1 MONDAY SONGS 4 SONGS IN ENGLISH FOR ENGLISH STUDY EACH CLASS 1 FOLK SONG 1 POP SONG 1 LITERARY SONG 1 MUSICAL SONG 1 SACRED SONG
2 This text book file of songs in English was compiled by Paul Harvey, pen name Stean Anthony. It was compiled purely for non-profit educational purposes. Many of the songs in this text book are not in copyright, some songs are in copyright still. Nearly all the material may be found on the internet, including many performances and recordings of the songs themselves, on YouTube website and other places. Copyright of the comments on the songs (editorial material) is held by Paul AS Harvey. In compiling this textbook I have made use of internet materials, the Wikipedia encyclopedia was very useful. Paul Harvey (Stean Anthony) has published a range of books. All with Yamaguchi Shoten, Kyoto, except the first two. Most of these books were designed to be used as textbooks for education. Please help me by obtaining and reading these books. I would like to donate these books to prison education, as a mercy gift to prisoners.
3 Books Published by Stean Anthony (pen name of Paul AS Harvey) (2006-2013) Yuichi Morioka (with Paul Harvey & others), Big Dipper English Course. Tokyo: Suken Shuppan, 2006. Paul Harvey, Eco-friendly Japan. Tokyo: Eihosha, 2008. essays (English Educ.) essays All the books below by Stean Anthony published by Yamaguchi Shoten, Kyoto. Messages to My Mother 1-7. (210 chapters on various topics) essays and poems Mozzicone 1-2. essays Selections from Shakespeare 1-5. (180 passages from the works of Shakespeare) poetry Inorijuzu. words of wisdom Songs for Islam. faith poetry Songs 365. faith poetry Sufisongs. (2012) faith poetry Saint Paul 200. words of wisdom Gospel 365. prose passages from Bible Saint John 550. faith poetry Saint Mary 100. faith poetry Saint Mary 365 book one. faith poetry Isaiah Isaiah Bright Voice. faith poetry Hagios Paulos. (long poem on the life of Saint Paul) (2012) faith poetry Pashsongs. (2012) poetry Manyoshu 365. (365 translations of ancient Japanese poetry) poetry One Hundred Poems (100 translations and responses to Hyakunin Isshu). poetry Great China 1. (100 translations of ancient Chinese poetry) poetry Great China 2. (100 translations of ancient Chinese poetry) (2012) poetry Kongzi 136. (136 translations of Confucius) poetic paragraphs Eitanka 1. poetry pdf file Monday Songs 1. songs for English educ. pdf Monday Songs 2. songs for English educ. pdf Monday Songs 3. songs for English educ. pdf Monday Songs 4. (2012) songs for English educ. pdf Psalms in English, lecture and text (one file per lecture, 40 written, ongoing) Lectures faith poetry pdf Work in Progress Saint Matthew 300. (translation into Japanese verse-paragraphs) Saint Mary 365 book two. Psalms in English, lecture and text (one file per lecture, 40 written, ongoing) Great China 3. (100 translations of ancient Chinese poetry) Soulsongs Monday Songs 5. prose passages from Bible faith poetry Lectures faith poetry pdf poetry faith poetry songs for English educ. pdf
4 Monday Songs Course 4 037 Monday Songs Class Paul A.S. Harvey 4.3 Kwords This class longer than usual, when teaching choose which song to focus on. 5 per class 1 Folk 1 Pop 1 Literary 1 Musical 1 Sacred & Quiz 12 classes & introduction Folk Cornish: The song of the Western Men R.S. Hawker Pop: Tell Him Exciters & Let Me Entertain You Robbie Williams Literary: Passionate Shepherd and Reply, Marlowe & Ralegh Musical: Whene er I Spoke Sarcastic Joke Princess Ida Sacred: My Song is Love Unknown & Love Divine Folk The Song of the Western Men Trelawny (1824) Robert Stephen Hawker (1804-1876) A good sword and a trusty hand! A faithful heart and true! King James s men shall understand What Cornish lads can do! And have they fixed the where and when? And shall Trelawny die? Here s twenty thousand Cornish men Will know the reason why! Chorus And shall Trelawny live? And shall Trelawny die? Here s twenty thousand Cornish men Will know the reason why! Out spake their Captain brave and bold: A merry wight was he: Though London Tower were Michael s hold, We ll set Trelawny free! We ll cross the Tamar, land to land: The Severn is no stay: With one and all, and hand in hand; And who shall bid us nay? Chorus And when we come to London Wall, A pleasant sight to view, Come forth! Come forth! Ye cowards all: Here s men as good as you. Trelawny he s in keep and hold; Trelawny he may die: Here s twenty thousand Cornish bold Will know the reason why Chorus Often called the Cornish Anthem, a patriotic song for the Cornish, which had (still has) a distinct identity from England, because of the Cornish language (a celtic language similar to Welsh and Breton which is now being revived) and because the region was comparatively isolated from London in the middle ages. The Cornish language survived until the 19 th century. The Trelawny in Hawker s song was Jonathan Trelawny (1650 1721), who was one of the seven bishops imprisoned in the Tower of London by James II in 1688. Born at Pelynt into a leading Cornish family, his father, the 2nd Baronet of Trelawne, was a supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. Educated at Christ Church, Oxford. He and other bishops petitioned against James granting religious tolerance to Catholics. Typical of the West Country (deriving from the 16 th century conflict with Spain, famous sons included Francis Drake and Walter Ralegh) in having a strong loyalty to King, and anti-catholic. In the 18 th and 19 th centuries Methodism became very strong. Robert Stephen Hawker (1804-1876) Eccentric and celebrated Cornish parson from Morwenstow. Eldest of nine children and grandson of a vicar. Literarily gifted, studied at Pembroke College, Oxford. Ordained as an Anglican priest, became vicar of Morwenstow in 1834, where he remained the rest of his life. He was known as a compassionate man giving Christian burials to persons washed up after shipwrecks. He established the well-known harvest festival. He wore eccentric clothes and once excommunicated his cat for mousing on a Sunday. He wrote his poems in a small hut that is known as the smallest National Trust property. Cornwall The most western English county, adjacent to Devon, the region called The West Country. Inhabited from ancient times, there is little evidence that the Romans established any major towns there, likewise the Anglo-Saxons this can be seen in the place names which are mostly Celtic. Mild climate with stormy winters, fishing and farming and also tin mining were the principal industries, tourism very important today. Cornish Tin mining once employed large numbers but disappeared in the 19 th century because of competition from abroad. The coastal path of Cornwall is an area of outstanding natural beauty. The name of the county is said to derive from a Celtic tribe (Cornovi) with the word wealas which means foreigner in Anglo-Saxon, the same word as Wales. The Cornish flag is a white cross on a black ground, known as St Pirian s flag, and is the reverse of the Breton flag. There is a revival going on of the Cornish language, which has been granted minority language status (however only very few people can speak it). Cornish pasty is a well-known local product, a meat pie sealed in pie-crust which was taken by the miners for their lunch in the mine. Popular throughout the UK. Personal note: I have family connection with Cornwall through my father s family, and I love the landscape and people there. Nothing better than a good Cornish pasty!
