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Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 07/11/2025: 00:58:54
This week's tune of the week is an old hymn that has become part of the old time folk song tradition.
"The Old Church Yard", sometimes called "Come, Come With Me", is found in hymn books dating back to 1867 on the website Hymnary.org.
The earliest version with sheet music is 1883, and can be found here -
hymnary.org/hymn/CRHP1883/65
The melody appears to be very similar to the way it is sung nowadays.
There is a wonderful recording of Almeda Riddle singing unaccompanied in the link here - it's at 8:42 - youtu.be/uO4vYvsnsC0?si=iKgUqmiCuYpn5r_V
Almeda Riddle was a singer "found" and promoted by Alan Lomax during the folk revival of the late 1950s (and 60s) - she was based in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas. Apparently she had a repertoire of 500 songs.
If anyone makes a time travel device I would definitely put my name down for some time with her I think.
Interesting fact - Almeda Riddle was born Almeda James, and was cousin to Frank and Jesse James. Read more here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almeda_Riddle
There are few banjo only versions I can find, but Anna Roberts-Gevalt plays clawhammer banjo in this version by Anna and Elizabeth with the Murphy Beds -
youtu.be/3UurYtz0Dqw?si=uW0uoRnX0lzijOlD
Here is an up-picking version by a chap called "Lazy John" on YouTube
It's in Sawmill, and seems to work really well.
youtu.be/pylJmk8p4WA?si=COuLzgw9l2GefAOn
I've been playing along to this from the Wailing Jennies as it's in C / A minor, and that's where I play it.
youtu.be/5Gl8j0k72k4?si=RtG_FhCfKeqtUd9Q
And then how about this from Nora Brown and Hannah Read - also C / A minor? I could listen to this all day:
youtu.be/_BfdqkQB2Rc?si=MgC1CTC0wDOF8EtC
My version is below, along with a walkthrough of how I play it.
I found it hard to work out which key suited my voice better, and which key I preferred on the banjo. I have a tab in double C - so you can can capo up to D or E. I also have a tab in standard G, so you have some other options!
I settled on C / Amin. I can't decide if it's C major or Amin. Probably the A part is Amin, and the B part feels more C major? I'll leave that to you people who understand music theory to decide!
I would love to hear your versions of the tune, with or without lyrics, with or without other instruments, or even unaccompanied vocal if you want, but this is a song that needs singing I think!
Edited by - Andyrhydycreuau on 07/11/2025 01:06:21
lapsteel - Posted - 07/11/2025: 05:42:23
This is a well done presentation. Thank you kindly for making it!
Jim_VA - Posted - 07/11/2025: 07:55:18
Very nice arrangement and singing! An arrangement of this hymn, with the name "Amboy," is in the shape note book The Shenandoah Harmony. Here is a video of people singing it unaccompanied in 2013.
Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 07/11/2025: 08:29:17
quote:
Originally posted by lapsteel
This is a well done presentation. Thank you kindly for making it!
Thanks for the comment, glad you liked it!
Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 07/11/2025: 08:32:22
quote:
Originally posted by Jim_VA
Very nice arrangement and singing! An arrangement of this hymn, with the name "Amboy," is in the shape note book The Shenandoah Harmony. Here is a video of people singing it unaccompanied in 2013.
Thanks Jim,
The score on the link is written with three sharps, but also clearly states F# minor. Though the melody is slightly different to my take, it kind of answers my question about key!
I have never heard of shape note singing before, the sound on your link is really rich and round. Lovely stuff, thanks for sharing!
Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 07/11/2025: 08:39:34
(Somehow one of my replies didn't show, so I replied again, but then the original had materialised.....)
Edited by - Andyrhydycreuau on 07/11/2025 08:47:48
ndlxs - Posted - 07/11/2025: 10:00:45
I love this (non-banjo) version of this song; they play it in G though; I worked out a version on guitar in open G tuning and there is no reason that it would not work well on 5 string that way too.
youtube.com/watch?v=MDS6WN0map0
Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 07/11/2025: 11:26:23
quote:
Originally posted by ndlxs
I love this (non-banjo) version of this song; they play it in G though; I worked out a version on guitar in open G tuning and there is no reason that it would not work well on 5 string that way too.
youtube.com/watch?v=MDS6WN0map0
I hadn't found this one, you're right, it's a cracker.
Jefferson Hamer is the guitar player in the Anna and Elizabeth version above as well. His voice really works well with Anaïs Mitchell I think.
I think it's easier to play in standard G on the banjo, but I can't get my voice high enough for chorus in G.
A / F#minor worked for me for the chorus, but couldn't get low enough for the verse!
Some tunes huh?
ndlxs - Posted - 07/11/2025: 13:36:08
I can sing it in G; it suits me (despite being 6'4" tall I have a fairly high voice), however on banjo I prefer the double C/double D tuning. Capo 5, fifth string to A, it is in F, and that might work better for lower voices.
