What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Forum Activity for @guy-babusek
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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I just realized you did I Moved Through the Fair. It's amazing.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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These are to lovely Guy. Watching your fingers in the first one was like watching ballet.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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A similar idea, but no, the one I'm looking for is definitely "October is a Gypsy Lass". I've found it in a couple spots online, but no one ever says who wrote it...either the words or the music.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Could it be this:
October is a gypsy queen
In dress of red and gold.
She sleeps beneath the silver moon
When nights are crisp and cold.
The meadows flame with color now,
which once were cool and green.
Wild asters and the goldenrod
Bow low to greet their queen.
When she is tripping through the wood
With song so clear and sweet,
The autumn leaves come sifting down
And rustle 'neath her feet.
Winifred C. Marshall
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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One of my fall favorites is "October is a Gypsy Lass" which was published in some magazine for children in the mid-late 50's. I have no idea who wrote it, but my sisters remember all the words and we've always remembered the tune, which can be sung spritelyor slowly and spookily--I like it both ways. If anyone could ever find the info on this, I would be forever grateful. I would also, of course, like to know if it is copyrighted!
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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I meant "She Moved Thro the Fair" DAaa
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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This tune is not haunted or scary...but I think In the Bleak Midwinter is a mournful tune. I love to play it.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Yay! Flint is stopping by! 
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Flint, I'm so happy to see a you again! Thank you, thank you for the great posting!
Flint Hill said:
Hey, I"m still here too! I'll follow this thread as long as I can draw breath. :)
How about Dock Boggs's "Calvary" ? It's about the grimmest Easter song I know. Lyrics are here , The Carter Family and lots of others, Ralph Stanley among the, recorded it as "On a Hill Lone and Gray" with a different and far less spooky tune.
It's also out there in an earlier and greatly lengthened version as "There's a Hill Lone and Grey". Beverly Francis Carradine published it in 1896 with a tune that resembles the one that the Carters used later.
Dock's version reads like a classical murder ballad. In the first few bars, Dock's tune resembles the one he used for "Reuben's Train". I'd love to find out more about the tune if anyone knows.
Dock's tuning is supposed to bef#CGAD (according to Don Zepp).
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Hey, I"m still here too! I'll follow this thread as long as I can draw breath. :)
How about Dock Boggs's "Calvary" ? It's about the grimmest Easter song I know. Lyrics are here , The Carter Family and lots of others, Ralph Stanley among the, recorded it as "On a Hill Lone and Gray" with a different and far less spooky tune.
It's also out there in an earlier and greatly lengthened version as "There's a Hill Lone and Grey". Beverly Francis Carradine published it in 1896 with a tune that resembles the one that the Carters used later.
Dock's version reads like a classical murder ballad. In the first few bars, Dock's tune resembles the one he used for "Reuben's Train". I'd love to find out more about the tune if anyone knows.
Dock's tuning is supposed to bef#CGAD (according to Don Zepp).
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
too funny
Richard Venneman said:
Every song I play is mournful and spooky, at least according to my wife. :-)
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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I think you got your wish, Flint. Here we are three years later.
Well, it's not a traditional ballad or anything, but David Schnaufer's version of the Hank Williams tune "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cryhas moved me ever since I discovered the dulcimer. Elvis called it the "saddest song I've ever heard in my life."
Did you ever see the Robin weep
When leaves begin to die
That means he's lost the will to live
I'm so lonesome I could cry
You football fans might like to hear Terry Bradshaw sing the song , too. Weren't the seventies great?
Flint Hill said:
I sure am enjoying this thread. Hope it has a long and productive life
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Tam Lin and Allison Gross... Bob.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Tim and Ken,
Those are great suggestions! I have found the SMN for these and can't wait to try them. I have been listening to some Youtube verions also of all of the suggestions. I am sure others reading this thread appreciate these ideas for haunting tunes too.
Ken, I have played a few tune in Aeolian mode after reading Strumlia's blog about it and really like it. That would be perfect for these types of tunes.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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a ballad called "the letter edged in black." evidently years ago a letter informing of the death of a loved one would
have a black border around the envelope to warn of sad and shocking news.
also "the little rosewood casket" as aclose second.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
The Border Scots ballad called Lament of the Border Widow, in Aeolian Mode (DAC if you like the key of D). Aeolian Moe is great for all those eerie, 'fingernails on chalkboard' mournful songs.
