ceremony as a social cleanser. Young people do have such a need to be taken seriously - gathering a collection of adults who have watched them grow up and who wish them all the best, is indeed a ceremony of note.
Thanks for asking.
Bem
I take it you are familiar with the wedding ritual.

March 27, 2008 at 7:13 PM

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