By Aaron Galbraith and Tony Attwood
Details of this series which looks at songs by other composers that Bob has recorded, can be found at the foot of the article.
Aaron: First published in the 1847 edition of “Popular Rhymes of Scotland”. Also known as “Coo Coo”, “A-Walking and A-Talking”, “Pretty Girl Is Like a Little Bird”, “I’m Sad and I’m Lonesome”. As with all traditional songs, both melody and lyrics may vary a lot, the song tells us the cuckoo is “a fine (or pretty) bird”.
The first recording that we still have was made on October 23, 1929, by Clarence Ashley
Tony: What fabulous banjo playing, and a terrific counter to the melody. I thought I was going to be writing about that very strange picture above with the record in the guitar until I realised how good the music was. But that picture: how weird!
But listening to the music, all the time I was thinking, “I know this…” and then suddenly the Jack of Diamonds line came up, and it all clicked into place. And then of course comes along the cuckoo line, and yep, my memories are sorted out.
Aaron: Bob’s version comes from the Live at the Gaslight collection recorded in 1962 but remained unreleased until 2005.
Tony: Thank goodness for people will tape recorders in the old days who had the foresight to record Bob even in his early years! This was the collection that was at first only available through Starbucks. Not sure how they managed that!
Aaron: Peter, Paul and Mary recorded it in 1965 for the album A Song Will Rise
Tony: I know it is rather unfashionable to admit it, but I did enjoy, and indeed still enjoy a lot of the PPM recordings. I know they were sanitized for the non-folkclub-going audience, but their harmonies and gentleness always appealed and still day. A look back to a time when there was hope rather than a world that seems to be falling apart. Indeed as I have commented often, their release of “Too Much of Nothing” in 1968 really knocked me out. OK I was so much older then (etc) but I still do think that recording took the notion of re-working Dylan by other artists a major step forward. In fact, since no one can stop me, I’m going to slip that in at the end. Sorry to interrupt the flow, Aaron.
Aaron: The late 60s saw several rock bands cover the song including Taj Mahal and this one by Big Brother and The Holding Company
Tony: Wow that was a surprise. I’ve never heard that before (which probably says more about the bits of my life when I didn’t pay much attention) and it really is stunning. I’ll have to go back and listen to some more Big Brother.
Aaron: I love this version by Billy Connolly from the B side to his 1975 single D.I.V.O.R.C.E
Tony: Immediately I am drawn to this because he retains that wonderful banjo approach that somehow I always associate with this song from its earliest recordings. Also somewhere in the house is a load of 45 rpms from Polydor in those famous sleeves.
I do hope you have a chance to listen to this version it all the way through. It is a hoot (as we used to say). Billy Connolly has devoted himself to art in recent years – if you enjoyed his performances but have not followed him since his retirement from the stage you might find it interesting to look. Here’s a starting point.
And here’s the recording…
Anyway, that’s the official end of the article. So here’s my extra bit: Bob’s “Too Much of Nothing” by PPM recorded in 1967, taking me back once more to these earlier days when the world stretched out ahead, when I had no idea where I was going, and when I used to play this over and over and over, and drive everyone mad. Who’d ever have thought I’d have the chance to foist it on a wider audience (if you are still reading, that is!)
Other people’s songs…
The songs are selected by Aaron in the USA and sent to Tony in the UK, whereupon he adds his comments and quite often seems to subvert the whole article, for reasons that by and large rarely become clear.
This has, I think, turned into one of the most in-depth reviews of the songs Bob has played but not composed, and I (Tony) am so grateful to Aaron for coming up with the idea, and then keeping it running.