My love, he built me a bonny bower
And clad it o'er with lily flower
A bonnier bower you ne'er did see
Than my true love he built for me
There came a man by middle day
He spied his sport and went away
And brought the King that very night,
Who broke my bower and slew my knight
He slew my knight to me so dear
He slew my knight and seized his gear
My servants all for life did flee
And left me in extremity
I sewed his shroud, making my moan
I watched his corpse, myself alone
I watched his body night and day
No living creature came that way
I took his body on my back
And whiles I walked and whiles I sat
I digged a grave and laid him in,
And happed him with the turf so green
Oh, don't you think my heart was sore,
As I laid the earth on his yellow hair
Oh, don't you think my heart was woe,
As I turned about, away to go
No living man I'll love again
Since that my lovely knight is slain
With just one lock of his yellow hair
I'll chain my heart forevermore
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Thanks John! I will try to get a copy of that!
updated by @gale-a-barr: 07/15/15 06:13:31AM
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Hello Gale, I used to take the dulcimer into schools a while back, and often used a simple song from Jean Ritchie's book ' Singing Family of The Cumberlands'. It can be found on pages 11/12 , "There was an Old Woman, all skin and bones', simple tune, nicely minor, easy to tailor to suit your audience, with a great 'punch line' ending ?
good luck in your search
JohnH
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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That one sounds like fun, Shawn. I will give that a try.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Janita Baker teaches Three Blinde Mice by Ravenscroft in her Rounds and Canons workshop. This original version is in a minor key and it's dirge-like and quite creepy. I can't offer up Janita's tab, but here's an article which contains standard musical notation for the minor key version, about halfway down. If you know the notes on your fretboard you can easily tab it out:
http://strangewayes.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/late-period-english-rounds/
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I found this old thread as it is now October and Halloween is approaching.Anyone have some additional tabs, links, or ideasof spooky songs to play on the dulcimer? I can pick some of the easier, contemporary ones that come to mind - "Addams Family" that are just for but I am sure others out there can think of others? Tubular Bellsused in the Exorcistwould be interesting....
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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I love to play many tunes that fit the description or mournful, spooky or lonesome (well, maybe not "spooky"), but one of my favorites is Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife. I just think it's an incredibly beautiful tune. So simple, and yet so moving when played well.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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John I like your version on dulcimer. I recently learned the song on low whistle and I am presently working out a minor key version for dulcimer... Bob.
John Henry said:
Sorry Bob, should have mentioned that I posted it under another name commonly given to this tune, "Velentia Harbour" (posted oct 12 th, 2010)
John
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Sorry Bob, should have mentioned that I posted it under another name commonly given to this tune, "Velentia Harbour" (posted oct 12 th, 2010)
John
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Hello Bob, this is one of my favourites also !!! I cannot sing for toffee, but did manage to post a fair attempt at it on this site? You might be interested in a listen?
best wishes
JohnH robert schuler said:
A slow air called...Amhran Na Leabhair. Don't ask me to pronounce it but the alternate name is, Song of the Books and or Valencia Harbor. Its a song about an 18th century professor who is sent to a new school. He loads all his worldly possessions on a ship including his beloved books while he travels by land. The ship sinks and all his books are lost. He morns the loss of his books. Its a popular song on the whistle and is sung in a style the name of which I forget. That is sung almost in one continious way without breaks or pauses a very mornful sound.. Bob.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
A slow air called...Amhran Na Leabhair. Don't ask me to pronounce it but the alternate name is, Song of the Books and or Valencia Harbor. Its a song about an 18th century professor who is sent to a new school. He loads all his worldly possessions on a ship including his beloved books while he travels by land. The ship sinks and all his books are lost. He morns the loss of his books. Its a popular song on the whistle and is sung in a style the name of which I forget. That is sung almost in one continious way without breaks or pauses a very mornful sound.. Bob.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Autumn Leaves (you know....the ones that drift by your window....)
October is a Gypsy Lass (if anyone else other than my family knows this, I'd love to hear from them)
Picardy, a French Carol in a minor key ("Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" in the 1906 English Hymnal)
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Thanks! I'll keep an eye out for it!
folkfan said:
I'm working on a tab for it, but my tabs are simple melody lines with the lyrics with no chords. At the moment I'm working from two slightly different SMN melodies and trying to get them to fit the music I have playing from a third source. Usually after going through the process of adding and subtracting notes I end up with a final tab. When I get there, I'll put it up.