5 Pop Tell Him (1962) Written by Bert Berns, Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Performed by The Exciters I know something about love You ve gotta want it bad If that guys got into your blood Go out and get him If you want him to be The very thought of you Make you want to breathe Here s the thing to do Chorus: Tell him that you re never gonna leave him Tell him that you re always gonna love him Tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him right now I know something about love, you gotta show it and Make him see the moon up above Go out and get him If you want him to be always by your side If you want him to only think of you Chorus Ever since the world began, it s been that way for man And women were created to make love their destiny Then why should true love be so complicated, yeah! I know something about love You gotta take his hand Show him what the world is made of One kiss will prove it If you want him to be always by your side Take his hand tonight, swallow your foolish pride Chorus Oh, you have to go now (Tell him that you re never gonna leave him) oh, yeah Don t you let him go, now (Tell him that you re never gonna leave him) oh, yeah Just take his hand in yours and tell him Lively pop anthem from the early sixties. Interesting comment on this posted on Wikipedia. Dusty Springfield was on a stop-over in New York City en route to Nashville to make a country music album in 1962, when she heard The Exciters track Tell Him playing while taking a late night walk. The experience decided her to embark on a solo career. She recalled: The Exciters sort of got you by the throat... out of the blue comes blasting at you I know something about love, and that s it. That s what I wanna do. There s also a good version of this on YouTube sung by Linda Ronstadt. The point is that one has to be active for love, not passive if you want that guy, then go out and get him. From this point of view it is an empowering song for women, since men stereotypically are supposed to be the active ones. Springfield is also hinting perhaps that there is another kind of love (selfless love) out of the blue i.e. out of heaven, and that is also something to live by (in one way or another). Women were created to make love their destiny? This seems like a strange comment an old fashioned idea? In fact there seems to be hidden in the song a statement about a heavenly kind of love. Women were destined to be loving (more than men are)? There s a stereotype here as well of course. The Exciters Appropriately name pop group (because pop music and dance music, from ancient times, has always excited people!) Originally a group of three women, formed in the 1960s, leader Brenda Reid, Herb Rooney, Carolyn Johnson and Lilian Walker. ++++++++++++++++++++ Pop Let Me Entertain You (1998) Written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers Performed by Robbie Williams (1974 - ) Hell is gone and Heaven's here There's nothing left for you to fear Shake your arse come over here Now scream I'm a burning effigy of everything I used to be You're my rock of empathy, my dear. So come on let me entertain you Let me entertain you Life's too short for you to die So grab yourself an alibi Heaven knows your mother lied, Mon cher Separate your right from wrongs Come and sing a different song The kettle's on so don't be long, Mon cher So come on let me entertain you Let me entertain you Look me up in the yellow pages I will be your rock of ages
6 Your see-through fads and your crazy phases, yeah Little Bo-Peep has lost his sheep He popped a pill and fell asleep The dew is wet but the grass is sweet my dear Your mind gets burned with the habits you've learned But we're the generation that's got to be heard You're tired of your teachers and your school's a drag You're not going to end up like your mom and dad So come on, let me entertain you Let me entertain you Let me entertain you He may be good he may be outta sight But he can't be here so come around tonight Here is the place where the feeling grows You gotta get high before you taste the lows So come on Let me entertain you Let me entertain you Released as the last single from his debut album Life Thru a Lens. Video performance of Robbie Williams in facepaint looking rather demonic, suggesting to us that this is a song about an invitation by the Devil. The image is rather frightening and this is the key to the song. There are references to the pop group Kiss, and to popular culture, Batman and the Joker. This song was the concert opener for most of Robbie Williams popstar career. He is singing as the demon tempter who speaks to the young to teenagers and 20 year olds inviting them to rebel and to throw over their books, and follow his advice. The good one (who?) can t be here so come round! In the YouTube video the song is about sexual drive and lust. The song is also pop-poetry which goes forward by associative logic, running things together in way that has impact. The themes hinted at are the themes of adolescence rebellion, taboos, sexual experience, learning, making mistakes. Is it all terribly wicked, and should not be listened to? No, of course not. It s a fancy-dress allegory about universal energies and desires, which lead to both good and bad, depending on how and when one acts upon them. That s the point. When we review the pop songs and media of the last half century, one can find a few prominent pop songs and singers and groups which seem to be taking this devilish position (The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Madonna, Robbie Williams). There is good education to be found in this mass-media material to stimulate reaction and counter-reaction, and also just to liven up. Hell is gone: an irony, or a misleading invitation, a lie spoken by the tempter? Shake your arse: colloquial phrase, hurry up (arse is coarse slang for bottom) Burning effigy: used in religious rituals, also effigies of hate figures are burned in protest the song is keyed to the rebellion of youth, in which sacred beliefs are often discarded, and he is tempting someone Empathy: sympathy for the other party? Let me entertain you: this might be a joking reference to the phrase to be entertained [or held] at her Majesty s pleasure meaning to spend time in prison (a humorous euphemism) Mon