Wedding Songs (singable)?

[moonsagotunes]

In September of '09 -- so I have lots of time to practice -- I will sing and play a little bit at my daughter's wedding (reception, informal).

 

 

It'll be easy to pick out something to play but not sing, along with my husband's harmonica playing. That part is easy.

 

 

But, now that I'm actually trying to pick out a song to sing, I find I'm not interested in most of the usual stuff that I would have chosen in years past. I don't want to sing without my concertina, either, even though I could possibly manage to play the guitar again, or have someone else accompany me (don't care for that idea).

 

I've sung at a few weddings... did 'The Wedding Song,' did 'Annie's Song,' and I can't remember what else.

 

 

I see that the words to 'Haste To The Wedding' are pretty nice. I could learn that tune...

 

Any other ideas?

 

I'm really tired at the moment, can't keep on gabbing right now... just figured I'd ask and see if I can get some ideas to start with!

 

Thanks.

[chris]

Hi Wendy

when you say 'The wedding song do you mean the Coppers one - 'come write me down you powers above................' if so i won't suggest that one but it is a good song

'Mairi's Wedding'

chris

[Anglo-Irishman]

Wendy,

 

Like Chris, I'd have mentioned Mairi's Wedding.

 

I think I'd sing it over a chord accompaniment, with short, vamped chords on the off-beats, alternating with longer chords at the transitions between the lines. And of course a melodic break before the last verse.

 

On quite a different note (!) - what about "Love divine, all loves excelling" to the tune "Blaenwern" (good old Welsh Methodist repertoire!) Comes over really vibrant and joyous on the C/G Anglo in the key of C (it modulates to G in the middle).

 

Cheers,

John

[moonsagotunes]

Thanks, Chris, and John... good ideas!

 

 

 

'The Wedding Song' I was referring to is the Noel Paul Stookey one, which may be more accurately called 'There Is Love,' I think.

 

 

I'm a little surprised to realize how much my musical tastes have changed over the past few years -- I'd rather sing one or a few trad songs, now, and not the more modern ballads and so on. (Actually, I don't really like to sing so much, anymore... but will try it!)

 

I don't like feeling like a 'presentation,' like I'm being showcased, doing some magnificent grand song, which everyone must listen to attentively forever and then clap. Just want to sing and play something that works.

 

 

So, I'll check out the songs mentioned so far, and any other forthcoming ideas!

[Animaterra]

Congratulation your daughter's wedding, Wendy!

 

At my own upcoming wedding we will sing Wild Mountain Thyme, which is sweet and simple on concertina.

[Dirge]

Why don't you extend it to cover anything with an upbeat view of 'true love'? That's still relevant but widens the field enormously; Fairport Convention used to do one that is relentlessly skipping just out of reach of my conscious brain...

 

Or write some new appropriate-to-the-moment words for a good tune you already know.

[Dave Rogers]

Fairport Convention used to do one that is relentlessly skipping just out of reach of my conscious brain...

 

Dave Swarbrick's "Me With You", from the Fairport album "Rosie" is a nice heart-warming (without being soppy) song, but I don't think it would sit too well on the concertina.

 

If you need to see a complete track listing of their albums in order to jog your memory, try here:

 

http://www.fcfansite.fsnet.co.uk/

 

[moonsagotunes]

Congratulation your daughter's wedding, Wendy!

 

At my own upcoming wedding we will sing Wild Mountain Thyme, which is sweet and simple on concertina.

 

Congratulations to you, too! Glad to hear your good news.

 

Wild Mountain Thyme is a favorite -- good choice.

 

It's one of the ones in the 'Sing Out!' songbook I have, and I keep looking through that collection for songs to do. There's another 'thyme' song I really like -- the 'Sprig of Thyme' -- but, especially being the mother-of-bride, it would seem weird for me to sing that one! Unless everyone has had too much to drink and doesn't care, anyway, by then!

 

And, I may end up using my accordion instead of my concertina, this 'thyme,' (groan... the pun, not the accordion....) for more of a bass sound. Picky people, these rock stars! (More of a rock crowd than trad.)

[moonsagotunes]

Why don't you extend it to cover anything with an upbeat view of 'true love'? That's still relevant but widens the field enormously; Fairport Convention used to do one that is relentlessly skipping just out of reach of my conscious brain...

 

Or write some new appropriate-to-the-moment words for a good tune you already know.

 

Well... since I may end up playing my accordion instead of my concertina, this time, the field is greatly widened... and, enhanced by the fact that my husband, who will at some point play his harmonica, can actually hear my accordion -- he says he can't always hear the concertina very well since it has higher tones.

