1. Ballad Of Weaverville-
(Ringer/McCaslin)
Mary McCaslin
Prairie
in the Sky - Philo 1011
"I'll tell you
`bout a gambler folks, Jim Weaver was his name"
This story is about best friends who end up together in war, until one decides that he can't fight.
2. Ballad of Joseph Schultz
-
Dave
Crossland
Here's
to the Ride - Purple Beech Music
29 Borton
Ave Akron, Ohio, 44302
"I was
following orders Joe, you should have done the same"
This tune depicts the highwayman, robber who falls for the woman he intended to rob.
3. On the Road to Fairfax
County - (Massengill) The Roches
Keep
on Doing - Warner Bros 23725-1
"Once I
loved an outlaw"
Not all story songs are so sad..
4. The Night Pat Murphy
Died - Finest Kind
Lost
in a Song - Fallen Angel Music
ianrobb@magi.comwww.magi.com/~ianrobb/
"That's
how they show their respect for Paddy Murphy"
5. Witch of the Westmorland
-
(Fisher)
Stan Rogers
Between
the Lines - Live Fogerty's Cove Music
"There's
none can harm the knight whose's lain with the Witch of Westmorland"
The story of an old forgotten soldier no longer with a family
6. Home from the Forest
- Gordon Lightfoot
First
Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Pickwick Records of Canada
"Oh the
neon lights were flashing and the icy wind did blow"
A dirt farmer fights to keep his daddy's land
7. Kansas Legend (D.
MCCrimmon) - Robin and Linda Williams
Robin
and Linda Williams - ASI Records 711 W Broadway Minneapolis Minn 55411
Billy was a lad
of 10 when the horse thieves drove his daddy out
The diggers fight to till the unused soil in Ireland
8. World Turned Upside Down - (The
Diggers Song ) Karn Casey
Songlines
- Shanachie http://www.shanachie.com
"In 1649 Saint George's
Hill, a ragged people came to show the people's will"
Francis Child,(1825-1896) was a Harvard Graduate in 1846. He undertook the large task of gathering manuscripts for ballads in English, Scottish and related languages. Between 1882 - 98 was published the 305 ballads in English and Scottish Popular Ballads, lovingly referred to now as the Child Ballads. Few significant additions have been made so this remains as the authoritative collection.
9. Annachie Gordon - (Child
Ballad 239) Cindy Mangsen
Long Time
Traveling - Hog Eye Records
"Won't you lead
me to the chamber where my love lies in"
10. Ar Eirinn i neosfarinn ce hi -
(trad) Dervish
Live
in Palma - Kells Music,
kellsmus@pipeline.com
A gaelic speaker
called: "griondar ma chri eist le sin" It makes my heart lift to hear this.
11. Two Sisters (Child ballad
variation) - Clannad
Dulaman
- Shanachie http://www.schanachie.com
"There
were two sisters side by side, the youngest for young Johnny cried"
A man misleads a lady.
12. Nancy Reynard (Frank
Christian) New England Express
The
Coop Fast Folk March '83
"John
was a sailor for the coast guard"
And again.
13. Fair Flower of Northumberland
-
Eileen
McGann
Turn
it Around - Dragonwing Music
Disk
in US by Canadian River Music Amarillo TX 806 372 4203
"I cannot
go back to my own country"
And one who dies refusing a man
14. Sir Hubert Vayne (Johnson)
- Artisan
Rocking
at the End of Time - Festival Records, London
www.catskill.net/jrwebber/artisan.html
"Pursued
by Sir Hubert's soldiers."
(Appearing
in Liberty at Warehouse III on Feb 14th)
Stories not unlike Elian Gonzalez' relations experienced
15. Sierra Blanca Massacre - David
Massengill
Twilight
the Taj Majal - Plump Records - www.plump.com
"Eighteen
died in a railroad car...they were all Mexicano"
A few stories of couples:
16. Doris and Edwin: The Movie
-
Chrisitne
Lavin
Live
at the Cactus Cafe - Philo Records - www.christinelavin.com
A
movie in the form of a song
17. Gladys and Harley - Carla
Sciaky
Awakening
- Green Linnet Records
"Gladys
and Harley were married at twenty, it was the Depression..."
18. Stuart and Lillian - Tamarack
Fields
of Rock and Snow - Folk Era
"When
Stuart and Lillian won fourteen million,
they thought the money would not change their life"
A very old story!
19. Calypso - Suzanne Vega
Solitude
Standing - A&M Records
"My
name is Calypso and I have lived alone"
Based on Norman MacLean's book Young Men and Fire about the Mann Gulch fire.
20. Cold Missouri Waters -
James
Keelaghan
Recent
Future - Green Linett
"August
`49, north Montana, hottest day on record"
The story of aging love
21. The Dutchman (M. Smith)
- Steve Goodman
Someone
Else's Troubles - Buddah records
"Winters
rolls the windmills round"
The story of a whole town's acceptance of a growing child with special needs.
22. Radio - Chuck Brodsky
Radio
- Red House
A
story of how "love and attention gave voice to a mute"
The story of an Atlantic Ocean crossing
23. The Ballad of Harbo and Samuelsen
-
(J.Bryant) Rick Lee
There's
Talk about a Fence - Waterbug ricklee@pobox.com
pobox.com/~ricklee/
100
years ago 2 men cross the Atlantic in an 18 foot open boat
"In Brooklyn NY at the turn of the century lived two Norwegians"
"We'll
see you in France or we'll see you in Heaven"
The story of how kindness is never forgotten
24. Sister Helen's List - David
Roth
Irreconcilable
Similarities - Wind River Records
"Take out
two sheets of paper and list all their names...
write down
at least one thing they could, that they liked about each in the room"