cher: my dear (French), I miss the point of this verse Yellow pages: town guide to businesses Rock of ages: God, an invitation to follow something false (not the true God but one that is financially motivated) Bo-Peep: from the nursery rhyme, about the Church and its flock, (a shepherd is a pastor), a hint that the singer-persona is an opponent Popped a pill: drug-taking the most common criminal activity in the West for young people We re the generation: the song is composed of cliché statements, and anger at injustice is being hinted at, also the song does seem to be incoherent, or rather the lines are independent of one another Get high: drugs or alcohol, or sex or happiness? If you have joy you will have the other (sadness). The song is a warning. Robbie Williams (1974 - ) Born in England to pub-owners in the Midlands, educated in Stoke-on-Trent, supporter of the Port Vale FC. Former Member of the popgroup Take That. Highly successful pop star in the UK, with a strong solo career, sold millions of CDs. Rejoining former group Take That in 2010. Hit singles include Angels, Rock DJ. Patron of the children's charity the Donna Louise Trust based in his home town of Stoke-on-Trent. Literary New Oxford Book of English Verse Edited by Helen Gardner (OUP, 1972). 88 The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe (1564 1593) Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove That hills and valleys, dales and fields, And all the craggy mountains yields And we will sit upon the rocks, And see the shepherds feed their flocks By shallow rivers to whose falls
7 Melodious birds sing madrigals. And I will make thee beds of roses And a thousand fragrant posies, A cap of flowers, and a kirtle Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle; A gown made of the finest wool Which from our pretty lambs we pull; Fair lined slippers for the cold With buckles of the purest gold; A belt of straw and ivy buds, With coral clasps and amber studs; And if these pleasures may thee move, Come live with me and be my love. The shepherds swains shall dance and sing For thy delight each May morning: If these delights thy mind may move, Then live with me and be my love. 89 The Nymph s Reply to the Shepherd by Walter Ralegh (1554 1618) If all the world and love were young, And truth in every shepherd s tongue, These pretty pleasures might me move To live with thee and be thy love. Time drives the flocks from field to fold, When rivers rage and rocks grow cold; And Philomel becometh dumb; The rest complain of cares to come. The flowers do fade, and wanton fields To wayward winter reckoning yields; A honey tongue, a heart of gall, Is fancy s spring, but sorrow s fall. Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of roses, Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies, Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten, In folly ripe, in reason rotten. Thy belt of straw and ivy buds, Thy coral clasps and amber studs, All these in me no means can move To come to thee and be thy love. But could youth last and love still breed, Had joys no date nor age no need, Then these delights my mind might move To live with thee and be thy love. Marlowe s poem follows pastoral convention, and is an elegant love poem. The English Renaissance, influenced by Italy and France, was characterized by a fashion for pastoral poetry, of which Edmund Spenser s The Shepherd s Calendar, and Philip Sidney s Arcardia are well-known examples. In pastoral verse, shepherds and shepherdesses compose songs to one another, and also discourse about various things in an allegorical vein. Ralegh has penned a satirical response, mocking the easy assumptions of the convention, and underlining the loss brought about by Time. Prove: experience Madrigal: poem set for singing, for several voices Kirtle: a gown Myrtle: Myrtle tree, sweet smelling flowers associated with weddings Gold, coral, amber: not usually obtained by shepherds! Swain: men Fold: enclosure for sheep Philomel: nightingale Wanton: wild, uncared for Gall: bitterness, rancor Christopher Marlowe (1564 1593) Son of a shoemaker, went to Cambridge (BA 1584 MA 1587), successful in his studies, highly gifted classicist. Wrote a series of literary works, the best known of which were Tamburlaine, Doctor Faustus, the poem Hero and Leander, and a translation of Ovid s Amores. He was involved in a street fight in which a man was killed, was said to have worked as a spy, and was killed in a tavern brawl. After his death, he was also said to have held blasphemous and unorthodox opinions. Clearly he was a wayward genius. Best known to posterity for the blank verse line he used in his plays, which was adapted by Shakespeare in his tragedies. Shakespeare paid tribute to him in As You Like It. The Passionate Shepherd to His Love was first published in 1599, and with a reply by Ralegh in England s Helicon (1600). Walter Ralegh (1554 1618) Born in Hayes Barton in Devon, Humfrey Gilbert the explorer was his half-brother. After a year at Oriel, Oxford he served as a soldier with the Huguenots for four years. Thereafter involved in early exploration and colonization. Became a favorite of Queen Elizabeth in the 1580s. Fell from favor when he married one her maids. In the 1590s he mounted an expedition to Guiana in search of gold, and an expedition against Cadiz. He was resolutely anti-spanish throughout the long years of hostility with Spain. He was imprisoned by James on false charges of treason (to appease the Spanish ambassador), and held in the Tower for 15 years. After mounting another disastrous expedition to Guiana, he was executed. His literary work consists of a handful of poems, his prose writings about early colonization, and his monumental History of the World (1614), written while he was in the Tower. Musical Whene er I spoke sarcastic joke (1884)
