Looking for Public Domain help

GGH, what you say is true, and rest assured I have no intention of copying the "new" arrangement. The idea is to have a ready place for someone interested in the song (or in the artist) to have a ready frame of reference.

It's actually amazing when you look at so many of the copyrighted arrangements. In some books I swear, just as an example, that an author may deliberately use a close to impossiblee fingering just in order to have an arrangement unique enough to copyright for himself.

EB - I should hire you out as an assistant! :wink:

Nick - terrific ideas! Thanks!

Peace

What about "Whisky (or Whiskey) in the Jar"? This has been recorded by so many different artists including Thin Lizzy, Metallica, the Dubliners.

I'd suggest that the Thin Lizzy version is the "standard", as far as modern recordings go.

As instrumentals, there is the Shadows version of Mozart Forte, Dave Edmunds versions of Farandole and Sabre Dance (more for the advanced player, than a beginner, I'd say), Greensleeves by Al de Meola, Jeff Beck, John Williams, California Guitar Trio and many others.

Edit:

"The Wild Rover" by the Dubliners or the Pogues (or more unusually, both together :D )

It's actually amazing when you look at so many of the copyrighted arrangements. In some books I swear, just as an example, that an author may deliberately use a close to impossiblee fingering just in order to have an arrangement unique enough to copyright for himself.

Yes, I know what you mean. I see that very often, and really scratch my head wondering why such-and-such artist thinks they should get paid for that, or for changing two words in the chorus, etc. But pay we must ...

Thanks for replying, and best of luck with the project!

I'm gonna toss a couple of my favorites to do out for ya with Wiki links.

In The Pines - covered by Lead Belly, Dolly Parton and Nirvana and a whole list of others

Darlin' Corey - my favorite cover of this one is done by Crooked Still, but Bill Monroe's version hits pretty hard too.

East Virgina - Covered by Joan Baez, the Monkees, and yes Crooked Still again.

I would think that all 'folk songs" would qualify.

Some songs by Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Pete Seeger . . .

Geordie
Once I had a Sweetheart
Fare Thee Well
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
Skip to My Lou
Frere Jacques

I have a strong memory of Boyzone doing She Moved Through The Fair. I'm positive it was on their Different Beat album (don't ask...long story). Wiki tells me no, but the list of artists who have used it is pretty interesting for the range of styles, so I nicked this about it from Wiki:

In recent times, following Fairport Convention's version of the song in the sixties, hundreds of artists have recorded this song in its traditional form. Most have kept to some form of the traditional lyrics: however, the versions by Sinéad O'Connor (as used in the soundtrack of the film Michael Collins), Trees and Nana Mouskouri change the gender of the pronouns and so the song became "He Moved Through the Fair". O'Connor and Trees' versions keep the original "She Moved Through the Fair" title on their sleeves, although Mouskouri changes the name to suit the variant. An alternative version of the lyrics was also used in Mary Black's version of the song.

