John D - Posted - 05/01/2020:  07:59:42

Happy Mayday! The TOTW for 5/1/2020 is:.... Dandelion River Run. It's not Old Time, but it makes a pretty good Clawhammer banjo piece. Dandelion River Run is a four- part lap dulcimer tune. It was composed by Richard Fariña and was the opening cut on the 1965 album "Celebrations for a Grey Day". On the tune, Richard's wife, Mimi, plays perfect back-up guitar in what she called "Dulcimer Tuning". Both Richard and Mimi have passed: Richard died in a motorcycle accident in 1966; Mimi died of cancer in 2001.



I have been in love with their droning, ringing, buzzing, glittering, humming, whirling tunes and anti-authoritarian songs for the last 55 years.



For years, YouTube had a video of the talkative Richard and the breathtakingly demure Mimi on Saint Peter's Rainbow Quest show from 1966, a few months before Richard was killed, but it was just taken down a few days ago. Too bad.



Here's their version of Dandelion River Run from Celebrations for a Grey Day:

youtube.com/watch?v=-27g7nnP46M



Here's Richard's criptic album liner notes for Dandelion River Run:

"In which we have something of a shower-interrupted picnic by the banks of a banjo-shaped river in Scruggs country. Not all that far from Stoney Mountain."



I think when it's spring and you're young and in love, a shower-interrupted picnic can be a thing full of joy! I hear nothing but pure joy in Dandelion River Run.



Hard to visualize a river as being banjo-shaped, but I think Richard was talking about the sound of the river. Many times I have stood by a babbling, rippling river or creek and thought that it sounded like a banjo (but clawhammer of course).



I don't think there's an actual Dandelion River, but, for those that want visuals, online there's lots of photos of dandelions with a river in the background:

google.com/search?q=dandelion+...ih=655Her



Not too many covers of DRR on YouTube, but here is a brilliant clawhammer version by Rob Stenson in a medley with Soldier's Joy:

youtube.com/watch?v=j20ejKTNkXM



After only listening to this tune for decades, I finally figured out how to (sort of) play it in 2003. On this version I just recorded, I think I'm playing the tune way too slow; sounds more like a river walk than a river run. Also, I seem to be adding an extra beat (or something) after I finish the 4th part and start the tune over - makes the tune crooked and it bugs the heck out of me but I'm too lazy to record it again. Anyway, here's my recent Clawhammer take on a Wildwood banjo in double D tuning:

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





And here's a bonus, my ragged and clangy clawhammer version of another Richard Fariña Dulcimer tune, Tuileries, I posted on the bho in 2008:



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







John D

Edited by - John D on 05/01/2020 08:01:04

cmic - Posted - 05/02/2020:  01:40:15

I *love* your rendition, John. A so original mix of old time rythm with modern harmonies.
And played with Lilt !! . I'd like to play this tune.
Cheers !