 

I may write some words, if any manage to form! Not much of a poet these days. Nice, though, to dig into stuff written over a century ago, old quaint songs. Ones I didn't have to write!

 

I have learned 'Haste To The Wedding' ('Rural Felicity') and I like that one a lot. Just one or two more, probably similar ones, will do, along with some instrumental sections. And, this is just to fill up my 5 or 10 minutes -- no long set.

 

Re the 'Love Divine...' song, John -- I know that one, have sung it many times in churches (with the group, not solo). That's an idea, will keep it in mind. I'm leaning more toward simpler trad/folk, though. I am easily a candidate for the gospel-singer category, which I not only don't want to do, but would fail miserably at! 'Love Divine' is more regal, of course, but... hmm. I think I'd feel safer with the trad.

 

Anyway...

 

when I've come up with my plan, I'll let you know!

[Dave Rogers]

I trust you'll be singing the words, too:

 

Come haste to the wedding ye friends and ye neighbors,

The lovers their bliss can no longer delay.

Forget all your sorrows your cares and your labors,

And let every heart beat with rapture today.

Come, come one and all, attend to my call,

And revel in pleasures that never can cloy.

Come see rural felicity,

Which love and innocence ever enjoy.

 

Fairport once sang them after first ingesting helium...

[moonsagotunes]

Now, THAT could be IT! The Bob Dylan song, Fiddlerjoebob!

 

I'm going to see if we have a recording of it -- I'm sure we must, since Tom is a big Dylan fan. Not only that, but the groom/son-in-law-2be is also a Dylan fan.

 

Funny I don't recall hearing this one -- thought I'd heard all Dylan songs. Anyway, thanks so much, shall print that out and find the tune (which is presently probably in a stack of CDs just several yards away from me).

 

I've discovered that I have the words, chords, and an audio sample of 'Mairi's Wedding,' too, as part of the 'Sing Out!' book and CDs. So, we'll probably do a mix of trad and modern.

[moonsagotunes]

I trust you'll be singing the words, too:

 

Come haste to the wedding ye friends and ye neighbors,

The lovers their bliss can no longer delay.

Forget all your sorrows your cares and your labors,

And let every heart beat with rapture today.

Come, come one and all, attend to my call,

And revel in pleasures that never can cloy.

Come see rural felicity,

Which love and innocence ever enjoy.

 

Fairport once sang them after first ingesting helium...

 

Helium? Hmm.... if I did that, only my dog would hear me, I think. I already sound squeaky!

 

Yes, I like this first verse. Will probably not sing the second & third verses I've found, especially if I'm already going to sing something long like the Dylan song.

[Dave Rogers]

Helium? Hmm.... if I did that, only my dog would hear me, I think. I already sound squeaky!

 

You can hear how Fairport sounded here:

 

http://www.zavvi.co.uk/music-Folk-Folk-20+...r33.r10.1/p.jsf

 

Scroll down to "Royal Selection 13 (helium version)"

 

[moonsagotunes]

Okay... I'm possibly so eclectic it's weird, but...

 

gonna work on the two trad songs, the Dylan song, and also two Peggy Lee songs I just heard today!

 

-- 'The Old Master Painter' (also done by Frank Sinatra and others)

 

-- 'Alright, Okay, You Win' (also done by others) -- this one even has an accordion in it, on the recording.

 

I just happened to catch Peggy Lee on the radio today (WICN), doing 'Alright, Okay, You Win,' and I said, 'Hey, I really like that song!' I didn't realize she was such a big name -- she recorded so many of those famous songs that have lived long past the Big Band era (like, 'Fever,' for one).

 

It's nice that I can sing in the same key that she's in, too. I usually have to boost up the key.

 

Hey! You have license to be eclectic when you're holding an accordion!!

[moonsagotunes]

Helium? Hmm.... if I did that, only my dog would hear me, I think. I already sound squeaky!

 

You can hear how Fairport sounded here:

 

http://www.zavvi.co.uk/music-Folk-Folk-20+...r33.r10.1/p.jsf

 

Scroll down to "Royal Selection 13 (helium version)"

 

 

I'm going to look for some track of this group, but I can't open this one given without downloading the plug-in and I'd like to try to find something else, first.

 

I've heard of this band of course, but never really checked out what they did (*and still do!). Looks like a really good collection of songs.

 

*edit added!

Edited June 22, 2008 by bellowbelle