8 From Princess Ida Act 3 (sung by King Gama and Chorus) W.S. Gilbert & A. Sullivan Gama: Whene er I spoke Sarcastic joke Replete with malice spiteful, This people mild Politely smiled, And voted me delightful! Now, when a wight Sits up all night Ill-natured jokes devising, And all his wiles Are met with smiles It s hard, there s no disguising! Ah! Oh, don t the days seem lank and long When all goes right and nothing goes wrong, And isn t your life extremely flat With nothing whatever to grumble at! Chorus: And isn t your life extremely flat With nothing whatever to grumble at! Gama: When German bands From music stands Played Wagner imperfectly I bade them go They didn t say no, But off they went directly! The organ boys They stopped their noise, With readiness surprising, And grinning herds Of hurdy-gurds Retired apologizing! Ah! Oh, don t the days seem lank and long When all goes right and nothing goes wrong, And isn t your life extremely flat With nothing whatever to grumble at! Chorus: Oh, isn t your life, etc. Gama: I offered gold In sums untold To all who d contradict me I said I d pay A pound a day To any one who kicked me I bribed with toys Great vulgar boys To utter something spiteful, But, bless you, no! They would be so Confoundedly politeful! Ah! In short, these aggravating lads, They tickle my tastes, they feed my fads, They give me this and they give me that, And I ve nothing whatever to grumble at! Chorus: Oh, isn t your life, etc. From Princess Ida (1884), Savoy Opera, music by Arthur Sullivan and lyrics by W. S. Gilbert. The only Savoy Opera to have 3 acts and to be written in blank verse. Gilbert took the dialogue from his earlier play, The Princess (1870), which was based on Tennyson s long poem Princess (1847). Princess Ida has become an advocate of women s rights, and sets up an all-female university. Prince Hilarion and his companion gain admittance disguised as women students. There is a conflict, and it is resolved by Princess Ida finally marrying the Prince. The topic of women s education was topical, with the founding of women s colleges in Oxford and Cambridge at this time (1870s) (but women were not admitted to Oxford University until much later), and women permitted to study at university for the first time at London University (1878). King Gama is a comic warped character whose pleasure is to wound with a spiteful tongue, but when he is held in captivity he is treated so well that his very nature is unable to express itself in malice. So he sings a song complaining about being unable to complain! Replete: filled with Wight: person Lank: lean, languid, dull Flat: dull, depressing German bands: street bands in Victorian London visiting from German, fairly common Hurdy-gurdy: originally a lute-like instrument with strings, sounded by turning a handle. The words came to be applied to the barrel organs which were so familiar a feature of the street life of Victorian Britain. Politeful: nonce word, Polite or full of politeness Fad: temporary obsession, or interest Sacred My Song is Love Unknown Words: Samuel Crossman (1624-83) Music: John Ireland Love Unknown 1 My song is love unknown, My saviour s love to me, Love to the loveless shown, That they might lovely be. O who am I
9 That for my sake My Lord should take Frail flesh and die? 2 He came from his blest throne Salvation to bestow; But men made strange, and none The longed-for Christ would know. But O, my friend, My friend indeed, Who at my need His life did spend! 3 Sometimes they strew his way, And his sweet praises sing; Resounding all the day Hosannas to their King. Then Crucify! Is all their breath, And for his death They thirst and cry. 4 Why, what hath my Lord done? What makes this rage and spite? He made the lame to run, He gave the blind their sight. Sweet injuries! Yet they at these Themselves displease, And gainst him rise. 5 They rise, and needs will have My dear Lord made away. A murderer they save, The Prince of Life they slay. Yet cheerful he To suffering goes That he his foes From thence might free. 6 In life, no house, no home My Lord on earth might have; In death, no friendly tomb But what a stranger gave. What may I say? Heaven was his home; But mine the tomb Wherein he lay. 7 Here might I stay and sing, No story so divine. Never was love, dear King, Never was grief like thine! This is my friend, In whose sweet praise I all my days Could gladly spend. One of the most popular hymns, with a beautiful melody by John Ireland (1879-1962) called Love Unknown. It is also a beautiful poem a personal statement of love for Jesus in Passion (suffering on the cross). Crossman was an Anglican clergyman (with Puritan sympathies), and wrote hymns and sacred poems. Strew: strew the rushes or palms on the streets when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem as a sign of honor. Needs will have: find it necessary that ++++++++++++++++ Love Divine Words by Charles Wesley (1747) Music: Beecher (1870) John Zundel (1815-1888) (named after Henry Ward Beecher, pastor in NY) Music: Love Divine 87.87 John Stainer (1840-1901) 1 Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven, to earth come down; Fix in us thy humble dwelling; All thy faithful mercies crown! Jesus thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love thou art; Visit us with thy salvation; Enter every trembling heart. 2 Come, Almighty to deliver, Let us all Thy life receive; Suddenly return and never, Never more Thy temples leave. Thee we would be always blessing, Serve thee as thy hosts above, Pray and praise Thee without ceasing, Glory in Thy perfect love. 3 Finish, then, thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be. Let us see thy great salvation Perfectly restored in thee; Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise. One of the best loved of all hymns in English. Considered by many to be among Charles Wesley s finest texts, Love Divine was published in four stanzas in his Hymns (1747). Many hymnals omit the original second stanza, which contained the questionable line take away our power of sinning. A verse from John Dryden s poem beginning with the words Fairest isle, all isles excelling,
