Friday, January 22, 2010

Irish Tunes Woke Me . . .

. . . From My Short Nap

It's nine in the evening in Hobbs, and the rain storm pushing across New Mexico, maybe snow, too, is now sounding on the roof. My computer news bulletins tell me the folks in upper and mid- Arizona have been hit hard with snow, [nearly FIVE feet in Flagstaff] rain and floods in Phoenix.

Yarntangler Thursday night reported a big storm in Tucson, heavy wind and that the power was going out. Guess it did 'cause she hasn't e-mailed or blogged since. And Chris in Blythe, California, had the same problems, plus a tornado.

Meanwhile in Hobbs, there's been a shooting, not fatal, and on Tuesday just north in the county, a prairie fire burned 6,772 acres as an 80 mile an hour wind drove it toward Texas. (Hobbs is only four miles west of Texas, if you're wondering.)

Fourteen cities and towns sent fire apparatus and 60 firefighters to quell the flames, with help even coming from Artesia and Carlsbad, 80 miles away to the west. It was not the BEST day for those guys.

Now back to my short nap, (about 6 to 9), and a dream I had of early childhood, featuring two of the BEST early family singers, Grandpa Reilly and Gramma Hoye.

Not sure of the song's spelling but the dream opened thisaway:

Toura loura. loura, toura loura lay, hush now baby, don't you cry; toura loura loura lay, that's an Irish lullaby - [rendered in a sweet Irish brogue by Gramma Hoye].

Grandpa Reilly came through with a rendition of "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen," a favorite Irish tune, while his Scottish wife, Annie, who passed away before I was born, could be heard with the lilting "You Take the High Road and I'll Take the Low Road, and I'll Get to Scotland Afore Ye."

And then I awoke, hearing the awful words "you gotta write a blog, get up!"

So now I'm up, with the Irish and Scottish tunes still in my head and where do I go from here?

With old music in mind I can remember back to childhood to some of the favorite songs my mother used to play on her upright piano in the southeast corner of the upstairs front room of our Pleadwell Street home where I was born.

As age advances upon me, most memory of the words has been blotted out but the title and tune remain fresh. Do any of you have the words for these and can you sing them? Here are a few of the BEST ones I can think of right now:

Down By The Old Mill Stream, Where I First Met You

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

I Love You Truly, Truly Dear, Life With Its Sorrow, Life With Its Tears, Fades Into Morrow, For I Love You Truly, Truly Dear [Golly, those words just came to me!]

Rock of Ages. Amazing Grace. In The Garden.

There's the tune that [he says] taught Forrest Gump GOD's first name "andhe" from "and He walks with me."

Broadway Melody. When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain [Kate Smith sang that one, my mother's favorite siinger].

You Are My Sunshine - everybody knows that one. It's a top favorite of Lady B, who, with me, has a great liking also for Three Coins in the Fountain.

Now it's 9:35 pm and if I can get right back to a good night's sleep, I might remember a few more of the old tunes and their words.

Gramma, sing that lullaby song to me again, Toura loura loura, tou . .

- 30 -

3 comments:

  1. Here are the words to two of your songs. An idea: To do an internet search, just type in "lyrics" and the name of the song, like this:

    lyrics down by the old mill stream

    Down by the Old Mill Stream
    Words and Music by Tell Taylor
    Chicago: Tell Taylor, c1910

    My darling I am dreaming of the days gone by,
    When you and I were sweethearts beneath the summer sky;
    Your hair has turned to silver the gold has faded too;
    But still I will remember, where I first met you.

    The old mill wheel is silent and has fallen down,
    The old oak tree has withered and lies there on the ground;
    While you and I are sweethearts the same as days of yore;
    Although we've been together, forty years and more.

    Chorus:
    Down by the old mill stream where I first met you,
    With your eyes of blue, dressed in gingham too,
    It was there I knew that you loved me true,
    You were sixteen, my village queen, by the old mill stream.


    When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

    When Irish eyes are smiling,
    Sure it's like a morning spring.
    In the lilt of Irish laughter,
    You can hear the angels sing.
    When Irish hearts are happy,
    All the world seems bright and gay.
    And when Irish eyes are smiling,
    Sure, they steal your heart away.

    There's a tear in your eye,
    and I'm wondering why,
    For it never should be there at all.
    With such power in your smile,
    sure a stone you'd beguile,
    So there's never a teardrop should fall.
    When your sweet lilting laughter's like some fairy song,
    And your eyes twinkle bright as can be,
    You should laugh all the while and all other times smile,
    And now smile a smile for me.

    When Irish eyes are smiling,
    Sure it's like a morning spring.
    In the lilt of Irish laughter,
    You can hear the angels sing.
    When Irish hearts are happy,
    All the world seems bright and gay.
    And when Irish eyes are smiling,
    Sure, they steal your heart away.

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  2. hris beat me to the irish ones and how to get the lyrics but here's the one i know you'll like. I remember singing this with Nana too. And I still love it.

    In The Garden

    I come to the garden alone
    While the dew is still on the roses
    And the voice I hear falling on my ear
    The Son of God discloses.
    Refrain

    And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
    And He tells me I am His own;
    And the joy we share as we tarry there,
    None other has ever known.

    He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
    Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
    And the melody that He gave to me
    Within my heart is ringing.

    Refrain

    I’d stay in the garden with Him
    Though the night around me be falling,
    But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
    His voice to me is calling.

    Refrain


    Words: Charles Austin Miles (1912)

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  3. Just lovin' your recent blogs, although I like them all.
    I like most of the songs you mentioned and found myself singing to myself as I read the titles :-) Kate Smith. . . oh my. . . yes, I remember her, too. . . LOL!

    hugs and be safe

    ReplyDelete