Other notable versions:
Davey Graham recorded a version in 1962.
John Martyn's version was present on his 1967 debut album, London Conversation.
Alan Stivell's 1972 version, sung in English, is very close to the original song.
Loreena McKennitt featured it on her 1985 album Elemental.
In 1986, Eyeless in Gaza featured an a cappella version on the album Back from the Rains.
All About Eve featured a version on their eponymous 1988 debut album, and often performed it live in their early days. Following an acrimonious departure from the band, guitarist Tim Bricheno would later use a sample of the vocal in the song "Wrong Thing", recorded by his later band, XC-NN.
In 1988 Van Morrison and the Chieftains recorded a version for the album Irish Heartbeat and a live version of it also appeared on Van Morrison's 1990 concert video, Van Morrison: The Concert.
In 1989 Simple Minds recorded a song called "Belfast Child", which made it to No. 1 in the UK Charts. This song uses the traditional tune associated with "She Moved Through the Fair", but with completely different words. The song appears on their album Street Fighting Years.
Marianne Faithfull featured a version on her 1990 album Blazing Away, and has often sung it in concert.
In 1991 it was recorded by Feargal Sharkey.
Máire Brennan recorded a version as a B-side to her 1992 single, "Against the Wind".
Australian Folk Singer Kavisha Mazzella recorded a version on her 1995 debut album Mermaids in the Well.
English musician Mike Oldfield covered the song on his 1996 album, Voyager.
In 1998, Sarah Brightman recorded a version (as "He Moved Throught the Fair") as a B-side to her "Eden" single.
Charlie Zahm recorded it on his 1999 album The Celtic Balladeer.
Anthony Kearns recorded it on the 2002 album The Very Best of the Irish Tenors.
Maura Shaftoe recorded the song as "He Moved Through The Fair" on her 2003 CD Some Other Time.
Celtic Woman recorded the song on their 2004 eponymous first album.
Enter the Haggis covered the song on their 2005 album Casualties of Retail.
The song was used by Granada Reports in one of their bulletins to commemorate the life of George Best who died in 2005.
Hayley Westenra recorded a version in her 2005 album Odyssey.
Michael Londra recorded a version in his 2006 album Celt.
German techno group Scooter sampled the song on the track "Ratty's Revenge" from their 2007 album The Ultimate Aural Orgasm.
Master Bagpiper Mike McNutt recorded the song on his 2008 album, Redline.
Cara Dillon recorded the song on her 2009 Hill of Thieves album.
Nyle Wolfe included a version in his 2009 album Home Ground.

Dust my broom

Dust my broom

This is sort of off topic, but ...

I read something interesting about "Dust My Broom" ... and here it is! :D

"Robert Johnson turned "Old Original Kokomo Blues" into "Sweet Home Chicago", while another Kokomo Arnold song, "Sagefield Woman Blues", introduced the terminology "dust my broom", which Johnson used as a song title himself." (Wiki) And, Robert Johnson's original title was "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Yy1qZBlnc

And here's a recording of "Sagefield Woman Blues" performed by Kokomo Arnold ...
http://www.nutsie.com/song/Sagefield%20Woman%20Blues/7127667&album_id=7127648

And here's a recording of "Old Original Kokomo Blues" performed by Kokomo Arnold ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOvTqVn8qgI

And here's a recording of "Sweet Home Chicago" performed by Robert Johnson ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdKuZvLYxOE

I'm surprised nobody thought of this one earlier (including me)

Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die

:note1: :note1: :note1:

John

As far as I can tell from my reading, a song has to be pre 1922 to be considered public domain in the USA, but other countries have their own rules.

I'm not sure if musch of Johnny Cash's writing wound qualify.

That said, the St Louis Blues was written in 1914, and has been covered by almost everyone you can think of.

Anything that Scott Joplin wrote is now public domain, such as The Entertainer.
Yeah, I know it's a piano song. Who cares. I can play the "hook" on guitar, I'm sure most of you can too.

I'm not sure if musch of Johnny Cash's writing wound qualify.

LOL . . . no not his writing . . . his choice of songs.

Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, etc were known for their performances of traditional songs.
For instance, Johnny Cash did a lot of gospels . . . here are some of his I found on YouTube.

Sixteen Tons (I believe this one might still be copyrighted though)
Wayfaring Stranger
Mary of the Wild Moor
Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
How Great Thou Art
Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

"The Wild Rover" by the Dubliners or the Pogues (or more unusually, both together :D )

+1 to Greybeard's suggestion about the Irish bands. Groups like the Dubliners, Pogues and Chieftains have done dozens of traditional songs - just peruse some of their album song lists online.

Black Velvet Band is one such (even I've recorded a ‘cover' of it, with new lyrics, for the SSG :shock: )

When You Were Sweet Sixteen (The Furies and others)

This Land is Your Land - Woodie Guthrie and many others.

