24 Sep
2019
24 Sep
'19
6 p.m.
Folks,
A few years ago (Dec 28 2015), I posted a message here with Subject line
"Danceability of versions of the same tune" in which I called attention to these
two recordings of "Sleepy Eyed Joe"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2RI8FlwvQg
Foghorn Stringband
~134 BPM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ajfs8tcyrI
Lyman Enloe (and ???)
(Is this really a version of the "same" tune?)
~131 BPM
and contrasted them with this one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AntWbzdq60
Norman Blake
~114 or 115 BPM
I think that both the Foghorn version and the Lyman Enloe version are fine examples of
music for old-time squares and that they could also be good for contras is played in
similar style but at a lower tempo. But I said this about the Blake version:
Again, the player is undeniably skilled. But somehow
this
rendition just doesn't do it for me as dance music. And I
don't think the difference is just the slower tempo (about
115 B.P.M.) compared to the other two versions.
At least one other list member explicitly agreed that the Blake version was meant for
listening, not dancing, and I don't think anyone offered a contrary opinion.
Recently, while going through some of my CDs, I realized that I had another recording of
"Sleepy Eyed Joe" played by Norman Blake, which I then found is also on YouTube,
here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rek6WqLfUVI
Norman Blake, Nancy Blake, James Bryan, Charlie Collins
~114 BPM
The tune is played five times through, with Norman Blake playing melody on mandolin on
rounds 1, 3, and 5 and fiddler James Bryan taking the melodic lead on rounds 2 and 4 and
While this one is at a similarly moderate tempo to the other Blake version cited above, it
immediately struck me as being in a more danceable style. And that applies to the parts
with mandolin lead as well as those with fiddle lead, even though I generally prefer
fiddle over plucked or strummed instruments as the melodic lead for old-time square dance
music.
I invite other list members to play the recordings for yourselves and tell me what you
think. You might also want to try playing each with the YouTube playback speed set to
1.25 (click the gear-shaped icon in the strip along the bottom of the YouTube
window),bringing the tempo into the low 140s (which, to my taste, is about the top of the
suitable tempo range for traditional southern/western square dances, notwithstanding Cecil
Sharp's recommendation of tempos around 160 for the "running set").
Since I happen to have a variable-speed cd player as well as CD including the last-cited
recording, I've also been able to listen to it at an intermediate tempo of about 130
BPM. At that tempo, it seemed quite danceable, both in the parts with mandolin lead and
those with fiddle lead.
So what's behind the difference in danceability I'm hearing between Blake's
two renditions of the tune? I don't think it's the tempos, which are nearly the
same, with the second being, perhaps a shade slower the first. And I don't think it
has to do with Blake playing mandolin on the second vs. (I think) guitar on the first. Do
the backing musicians on the second recording could have something to with it? Is it
mostly, as I'm inclined to think, that on the second recording Blake plays in a
less-ornamented, more "straight-ahead" style? (And if so, can someone with more
musical knowledge than I have describe what's going on in other terms that might be
informative to an aspiring dance musician?) Or do you think the difference in
danceability is entirely in my head, perhaps based on what kind of mood I was in when I
first heard each of the two recordings?
Comments, anyone?
--Jim
P.S.,
The notes accompanying the CD with the second Blake recording cited above attribute the
tune "Sleepy Eyed Joe" to Ellis Hall. A search in the Traditional Tune Archive
https://tunearch.org/wiki/TTA
gives surprisingly little information about the tune--just a mention of it as being on the
flip side of a 1952 recording of "My Little Home in West Virginia" by Ellis
Hall and Bill Addis.
I've also discovered that there are several renditions of "Sleepy Eyed Joe"
in the Gordon McCann Ozarks Folk Music Collection hosted by Missouri State University
https://digitalcollections.missouristate.edu/digital/collection/McCann/
but I haven't listened to them yet. The McCann collection looks like a terrific
resource, with 938 YouTube videos (or perhaps "YouTube audios' would be a more
accurate description) digitized from tapes of jam sessions, fiddle contests, dances,
interviews, etc. Lengths of the videos vary from under 10 minutes (for ones made from on
partially-used side of a tape) to over three hours (for ones digitized from multiple
tapes), but I'd guess they averaging an hour of longer. While someone has put a lot
of work into writing descriptions that list the contents of these recordings (or at least
of many of them), and while there's a search facility to find recordings based on
those descriptions, the content listings don't include start times for the various
segments. So even when you've found a recording, it can still take a while to work
your way through it to the particular selection you want to hear.
