stevel - Posted - 05/27/2010:  21:11:11

Hey everyone. I figured its about time I got around to helping out with TOTW, so here's my first contribution. I wanted my first song to be relatively easy, mainly so that beginners that may visit the forum would feel comfortable trying some of these pieces out. So sorry advanced players, you might find this song kinda boring. But if you can sing decently, the song is fun to play. However, even though I have chosen a simple melody, beginners who are apprehensive about trying different tunings shouldn't have a problem using this one as it only lowers the 5th string. Thus you don't need to "relearn" the fretboard.

Anywho, here is: The Lady Gay, also known as The Usher's well. Buell Kazee's recording is the one I'm the most familiar with, and the version I used for my MP3 and tab file. the tab file is just a text file... sorry for the lameness

Basically, i'm a sucker for old mournful ballads. the lyrics carry the song, and i enjoy their simple melodies.

Here's a snippet from one of the following links about the song's history:

"One of the oldest folk songs containing a supernatural theme is "The Wife of Usher's Well" (commonly called "The Lady Gay"), an English ballad reflecting the view that excess grief will cause the dead to return. A woman sends her children away to get an education, they die, she grieves, and they return to her in a vision."

contemplator.com/child/usher.html

deathreference.com/En-Gh/Folk-Music.html


Here's some sheet music i located (but i just used Buell's recordings to figure out the song):

freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.a..._well.htm


Here's a video of some folks playing it that i found on youtube:

youtube.com/watch?v=lbri9Nfjcr8


Here's my attempt at playing it .yes, I get very nervous when trying to record...

banjohangout.org/myhangout/med...archived=

And here's a simple tab file i created to show the basic melody. Buell often played irregular length measures, so i have tried to recreate that in the tab. However, i left out his ASPOs and other embellishments to add a bit of a challenge to those familiar with his material.

tuning is: e-DGBD

hangoutstorage.com/banjohangou...52010.txt

cheers!

steve

Edited by - stevel on 05/27/2010 21:18:34

robertsart - Posted - 05/28/2010:  04:08:29

Thanks Steve.

Also be sure to check out Mike Seeger's haunting version of Lady Gay on his Southern Banjo Sounds recording. Mike's version is played more in the style of Dock Boggs than Buell Kazee.

Edited by - robertsart on 05/28/2010 04:10:53

vrteach - Posted - 05/28/2010:  08:08:14

This is a song type that I wish we heard more of. I'd do it, but I have a crummy memory for verses.

In searching around I came across this Youtube clip of Buell Kazee giving a bit of a banjo lesson, and singing John Hardy. I was really glad to see that clip, he's one of the reasons that I got my first banjo but I'd never seen him play.

youtube.com/watch?v=AgBgfn9S3gw

There was also a thread a couple of years ago that includes more links to Kazee's music:

banjohangout.org/archive/131453

Edited by - vrteach on 05/28/2010 08:11:50

stevel - Posted - 05/28/2010:  08:23:27

Thanks folks. I couldn't find an audio copy of Buell's version on the web, and wasn't sure if I'd be breaking the rules by loading his song to the hangout. But you can hear a small sample of his late 1920's recording here:

amazon.com/Lady-Gay/dp/B0030IU...4&sr=8-45


Here's the lyrics as sung by Buell:

There was a lady, and a lady gay,
And children, she had three.
She sent them away, to the north country,
To learn, their grammarie.

They had not been, there very long,
Scarcely six, months and a day,
When death, cold death, came hastening along,
And took, those babes away.

“There is a king, in heaven,” she cried.
“He wears a, golden crown.
Pray, send me down, my three little babes,
Tonight, or tomorrow morn.”

It was just about, Old Christmas time,
The night’s being, long and clear.
She looked and she saw, her three little babes,
Come running, home to her.

She set a table, both long and wide,
And on it, she put bread and wine,
“Come eat, come drink, my three little babes,
Come eat, come drink of mine.”

“We want none of, your bread, Mother.
Neither do we, want your wine,
For yonder stands, our Savior dear,
And to Him, we must resign.”

She fixed a bed, in a little back room,
And over it, she put white sheets,
And over it, the golded spread
Where those three, babes might sleep.

“Take it off, take it off,” cried the oldest one.
“Take it off, take it off,” cried she,
“For yonder stands, our Savior dear,
And with him, you soon will be.”

“Green grass grow over, our bed Mother,
Cold clay lies, under our feet,
And every tear, you shed for us,
It wets, our winding sheet.”

Edited by - stevel on 05/28/2010 08:27:06

vrteach - Posted - 05/28/2010:  08:28:32

It's available on archive.org

archive.org/details/BuellH.Kazee-01-15

Edited by - vrteach on 05/28/2010 08:31:01

BANJOJUDY - Posted - 05/28/2010:  08:34:03

Interesting choice, and quite different in terms of the style tunes I usually play. I just cannot sing and play at the same time - not sure why, because I am a multi-tasking person - but not with singing and the banjo.

I have several versions of this. My favorite is Mike Seeger's.

One that has not been mentioned is by Kenny Jackson. You can hear a snippet of this here:
artistdirect.com/nad/store/art...9,00.html

Judy

banjo_brad - Posted - 05/28/2010:  13:40:19

Great song! It's listed in "The Child Ballads" as "The Wife of Usher's Well," #79, with 3 versions.

I've always been fond of the Child ballads.

-B-

ScottK - Posted - 05/28/2010:  14:01:09

Jeanie Murphy also plays a good version of Lady Gay on her CD with Scott Marckx The Time's Been Sweet. Great fiddle/banjo duet CD overall, BTW.

Scott

stringbeaner - Posted - 05/30/2010:  02:18:55

My favorite is on (I think) Pete Seeger's 'Goofing Off Suite' done by Frank Hamilton. The words are pretty much like Buell Kazee's