Here are the previous editions…
- Other people’s songs. How Dylan covers the work of other composers
- Other People’s songs: Bob and others perform “Froggie went a courtin”
- Other people’s songs: They killed him
- Other people’s songs: Frankie & Albert
- Other people’s songs: Tomorrow Night where the music is always everything
- Other people’s songs: from Stack a Lee to Stagger Lee and Hugh Laurie
- Other people’s songs: Love Henry
- Other people’s songs: Rank Stranger To Me
- Other people’s songs: Man of Constant Sorrow
- Other people’s songs: Satisfied Mind
- Other people’s songs: See that my grave is kept clean
- Other people’s songs: Precious moments and some extras
- Other people’s songs: You go to my head
- Other people’s songs: What’ll I do?
- Other people’s songs: Copper Kettle
- Other people’s songs: Belle Isle
- Other people’s songs: Fixing to Die
- Other people’s songs: When did you leave heaven?
- Other people’s songs: Sally Sue Brown
- Other people’s songs: Ninety miles an hour down a dead end street
- Other people’s songs: Step it up and Go
- Other people’s songs: Canadee-I-O
- Other people’s songs: Arthur McBride
- Other people’s songs: Little Sadie
- Other people’s songs: Blue Moon, and North London Forever
- Other people’s songs: Hard times come again no more
- Other people’s songs: You’re no good
- Other people’s songs: Lone Pilgrim (and more Crooked Still)
- Other people’s songs: Blood in my eyes
- Other people’s songs: I forgot more than you’ll ever know
- Other people’s songs: Let’s stick (or maybe work) together.
- Other people’s songs: Highway 51
- Other people’s songs: Jim Jones
- Other people’s songs: Let’s stick (or maybe work) together.
- Other people’s songs: Jim Jones
- Other people’s songs: Highway 51 Blues
- Other people’s songs: Freight Train Blues
- Other People’s Songs: The Little Drummer Boy
- Other People’s Songs: Must be Santa
- Other People’s songs: The Christmas Song
- Other People’s songs: Corina Corina
- Other People’s Songs: Mr Bojangles
- Other People’s Songs: It hurts me too
- Other people’s songs: Take a message to Mary
- Other people’s songs: House of the Rising Sun
- Other people’s songs: “Days of 49”
- Other people’s songs: In my time of dying
- Other people’s songs: Pretty Peggy O
- Other people’s songs: Baby Let me Follow You Down
- Other people’s songs: Gospel Plow
- Other People’s Songs: Melancholy Mood
- Other people’s songs: The Boxer and Big Yellow Taxi
- Other people’s songs: Early morning rain
- Other people’s Songs: Gotta Travel On
- Other people’s songs: “Can’t help falling in love”
- Other people’s songs: Lily of the West
- Other people’s songs: Alberta
- Other people’s songs: Little Maggie
- Other people’s songs: Sitting on top of the world
- Dylan’s take on “Let it be me”
- Other people’s songs: From “Take me as I am” all the way to “Baker Street”
- Other people’s songs: A fool such as I
- Other people’s songs: Sarah Jane and the rhythmic changes
- Other people’s songs: Spanish is the loving tongue. Author drawn to tears
- Other people’s songs: The ballad of Ira Hayes
- Other people’s songs: The usual
- Other people’s songs: Blackjack Davey
- Other people’s songs: You’re gonna quit me
- Other people’s songs: You belong to me
- Other people’s songs: Stardust
- Other people’s songs: Diamond Joe
From the BBC play “Madhouse On Castle Street”:
Oh, the cuckoo is a pretty bird
And she warbles as she flies
But she never sings cuckoo
Till the fourth day of July
(Bob Dylan : Cuckoo Bird~ traditional, Dylan, et al)
What is the collaborative process between Aaron in the USA and Tony in the UK for selecting and commenting on songs, and how does it work?
Telkom University
Everyone who writes for or comments on an issue raised in Untold Dylan does so as an individual. Tony [that’s me] is the publisher, and so vets incoming comments, and removes those which are considered inappropriate or irrelevant. As such all writers are free to write whatever they want, but if I feel that their comments or their articles are in some way inappropriate I will not publish the comment or article, and/or instead write back and explain why I’ve taken that decision. I don’t seek to influence what people write, except that I do have a few basic rules, which if broken, I explain to the correspondent or author.