12th May 2020 - Nutz In May

Well, I guess I knew what to expect when asking my long-term collaborator, Tony "Ant" Wilson, to send me a May Song. I've played the video many times now and still laugh at it every single time.

Tony has kindly provided some background information to the song: "Nuts was first recorded near Beanie Hill, in Shropshire, by avid folk-song collector Cedric Blunt. Although the song has been largely ignored by all self-respecting members of the folk-community, someone has obviously added a more recent verse."

Tony somehow manages to incorporate the turning of the seasons, Benny Hill, drunken pole-dancing, girls named after months, girls named after flowers and herbs, nutters competing with squirrels, and Pink Floyd / Syd Barrett references all into one song. And then he makes a video of it - starring Fools Gold, Lara Barnes and Ken Schoch as well as his good-self! And all this during lockdown!

Tremendous fun Tony - take care marra.

https://youtu.be/46bjDKHuSlI

11th May 2020 - May

Jan Croot and Penny Grennan - The Spectacles - have joined me on several of my songs on  "Bellmetal Banana Company" and "The Winterland", lifting them with their wonderful harmonies. On the album  "Bellmetal Banana Company" they took the lead on my song, May, as I was struggling to sing it in the key and tuning I had written it in. And what a wonderful job they made of it!

I still like to sing this song in the month of May, but to do that I now go back to standard tuning, simplify the chords and drop the key so that my range can almost manage it.

In 2018 I had the pleasure of playing on and producing The Spectacles album "Bi-Vocal". Short of a track, we decided to include our earlier version of May. It seems to complement the other tracks which were written, with one trad exception, either by Jan or Penny. Check out the album for some sublime harmonies.

https://www.reverbnation.com/stevegrayandtheultrarayviolets/song/25783652-may

May 
by Steve Gray

It was a bright spring morning
And I was strolling out
By a bank of jew'lled primroses
And a crystal-flowing stream

The flowers were freshly blooming
As I took the scented air
The birds were singing songs of love
From every greenwood tree
     
Ne'er cast a clout till May is out
But May is here again
With morris dancers on the green
  Long winter nights are gone

I walked this way beside her
Less than a year ago
I'd gladly forgo summer
To have her back again

                Ne'er cast a clout till May is out
But May is here again
With morris dancers on the green
  Long winter nights are gone

The bees are finding pollen
While the lambs are playing games
The maypole ribbons streaming
Point to a better year

                Ne'er cast a clout till May is out
But May is here again
With morris dancers on the green
  Long winter nights are gone

                Ne'er cast a clout till May is out
But May is here again
With morris dancers on the green
                And the summer nights are here

10th May 2020 - Mailied

Hexham resident, Stuart Raistrick has sent me two versions of Mailied - one on accordion and one on moothie.

He tells me that it's a well known (to some) poem by Goethe (a contemporary of Beethoven). Stuart regularly plays a piano version each May if he remembers: "it's good to mark the start of summer."

https://youtu.be/A3eEb8alahY

https://youtu.be/To3Td-V7FU8

Mailied

Poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Music by Beethoven

How brightly nature 

Shines this morning! 

What radiant sun! 

How the fields sing!

The buds burst forth 

From each green frond! 

A thousand bushes 

Resound with song!

And joy and wonder 

Streams from each breast. 

Oh Earth! Oh Sun! 

Oh joy without rest!

Loveliest of loves! 

Fair and golden, 

Like morning clouds 

On the mountain. 

You renew each field 

With veils of mist. 

And your morning dew 

Leaves each field blest

. 

Oh how I cherish 

You, sweetest maid! 

How your eyes shine bright 

Where love can’t fade. 

As morning larks love

To sing and fly, 

As springtime flowers 

Greet the blue sky, 

So do I love you

With all my heart! 

The one who inspires 

Youth, joy and art; 

A mood for new songs, 

Dancing lively. 

Oh be so happy 

As you love me! 

And here's a sung version from 1956 - Fritz Wunderlich and Rolf Reinhard: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsGJ0MGglnA

9th May 2020 - Bold Grenadier

I had the great pleasure of meeting William Duddy from Belfast at the Nonsuch Dulcimer Club's annual Spring Fling in Allendale last year, and again at their October weekend event at Denstone College, near Uttoxeter. Unfortunately, the Spring Fling was not to be in 2020, but we have kept in touch and this is one of the results......

