Getting Up Stairs

[Tim Twiss]

This is a commonly seen title in the old Minstrel days. I believe the melody has European roots, and survives even as a children's folk song today. It was mentioned as having been sung by P.T. Barnum himself one night in a pinch. It appears in Rice's 1858 book as an instrumental. Brown University has a copy, where it shows 2 Dandys engaged in a a fight ( over a woman most likely.) The lyrics in the Ethiopian Glee Book are interesting...like 17 verses or something. They seem to all be loose "floating" verses, although several of them have sharp poignant phrase that give a distinct impression of the time. Anybody play this and sing it? I'm going to give it a whirl...might be fun to post a few versions without us hearing each other first...see how we interpret it.

[Carl Anderton]

Count me in, Tim.  The words kind of suck but this is an important tune.  "Gettin' up Stairs" became a 19th century metaphor for a row.

[Tim Twiss]

Got a lot to choose from...there are at least 4 or 5 that fit in with the nonsense floating verse stuff we love so much.

[Tim Twiss]

Okay Carl...! A week or so?

This one is more about the groove...the dance...the show...it was shortly after Jump Jim Crow.

I won't be dancing, but I will attempt a spirited performance.

Anybody else?

tt

 

Carl Anderton said:

Count me in, Tim.  The words kind of suck but this is an important tune.  "Gettin' up Stairs" became a 19th century metaphor for a row.

[Carl Anderton]

So are we starting a new Tune of The Week?  I'd be game.  I've been wanting to start singing this one, if the words flowed...

[Tim Twiss]

So many...of the tunes in Brigg's and Rice are arrangements of vocal tunes. I did not know that when I first started. It's doing me a lot of good...putting some of this music and its style into perspective, by exploring what the song really was.

[Carl Anderton]

Gettin' Up Stairs is a great choice...I have a road gig next weekend, won't be home 'till Sunday afternoon, so that's the soonest I can have it posted.

[Tim Twiss]

We can wait 'til it's ready. Maybe a few more will jump on board...??

Anybody else want to join the old "tune of the week" tradition? We compare interpretations of new tunes...

no particular standard to live up to...just tryin' tunes, you know.

[John Masciale]

I think I can post a copy of this.  Is anyone else interested?  I've been recording it every day, and can see improvement each day.  In today's recording I need more time with a metronome;  I'm not holding my notes long enough. 

 

The idea of these challenges is not necessarily to be letter perfect, but to get different perspectives on how a song might be played.  If you record frequently, it really helps your playing.

 

[Tim Twiss]

I'm looking forward to your version John. Maybe we can get it up next week? No hurry...is there?

[John Masciale]

No Hurry.  I wouldn't mind a little more time.

[Tim Twiss]

So...when do we post this thing? Who's in for this old Minstrel tune??....this is a VERY early Minstrel tune. The only version I've heard is the instrumental from the Rice Book. The verse choices will be interesting. 

[Tim Twiss]

I just talked to Carl...let's try this weekend sometime. I think John has a good one ready to go now.