10 used by Henry Purcell in his opera King Arthur, were undoubtedly Wesley s inspiration for writing this text. In fact, Love Divine was set to a Purcell tune in John and Charles Wesley s Sacred Melody (1761). (note quoted from Hymnary.org) Addressed to Christ, this text begins as a prayer for the indwelling of his love in our lives: fix in us thy humble dwelling and let us all thy life receive (st. 1-2). The final stanza is clearly a prayer for sanctification. This stanza derives from the specifically Wesleyan doctrine of perfection. Biblical allusions abound. Scripture References: st. 1 = Rev. 21:3, John 3:16, John 15:9. st. 2 = Mal. 3:1. st. 3 = 2 Cor. 3:18, 2 Cor. 5:17, 2 Pet. 3:14. Text from Hymns Ancient and Modern (1983) no. 131, omitting the second verse. Charles Wesley (1707-88) Charles Wesley, the son of Samuel Wesley, was born at Epworth, Dec. 18, 1708. He was educated at Westminster School and afterwards at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated M.A. In 1735, he took Orders and immediately proceeded with his brother John to Georgia, both being employed as missionaries of the S.P.G. (Society for the Propagation of the Gospel). He returned to England in 1736. For many years he engaged with his brother in preaching the Gospel. He died March 29, 1788. To Charles Wesley has been justly assigned the appellation of the Bard of Methodism. His prominence in hymn writing may be judged from the fact that in the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 623 of the 770 hymns were written by him; and he published more than thirty poetical works, written either by himself alone, or in conjunction with his brother. The number of his separate hymns is at least five thousand. (Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872) (Bio quoted from Hymnary.org)
11 Monday Songs Course 4 038 Monday Songs Class Paul A.S. Harvey 3.3 Kwords 5 per class 1 Folk 1 Pop 1 Literary 1 Musical 1 Sacred & Quiz 12 classes & introduction Folk: La Bamba (1958) Ritchie Valens Pop: Treat Me Nice Elvis Presley & Oh Boy! Buddy Holly (both 1957) Literary: Walsingham Walter Ralegh Musical: Wanting You (1928) Romberg Sacred: O Blessed Poverty (1991) Carmel Boyle OSC Folk La Bamba (traditional) Traditional lyrics and music Adapted for rock by Ritchie Valens (1958) Para bailar la bamba [to dance the Bamba] Para bailar la bamba Se necesita una poca de gracia [You need to be a bit graceful] Una poca de gracia y otra cosita [and another little thing] Ay arriba y arriba [faster and faster or higher and higher] Ay arriba y arriba Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere [I will be for you] Yo no soy marinero [I m not just a sailor] Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan [I m the captain] Soy capitan, soy capitan. Bamba, bamba Bamba, bamba Bamba, bamba Bamba Song based on a traditional song from Veracruz in Mexico. This is a maritime region on the Gulf of Mexico, a gateway and melting pot for the three cultures of Africa (via the slaves), the indigenous Mexican peoples, and the Spanish. The music is Son Jarocho harp music from Veracruz. The song is in fact a dance and it declares the universal dance of passion, and there are probably some bawdy aspects there. There is variation in the lyrics and number of verses which can be improvised in performance. There are some beautiful performances of this as a folk-dance recorded on YouTube, and to my taste the folk-dance is superior to the rock version, which is well-known. The men and women are dressed all in white like a wedding, and the women have wide skirts. The men dance with fast footwork called zapateado. The women walk around gracefully with the white lace skirts held up like wings they look like dancing swans. Is there any other hidden meaning in the lyrics? The singer says that he is not an ordinary sailor but is the captain. Perhaps this means he is a good catch for marriage, because he has a best job, i.e. the commander, not the ship-hand. It may also be an old joke against sailors? From the arrival of the Spanish in the 16 th century the region was visited by ships. The word for the song, Bamba, comes from a word which may have other meanings and suggestions. It sounds like Italian Bambina (cute girl) but it doesn t mean that. Ritchie Valens (1941-59) Born in California to Mexican parents, raised to Mariachi music, though self-taught, highly gifted as a teenager in playing the guitar. He was discovered by a small Hollywood record company, and made a couple of records. The last one was La Bamba, drawing on his Mexican roots. On Feb 2 1959, on a tour, together with Buddy Holly and J. P. Richardson, he was killed on a flight to Arizona from Iowa. This was a devastating media event in that era. It inspired the Don Maclean 1971 ballad, American Pie. Pop Treat Me Nice (1957) Words & music: Jerry Lieber & Mike Stoller Produced by: Lieber & Stoller Performed by Elvis Presley From the film Jailhouse Rock When I walk through that door Baby be polite You re gonna make me sore If you don t greet me right Don t you ever kiss me once, kiss me twice Treat me nice I know that you ve been told It s not fair to tease So if you come on cold I m really gonna freeze If you don t want me to be cold as ice Treat me nice Make me feel at home If you really care Scratch my back and run your pretty Fingers through my hair You know I ll be your slave If you ask me to But if you don t behave I ll walk right out on you If you want my love then take my advice Treat me nice Make me feel at home
12 If you really care Scratch my back and run your pretty Fingers through my hair You know I ll be your slave If you ask me to But if you don t behave I ll walk right out on you If you want my love then take my advice Treat me nice Love song by the Leiber and Stoller team, smooth and eloquent lines which sound like conversation, and rhyme well. Like a vignette from a newly-wed s life. From Presley s Jailhouse Rock film, one of the best soundtracks for a pop music film in that decade, even though Presley s acting got negative reviews. An interesting story about the writing of these lyrics posted on Wikipedia. In April 1957, the studio called a meeting with the writers in New York City to be updated on the progress of the work. Leiber and Stoller, who had not written any material, traveled to New York, where, instead of working, they toured the city. They were confronted in their hotel room by Jean Aberbach, director of Hill & Range publishing company, who requested to see the songs. When he was told that there weren t any yet, he locked the songwriters in the room, blocking the door with the sofa, and told them that they would not leave until they had written the material. Four hours later, Leiber and Stoller had written new songs: I Want to Be Free, Treat Me Nice, (You re So Square) Baby I Don t Care, and Jailhouse Rock. The film is famous for the