The Medusa Fora

Thanks for the link, Antoine. Paddy Reilly has a great voice.

There are various other thoughts about the Body Of An American tune here too: http://www.poguetry.com/pim.htm

Thank you for the link Firehazard !
I love this website, I never heard about it.

It's simply great !
Thanks !

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet, but is the tune for "Jesse James" also borrowed? The reason I ask is because I have a Real Mckenzies' song with the same exact tune called the "Sawney Beane Clan."

MacRua wrote:Will this be of any help?

Aye sir, thanks!

The instrumental at the end of South Australia is definatly polka rythm. I have however heard a traditional irish tune called red haired mary played by the band dervish that used the same tune as a instrumental part in it.
The instrumental part in Sit Down By The Fire is a traditional jig called The Blarney Pilgrim

Some of these ideas are fucking ridiculous. Do you know how many songs have the same chord progression of any given pogues song?
Half of all rock songs are the same fucking chord progression

I have this nine cd box from Chuck Berry and it seems if there are only three songs on it.. He was a master at covering his own songs with different lyrics.

fluke wrote:I have this nine cd box from Chuck Berry and it seems if there are only three songs on it.. He was a master at covering his own songs with different lyrics.

I recall reading that Chuck Berry knew only one song, but that it had more than 3000 lyric stanzas.

fluke wrote:I have this nine cd box from Chuck Berry and it seems if there are only three songs on it.. He was a master at covering his own songs with different lyrics.

A former colleague Charlie Barber (he was both my and Agnes Bernelle's musical director at different times) played in one of Chuck's pickup bands for a spell. Many musos assumed this would be a soft gig, but apparently, aware that almost his entire repertoire was based on a classic 12-bar blues progression, Chuck liked to fool around with keys, tempi etc, to keep the band alert. He frequently began, say, "Memphis Tennessee" in C# and finished the number some minutes later as "Johnny B. Goode" in G. Not a medley, just a test of alertness, though there are Chuck fans who swear that Mr Berry himself was not always sure which song he was playing.

He supported us at a festival in, I think, Italy, some years ago. Being a festival and, therefore, muddy, Chuck entered and exited the stage by way of his limo, parked right up against the wings. His classy sharksin suit and patent leather shoes stayed immaculate for the duration!

philipchevron wrote:

fluke wrote:I have this nine cd box from Chuck Berry and it seems if there are only three songs on it.. He was a master at covering his own songs with different lyrics.

A former colleague Charlie Barber (he was both my and Agnes Bernelle's musical director at different times) played in one of Chuck's pickup bands for a spell. Many musos assumed this would be a soft gig, but apparently, aware that almost his entire repertoire was based on a classic 12-bar blues progression, Chuck liked to fool around with keys, tempi etc, to keep the band alert. He frequently began, say, "Memphis Tennessee" in C# and finished the number some minutes later as "Johnny B. Goode" in G. Not a medley, just a test of alertness, though there are Chuck fans who swear that Mr Berry himself was not always sure which song he was playing.

He supported us at a festival in, I think, Italy, some years ago. Being a festival and, therefore, muddy, Chuck entered and exited the stage by way of his limo, parked right up against the wings. His classy sharksin suit and patent leather shoes stayed immaculate for the duration!

Hihi great story! That sounds like Chuck allright..
In Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll, Bruce S has a nice story of him backing up Chuck and not knowing wich song he was going to play..

philipchevron wrote:A former colleague Charlie Barber (he was both my and Agnes Bernelle's musical director at different times) played in one of Chuck's pickup bands for a spell. Many musos assumed this would be a soft gig, but apparently, aware that almost his entire repertoire was based on a classic 12-bar blues progression, Chuck liked to fool around with keys, tempi etc, to keep the band alert. He frequently began, say, "Memphis Tennessee" in C# and finished the number some minutes later as "Johnny B. Goode" in G. Not a medley, just a test of alertness, though there are Chuck fans who swear that Mr Berry himself was not always sure which song he was playing.

We went to see Mr Berry a couple of years or so ago, I think it was a tour to celebrate his 130th birthday or something. I'd swear he only played one song, though it went on for about an hour. That's not to say it wasn't a great gig. It was, and a memorable experience all round.

firehazard wrote:

philipchevron wrote:A former colleague Charlie Barber (he was both my and Agnes Bernelle's musical director at different times) played in one of Chuck's pickup bands for a spell. Many musos assumed this would be a soft gig, but apparently, aware that almost his entire repertoire was based on a classic 12-bar blues progression, Chuck liked to fool around with keys, tempi etc, to keep the band alert. He frequently began, say, "Memphis Tennessee" in C# and finished the number some minutes later as "Johnny B. Goode" in G. Not a medley, just a test of alertness, though there are Chuck fans who swear that Mr Berry himself was not always sure which song he was playing.

We went to see Mr Berry a couple of years or so ago, I think it was a tour to celebrate his 130th birthday or something. I'd swear he only played one song, though it went on for about an hour. That's not to say it wasn't a great gig. It was, and a memorable experience all round.

Yes, whatever way you see it - and the "one song" theory is far from a new one of course, those 12 bars house some of the finest, earliest and most influential rock n roll lyrics. And let's just forget "My Ding A Ling" for now, okay?

philipchevron wrote:
Yes, whatever way you see it - and the "one song" theory is far from a new one of course, those 12 bars house some of the finest, earliest and most influential rock n roll lyrics. And let's just forget "My Ding A Ling" for now, okay?

I confess I love "My ding a ling". It´s fun to play, sing and - above all - listen to (I still wonder which drugs Mr Berry took before the London Sessions, and how many).

The Duke of Ingmar wrote:

philipchevron wrote:
Yes, whatever way you see it - and the "one song" theory is far from a new one of course, those 12 bars house some of the finest, earliest and most influential rock n roll lyrics. And let's just forget "My Ding A Ling" for now, okay?

I confess I love "My ding a ling". It´s fun to play, sing and - above all - listen to (I still wonder which drugs Mr Berry took before the London Sessions, and how many).

The fact that it was Number On for, like, ever in Britain and was unavoidable on the radio, in the high street, in the schoolyard, just about EVERYWHERE, drained it of whatever entertainment value it may once have had.

philipchevron wrote:
The fact that it was Number On for, like, ever in Britain and was unavoidable on the radio, in the high street, in the schoolyard, just about EVERYWHERE, drained it of whatever entertainment value it may once have had.

I´ve read somwehere that this was his only number one hit. Do you think he made "My ding a ling" just for money reasons ?