Oh Susanna - Dogbite and others... :)

Red River Valley - a standard recorded by hundreds of artists

When the Saints Go Marching In.
Not just a trad jazz standard but according to Wikipedia it's been either recorded or performed live by just about everybody - including Louis Armstrong, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Judy Garland, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, and even Elvis and the Beatles. Also sung around the world by millions of supporters of numerous sports team. How could you not include it?

I've Been Working on the Railroad - Johnny Cash and numerous others.

Glad to see Amazing Grace crack a mention. It was the first ‘song' I ever learned to play - in a simple version using A, D and E. I still replay it regularly as a fun exercise - the challenge being to come up with a new version each time - using the same three chords - by varying the rhythm, style, and arrangement. One day I might try writing a book called “50 Different Ways to play Amazing Grace using only 3 chords that anybody can master..” :wink:

He's Got The Whole World in His Hands - many versions.

All My Trials - Joan Baez and Paul McCartney spring to mind. Beautiful song.

The John B Sails is also a traditional song (printed 1927 in Carl Sandburg's American Songbook - but originally West Indian traditional). Known as Sloop John B from the Beachboys and many others.

Goodnight Irene - Recordings include Leadbelly, Tom Waits, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Brian Wilson, Chet Atkins and Van Morrison (I've got his Van-ness singing it...)

Did anybody mention Banks of the Ohio?? (Joan Baez, Olivia Newton John, Charlie Pride, Bill Monroe...)

Geez, we could do this all night... :note1: :note2: :note1:

Cheers,

Chris

Thanks, Chris, you just reminded me - Banana Boat song (Day-O, Da-a-a-ay O, daylight come an' me wanna go home) by Harry Belafonte was originally a traditional Jamaican worker's song.

Then, there's that old favourite "Bill Bailey won't you please come home", written in 1902 by Hughie Cannon.

What about Memphis Blues by W. C. Handy? Written in 1913 and recorded by him and many others

Alexander's Rag Time Band by Irving Berlin was written in 1910 recorded by a whole host of different people.

Swanee River, written in 1918 and first recorded ba Al Jolson, I believe..

"Walkin' The Dog", written and recorded by Shelton Brooks in 1916. Covered by Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, The Sonics, Johnny Rivers, Patsy Cline, Bonnie Raitt, Rufus Thomas, Green Day, The Grateful Dead, Bill Anderson, Dr. Feelgood, and Bruce Springsteen, et al.

"See See Rider" (aka "CC Rider" aka "See See Rider Blues" aka "Easy Rider") first recorded by Gertrude "Ma" Rainey in 1924. Covered by Big Bill Broonzy, Mississippi John Hurt, Lead Belly, Lightnin' Hopkins, Peggy Lee, Wee Bea Booze, Sonny Til and The Orioles, Chuck Willis, LaVern Baker, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, The Animals, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Charlie Rich, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, et al. (It's been covered more than 100 times.)
(TRIVIA: The term "See See Rider" is usually taken as synonymous with "easy rider". In particular, in blues songs it often refers to a woman who had liberal sexual views, had been married more than once, or was skilled at sex. Although Ma Rainey's version seems on the face of it to refer to "See See Rider" as a man, one theory is that the term refers to a prostitute, and in the lyric "You made me love you, now your man done come", "your man" refers to the woman's pimp. So, rather than being directed to a male "easy rider", the song is in fact an admonition to a prostitute to give up her evil ways.)

"St. Louis Blues" was written by WC Handy in 1914 but not recorded by him until 1922. Covered by Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, Brenda Lee, Dave Brubeck, Eartha Kitt, Herbie Hancock, Asleep At The Wheel, et al.

Robert Johnson's songs are NOT in the public domain. They've been very aggressively defended against copyright violations. Most of the other old blues numbers, and indeed most songs from the 20th Century, are still under copyright. Due to some quirks of fate and copyright law, Happy Birthday/Good Morning To You, originally written in 1893, remains under copyright. Most anything older than that I think can be safely assumed not to be, in the U.S.