dance sequence, in which Presley sings the title track Jailhouse Rock while on stage, cavorting with other inmates through a set which resembles a block of jail cells. The sequence is widely acknowledged as the most memorable musical scene in Presley s 30 narrative movies, and it is credited by musical historians as the prototype for the modern music video. ++++++++++++++++++ Oh Boy! (1957) Written by Sonny West, Bill Tilghman, Norman Petty Performed by Buddy Holly with The Crickets All of my love - all of my kissin You don t know what you ve been a-missin Oh boy - when you re with me - oh boy The world will see that you were meant for me. All of my life I ve been a-waitin Tonight there ll be no hesitatin Oh boy - when you re with me - oh boy The world will see that you were meant for me. Stars appear and shadows fallin You can hear my heart callin And a little bit of lovin makes everything right I m gonna see my baby tonight. All of my love - all of my kissin You don t know what you ve been a-missin Oh boy - when you re with me - oh boy The world will see that you were meant for me. Oh boy! A dated US English expression that means I m so glad & I just can t say it! This is a song about young love which is so well-written with a bright melody that it remains popular today. The style is 50s rock and roll, influenced by rockabilly and blues, a southern kind of sound. The song did well on the US charts but even better on the UK charts. It was covered by the glam rock band Mud in 1975 and got to the number one spot. His band line up of two guitars, bass and drums became a definitive set for popular music. He was also one of the first American bands to tour the UK, and also one of the first singer-songwriters in the modern genre of pop. The interesting thing about the lyrics is that the song, when it s read literally, mixes up genders (or could it be a hidden gay anthem?) i.e. why is he saying Oh boy if he is singing about his girl? Or it could be reversed in fact a song about a mother s love for her baby boy. The songwriting style, the clarity, the good rhymes, and the way the message has universal appeal was a strong influence on the Beatles. Buddy Holly (1936-1959) Born in Texas, family said to be descended from Francis Drake. Based in Lubbock. Tall and gangly, looking like a preacher, with heavy rimmed glasses, he was a foil to Elvis Presley, who was contemporary. His period of great fame lasted only a year and a half but he had a formative influence on rock and roll and popular music. His sudden death in a plane crash in February 1959 shocked America. It was a shattering personal tragedy for his wife Maria Elena, married shortly before. Other hits included That ll be the day, and Peggy Sue, and True Love Ways, for his wife. We will consider some more of his songs later. His story had such a powerful emotional impact that a film was made of his life in 1978. Paul McCartney produced his own documentary in 1985 (stating that the film was inaccurate) and the jukebox musical (musical based on a compilation of songs like Mamma Mia!) The Buddy Holly Story has been running in the UK for 22 years. From the 50s, American popular culture and media became a formative feature on British life. Popular music became an important part of ordinary people s lives, occupying a space which was opened up by the new leisure of a developed economy. This process still
13 continues, and English is the language most widely used by pop groups who want to reach a world-wide audience. Literary New Oxford Book of English Verse Edited by Helen Gardner (OUP, 1972). 90 Walsingham by Walter Ralegh (1554 1618) As you came from the holy land Of Walsingham, Met you not with my true love By the way as you came? How shall I know your true love, That have met many one, I went to the holy land, That have come, that have gone? She is neither white, nor brown, But as the heavens fair; There is none hath a form so divine In the earth, or the air. Such a one did I meet, good sir, Such an angelic face, Who like a queen, like a nymph, did appear By her gait, by her grace. She hath left me here all alone, All alone, as unknown, Who sometimes did me lead with herself, And me loved as her own. What s the cause that she leaves you alone, And a new way doth take, Who loved you once as her own, And her joy did you make? I have loved her all my youth; But now old, as you see, Love likes not the falling fruit From the withered tree. Know that Love is a careless child, And forgets promise past; He is blind, he is deaf when he list, And in faith never fast. His desire is a dureless content, And a trustless joy: He is won with a world of despair, And is lost with a toy. Of womenkind such indeed is the love, Or the word love abused, Under which many childish desires And conceits are excused. But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning. Poem attributed to Walter Ralegh, but most unlikely to have been written by him, since the content appears to be a veiled celebration of Mary, in the Catholic Marian Shrine in Walsingham, Norfolk, the most important shrine to Mary in England, but destroyed by Henry VIII in 1538 one of the most vicious of his spoliations. The poem is ostensibly a love poem with a hidden allegory addressed to Mary. This allegory changes in the middle of the poem now old, the poet is no longer loved by his beloved, and it becomes a conventional rejection of Eros. Although the poem is unlikely to be by Ralegh, it is, nevertheless, a good poem! Gait: manner of walking Love: Cupid, or Eros Careless: unthinking Dureless: unlasting Toy: trifle Conceits: ideas, notions Walter Ralegh (1554 1618) See above Monday Songs 37. Musical Wanting You (1928) From the Operetta The New Moon Book and Lyrics by Lawrence Schwab, Oscar Hammerstein II and Frank Mandel Music by Sigmund Romberg Sung by Barbara Hendricks and Gino Quilico. Robert: My heart is aching for someone And you are that someone You know the truth of my story You must believe what you see. Marianne: I too may someday love someone From somewhere there'll come one One who will hear the same story That you're telling me. Robert: Wanting you, everyday, I am wanting you Every night I am longing to Hold you close to my eager breast. Wanting you, in that heaven I'm dreaming of
