16th Annual
National Carry A Tune Week

 

List of Tunes

 

I. Patriotic Music

II. Folk Music

III. Religious Music

IV. Popular Music

V. Classical Music

VI. Film Music

 

 

This free online event is sponsored each year
by The American Tune Lovers Society

 

 

16th Annual National Carry A Tune Week
took place on October 2-8, 2016

 

 

Total number for 2016 = 18 tunes



The tunes below have links to other pages on this site.

Many of them also have links to YouTube.

 

 

Patriotic Music (3)

Selected by Gail:

"Lamentation Over Boston" (1778) - words & music by  William Billings
                Thinking of David Ortiz retiring from the Red Sox and what that will mean for next year.               
Performed by the Holy Cross Choir on YouTube --
 click here    

"Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor" -   music by Irving Berlin, words by Emma Lazarus
Music written for the Broadway 1949 show ‘Miss Liberty’
using the poem ‘The New Colossus’ by Emma Lazarus in 1883.
The poem was written to raise money for the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty
and is engraved on a plaque inside the pedestals lower level.
                Just a reminder of how America used to think about its immigrant heritage.
You Tube with Cincinnati Pops and Sandi Patty, soprano   --  click here

 

Selected by Roger:

“David's Lamentation” (1778) - music by William Billings.
This is one of the most poignant tunes from early America by the Boston composer now known as Father of American Choral Music. I first sang this tune as a member of the Old Stoughton Musical Chorus. A few years later I conducted this chorus in a concert performance in 1980
celebrating the 350th Anniversity of the City of Boston.

It is recorded by the Old Stoughton Musical Society Chorus on this CD:

"Chester" - The Stoughton Harmony

 

 

 

 

 

Folk Music (2)

Selected by Gail:

"Louisiana, 1927" - words & music by Randy Newman
                                              The weather gods were at it again.  Haiti seemed to get washed away by Matthew.
  Randy Newman sings his song on YouTube --   click here

 

Selected by Roger:

“This Land Is Your Land" (1940) - words and music by Woody Guthrie.

I believe this song expresses the American spirit better
than Irving Berlin's sentimental song, "God Bless America,"
which some folks wish was our National Anthem. I completely disagree.
I posted a video of this song sung by 90 year old Pete Seeger and friends
for the Inauguration Concert of President Barack Obama.

YouTube from May 3, 2009 -- click here

 

 

Religious Music (2)

 

Selected by Gail:

"Gentle Words" (1976) - Shaker tune arranged by Roger Hall
               
Gentle words are what we need in our long national campaign for
President but it is not what we’re getting.

The arrangement of this tune is
performed by the Plymouth Church Choir
on YouTube -- click here

 

Selected by Roger:

“The Humble Heart" (ca. 1822) - tune by Elder Thomas Hammond.

This beautiful Shaker hymn was composed by two Shaker members
at the community in Harvard, Massachusetts. I first arranged the hymn in 1991 for a concert.
Later I revised it and dedicated it in memory of a dear friend, Randy Folger,
the former music interpreter at Pleasant Hill Shaker Village in Kentucky,
who died in a car accident in 1999.

My arrangement is on this CD, performed as a duet with Colleen Liggett and me,
accompanied by Mitzie Collins on a historic pump organ:

 

"Gentle Words"
A Shaker Music Sampler

 

 

 

 

Popular Music (8)

 

Selected by Gail:

"Peg O' My Heart" - written by Alfred Bryan and Fred Fisher. It was published on March 15, 1913 and it featured in the 1913 musical Ziegfeld Follies.’ (Wikipedia)
Three recordings on YouTube:

                The Three Suns 1947  --click here
                Pat Boone --   click here
                Going Out in Style, Drop Kick Murphys  and The Boss (2011) --  click here

 

Selected by Jim:

“All I Do Is Dream Of You” (1934) - words by Arthur Freed/ music by Herb Nacio Brown. Many people today know this tune from the great 1952 movie, “Singin’ in the Rain,” performed by Debbie Reynolds. There are many other recordings, including instrumental versions by orchestras and jazz bands. YouTube -- click here