--Jim
On Dec 28, 2015, at 12:28 PM, James Saxe <jim.saxe(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Folks,
A while ago, I was listening to a bunch of old-time music and
trying to wrap my head around what makes some tunes--or some
renditions of some tunes--seem (to me) more suitable for square
and/or contra dancing than others. Of course I know about
crooked tunes not working for phrased dances. I'm trying to
get at more subtle issues. I've just been listening to three
renditions of the "same" tune, and I wonder whether any of
you will share my reactions and, perhaps, be better able to
articulate the reasons for then than I am.
One of the tunes I came across in my old-time listening binge
was "Sleepy Eyed Joe" as played by the Foghorn Stringband on
their album _Weiser Sunrise_. It immediately impressed me as
a great square-dance tune. I also think it would be fime for
contras if played in similar style but at a somewhat slower
tempo. (Tempo on the recording is about 134 B.P.M.)
As of the time I write this, the _Weiser Sunrise_ album, which
had gone out of print for a while, seems to be available again.
You can hear a sample of "Sleepy Eyed Joe"--once through the
tune--here
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JAPC1H6?ie=UTF8&ref_=dm_ws_tlw_trk6
and the whole track here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2RI8FlwvQg
So you can listen for yourself and see if you agree with me.
I also found a rendition of "Sleepy Eyed Joe" as played by
its composer, late Missouri fiddler Lyman Enloe (1906-1997);
[Note: I was
apparently in error when I referred to Enloe as
the composer. See the other quoted message below.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ajfs8tcyrI
[tempo about 131 B.P.M.] Lyman plays his composition with
undeniable skill and, I think, in a quite danceable style.
His name wasn't familiar to me before, but now that I've
heard him, I'll be looking to buy some of his music. That
said, there's still something about the Foghorn's version
of "Sleepy Eyed Joe" that makes it seem (to me) even more
danceable.
And here's a third rendition of the tune, played by Norman
Blake on solo guitar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AntWbzdq60
Again, the player is undeniably skilled. But somehow this
rendition just doesn't do it for me as dance music. And I
don't think the difference is just the slower tempo (about
115 B.P.M.) compared to the other two versions. (When I
play the Blake version with the YouTube speed control set
to 1.25--thus raising the tempo into the low 140's--it
sounds more driving, but it still seems to me that there's
something lacking. Alas, I don't have means to play it at
an intermediate tempo.)
Thoughts, anyone?
--Jim
On Dec 28, 2015, at 2:39 PM, James Saxe <jim.saxe(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Folks,
In my previous message, I wrote:
<snip>
I also found a rendition of "Sleepy Eyed
Joe" as played by
its composer, late Missouri fiddler Lyman Enloe ...
After looking around some more, I find that "Sleepy Eyed Joe"
appears to be traditional. It appears that I misread some
reference to the tune *as played by* Lyman Enloe as attributing
authorship. However this Google Books snippet of _Ozarks Fiddle
Music_
https://books.google.com/books?id=2vm8OaHq_WcC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&…
gives notation for Enloe's version (which I still like almost as
much as I like Foghorn's version) with the comment:
Enloe does not remember where he learned this tune. He says
he is aware that several different tunes have this title. ... 
24 Sep
24 Sep
7:23 p.m.
New subject: Danceability of versions of the same tune (Sleepy-Eyed Joe)
Hi Jim,
I listened to the clips you posted links to, and I think the rhythm in the
accompaniment has a lot to do with what makes the tune "danceable." With
the exception of the solo guitar version, both other versions had that
boom-chuck old-time groove going, with a reliable and easy-to-hear "chuck,"
on the offbeat.
The fiddlers also leaned a little harder on the offbeat, which I think
often makes tunes swing in a way that's better for dancing, regardless of
whether they're old-time tunes or not.
Anyway ... a great tune regardless of how it's played.