14 Makes that heaven seem far above Any hope that I've gained my quest. Marianne: Dreams are vain, but I cling to a merest chance That you may hear me Dreams are vain, for whenever I wake I never find you near me. Robert: Wanting you Nothing else in this world will do In this world you are all that I adore, All I adore. from the internet Guide to Light Opera and Operetta: This is vintage Romberg, The Desert Song (1924), Student Prince (1925), The New Moon; no other composer produced three in a row like this, of such quality and with such success. Perhaps The New Moon is his most impressive, for in the production at Drury Lane the composer called for 50 chorus men, 40 chorus ladies and 20 or more principals! Plot set at the time of the French revolution, Robert a young French aristocrat with revolutionary inclinations, has sold himself as a bond-servant to a French planter in New Orleans, Marianne is his daughter. They set sail back to France on a ship called New Moon, adventures happen, shipwreck, a new republic founded, they fall in love. The plots of the 1920 musicals are often extravagantly silly, but the music and lyrics can be surprisingly good! Sacred O Blessed Poverty (1991) (First Letter of Saint Clare) Words by Briege O Hare Sung by Carmel Boyle O Blessed Poverty To those who love her way She gives the riches of The endless life of God. O Holy Poverty, To those whose hearts desire her, She gives the Kingdom Of Jesus Christ Our Lord. For he has caught you up In his embrace, He has adorned you With pure and precious stones. He has placed on your head A crown of gold And surrounded you With blossoms of the spring. When you have loved him, You shall be chaste. When you have touched him You shall be pure. When you ve received him As your loving Lord, You shall be virgin And he your spouse adored. Song written by Sister Briege O Hare OSC (Poor Clare Sister) and sung by Carmel Boyle (also a sister). This is a beautiful and holy song, based upon a letter written by Saint Clare to Saint Agnes in Prague, a royal sister. It comes from a CD called Taste the Hidden Sweetness, issued by the Poor Clare Sisters of Dundalk Ireland and NSW Australia. The song affirms one of the most important beliefs of the Poor Clare Sisters that worldly possessions of any kind are a barrier to the true understanding of Christ s love. In the song, in a medieval fashion, Poverty is allegorized as a holy figure, and the gifts given by Poverty (unworldly gifts of spiritual joy) bring true unity with Christ in a spiritual marriage. The Poor Clare Sisters, following a complete rejection of all worldly values, achieve an intense spiritual relationship with God by living a life of prayer and worship every day. Saint Clare (Santa Clara 1193-1253) (Feast day August 11) Born to an aristocratic family in Umbria, Italy. Two younger sisters, Catherine (later known as Agnes) and Beatrix. When Clare was 12, Francis, a member of the local gentry, underwent his spiritual conversion, and took up a life of poverty. Francis gathered around him followers,, and Clare was inspired to follow. In March 1212 the night after Palm Sunday, she rejected the world and took up her life as a holy sister under his guidance. She took sanctuary with the local Benedictine Sisters. Francis gave her the habit, and later she was joined by her sister, Agnes, and many others. For many years the sisters followed the Benedictine rule. In 1250 Clare wrote down a rule for the Poor Clares (guidelines for life). This was approved by the papacy. She was the only woman to write a rule. In 1234 when her convent was about to be attacked, she displayed the Sacrament in a monstrance (container) at the convent gates, and prayed before it. The attackers left, the house was saved, and the image of her holding a monstrance is one of her emblems. When she was too ill to attend mass, she witnessed the service in vision in her cell, and for this reason is considered to be the patron saint of TV. It is easy for us to underestimate the radical Christian emphasis on poverty that Francis proclaimed. There was great disparity in Italy then between the wealth of the church, and the poorest people. To make oneself as humble as the poorest beggar, without worldly status, and
15 completely vulnerable. To make all the sisters equal together in poverty. Also, by rejecting all property, the sisters would have to depend on alms for their survival, and if there were no alms, then they would starve. All cloistered sisters at that time, held property in common or personally, and this was considered essential for survival. But Francis and Clare rejected this it was sufficient to rely on the providence of God alone. The Letters of Saint Clare to Agnes of Bohemia In the first letter Clare writes to encourage and inspire Agnes who has made her choice for Christ, but has not yet entered her monastery. The second letter comes a year later, as to a newly clothed novice who is learning to live in a deep and spousal friendship with Christ. The final and solemn commitment of profession is the theme of the third letter inviting surrender and no turning back. It shows the path of life and love that will be lived in struggle and joy. From her first letter: O blessed poverty, who bestows eternal riches on those who love and embrace her! O holy poverty, to those who possess and desire you God promises the kingdom of heaven and offers, indeed, eternal glory and blessed life! O God-centered poverty, whom the Lord Jesus Christ Who ruled and now rules heaven and earth, Who spoke and things were made, condescended to embrace before all else! From her third letter Place your mind in the mirror of eternity; Place your soul in the splendor of glory; Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance; And, through contemplation, transform your entire being into the image of the Divine One himself, So that you, yourself, may also experience what his friends experience when they taste the hidden sweetness that God alone has kept from the beginning For those who love him. Information from Ty Mam Duw Poor Clare Colettines See above for more information about the Poor Clares in Monday Songs 12 & 24 and following 44, 46, 48. Ty Mam Duw is a community of Poor Clare Colettine Sisters based in North Wales. They have an excellent website with a lot of good information.