“I’ll Be Seeing You” (1938) - words by Irving Kahal/ music by Sammy Fain. This beautiful song of yearning didn’t catch on until the World War II years. Recordings by Kate Smith, Frank Sinatra and others made it a great favorite. In 1944 the tune was on radio's “Hit Parade” 24 times, including 10 weeks as Number One. YouTube -- click here

“Juke Box Saturday Night” (1942) - words by Al Stillman/ music by Paul McGrane. The Glenn Miller Orchestra made this lively song wildly popular. With or without the lyrics it was one of the America’s favorite dance numbers of the 1940s. Young people today who hardly know what a juke box was will nevertheless start tapping their feet when they hear this great tune.
YouTube -- click here

“Let’s Fall In Love” (1933) - words by Ted Koehler/ music by Harold Arlen. The best-known version of this tune probably is Frank Sinatra’s, and it was a hit for Ella Fitzgerald also. I’ve read that it was performed early on in fairly strict time, but brightly. Once the swingers got hold of it this became known as a jazz classic. The tune has been used in several movies. YouTube -- click here

“These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You" (1935) -- words by Holt Marvell & Eric Maschwitz/ music by Jack Strachley & Harry Link. Attribution is confused. The original version was an English song (which may disqualify it for this listing) but it was modified by two Americans. It has several verses. There were hit recordings by Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, etc.—and it’s a romantic instrumental tune. YouTube -- click here

“Where Or When” (1937) -- words by Lorenz Hart/ music by Richard Rogers. This is another very romantic song, performed by many singers and bands. Although written for the Broadway show, “Babes In Arms,” it continues to stand alone as a Rogers & Hart classic. I remember seeing Lena Horne sing it in a movie long ago. YouTube -- click here

 

Selected by Roger:

“Call Me Irresponsible” (1963) - words by Sammy Cahn/ music by James Van Heusen. It received an Oscar for Best Original Song from the film comedy, PAPA'S DELICATE CONDITION.
I was honored and pleased to produce a CD tribute to Sammy Cahn for the 100th anniversary of his birthday in 2013:

"It's Magic"- A One Hundredth Birthday Celebration of Sammy Cahn

Performance of this song by the American Classics ensemble on YouTube -- click here

 

 

 

 

Film Music (2)

Selected by Gail:

"Island in the Sun" (1957) - words & music by Harry Belafonte and Irving Burgie
            from the film with the same title (over 40 cover versions of the song)

This YouTube video seems to have a problem but it shows Harry Belafonte
with only a guitar accompaniment – my favorite style.
This is just a beautiful song sung by my favorite singer

YouTube -- click here   

 

Selected by Roger:

“Breakfast Montage” from CITIZEN KANE (1941) - music by Bernard Herrmann
I believe this film score, the first one by Bernard Herrmann, is also the best of the 20th Century.
I have written about this marvelous scene for the 75th anniversary of KANE -- click here

"Obsession" - A Tribute to Bernard Herrmann

 

For more information about this annual online event,
click this link,

National Carry A Tune Week

 

 

Total for National Carry A Tune Week
2001-2016 = 476 tunes

 

 

 

17th Annual Carry A Tune Week
will be on October 1-7, 2017

 

 

 

 

The Sammy Film Music Awards

The 28th Annual Awards for 2015
have been announced

See the complete list -

click here

 

 

Tune Lists on this American Music Preservation site:

American Song History Survey

50 Songs from 1956

50 songs from 1957

50 songs from 1958

50 songs from 1959

50 songs from 1960

50 songs from 1961

50 songs from 1962

50 songs from 1963

Songs of the World War II Era

 

Centennial Tributes:

Leroy Anderson (classical-crossover composer)

Gene Autry (western singer-songwriter)

Sammy Cahn (lyricist)

Bette Davis (actress, singer)

Jerome Moross (composer)

Miklos Rozsa (film composer)

Walter Schumann (film composer)

Jimmy Stewart (actor, singer)


Click on these links to order music

American Music Recordings Collection

American Music Preservation Store

 

See the composers listed on the

Tunemaker Hall of Fame

 

If you wish to be on the mailing list for the annual Tune Week, send your name and email address to:

National Carry A Tune Week

 

Please help support the mission of

The American Tune Lovers Society

Order your books, CDs and DVDs at the

AMP Store


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