Last Wednesday I performed 15 folk songs in Kirr Commons as part of a guerrilla art program at Carnegie Mellon called Intermission. Intermission is all about making the arts casually accessible to all students. I had a lot of fun performing and hope to do a politically themed performance (with some actors doing political monologues) before the Pennsylvania Primary in late April.
Here was my playlist. After each title are a quick reminder of the first two lines to get me started:
Love playlist
1. “Georgia on my mind” by Hoagy Carmichael
Melodies bring memories that linger in my heart / make me think of Georgia
2. “Yet we’ll go no more aroving (poem by Lord Byron)
Yet we’ll go no more aroamin’ so late into the night / though the night be still as loving
3. “Silver Dagger”
Don’t sing love songs / you’ll wake my mother
4. “Wagoner’s lad”
Oh hard is the fortune of all womenkind / she’s always controlled she’s always confined
5. “House of the Rising Sun”
There is a house in New Orleans/ They call the rising sun
6. “Rake and Rambling Boy”
Well I’m a rake and rambling boy / there’s many a city I did enjoy
7. “Careless Love”
Careless love oh careless love (2x) / you see what careless love has done?
8. “Blowing the Candles out”
When I was apprenticed in London / and went to see my dear
9. “Mary Hamilton”
Word is too the kitchen gone / and word is to the hall
10. “Barb’ry Allen”
Twas in the merry month of may / when all gay flowers were bloomin’
11. “Long Black Veil”
Ten years ago / on a cold dark night
12. “In the Hills of Shiloh” by Shel Silverstein
Have you seen Amanda Blaine / in the hills of Shiloh
13. “John Riley”
Fair young maid all in the garden / strange young man pass her by
14. “Your Daddy’s Hands” from Stephen Flaherty’s Ragtime
Ohhh / Daddy played piano
15. “American Lullaby” by Gladys Rich
Hushabye you sweet little baby / and don’t you cry anymore
Inspirational Quote:
So, we’ll go no more a-roving
So late into the night,
Though the heart be still as loving,
And the moon be still as bright.
For the sword outwears its sheath,
And the soul wears out the breast,
the heart must pause to breathe,
And love itself have rest.
Though the night was made for loving,
And the day returns too soon,
Yet we’ll go no more a-roving
By the light of the moon.