My music room is full, but a lower pitched banjo like a cello banjo or a Bela Fleck baritone would be nice.
Nick Hornbuckle - Posted - 07/11/2025: 13:41:26
Andyrhydycreuau beautiful song and arrangement! The Jaybirds have recorded this for our next album. Here's my take on it...with a little bit of fooling around...
Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 07/11/2025: 13:55:55
quote:
Originally posted by ndlxs
I can sing it in G; it suits me (despite being 6'4" tall I have a fairly high voice), however on banjo I prefer the double C/double D tuning. Capo 5, fifth string to A, it is in F, and that might work better for lower voices.
My music room is full, but a lower pitched banjo like a cello banjo or a Bela Fleck baritone would be nice.
I'm off to try it in F / D minor now!
Don't think I tried that.
I wonder if it would work out of F tuning? fDGCD?
Good suggestion!
Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 07/11/2025: 13:58:30
quote:
Originally posted by Nick Hornbuckle
Andyrhydycreuau beautiful song and arrangement! The Jaybirds have recorded this for our next album. Here's my take on it...with a little bit of fooling around...
Thanks Nick, that sounds great. I kind of want the full Jaybirds version now. When is the album out? I'll be waiting!
Thanks for sharing.
ndlxs - Posted - 07/11/2025: 15:29:45
quote:
Originally posted by Andyrhydycreuau
w!
Don't think I tried that.
I wonder if it would work out of F tuning? fDGCD?
Good suggestion!
Here's a crazy idea that kind of works for me: play it in double C/double D with the fifth string not to G/A but to either F or G. In double C, you'd be singing it in F
with this chord (4 to 1) 0203. The other F chord is 5557, followed by 9 10 9 10.
The way I here it: Come come come (x323) to the old church yard (0203)
I so know these paths (0202, Am) neath the soft green sward (x323)
and so on.
Chris Coole (the Canadian banjo whiz, right?) did an online workshop about playing in F in double C/G in double D. Play around with the chords up the neck.
I suppose what I SHOULD do is a quick video but I promised to make dinner in an hour and the slow jam (my fiddle....) is tomorrow morning, so we'll just see tomorrow if I do that or not. I love singing it.
Which brings me to the reason I haven't been doing this: memorizing the danged words. I can memorize melodies very easily but words are work.
Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 07/12/2025: 03:49:09
quote:
Originally posted by ndlxs
quote:
Originally posted by Andyrhydycreuau
w!
Don't think I tried that.
I wonder if it would work out of F tuning? fDGCD?
Good suggestion!
Here's a crazy idea that kind of works for me: play it in double C/double D with the fifth string not to G/A but to either F or G. In double C, you'd be singing it in F
with this chord (4 to 1) 0203. The other F chord is 5557, followed by 9 10 9 10.
The way I here it: Come come come (x323) to the old church yard (0203)
I so know these paths (0202, Am) neath the soft green sward (x323)
and so on.
Chris Coole (the Canadian banjo whiz, right?) did an online workshop about playing in F in double C/G in double D. Play around with the chords up the neck.
I suppose what I SHOULD do is a quick video but I promised to make dinner in an hour and the slow jam (my fiddle....) is tomorrow morning, so we'll just see tomorrow if I do that or not. I love singing it.
Which brings me to the reason I haven't been doing this: memorizing the danged words. I can memorize melodies very easily but words are work.
Really interesting! I have worked it out in F tuning now. May upload a tab if I have time. I can only just get the highest notes of the verses, and sing the chorus down an octave.
Thanks for the suggestion, I like that idea!
JanetB - Posted - 07/12/2025: 16:46:42
Another gem from you, Andy. Who would have thought that this old hymn is being revived by the likes of Nora Brown and Nick Hornbuckle! Bless you all! Like you, I listened to the lovely singing of the Wailing Jennies. I love your clawhammer rendition, but my instincts went to my old-time 3-finger style. I used the lyrics included in the 1883 hymnal with a few minor changes. The last verse is special and not heard in most of the modern versions so far.
Andyrhydycreuau - Posted - 07/13/2025: 06:09:50
quote:
Originally posted by JanetB
Another gem from you, Andy. Who would have thought that this old hymn is being revived by the likes of Nora Brown and Nick Hornbuckle! Bless you all! Like you, I listened to the lovely singing of the Wailing Jennies. I love your clawhammer rendition, but my instincts went to my old-time 3-finger style. I used the lyrics included in the 1883 hymnal with a few minor changes. The last verse is special and not heard in most of the modern versions so far.
Thanks Janet, that's a lovely version. Yours really feels like C major for sure! Thanks for sharing.
R.D. Lunceford - Posted - 07/16/2025: 14:08:12
You're welcome, Andrew.
The singer is English- Olivia Chaney (IMHO, a little reminiscent of Maddy Prior at times). The backing musicians are members of The Decembrists, who are from Portland, Oregon, just across the river from me.
Thank you for the hymn.