Beth Hansen-Buth said:
I love unusual ballads! Would you happen to have TAB or lyrics with chords that you'd care to share for this one?I'm intrigued...
folkfan said:The Rolling of the Stones. An unusual ballad in that it actual deals with magic and spelling.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I sure am enjoying this thread. Hope it has a long and productive life, and many thanks to all who have posted so far.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Dancing At Whitsun is a favorite of mine. Had a chance a few years ago to see the Hedge Row Crown in the Tower display of the English Crown Jewels. This year it wasn't there. When I asked a Gentleman Warder what happened to it, he was surprised that I even knew what a Hedge Row was and why they were important enough to be the base for a crown designed for the Queen.
Tim Hart's rendition of the song is just beautiful.
john p said:
Sad - Well, folowing Paul's suggestion above, the tune of 'The Week Before Easter' was used for a song called 'Dancing at Whitsun' and tells of the ladies left without their husbands and sweethearts who never returned from the Great War.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9bH1XsWHgY
Spooky - Well Childe #6 is very 'Wierd', usually known as 'Willie's Lady', 'The Nine Witch Knots' or 'The Loaf of Wax'. This has it all, the cruelty of the Step Mother, the torment of the Bride, the resolutness of the Husband, the resourcefullness of the Faithfull Retainer ...
The Nine Witch Knots refers to the binding of one of the most terrible curses that could be laid on any woman.
Oddly, the tune usually used for this ballad(due to Ray Fisher) is a somewhat raucous and slightly maudlin cider drinking song from Brittainy.
john p
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Sad - Well, folowing Paul's suggestion above, the tune of 'The Week Before Easter' was used for a song called 'Dancing at Whitsun' and tells of the ladies left without their husbands and sweethearts who never returned from the Great War.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9bH1XsWHgY
Spooky - Well Childe #6 is very 'Wierd', usually known as 'Willie's Lady', 'The Nine Witch Knots' or 'The Loaf of Wax'. This has it all, the cruelty of the Step Mother, the torment of the Bride, the resolutness of the Husband, the resourcefullness of the Faithfull Retainer ...
The Nine Witch Knots refers to the binding of one of the most terrible curses that could be laid on any woman.
Oddly, the tune usually used for this ballad(due to Ray Fisher) is a somewhat raucous and slightly maudlin cider drinking song from Brittainy.
john p
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Beth, I just got another version of The Rolling of the Stones, the lyrics are a bit different than those I know but the tune is the same. In this version the pretty Susie doesn't charm the young man from his grave, because after receiving his fatal wound, no one buries him. They just take him to the woods and lay him on the ground. YUCK.
It's sung by Oscar Brand on the album recorded by Jean Ritchie, Oscar Brand and David Sear, title "A Folk Concert In Town Hall, New York". I got it from iTunes.
folkfan said:
I'm working on a tab for it, but my tabs are simple melody lines with the lyrics with no chords. At the moment I'm working from two slightly different SMN melodies and trying to get them to fit the music I have playing from a third source. Usually after going through the process of adding and subtracting notes I end up with a final tab. When I get there, I'll put it up.
Beth Hansen-Buth said:
I love unusual ballads! Would you happen to have TAB or lyrics with chords that you'd care to share for this one?
folkfan said:The Rolling of the Stones. An unusual ballad in that it actual deals with magic and spelling.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I'm working on a tab for it, but my tabs are simple melody lines with the lyrics with no chords. At the moment I'm working from two slightly different SMN melodies and trying to get them to fit the music I have playing from a third source. Usually after going through the process of adding and subtracting notes I end up with a final tab. When I get there, I'll put it up.
Beth Hansen-Buth said:
I love unusual ballads! Would you happen to have TAB or lyrics with chords that you'd care to share for this one?
folkfan said:The Rolling of the Stones. An unusual ballad in that it actual deals with magic and spelling.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I love unusual ballads! Would you happen to have TAB or lyrics with chords that you'd care to share for this one?
I'm intrigued...folkfan said:
The Rolling of the Stones. An unusual ballad in that it actual deals with magic and spelling.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Every song I play is mournful and spooky, at least according to my wife. :-)
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
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Pretty Polly -- Dock Boggs .
Wife of Usher's Well, either by Hedy West or M&E Carthy . Two different songs, really.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
The Rolling of the Stones. An unusual ballad in that it actual deals with magic and spelling.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
"The Week Before Easter" which I picked up from the first Robin and Barry Dransfield album, The Rout of the Blues, which I got in 1971. I started working on it when I got my dulcimer in 1974. It's about unrequited love - what else? The last Verse goes (here's the beginning and ending), "Go dig me my grave ... and that's the best way to forget her."