Sunday, January 28, 2018

Space Oddity - Ground Control to Major Me

The first time I heard this David Bowie song, I felt like he was singing it to me. This was my song. I wanted to be an astronaut, but unfortunately being an astronaut is HAAAAAAARD!  That and God had other stuff for me to do so I've put off going into space for when we get carried off to heaven. If there's an orbital lab around the new Earth I plan to be on the construction crew - either that I want to be on the crew of a star ship.  I'm certain there will be stuff like that. After all, we are an exploring species and those of us who survive the old Earth should be trustworthy enough to turn loose to explore the stars and there are an awful lot of those out there, so we likely won't be bored with it all since we're living forever.

This is the coolest version of the song ever done. It's Canadian ISS astronaut Chris Hadfield singing with NASA footage in a monumentally marvelous music video. Hadfield has a really good voice too. So enjoy the first space-based music video with actual astronauts and footage shot in space. I still think they're singing my song, though.




"Major" Tom King

Thursday, January 25, 2018

V'la L'bon Vent - Lizzy Hoyt



I first heard this song back in college on a recording by folksingers Ian & Sylvia. The song was in French; an old voyageur song that used to be sung by early French traders in America and Canada. I'd been looking for a song to sing on long canoe trips. I wasn't able to memorize all of it, but I got enough of it to help me keep up my paddling rhythm on summer canoe trips with my canoe classes. It's a fun song with a driving rhythm and really odd words. But then folk songs are not noted for their Shakespearean intricacies.  Here's Miss Lizzy's version followed by the lyrics in both English and French.


V'la L'bon Vent
(Voyageur Paddling Song)

V'la l'bon vent, v'la l'joli vent
V'la l'bon vent, ma mie m'appelle
V'la l'bon vent, v'la l'joli vent
V'la l'bon vent, ma mie m'attend

Derrière chez nous y'a un étang,
Trois beaux canards y vont nageant

V'la l'bon vent, v'la l'joli vent
V'la l'bon vent, ma mie m'appelle
V'la l'bon vent, v'la l'joli vent
V'la l'bon vent, ma mie m'attend

Le fils du Roi y va chassant,
avec son beau fusil d'argent

V'la l'bon vent, v'la l'joli vent
V'la l'bon vent, ma mie m'appelle
V'la l'bon vent, v'la l'joli vent
V'la l'bon vent, ma mie m'attend

ô fils du Roi, tu es méchant
Visa le noir, tua le blanc,

V'la l'bon vent, v'la l'joli vent
V'la l'bon vent, ma mie m'appelle
V'la l'bon vent, v'la l'joli vent
V'la l'bon vent, ma mie m'attend 


V'la L'bon Vent
(Voyageur Paddling Song) 
Translation:

Chorus:
Here's the good wind, here's the pretty wind,
Here's the good wind!
My friend is calling me.
Here's the good wind, here's the pretty wind,
Here's the good wind!
My friend is waiting for me.

Behind our place there is a pond.
Behind our place there is a pond.
Three fine ducks are bathing there.


Chorus:

The king's son goes hunting there,
The king's son goes hunting there
With his big silver gun.


Chorus:

Aimed at the black one, killed the white,
Aimed at the black one, killed the white,
And all its feathers went with the wind.


Chorus:

There are three ladies picking them up.
There are three ladies picking them up.
And we will make a camp bed.


Chorus:

The two of us will sleep in it,
The two of us will sleep in it,
To have some little children there.

Chorus:

I need to learn the last two verses yet. I really like Lizzy's gentle version of the song. It's on my phone now so I should be able to practice it a little.

Enjoy.

Tom

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

YMCA - Minions Style


My wife says I'm just a big kid. Listening to my Mp3 list is probably evidence of that. It tends to lean heavily toward Disney songs and old folk music suitable for kids. I'm a big romantic. I've got a dozen or so Doris Day songs, some things from Aladdin, Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Camelot and clips from Danny Kaye movies. This one I have no excuse for. I'm a six year old!




I just love these guys. I'll most likely post a whole bunch of these before it's over. Then there's this song from the wedding scene - "I Swear!"  It just brings tears to my eyes (I'm laughing so hard).



Tom







Sunday, January 14, 2018

Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown


 


This old hymn was one of the first songs that Great Grandma Doney taught to my Grandpa King when he was just a little boy. It remained a favorite all his life. My Grandpa was a praying man and I have no doubt at all that there will be some stars in my grandpa's crown. He'll get at least part of one for me.  I introduced my own son to the song when he was little.

Above is one of my favorite folk singers, Burl Ives singing "Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown?"
Below is my first favorite folk singers, Thomas Adolph King....



Tom King


Tuesday, January 9, 2018

That's How the Yodel Was Born - Riders in the Sky

So, have you ever wondered how Cowboys ever got into yodeling?  It's not the sort of musical style that one would expect to find out in the Wild Wild West. So far as we know, yodeling is only common in the Swiss Alps - a rather long way from the plains of Texas. 

Let us offer an alternative explanation. Here are Riders in the Sky with the story of how the Cowboy Yodel was born - a song guaranteed to make even the toughest CowBOYS cringe.
















It's a great story and it explains everything!

Tom King

Friday, January 5, 2018

The Dutchman - Makem & Clancy



This song always makes me tear up. I've tried singing it and it always gives me trouble. This beautiful song is here delivered by two of Ireland's finest singers from two of Ireland's finest musical families.  The Dutchman was written by Michael Peter Smith, who was a nice discovery through this song. You may not know Michael but you may have heard some of his songs. Look him up. He's really good. Get yourself a hankie first.

Tom

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Fare Thee Well - Makem and Clancy and The Leaving of Liverpool

Makem and Clancys - Generation 1


I love this song. It's one of my favorite Irish folk songs and best of all it's sung by two members of my favorite Irish music families - the Makems and the Clancys. I've actually seen both these guys and their dads performing at the North Texas Irish Festival. First I got to see the Clancy Brothers, then Tommy Makem performing solo. Then I got to see Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy performing together. After them, I got to see the younger Clancys performing together and the Makem Brothers performing as a group.

Since we've lost Tommy Makem and all the the elder Clancy Brothers, Tom, Liam and Paddy, it's nice to know their voices live on in their sons. I could listen to those guys all day, especially singing those ballads like "The Leavin' of Liverpool" and "The Parting Glass".

For this post I've included Rory Makem and Donal Clancy singing "The Leavin' of Liverpool" and The original Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem singing "The Parting Glass".  I am so happy the sons have carried on their fathers' musical tradition. Maybe if I can find an Irish festival up here in Washington State, maybe I can see the tradition live on.

Here's Rory and Donal:


And here's Tommy Makem, Liam, Tom and Paddy Clancy



Love these lovely Irish voices. What I would give to jam with them.

Tom King