16 Monday Songs Course 4 039 Monday Songs Class Paul A.S. Harvey 3.5 Kwords 5 per class 1 Folk 1 Pop 1 Literary 1 Musical 1 Sacred & Quiz 12 classes & introduction Folk Irish: The Wearing of the Green Dion Boucicault Pop: Where Does My Heart Beat Now (1990) & The Power of Love (1993) Literary: Sonnets to Delia ( 1592) Musical: A Wandering Minstrel I (1885) Sacred: Amazing Grace (1779) Folk The Wearing of the Green. Version by Dion Boucicault (1820-1890) Oh! Paddy, dear, and did you hear the news that's going round, The shamrock is forbid by law to grow on Irish ground. Saint Patrick's Day no more we'll keep, his color can't be seen, For there's a bloody law agin' the wearing of the green. I met with Napper Tandy and he took me by the hand And he said "How's poor old Ireland? and how does she stand?" She's the most distressful country that ever you have seen, They're hanging men and women there for wearing of the green. Then since the color we must wear is England's cruel red Sure Ireland's sons will ne'er forget the blood that they have shed. You may take the shamrock from your hat and cast it on the sod, But 'twill take root and flourish still tho' underfoot 'tis trod. When the law can stop the blades of grass from growing as they grow, And when the leaves in summer time their verdure dare not show, Then I will change the color I wear in my caubeen, But till that day I'll stick for aye to wearing of the green. The Wearing of the Green" is an anonymous Irish street ballad dating from the Irish uprising against the British rule in 1798. The color green and the shamrock were used as symbols of sympathy for Irish independence, and the British actually started executing persons found wearing anything of the color green after the suppression of the 1798 uprising [this sounds like an exaggeration!] Napper Tandy, who is mentioned in the poem, was in fact a shopkeeper in Dublin who, after having been identified by the British as a freedom fighter, had to flee to France. There are several versions of the text (of which some replace the name Napper Tandy by Napoléon Bonaparte), but the most common one has been written by Dion Boucicault (1820-1890), who was, despite his French name, an Irishman born in Dublin, who later migrated to America and lived in New York. Boucicault wrote the well-known song "Sidewalks of New York." He became a distinguished playwright and actor on both sides of the Atlantic. These notes are indebted to the National Anthems website: www.nationalanthems.us. Green is the national color of Ireland from the associations mentioned above: St Patrick s shamrock, and the color green opposed to the English red. The English red was the color of the St George cross, and it was the color worn by British troops (most famously in the campaigns against Bonaparte) up to the end of the nineteenth century, when khaki was issued (for camouflage purposes). Agin: against Napper: one who raises the nap on a cloth (the pile on a cloth) Nap: the rough layer of projecting fibres on the surface of a textile fabric, requiring to be smoothed by shearing; a special surface given to cloth of various kinds by artificial raising of the short fibres, with subsequent cutting and smoothing; the pile Napper: slang for the head Caubeen: Irish hat There is a version of this on YouTube sung by Patrick MacCormack. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnnv8nacjtg Pop Where does My Heart Beat Now (1990) Writers: Robert White Johnson, Taylor Rhodes (1988) Performed by Céline Dion So much to believe in - We were lost in time Everything I needed I feel in your eyes Always thought of keeping Your heart next to mine But now that seems so far away Don't know how love could leave Without a trace Where do silent hearts go? Where does my heart beat now Where is the sound That only echoes through the night Where does my heart beat now I can't live without Without feeling it inside Where do all the lonely hearts go? Candle in the water - Drifting helplessly Hiding from the thunder Come and rescue me Driven by hunger Of the endless dream
17 I m searching for the hand that I can hold I m reaching for the arms that let me know Where do silent hearts go? Where does my heart beat now Where is the sound That only echoes through the night Where does my heart beat now I can t live without Without feeling it inside Where do all the lonely hearts go Where do all the lonely hearts go Then one touch overcomes the silence Love still survives Two hearts needing one another Give me wings to fly Where does my heart beat now Where is the sound That only echoes through the night Where does my heart beat now I can t live without Without feeling it inside I need someone to give my heart to Feel it getting stronger and stronger And stronger And I feel inside Hearts are made to last Till the end of time Pop anthem which is a love song which might also be a hint about faith. The lyrics are clear and strong, though perhaps clichéd at times (where do all the lonely hearts go?) The personal need sung about in the song the need to feel loved and to feel love for others, and the suffering of loneliness are certainly universal themes. Céline Dion (1968 -- ) Singer from Quebec, Canada. Made records in French in her early career. Sang the title track to the Disney animation Beauty and the Beast (1991) with Peabo Bryson, and won awards. Highly regarded international pop star, active on the world stage for 20 years. Made many albums in both French and English. Other hit songs include Because you loved me, It s all coming back to me now, My heart will go on, and I drove all night. ++++++++++++++++++++++ The Power of Love (1993) Writers: Gunther Mende, Candy DeRouge, Jennifer Rush, Mary Susan Applegate Performed by Celine Dion The whispers in the morning Of lovers sleeping tight Are rolling like thunder now As I look in your eyes I hold on to your body And feel each move you make Your voice is warm and tender A love that I could not forsake 'Cause I am your lady And you are my man Whenever you reach for me I'll do all that I can Lost is how I'm feeling lying in your arms When the world outside's too much to take That all ends when I'm with you Even though there may be times It seems I'm far away Never wonder where I am 'Cause I am always by your side 'Cause I am your lady And you are my man Whenever you reach for me I'll do all that I can We're heading for something Somewhere I ve never been Sometimes I am frightened But I m ready to learn About the power of love The sound of your heart beating Made it clear Suddenly the feeling that I can't go on Is light years away We're heading for something Somewhere I've never been Sometimes I am frightened But I'm ready to learn About the power of love. Originally written and performed in 1984 by Jennifer Rush. A powerful love anthem with some hints about faith running side by side. Covered by many artists, particularly strongly sung by Dion. This was a number one hit for Dion in the US and did well around the world. The diction of the song is slightly old-fashioned she calls herself his lady and he is her man (she does not say woman because of the old-fashioned sense that it s better to say lady than woman?). But the statement of warmth in the song is the important thing here. Literary