On Friday Five on Songs Old and New

[danieldwilliam]

1. What are the five oldest songs on your iPod, computer, or phone (whatever device you store your music on)?

I currently stream all my music from Spotify. So this depends a bit on the definition of old. Are we talking oldest composition or oldest recording? If it's the oldest composition, then the oldest thing I'm aware of will likely be some Gregorian chants or other plainsong or perhaps some early Jewish religious music. I don't think there are extant compositions from classical Rome or Greece. There's a possibility that there are some older folk songs.

As for the oldest recording. I wonder if Edison's original recording is on Spotify?

2. And the five newest songs?

Similar answer to the first question. The five newest songs will be whatever the five most recently published songs on Spotify are.

3. What’s your favorite song to sing along to?

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down by Robbie Robertson is a firm sing along favourite, usually the cover by Sophie B Hawkins or American Tune by Paul Simon.

Or Sit Down by James, where, despite being literally the target audience for the song I seem to have missed its adoption (or perhaps cultural appropriation) by young people. Except they're not young people any more, just younger.

Flower of Scotland probably scores highly on a measure of songs I actually sing along with with other people even though I dislike the song. See also, I Would Walk (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers

4. What’s the first song you ever memorized?

Wellies by Billy Connoly, on a roadtrip around Tasmania with my father and siblings.

5. What song is your current earworm?

I can always earworm myself with the Famine Song, traditional, with arrangement by Brian Wilson and the Sevco Supporters Club.

Comments

[danieldwilliam]

You've never heard of Flower of Scotland, Paul Simon or the Beach Boys?

[mountainkiss]

I've never heard of Flower of Scotland. I know Paul Simon and the Beach Boys but neither of those songs. Sorry not clear.

[danieldwilliam]

I am genuinely surprised that you haven't heard of Flower of Scotland given that it is the national anthem of Scotland. That has made me wonder about the process is by which people become aware of things like national anthems. I was taught Flower of Scotland by friend of mine who was a hockey international whilst we were on the Sixth Form school trip. I presume it's taught in schools. So I'm not sure I ought to be surprised.

On reflection perhaps less surprised about American Tune. Despite it being one of my favourite Paul Simon songs it is perhaps not one of his top ten most famous tunes.

And I realise that I've not explained the Famine Song, which is a football song that riffs on the Sloop John B by, inter alia, the Kingston Trio and the Beach Boys. My guess is that if you've heard of the Beach Boys then you've heard Sloop John B but I've given you no opportunity in the current post to connect the Famine Song with Sloop John B.

(I do not recommend finding out more about the Famine Song - it is odious, particularly if one has any affection for Sloop John B. I dislike that fact that I am so prone to being earwormed by it.)

[mountainkiss]

I don't think I even knew that Scotland had a national anthem.

[danieldwilliam]

Well, the question of Scotland's national anthem is a thistly question.

There's no official anthem. Scotland was a member of the of UK before national anthems were a thing. The Scottish Parliament has the right to make a national anthem official but has not done so, considering it to be not a political priority.

Flower of Scotland is used by the main popular sporting bodies, rugby, soccer and atheletics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_anthem_of_Scotland

I myself dislike Flower of Scotland, both musically and lyrically and the other candidates are not much better.

[mountainkiss]

Is it the thing all the pipers play? It's not a beautiful sound, if so. But I'd probably need to hear a non-bagpipe version to make a fair judgment.

[danieldwilliam]

If you are wandering around Edinburgh then you are probably more likely to hear a piper playing Highland Cathedral or Scotland the Brave than Flower of Scotland. They both have tunes which are intended to be listened to as tunes. Compared to Flower of Scotland, where the tune is more suited (IMO) as a vehicle for singing. Flower of Scotland can be played on the bagpipes and that is standard when sung at sporting occassions but I think the original arrangement was for a folk band.

I'll see if I can find a version to share with you that captures the full might and excellence of the song.