Jon says “This is, and would always be, a pale imitation of Tim Eriksen’s original. Do check it out (it’s on YouTube I think.)”
You’ll find Tim’s notes on Mainly Norfolk with a different video version to the one I linked to above, but the preacher he refers to is Lorenzo Dow and you can read more about the eccentric gentleman here and that’s surely worth a moment or two of your time.
this is for me a particularly beautiful and wonderfully performed song by jon and much of it I can play along with on a irish tin whistle. Do I detect irish undertones here? I believe I do although having said that there is a element of blue grass about it, the fiddle perhaps? Nonetheless great music.
Yes, Tim Eriksen’s performance is on youtube. Beware of other hymns/songs with similar titles. I found Jon’s version is preferable, only because I am more at ease with folk than with country. It is always good to appreciate the music of other genres.
I too agree with you on this one there is something about music that can only be found in the english folk, vernacular which jon’s voice seems to put over very well as in this case. I also like tim eriksen’s performance,truly american, that has a ‘get up and dance quality’ about it. Two interpretations and yet each very different adding colour and tapestry to the same song.
Enjoyed all song versions equally, so thanks for posting, Skyman! I was particularly interested in reading about Lorenzo Dow too – all the charisma of Rasputin or Aleister Crowley! – but perhaps not quite so sinister. I note he was a fierce abolitionist. You can still purchase his books on eBay & Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Cosmopolite-Concentrated-Containing-Experiences/dp/1143598024/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1307104897&sr=8-2
You can even obtain Peggy Dow’s Vicissitudes in the Wilderness and Vicissitudes 2… I know how she feels…
I am constantly amazed by my ignorance and knew nothing of either Lorenzo Dow or the Primitive Methodists. “Primitive Methodist workers played an important role in the formative phase of the Trade Union movement in England. They were always the most working class of the main Methodist bodies in Great Britain. They also used women at an early date as ministers (“itinerants”) and preachers, a notable development in women’s emancipation.” This latter quotation is from a short Wiki entry about them:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_Methodist_Church
As coincidence would have it, I have just this past week been in a building in Keighley (the town where Fay’s Bacca Pipes Folk Club is) called Central Hall. It has just had a £1.7m refurbishment and has Primitive Methodist carved in large letters of stone across the front. It has lovely facilities and would be ideal for a Fay Hield-type singing event! It is not big enough to cope with a Bellowhead-type ensemble, but they are open to bookings! I suspect at least one contributor on here from the Silsden Singers community choir was present at the official opening! Nice café, if you are in the locality!
http://www.central-hall.org.uk/
Ah, the High Level Ranters
You’ll find this song in the 1991 edition of the Sacred Harp hymnal:
http://fasola.org/indexes/1991/?p=64
The words date back to 1830, and the melody to 1821.
I can’t really say I like Sacred Harp singing, but I sure enjoyed Jon’s recording.
-Joe Offer-
@Mainly Norfolk………..Tim Eriksen decided that I was NOT to hear his video version….
he’s such a tease..”private viewing only” indeed…..
a hefty song to sing….in my head I can hear the tune speeded up and suited to Appalchian dancing.
I am constantly amazed by our Jane’s thirst for knowledge….and more to the point….
I get dragged along, screaming, behind her …..
I don’t even care that Lorenzo Dow hated Jesuits and Roman Catholics,
but if Jane says I should know these things…who am I to argue!
Well this rather came as a surprise, it was not at all what I was expecting from the title. Almost a hymn. Jon sang it well and I liked the fiddle playing too.
Muzza it does not pay to argue with Jane as you should know by now. You must not be a naughtly boy just do what Jane says. She is right uyou know.
Muzza did you appreciate by little joke or had you heard it before?
Lookee, Muzza, listen to Diana ref The Word acc to Ted!
Now, I have put a positive spin on Lorenzo Dow and the Primitive Methodists, from no deep knowledge about him & them, but because there is good and bad in all. If he was a fervent abolitionist, & his movement helped Trade Unionism and the emancipation of wimmin, it ain’t all bad. You don’t know WHY he disliked other movements of his day. Maybe for the very reasons of what he stood for, for ordinary men and women.
Let’s face it, I don’t suppose the Jesuits and Roman Catholics liked him and the Primitive Methodists too much either. History is full of strife and religion full of factions. I’m with Richard Dawkins, but there are still good people in the world from all backgrounds and beliefs. It is hard to hold onto that thought sometimes I know, especially as the neglected, beaten, bloodied animals keep arriving at my door, but keep calm and carry on regardless…
I defend peoples’ right to believe what fairy tales they must, ‘cos it should be a matter of faith, not simple intellectual choice. I don’t always like it, by any stretch of the imagination, but then I don’t have to. I don’t like a lot of things, but it’s part of what any sort of socialist must put up wih. And let’s also face it, we get some d*mn fine music out of all life’s strife and faith! This song being one.
I’m not much of a Royalist either really, but watching people waiting for the Diamond Jubilee flotilla, I can’t help but admire their enthusiasm. There’s got to be a positive sense of their history, culture & roots in that. Ain’t that what folk music’s about as well? I rest my case.
‘Ear, ‘ear, I hear Diana say. Yes, I did appreciate your joke! Hahahahaha!
Rabbit… I do. Clockwork… I am. Wound up and set off again! I fall for it every time…
PS Sussed it, Diana! You can change yer name at will on here against the same email address & it doesn’t alter on previous comments, but the avatar, of course, remains the same against whatever name you use with that email address, unless you upload another pic to WordPress. If you then switch your pic, it appears against every posting with your same email address, whatever name is being temporarily employed. I have noted though (whilst trawling back for my ‘opus magnus’ AFSAD archive) that some of my very early comments here have no avatar next to them. Perhaps that is from before I had an avatar, or maybe to do with me being on my old pc and not the swishy Tosh laptop. Still had the same email address tho’ but.