William, relaxing in his garden, plays the Bold Grenadier for us on his bold banjo:

https://youtu.be/clMJy9HkHrY

According to The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs, the history of this song is unclear. A ballad entitled "The Souldier and His Knapsack", registered with the Stationers Company in 1639, might be our song. Half a century later the ancestor of our song was definitely in existence. Surviving broadside editions  of "The Nightingale's Song, or The Souldier's Rare Musick and Maid's Recreation" date from the 1680s and 1690s.

But the song does not re-appear in print until about 1840. Did the song persist in oral tradition for over 140 years or was it re-introduced in the 19th century by a broadside author / printer? Perhaps it was keeping out of sight in Northern Ireland?

8th May 2020 - Matty Groves and the Famous Folky's Wife

"Bank holiday,bank holiday, in the merry month of May, when Matty Groves went to the pub...."

Thus starts Phil Harley's take on of one of the best known tales in folk-music. You'll know it, no doubt, from Fairport's definitive version on their ground-breaking "Liege & Lief" - but have you heard Planxty's version? - I know which one I prefer.

Originally parodied in fine style by the Kipper Family - who can forget the immortal lines "How do you like my feather bed and how do you like my sheets? How do you like my curtains that I got in the sale last week?" - Fatty Groves set a high standard in folk-fun.

So how will Phil's version compare? There's only one way to find out - here's the video and the lyrics: Matty Groves and the Famous Folky's Wife

7th May 2020 - Mayfly

My good friend Jim Wigfield, from Morpeth way, is known for his great punning songs and children's songs, but here's something quite different. Jim loves the great outdoors and is a fount of knowledge on all things natural-history related. Here's his absorbing song about the short life of the mayfly.

Oh, and I have sneaked a bit of mandolin on this mix too.

https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=14035255

Mayfly

Mayfly, so fragile and so free
Mayfly, alighting on a tree,
Mayfly, what is your destiny?
Mayfly.

Mayfly - your glistening frame unfurled,
Mayfly, three shining tails uncurled,
Mayfly, explore your brand new world
Mayfly.

A nymph you have survived in upland streams,
Emerging from your case so you can live your dreams
Mayfly.

Mayfly, may fly away,
Mayfly, but only for a day.
Mayfly, this is the price you pay
Mayfly.

Mayfly, you may fly anywhere,
Mayfly, live life without a care,
Mayfly, your world awaits out there
Mayfly.

Mayfly, it's over now to you,
Mayfly, today what will you do?
Mayfly, go make your dreams come true
Mayfly


There isn't any time left you can borrow.
Go live your life today like there is no tomorrow,
Mayfly

Mayfly.
Mayfly this is your special date,
Mayfly, head down and find a mate,
Mayfly, before it is too late,
Mayfly.

Mayfly you're off into the fray,
Mayfly, a hedonist at play,
Mayfly, you glide amongst the spray,
Mayfly.

Mayfly, one moment of true bliss,
Mayfly, a tender mating kiss,
Mayfly,.. is that all that there is?


The urge is strong to pass on all your genes,
One last throw of the dice and you head for the stream.
Mayfly.


Mayfly, your eggs you now must lay,
Your flimsy body dips away,
The trout awaits in month of May,
Mayfly.

Mayfly you're floating down the stream,
You're spent, but you've fulfilled your dream!
That's life! … if you know what I mean
Mayfly

Mayfly......    Mayfly …....  Mayfly.

6th May 2020 - May Song North Bedfordshire

I still have some of the loose-leaf pages and exercise books from school in about 1972 when we must have had a song-collecting bug. From Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, Lindisfarne through to traditional ballads and nursery rhymes - they all found their way into our books.

There's one particular batch of songs that I always liked but have rarely heard. They include Green Bushes, Fanny Blair and three May songs. I think we copied them from Garners Gay which we may have borrowed from Jarrow Library.



I always wanted to rock these songs up, so here is my attempt at the May Song from North Bedfordshire. Sorry traditionalists!



A branch of may it does look gay
As before your door it stands.
It is but a sprout but it's well spread about
By the work of our poor hands.

I have a bag upon my arm
It is drawn with a silken string.
It only wants a few more pence
To line it well within.

Arise, arise, my pretty fair maids
And take our may buds in.
For if it is gone before morning comes
You'll say we never have been.

Come give us a cup of your sweet cream
Or a jug of your brown beer.
And if we live to tarry the town
We'll call again next year.