John A. Gilks - The Old Folk Festival



Old Folk Festival Lyrics as transcribed from this recording:In 19 hundred and 58 in Newcastle, Miramichi,an old folk festival was planned by Miss Louise Manny,twas on the lovely evening on September the third,when we all came to Newcastle our folk songs to be heard.we came here to this town hall, a gladly crowd was here,so we sat up to listen the songs of different eras,there were English songs and French songs and Irish ones as well,both young and old joined in the fun to make this festival.now, Miss Louise Manny was pleased as she could be,for to get the help she so desired from out of town you see,there were Dr. Helen Creighton and Sandy Ives as well,they were the both song judgers their jobs they did so well.<BR><BR>And therefore cameth Homer who off the CBC,<BR>he came along to help her, he was master of ceremonies.<BR>the first was Wilmot McDonald, from Glenwood he does dwell,<BR>he came along to sing for us, the songs we love so well,<BR>he sang the lumberman s alphabet, and  Peter Emberley , too<BR>but how the crowd would holler whenever he would get through.<BR><BR>and there was Georgie Duplessy that man of greater talk [?]<BR>who also sang so calmy the gems on Gary s rocks,<BR>and there was Nicholas Underhill, that man of noted skill,<BR>who got right up and sang for us the Jones boys on the hill.<BR><BR>and there was Arthur Matchett, I m sure that you all know,<BR>for its everybody hears him upon the radio,<BR>you ll hear him in the morning when you are sleepy I know,<BR>but you gotta get up and going when he stars to diddle so.<BR><BR>and there is a lady who s voice was soft and clear, <BR>and that lady s name ill tell you was Mrs. Perley hare,<BR>and then for Sammy Jagoe who recited the sad facts,<BR>as the people listen to the lost babes of Halifax.<BR><BR>and for Mr. Jimmy Brown from south branch Kent county,<BR>he was a lovely singer and I m sure you ll all agree,<BR>his bread and pies they would not rise his recipes so impleat [?]<BR>as Mr. Johnny Howelthon he shuffled back to his seat.<BR><BR>there s many more contestants I haven t space to tell,<BR>but I m sure you re all made welcome in this old folk festival.

This song is sung a cappella. The last few words in the song, in this old folk festival, are spoken, not sung. This song is, of course, about the Miramichi folk festival, its organizers, and participants. In its concern with a contemporary local event the song is similar to The Escuminac Disaster,  1961 Boating Regatta ,  The Middle Island Causeway , and  The Morissey Bridge  which appear elsewhere in the Manny collection as (17-04), (026-02), (058-06), (073-01), and (074-05) respectively. There are other songs in the Manny collection that are also about the Festival they appear as (029-04), (058-01), (096-03), (099-01), (103-03), and (105-02).

Gilks, John A 1959 <BR> <BR> 014-02 [[Category:G]]