New Songs etc

After our gig at the LCO Casino in August, I created a post about expanding our repertoire. Of the songs mentioned, the only ones we are currently working on is 'East Virginia Blues', although now that I've reread it I might look at some of the others. In the mean time, the new songs on which we are really working are the following:

East Virginia Blues: I have at least a half dozen versions of this. We've pretty much settled on the Stanley Brothers version recorded in 1956 (released in a recent CD: An EveningLong Ago). This is a YAFSWTV (yet another folk song with transferable verses) and the Stanley brothers version is more distilled than most (i.e. fewer verses to learn). I'd been kicking this around for a while, trying to come up with a way to do it with mandolin; however, after hearing the Carter Family version, we're now going with two guitars with Carter Family style instrumental breaks. We're singing full duet on all the verses so it is a candidate for the duet contest. So far we're playing it fairly up tempo, not as fast as the Stanley Brothers, but certainly faster than some of the other versions I've heard.

If I Lose, Let me Lose: from eBay I've purchased Vols 1-4 of a Charlie Poole LP set. I had transferred a few of these to MP3's but had missed Vol 2. Turning an LP into MP3 is a fairly time consuming task, but it turned out to be a good opportunity to listen to some of the songs and If I Lose, Let me Lose seemed like a good one to learn. After hearing Adam Kiesling of the Mill City Ramblers do 'Battleship of Maine', we realized that some of the verses are shared ('The boys was fightin' the Spaniards while I was fight gnat', etc) ;the verse melodies are almost identical but the chorus melodies are different: so I guess it is YAFSWTV. We've gone through this a couple of times and are having fun with it so I'm pretty sure we'll have it ready soon. It seems to be working out well with 2 guitars, although Charlie Poole songs often work with fiddle-guitar (which is how we do Milwaulkee Blues). I figure if we get enough of his work added to our repertoire, we can go to the Charlie Poole Festival in North Carolina and enter the Best Charlie Poole Song Contest.

You've Been That Friend To Me: this is a Carter family song that quite a few people do, although the only other recorded version I have is Pop Wagner's. Hearing the original Carter Family version got me thinking of doing it and we're following their version fairly closely, even to the point of keeping it in the same key, F ( Sara Carter's range is similar to mine on many of their songs). The current plan is for 2 guitars and full duet treatment, and, since I except a number of people in the old-time community will sing along on the chorus, we repeat the chorus the last time through, perhaps partially acappella (although that can become a cliche).

Bear Creek Blues: another Carter Family song for which I have several versions, but it was hearing the Carter Family do it that brought it into the 'Songs to Learn' category. I'm patterning our treatment after the original Carter version: of the other versions I have, Big Medicine take on it comes closest. We are keeping it in the key of E (same key used by Big Medicine), but I'm currently playing the lead part with the Capo on the 4th fret (C-position). Big Medicine plays it in open E; I'm guessing the Maybelle might be playing a low tuned guitar in G position, although she could be in open E. With Lynn on open E our version should sound pretty good. This is one that will take a while to get up to speed, so don't expect to hear it at any gig soon.

I'm also trying to come up with with a version of The Wabash Cannonball - probably based on the Delmore brothers lyrics, but with a verse from the Carter Family and some changes to the chorus. I've also just started to look at the Delmore song Weary Lonesome Blues since it is 'different' in the same way the Blue Railroad Train has broadened our sound. In our last rehearsal Lynn also went over What Does the Deep Sea Say. We are patterning it after a version that Tim O'Brien does with an Irish (female) vocalist on one of his 'crossings' album, although our version will be less 'produced' (to say the least).

I've also been going over the Charlie Poole song: The Baltimore Fire. Lynn hasn't climbed on board yet, but I kind of like the melody (and it does need fiddle). Lyle Lofgren, who writes for MBOTMA's Inside Bluegrass & the Old Time Herald (& probably more), has a discussion of the song here: http://www.lizlyle.lofgrens.org/RmOlSngs/RTOS-BaltimoreFire.html .

This is another song from the Charlie Poole Vol 2 LP and I was transferring it to MP3 shortly after the 35W bridge collapse - the following from the Wikepedia article added contemporary relevance:

One reason for the fire's duration was the lack of national standards in fire-fighting equipment. Although fire engines from nearby cities (such as Philadelphia and Washington, as well as units from New York City, Wilmington, and Atlantic City) responded, many were useless because their hose couplings failed to fit Baltimore hydrants. As a result, the fire burned over 30 hours, destroying 1,526 buildings spanning 70 city blocks.