Meg in Chicago
On Tue, Sep 24, 2019 at 5:00 PM jim saxe via Musicians <
musicians(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Folks,
A few years ago (Dec 28 2015), I posted a message here with Subject line
"Danceability of versions of the same tune" in which I called attention to
these two recordings of "Sleepy Eyed Joe"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2RI8FlwvQg
Foghorn Stringband
~134 BPM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ajfs8tcyrI
Lyman Enloe (and ???)
(Is this really a version of the "same" tune?)
~131 BPM
and contrasted them with this one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AntWbzdq60
Norman Blake
~114 or 115 BPM
I think that both the Foghorn version and the Lyman Enloe version are fine
examples of music for old-time squares and that they could also be good for
contras is played in similar style but at a lower tempo. But I said this
about the Blake version:
Again, the player is undeniably skilled. But
somehow this
rendition just doesn't do it for me as dance music. And I
don't think the difference is just the slower tempo (about
115 B.P.M.) compared to the other two versions.
At least one other list member explicitly agreed that the Blake version
was meant for listening, not dancing, and I don't think anyone offered a
contrary opinion.
Recently, while going through some of my CDs, I realized that I had
another recording of "Sleepy Eyed Joe" played by Norman Blake, which I then
found is also on YouTube, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rek6WqLfUVI
Norman Blake, Nancy Blake, James Bryan, Charlie Collins
~114 BPM
The tune is played five times through, with Norman Blake playing melody on
mandolin on rounds 1, 3, and 5 and fiddler James Bryan taking the melodic
lead on rounds 2 and 4 and
While this one is at a similarly moderate tempo to the other Blake version
cited above, it immediately struck me as being in a more danceable style.
And that applies to the parts with mandolin lead as well as those with
fiddle lead, even though I generally prefer fiddle over plucked or strummed
instruments as the melodic lead for old-time square dance music.
I invite other list members to play the recordings for yourselves and tell
me what you think. You might also want to try playing each with the
YouTube playback speed set to 1.25 (click the gear-shaped icon in the strip
along the bottom of the YouTube window),bringing the tempo into the low
140s (which, to my taste, is about the top of the suitable tempo range for
traditional southern/western square dances, notwithstanding Cecil Sharp's
recommendation of tempos around 160 for the "running set").
Since I happen to have a variable-speed cd player as well as CD including
the last-cited recording, I've also been able to listen to it at an
intermediate tempo of about 130 BPM. At that tempo, it seemed quite
danceable, both in the parts with mandolin lead and those with fiddle lead.
So what's behind the difference in danceability I'm hearing between
Blake's two renditions of the tune? I don't think it's the tempos, which
are nearly the same, with the second being, perhaps a shade slower the
first. And I don't think it has to do with Blake playing mandolin on the
second vs. (I think) guitar on the first. Do the backing musicians on the
second recording could have something to with it? Is it mostly, as I'm
inclined to think, that on the second recording Blake plays in a
less-ornamented, more "straight-ahead" style? (And if so, can someone with
more musical knowledge than I have describe what's going on in other terms
that might be informative to an aspiring dance musician?) Or do you think
the difference in danceability is entirely in my head, perhaps based on
what kind of mood I was in when I first heard each of the two recordings?
Comments, anyone?
--Jim
P.S.,
The notes accompanying the CD with the second Blake recording cited above
attribute the tune "Sleepy Eyed Joe" to Ellis Hall. A search in the
Traditional Tune Archive
https://tunearch.org/wiki/TTA
gives surprisingly little information about the tune--just a mention of it
as being on the flip side of a 1952 recording of "My Little Home in West
Virginia" by Ellis Hall and Bill Addis.
I've also discovered that there are several renditions of "Sleepy Eyed
Joe" in the Gordon McCann Ozarks Folk Music Collection hosted by Missouri
State University
https://digitalcollections.missouristate.edu/digital/collection/McCann/
but I haven't listened to them yet. The McCann collection looks like a
terrific resource, with 938 YouTube videos (or perhaps "YouTube audios'
would be a more accurate description) digitized from tapes of jam sessions,
fiddle contests, dances, interviews, etc. Lengths of the videos vary from
under 10 minutes (for ones made from on partially-used side of a tape) to
over three hours (for ones digitized from multiple tapes), but I'd guess
they averaging an hour of longer. While someone has put a lot of work into
writing descriptions that list the contents of these recordings (or at
least of many of them), and while there's a search facility to find
recordings based on those descriptions, the content listings don't include
start times for the various segments. So even when you've found a
recording, it can still take a while to work your way through it to the
particular selection you want to hear.
