"Stomp"

[kestrel]

Trying to learn some of the tunes from the CD, and cannot understand some of the lyrics - especially on the 4th cut "Every Humble Knee Must Bow", and the 7th, "The Old Ark's a Movin". Can anyone put me onto the words? Even my 21-year-old daughter's ears can't figure out what caomes after: "Put your lovin' arms all around me...", and da, da-da, da, da, daaa, just ain't working. Pleeeze?

[jjboone101]

I'd check Mike Compton's great web site under Tabs:

http://www.mikecompton.net/index.php?page=tablature

If it's not there, send him a note. He'll send/post the lyrics, no doubt...

Good luck!

[kestrel]

Many thanks. Got it! I was amazing close with: "Prop every lean inside." but it didn't make any sense. ("Prop every leanin' side.") Thanks, again. Gene

[Keith Erickson]

That's an awesome CD!!! I would certainly like to learn some of those tunes just for the fun of it.

[Tom C]

Great version of that tune on NBB "To Be His Child" ---my favorite CD

[mandohubris]

I've been wanting to learn to play the same tunes. My Grandson, Noah, who is 1, loves to dance to the Old Arks a Movin.

Anyway, I'm a beginner and my ear isn't very developed. Could anyone share the music or chord progressions with me? I'd appreciate it...So would Noah... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[jjboone101]

Not sure it will help, but if you go to: http://www.johnhartford.org and click "Videos" on the left, then scroll down to "Living Room"...there is a house concert video with Long & Compton playing "The Old Ark's a Movin". You may pick up some licks and lyrics from that.

[sgarrity]

Im at work and probably need my mando in hand to remember this, but for "Old Ark's a Movin'" I think the chords are just D and A. The little riff is pretty easy to pick out as well. I have a horrible ear and I got it after about 10 minutes of pickin around. I'd love to have a tab book of this cd. There's enough material there to keep me busy for a long, long time.

Shaun

[Keith Erickson]

I'm at work right now and we've been slammed with tons of stuff to do. The stress has been through the roof....

....however if it wasn't for Stomp, I wouldn't have made it through the week so far. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[mandohubris]

Thanks Guys, That link to John Hartford's website was great. That video will really help, since I've played guitar longer than mando I can see the chord changes quickly, and can watch David Long to learn the licks.

I really appreciate all of you helping me out, especially JJboone and sgarrity.

[luckylarue]

That's an awesome CD!!! I would certainly like to learn some of those tunes just for the fun of it.
I agree Keith - except I'm learning these as if my mandolin life depended on it.

[acousticphd]

I had an old hat, it had no crown
Looked like a poor man livin' in town.

I had an old wheel, it had no spokes
Looked like a rat packed in all of his folks (??) #[That can't be right]

I had an old hat, it had no brim
Looked like a crow's nest (?) a-swingin' on a limb

(Can say as I understand them, but that's what it sounds like he's singing to me!)

[kestrel]

I'm not having any trouble with the the chords or licks. (Figuring them out, yes - playing them - not hardly - yet - but I'm working on it.) I just can't figure out the words.

I'm hearing:

I had an old hat, it had no crown
Me: "He had no hat, he had no crown."

Looked like a poor man livin' in town.
Me: (Same as you.)

I had an old wheel, it had no spokes
Me: "Had no wheel, had no hook." (Like, maybe an anchor?)
Looked like a rat packed in all of his folks (??) [That can't be right] - Me: (Your guess is as good as mine.)

I had an old hat, it had no brim
Me: ("had no hat, had no brim")
Looked like a crow's nest (?) a-swingin' on a limb Me:(Again - your guess is as good as mine.)

I haven't tried emailing Mike, yet, but will probably. I love everything on this CD, and have listened to it hundreds of times, and not being able to put the lyrics together is making me crazy. Gene

[allenhopkins]

Check the Double Decker String Band's Merimac album "Evolution Girl" for a similar set of lyrics:
Had an old hat, had no crown/looked like a poor man walkin' into town
Had an old hat, had no brim/looked like a crow's nest swingin' in the wind
Had an old buggy, had no spokes/looked like a poor man and all of his folks

-- is how I remember them

[kestrel]

Allen (and y'all), thanks. I guess that with the tradition of orally learning and passing of oldtime music around, region; the way songs were sung; hearing; memory; how much 'shine had been consumed during the listening; as well as a multitude of other factors, a lot of variation in lyrics - and the way tunes were played, can be expected. I suppose some artistic license is allowed, but should be in keeping with the context. Problem is, with my old ears, sometimes what I "think" I'm hearing is ridiculous.

[dasspunk]

Here you go...


The Old Ark's a Movin'
- trad

Noah built the Ark out of Gopher Wood
The flood it came and the Ark it stood
The old Ark's a movin' movin' movin'
The old Ark's a movin' movin' along

Marched the animals two by two
The hippopotamus and kangaroo

Chorus:
Now who built the Ark?
Oh Noah Noah
Who built the Ark?
Noah my Lord
The old Ark's a movin' movin' movin'
The old Ark's a movin' movin' along

Noah and the Devil playing 7 up
The Devil won the ark but Noah wouldn't give it up

Noah sent the dove to find dry land
The dove came back with a big grain of sand

I had an old hat, it had no crown
I looked like a poor man livin' in town

I had an old wheel, it had no spokes
I looked like Grandpap and all of his folks

I had an old hat, it had no brim
It looked like a crow's nest a'swingin' on a limb

Tell sister Mary, tell sister Jane
I'll be home on the mornin' train.

[Hal Loflin]

[QUOTE] "Prop every lean inside." but it didn't make any sense. ("Prop every leanin' side.") Thanks, again. Gene

Gene:

I had the same question when learning this song. One night in the truck I played it for my wife who is a singer/songwriter and she got it right off. She is from upper East Tennessee and her father was an evangelist. According to her a "Lean" refers to a crutch(s) and her interpretation of the lyrics in the song was regarding healing and "proping every lean inside" I would assume at a church and a healing from "put your loving arms all around me (God).

Works for me...

[kestrel]

dasspunk and others - Great, and thanks. Just in time, too. Have a friend coming down, this evening for some back porch pickin', and we want to work that tune out, along with "Missippi Bound". Ain't that one great CD? Good thing it's not a tape. I'd have it worn out. It's It's been in my truck player, since I got it - with the occasional switch to "Mule Skinner". Thanks again - Gene