Useful info and links at the bottom of the page
Important News:
- June means it is time to work on the middle 4 songs, if you haven't started to do so already:
- Rock It For Me
- One More Last Chance
- Brown Eyed Girl
- Sweet Lorraine
- It's not too early to talk up our Saturday show, although tickets are not yet available.
- Reminders:
- If you are a new or returning attendee and want a sponsor assigned to you, someone who can help you prepare better or answer your questions, please ask.
- Uniforms - it's a little early, but the standard uniform for the chorus concert is always the same: black shoes, socks, pants, belt, plain white long sleeve dress shirt (with undershirt) and any solid colored long tie. If you plan to do Friday sing-outs (more on those upcoming), the "uniform" is a Hawaiian shirt, jeans and sneakers.
- Additional part learning tracks are available for your personal use only. $20 per part, contact our Treasurer to purchase.
- We are still seeking and accepting singers, especially leads. Please: promote us to your quartet, chorus or other talented singing friends. Scholarships are available, if needed. Have them apply.
- We are beginning to plan run-throughs - please attend or host. May is songs 1-4. To schedule a run-through, email Rob Sheridan. You can access the calendar on the web, add it to your own online calendar or find it on the NEHB web site.
- Current members - a reminder that to retain your membership you must have a current BHS membership and you must also attend at least every other year. Memberships expire after the second consecutive failure to attend. Future members - if this is your second consecutive NEHB you can apply for membership during the rally via a recorded audition. More details coming down the road.
Brown Eyed Girl
Words and Music by Van Morrison
Arrangement by Adam Scott
Sir George Ivan Morrison, OBE is from the UK. But you probably know him from his work in the late 60s and early 70s as Van Morrison. Born in Northern Ireland, his father had a large American record collection - so Van’s influences came from American Jazz and Blues. His first band was strongly influenced by “skiffle” - a style of American 20s and 30s improvised jazz.
His biography of his early years shows a certain rootlessness - he formed and broke up with a variety of bands, toyed with a variety of instruments, toured and returned home again and again. But many of the songs you might know him for (the canonical Gloria (“G-L-O-R-I-A”) and Could You, Would You) sprung from that era.
Van Morrison moved on to a solo career, and soon after penned Brown Eyed Girl - one of his most played compositions. His career had a long and storied arc from there. (Writing 31 “revenge songs” in a short period to fulfill a contract so he could get out of it, for example.) He went on to write dozens of famous songs (“Astral Weeks”, “Moondance”, “Days Like This”, “Domino”.)
Brown Eyed Girl was intended to be named Brown Skinned Girl, but the name was changed accidentally during the recording session. The original lyrics were controversial, with the phrase “making love in the green grass” replaced during editing. These days, the uncensored version is more popular. Our version doesn’t have that verse at all... The calypso beat moves gently throughout the song.
VIDEO LINKS
Van Morrison - original, uncensored
Van Morrison - 2016 BBC live production, longer, lusher
El Chicano - a really cool interpretation
Jimmy Buffett - if we want a very calypso version
Everclear - because every song needs to become a rock and roll anthem
Cadence - four part a cappella (but not barbershop)
Forefront - Barbershop!
Useful Info And Links
- The Preparedness Blog
- Geomap of participants
- Our Guest Quartet and Judges will be Rooftop Records! Get to know them on Facebook, their website, or their most recent performance at the SUN District this spring.
- The New England Harmony Brigade Home Page
- The NEHB Application Page
- A Video Retrospective of the 2018 Rally (credit Jim Schumacher)
- Run-throughs
- Volunteer by sending email to Rob Sheridan
- See the calendar on the NEHB web site
- Add the calendar to your own.
Observation: page 8 of Brown Eyed Girl has a footnote for measure 83, "As an option, the trio may loop measure 83while the lead rallies the audience." And indeed, on the learning track, there is one "extra" loop. For the only-learn-by-the-tracks folk, you might want to be prepared for a director during the full-chorus performance who brings in the leads at some arbitrary time!
ReplyDeleteDel, you made me check - and by my listening/reading the track and chart match exactly in that section.
DeleteBUT: informal conversations with the Director (Manoj) suggest that he might use that loop option during the chorus performance. So, it is good to be ready for anything.