--Jim
On Dec 28, 2015, at 12:28 PM, James Saxe <jim.saxe(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Folks,
A while ago, I was listening to a bunch of old-time music and
trying to wrap my head around what makes some tunes--or some
renditions of some tunes--seem (to me) more suitable for square
and/or contra dancing than others. Of course I know about
crooked tunes not working for phrased dances. I'm trying to
get at more subtle issues. I've just been listening to three
renditions of the "same" tune, and I wonder whether any of
you will share my reactions and, perhaps, be better able to
articulate the reasons for then than I am.
One of the tunes I came across in my old-time listening binge
was "Sleepy Eyed Joe" as played by the Foghorn Stringband on
their album _Weiser Sunrise_. It immediately impressed me as
a great square-dance tune. I also think it would be fime for
contras if played in similar style but at a somewhat slower
tempo. (Tempo on the recording is about 134 B.P.M.)
As of the time I write this, the _Weiser Sunrise_ album, which
had gone out of print for a while, seems to be available again.
You can hear a sample of "Sleepy Eyed Joe"--once through the
tune--here
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JAPC1H6?ie=UTF8&ref_=dm_ws_tlw_trk6
and the whole track here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2RI8FlwvQg
So you can listen for yourself and see if you agree with me.
I also found a rendition of "Sleepy Eyed Joe" as played by
its composer, late Missouri fiddler Lyman Enloe (1906-1997);
[Note: I was
apparently in error when I referred to Enloe as
the composer. See the other quoted message below.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ajfs8tcyrI
[tempo about 131 B.P.M.] Lyman plays his composition with
undeniable skill and, I think, in a quite danceable style.
His name wasn't familiar to me before, but now that I've
heard him, I'll be looking to buy some of his music. That
said, there's still something about the Foghorn's version
of "Sleepy Eyed Joe" that makes it seem (to me) even more
danceable.
And here's a third rendition of the tune, played by Norman
Blake on solo guitar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AntWbzdq60
Again, the player is undeniably skilled. But somehow this
rendition just doesn't do it for me as dance music. And I
don't think the difference is just the slower tempo (about
115 B.P.M.) compared to the other two versions. (When I
play the Blake version with the YouTube speed control set
to 1.25--thus raising the tempo into the low 140's--it
sounds more driving, but it still seems to me that there's
something lacking. Alas, I don't have means to play it at
an intermediate tempo.)
Thoughts, anyone?
--Jim
On Dec 28, 2015, at 2:39 PM, James Saxe <jim.saxe(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Folks,
In my previous message, I wrote:
https://books.google.com/books?id=2vm8OaHq_WcC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&…
I also found a rendition of "Sleepy Eyed
Joe" as played by
its composer, late Missouri fiddler Lyman Enloe ...
After looking around some more, I find that "Sleepy Eyed Joe"
appears to be traditional. It appears that I misread some
reference to the tune *as played by* Lyman Enloe as attributing
authorship. However this Google Books snippet of _Ozarks Fiddle
Music_
gives notation for Enloe's version (which I still like almost as
much as I like Foghorn's version) with the comment:
Enloe does not remember where he learned this tune. He says
he is aware that several different tunes have this title. ...
<snip>
_______________________________________________
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Musicians(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/musicians-sharedweight.net
10:55 p.m.