@Clockwork Bunny I am glad you have sussed it out for yourself and are now quite content – it is the avatar that gives you away every time. Glad you liked the “ear” joke. Have you caught up with my other one at Muzza yet? Your other comments from above I endorse. We are such a motley lot nowadays – it would not do for all of to be the same. It was probably your old PC, they are inclined to be temperemental from time to time. If there is a power cut and we have had two recently here, it would not switch on for quite some considerable time – blast it! That seems to be a bit muddled up – the sentences are not in quite the right order, but you will graps my meaning I am certain.
@ Diana: I do get yer drift… & I am now back at ‘Rambling Sailor’ in the O-puss Magnus – only about 20 songs to go! (aside from daily rest of June) – & my red hat avatar is plainly visible today!
@ Jane: You seem to be moving along at a rapid rate of knots which is quite appropriate if you have just finished “Rambling Sailor” a song of which I am very fond. Don’t lose your red hat, although I do recall you with a different avatar with a rather nice earring some time ago. You won’t know what to do with yourself when you finish this undertaking.
@Jane…………..@Diana……………”do not lose your red hat”
Now let me think…what’s that old country saying….eerrrmm…”RED HAT- NO…….?” Just can’t think how it ends……….not feeling any draughts are you Jane?
On the subject of hats……..Princess Anne asked the Queen which of her fur hats she should wear for a forthcoming visit to Skipton….
The Queen replied “Wear the Fox hat”
to which Princess Anne replied..”Somewhere up north I think mummy!”
Muzza you again I see, and how dare you use the name I was born with in one of your pathetic jokes? I don’t understand what your are referring to with the old country saying – you will have to clarify it a little more.
@ Muzza: What made you think I wear them otherwise, hat or no hat?
@ Diana: Not sure he knows about your maiden name… but he could soon be knowing where McDooley got the brick with jokes like that!
@ Jane: Have you sussed it then? A good old Yorkshire name wot? I have a distinct feeling that Muzza is being rude somehow. I don’t think I will dwell on that, so will treat it with the contempt it deserves. He just loves winding you up like a clockwork rabbit.
@ Diana: Oh, yes! He’s being saucy again!
@Jane: I thought so! It is a good job he resides a good distance away or else I can see you going round and giving him a piece of your mind. Still I suppose you tend to do that anyway – he is a little devil but I soon spotted him this morning – he will have to get up very early to get the better of us won’t he?
@Diana………….your maiden name….was it Diana Drawers?….or am I thinking of a film star that was.
@Muzza: definitely not – still it was as good a guess as any I suppose. I rather liked Diana Dors – always thought she was under-rated in the acting skills.
@Diana….Diana Hat/Diana Skipton/Diana Fur/Diana Queen/Diana Fox..surely not Princess Diana!…right fol de rol fiddle diddle I ay & toura loora…
and other such patter to which folk singers are alledged to resort when stumped for words and ideas.
@OldFrog…you do lower the tone of this lovely site
@Muzza: Old frog certainly has hit upon the name amongst his guesses but am more confident that you will have worked it out for him.
@Diana………nope…….got me foxed as well
Well my dear Muzza there is no connection with any animal so you will have to try again. I will give you a hint – it is on Jane’s side of the border – I have been known to trespass over her way frequently and have even been to Bradford. Solved it now have we?
@Diana………………..perhaps as in ‘Old MOther?’…..I am a bloke remember and some of us aren’t the sharpest tools/frogs in the box
Well Muzza I never thought you would be so slow on the uptake or are you pulling my leg? I rather think the latter. Your must have twigged it by now. CASTLE there.
@Diana…….fair lady.. thou doth give this poor peasant more credit than he deserveth…he hathent got a clue…he joketh not….he really ith as thick as thou suspecteth!………..I know nothing of the country north of Watford except
‘there be dragons……
Hi Diana……….I’ve had three years to work on your maiden name………
was it Skipton- Castle?…..I can’t wait another three years…the suspense is killing me.
Went to see Tim Eriksen and Eliza Carthy at Bury Met last week a super combination and well worth going to see if you get the chance if not can recommend their CD Bottle…..
Jane and I saw them at Saltaire the night before Bury, Linda, so I can heartily agree with you! Eliza played a blinding fiddle, despite nursing a broken finger. Tim asked if I could suggest any ethnic food for when they visited Bury, and I could only think of black pudding!
November 14th see Jon at Bury Met solo gig then November 30th John Spiers also solo gig at the Met….
Hi Lindy Lou………….Just clicked on to Jon’s website as shown at LH side of this page………..I suspect that touring by himself is vastly different from touring with the gang.
Forgot to say…………I just love reading the old comments whilst listening to the songs….That Jane and Diana…what are they like eh!
Sad news about Dave Swarbrick R I P
Lovely interview with Sam Sweeney http://brightyoungfolk.com/videos/dave-swarbrick-interviewed-by-sam-sweeney-1
Thanks for that Lindy Lou…………..I went on to browse many other interviews with folky folk (unfortunately, Boaty McBoatface hasn’t been interviewd yet)
http://brightyoungfolk.com/interviews
Hard to realise it is 6 years since first hearing this on AFSAD – a super song, I’m ny humble opinion.
The Carthy name appears from time to time on AFSAD – heading to the National Forest Folk Club in Moira, Leicestershire, tonight for Martin and Eliza of that ilk. First time to see Eliza, I’ve seen Martin at the Hitchin Folk Club