The meme comes around

[tree_and_leaf]

Here, incidentally, is a meme: the guess the first line of the song meme, which is doing the rounds again. This time my shuffle function picked some rather obscure stuff (as well as some fairly obvious ones, but that's randomness, I suppose)...

1. In sixteen-forty-nine, to St George’s Hill, The World Turned Upside Down, guessed by lyorn, here by Dick Gaughan.

2. Well if I could I surely would O Mary don't you weep (in this case by Springsteen, but it's that great composer Trad (or possibly Anon)...), guessed by oursin

3. Although my lover lives in a place I can’t live

4. Like shadows on the wall, you come and you go

5. I’m not content to be with you in the daytime The Kinks, "All the Day and all of the Night", guessed by oursin.

6. Me and my wife went all over town

7. All of the boys and the girls here in Paris

8. Joseph’s face was black as night. Paul Simon, Under African Skies, guessed by wychwood

9. I’ve sailed the whole world over

10. Lay down your sweet and weary head

Comments

[lyorn]

#1 is "The World Turned Upside Down", Billy Bragg IIRC.

[tree_and_leaf]

It is - though my version's by Dick Gaughan. But Billy's done it, too.

[wychwood]

I see someone beat me to The World Turned Upside Down. 2 might be El Condor Pasa, Simon & Garfunkel? 8 is Paul Simon again, Under African Skies.

[tree_and_leaf]

8 is right, but 2 isn't....

[wychwood]

I didn't think it was the first line, but it's one of the lines I remember from the song! Oh well.

[lyorn]

I know it from the Oysterband, and tried to remember the sleevenotes.

[kayloulee]

*frowns*

Is (2) "Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho"? Or, no, wait, it's "Elijah Rock", right? I sang them both in a spirituals melody in an combined schools choir once and I always forget about "Elijah Rock".

[tree_and_leaf]

No, it's neither (at least, as far as I know; it's not the song I'm thinking of) though you're on the right lines....

[oursin]

Is it 'Oh Mary don't you weep'?

[oursin]

5) Can this really be The Kinks, 'All day and all of the night'?

[tree_and_leaf]

Yes, it is!

[tree_and_leaf]

It is indeed....

[oursin]

Talking 'bout my generation... I actually saw The Kinks live, once (when they were still one of the supporting acts, as I recall)

[oursin]

And the version on my iPod is Springsteen, too!

[tree_and_leaf]

I have the Pete Seeger one kicking about somewhere too; the lyrics are slightly different (a bit less Christian). But I prefer Springsteen's treatment.

[tree_and_leaf]

I'm rather jealous!