New subject: Danceability of versions of the same tune (Sleepy-Eyed Joe)
In my message of earlier today, I offered links to four renditions of "Sleepy Eyed
Joe", including this one from Foghorn's out-of-print _Weiser Sunrise_ album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2RI8FlwvQg
Foghorn Stringband
~134 BPM
Thanks to Meg Dedolph for an off-list message pointing out that the aforesaid video has
been diasbled since I first posted a link to it in 2015 and for calling my attention to a
video on the Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival's channel of a live performance by
Foghorn at Matt Molloy's Pub, Bridge Street, Westport, County Mayo, Ireland in 2016:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd_q8vaQuI0
Foghorn Stringband
~137-138 BPM
I've also found that the version from the _Weiser Sunrise_ album is currently
available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd_q8vaQuI0
The title and description of the Westport video attribute the tune to Norman Blake, but as
I said in the postscript to my earlier message, notes accompanying one of Blake's CDs
attribute the tune to one Ellis Hall. I haven't heard Hall's 1952 78 RPM
recording of the tune, so I can't say how it compares to any of the others I've
mentioned. Using Google Advanced Book Search, I found a 1952 copyright catalog with a
listing attributing "Sleepy Eyed Joe" to Ellis John Hall. Whether Hall was
claiming authorship of the tune itself or just of his performance/arrangement is more than
I can say for certain, but I didn't find any older references to "Sleepy Eyed
Joe" as a tune name.
--Jim
27 Sep
27 Sep
2:01 p.m.
New subject: Danceability of versions of the same tune (Sleepy-Eyed Joe)
First, the tune played by Norman Blake as well as the Sleepy Eyed Joe by Foghorn is not
the same tune as the one played by Lyman Enloe. There is a transcription of the tune Lyman
plays called Sleepy Joe in R. P. Christeson's "Old-Time Fiddler's
Repertory." It's Hoedown #24 in book one.
https://www.amazon.com/Old-Time-Fiddlers-Repertory-Traditional-Tunes/dp/082…
The guitar version in Norman Blake's video misses the drive most of us strive for when
playing for dances. It's not that a solo guitar can't do it, but it's missing
the distinctive beat markers. The other versions all have backup instruments pushing the
drive along...
~Erik Hoffman
-----Original Message-----
From: Musicians <musicians-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> On Behalf Of jim saxe via
Musicians
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 7:56 PM
To: musicians(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Musicians] Danceability of versions of the same tune (Sleepy-Eyed Joe)
In my message of earlier today, I offered links to four renditions of "Sleepy Eyed
Joe", including this one from Foghorn's out-of-print _Weiser Sunrise_ album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2RI8FlwvQg
Foghorn Stringband
~134 BPM
Thanks to Meg Dedolph for an off-list message pointing out that the aforesaid video has
been diasbled since I first posted a link to it in 2015 and for calling my attention to a
video on the Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival's channel of a live performance by
Foghorn at Matt Molloy's Pub, Bridge Street, Westport, County Mayo, Ireland in 2016:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd_q8vaQuI0
Foghorn Stringband
~137-138 BPM
I've also found that the version from the _Weiser Sunrise_ album is currently
available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd_q8vaQuI0
The title and description of the Westport video attribute the tune to Norman Blake, but as
I said in the postscript to my earlier message, notes accompanying one of Blake's CDs
attribute the tune to one Ellis Hall. I haven't heard Hall's 1952 78 RPM
recording of the tune, so I can't say how it compares to any of the others I've
mentioned. Using Google Advanced Book Search, I found a 1952 copyright catalog with a
listing attributing "Sleepy Eyed Joe" to Ellis John Hall. Whether Hall was
claiming authorship of the tune itself or just of his performance/arrangement is more than
I can say for certain, but I didn't find any older references to "Sleepy Eyed
Joe" as a tune name.
--Jim
_______________________________________________
Musicians mailing list
Musicians(a)lists.sharedweight.net
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7:46 p.m.
New subject: Danceability of versions of the same tune (Sleepy-Eyed Joe)
First, I agree that of the "Sleepy Eyed Joe" recordings I've cited, the
Enloe version is the odd one out in terms of basic melody. Besides the transcription Erik
cited in _Old-Time Fiddler's Repertory_, there's a transcription of Enloe's
version in the Mel Bay book _Ozark Fiddle Music_, by Drew Beisswenger:
https://books.google.com/books?id=2vm8OaHq_WcC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&…
Beisswenger also cites yet another transcription published by Stacy Phillips.
I found a transcription of the tune played by Foghorn here:
https://www.mne.psu.edu/lamancusa/tunes.html
Linked from a large collection of tunes at
https://www.mne.psu.edu/lamancusa/tunes.html
Also, while composing this message I discovered that I botched an earlier attempt to post
a link to a video of Foghorn playing "Sleepy Eyed Joe" at Malloy's Pub and
instead posted a duplicate link to the version from the _Weiser Sunrise_ album.
Here's the correct link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDlpjkhJ0To
(Note that the attribution of the tune to Blake appears to be in error.)
Next, I agree with Erik and Meg that solid rhythmic backup can contribute a lot to
danceability. That said, when I listen to the two Norman Blake versions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AntWbzdq60
Solo guitar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rek6WqLfUVI
Mandolin (with backup, and alternating melodic lead
with a fiddler)
it seems to me that his playing on the second version is somehow more danceable than on
the first version, even without the backup. Of course, I don't have a multi-track
studio recording to experiment with, and it may be that I can't trust myself to listen
to a version with backup and imagine it without backup. Still, that's how it seems to
me. I'd like to know what anyone else thinks about it. And as I said in an earlier
message, you might want to try listening to both Blake versions with the YouTube playback
speed set to 1.25.
--Jim
On Sep 27, 2019, at 11:01 AM, Erik Hoffman via
Musicians <musicians(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
First, the tune played by Norman Blake as well as the Sleepy Eyed Joe by Foghorn is not
the same tune as the one played by Lyman Enloe. There is a transcription of the tune Lyman
plays called Sleepy Joe in R. P. Christeson's "Old-Time Fiddler's
Repertory." It's Hoedown #24 in book one.
https://www.amazon.com/Old-Time-Fiddlers-Repertory-Traditional-Tunes/dp/082…
The guitar version in Norman Blake's video misses the drive most of us strive for
when playing for dances. It's not that a solo guitar can't do it, but it's
missing the distinctive beat markers. The other versions all have backup instruments
pushing the drive along...
~Erik Hoffman
-----Original Message-----
From: Musicians <musicians-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> On Behalf Of jim saxe
via Musicians
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 7:56 PM
To: musicians(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Musicians] Danceability of versions of the same tune (Sleepy-Eyed Joe)
In my message of earlier today, I offered links to four renditions of "Sleepy Eyed
Joe", including this one from Foghorn's out-of-print _Weiser Sunrise_ album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2RI8FlwvQg
Foghorn Stringband
~134 BPM
Thanks to Meg Dedolph for an off-list message pointing out that the aforesaid video has
been diasbled since I first posted a link to it in 2015 and for calling my attention to a
video on the Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival's channel of a live performance by
Foghorn at Matt Molloy's Pub, Bridge Street, Westport, County Mayo, Ireland in 2016:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd_q8vaQuI0
Foghorn Stringband
~137-138 BPM
I've also found that the version from the _Weiser Sunrise_ album is currently
available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd_q8vaQuI0
The title and description of the Westport video attribute the tune to Norman Blake, but
as I said in the postscript to my earlier message, notes accompanying one of Blake's
CDs attribute the tune to one Ellis Hall. I haven't heard Hall's 1952 78 RPM
recording of the tune, so I can't say how it compares to any of the others I've
mentioned. Using Google Advanced Book Search, I found a 1952 copyright catalog with a
listing attributing "Sleepy Eyed Joe" to Ellis John Hall. Whether Hall was
claiming authorship of the tune itself or just of his performance/arrangement is more than
I can say for certain, but I didn't find any older references to "Sleepy Eyed
Joe" as a tune name.
--Jim
_______________________________________________
Musicians mailing list
Musicians(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/musicians-sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
Musicians mailing list
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28 Sep
28 Sep
6:09 p.m.
New subject: Danceability of versions of the same tune (Sleepy-Eyed Joe)
Hi Jim,
I think that has to do with the instrument Blake is playing the tune on. I
think it's easier to play a tune with forward motion and drive when you're
flatpicking a single-line melody than when you're fingerpicking a full
arrangement on a guitar.
Have a great weekend,
Meg
it seems to me that his playing on the second version
is somehow more
danceable than on the first version, even without the backup. Of course, I
don't have a multi-track studio recording to experiment with, and it may be
that I can't trust myself to listen to a version with backup and imagine it
without backup. Still, that's how it seems to me. I'd like to know what
anyone else thinks about it. And as I said in an earlier message, you
might want to try listening to both Blake versions with the YouTube
playback speed set to 1.25.
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Erik Hoffman -
jim saxe -
Meg Dedolph