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September 5, 2021 2:24 pm  #1


Is it a familiar melody?

https://soundcloud.com/user-715225765/an-instrumental-or-originally-a-song
Do you know this tune? Do you remember anything? Is it originally an instrumental or a song? 
Please, don't be sad if you can't think of anything and if the identification fails.
Maybe it's just an improvisation of the group leader ... 

 

September 5, 2021 2:33 pm  #2


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

I didn't know it. However, in this case I wondered if Shazam might come through, and it identified it as being Honky Tonk Train by Bob Seeley and Bob Baldori. Good tune. 

 

September 6, 2021 8:32 am  #3


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

Thank you so much Lorne. Yes you're right. Sounds like (an improvisation on) "Honky Tonk Train Blues".
The Czech live recording is from 1967. It is played by Jiří Brabec's Country Beat.

It is being prepared for release on CD, after many years the publisher needed to find out what the melody is ...
In 1974, Brabec accepted the invitation of George Hamilton IV. on a concert tour.
He successfully performed with his Country Beat at the famous country festival in Nashville.

     Thread Starter
 

September 6, 2021 9:15 am  #4


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

That's really interesting info about that recording. I don't know that much about how Shazam works, but I felt that if what you posted was a Czech version of a non-Czech record, it was very true or faithful to the original. It obviously helped in that regard that there was no vocal, but it also just sounded to me as if the artist was trying to play this song in a very straightforward manner. It also sounded like the kind of music that my parents enjoyed, which also helped me to feel the way this way about it. So that's why I thought I'd try Shazam, and see if it would come through with something. I'm glad that it helped lead you to what the original song was. 

 

September 6, 2021 2:24 pm  #5


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

I see you're from Toronto. In the seventies, I had shortwave DXing as a hobby.
And I listened to Radio Canada International, which at the time broadcast on shortwave in Czech.
I have the listening confirmed by the QSL card. I got the third BS&T album from that radio station
and also a gold-plated Olympic badge.

     Thread Starter
 

September 6, 2021 2:47 pm  #6


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

That is interesting, particularly considering that another Boardhost forum I've been part of for many years is one devoted to radio in my area. Although you're not DXing now, I'll pass along the link in case it's of any interest to you.
https://gta.boardhost.com/

 

September 7, 2021 7:25 am  #7


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

mroldies wrote:

https://soundcloud.com/user-715225765/an-instrumental-or-originally-a-song
Do you know this tune? Do you remember anything? Is it originally an instrumental or a song? 
Please, don't be sad if you can't think of anything and if the identification fails.
Maybe it's just an improvisation of the group leader ... 

an instrumental is not a song? aaron copland might disagree, nevermind the ventures.  8>}
 

Last edited by gopher (September 7, 2021 7:30 am)

 

September 7, 2021 7:48 am  #8


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

I'm completely fine with instrumentals being referred to as songs, and while I didn't refer to this piece in that way originally I did in my followup post ... it was just easier that way. However, the problem is whether an instrumental can be considered a song, since the word is obviously related to singing. I just looked up song at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/song, and the relevant definition is "a short musical composition of words and music". So mroldies, who has an excellent command of English especially considering what he told us last year about being self-taught, was actually quite correct in the way that he made that distinction about whether this piece was an instrumental or a song -- and it was especially relevant in the context of trying to identify the origins of this piece.  

 

September 7, 2021 1:19 pm  #9


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

ok, no problem then. "in memory of elizabeth reed" is not a song. lacking vocals it is then hereby declared simply sheet music  lmprovised or displayed during a concert or recording session, perhaps?

a gentlerman named betts might want to have a discussion with you in regard to that conclusion, i'm guessing....

Last edited by gopher (September 7, 2021 1:47 pm)

 

September 7, 2021 1:58 pm  #10


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

As I tried to explain earlier, but apparently need to explain at greater length, song can be used either way as far as I'm concerned. At https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song, it states "Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word 'song' may refer to instrumentals, such as Mendelssohn's 19th century Songs Without Words pieces for solo piano." So that's why I went ahead and used it once the piece had been identified. However, it was very clear that mroldies was originally trying to distinguish between the basis of the recording having been an instrumental, or alternatively a song which given the context would obviously have been a recording with vocals. And as someone who's had some success in helping people find recordings that they've been looking for, that makes perfect sense to me. 

 

September 7, 2021 2:37 pm  #11


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

The English language continues to change.  Words and phrases change.  Something that REALLY bugs me: people frequently use the word "data" in the singular context, e.g. "...this data...is tabulated..."   HOWEVER, as times change and people begin to accept language anomalies more frequently, they become more frequently used and accepted.  "Data" is plural and "datum" is singular.  However, as the use of these words has changed within specific contexts, they are becoming more acceptable.  Allegedly, computer lexicons are commonly using "data" in the singular, rarely if ever using "datum."  Scientists are more likely to continue to use "data" in the plural.  Time moves on.  But I "ain't" gonna change.

 

September 7, 2021 3:08 pm  #12


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

Lorne wrote:

I'm completely fine with instrumentals being referred to as songs, and while I didn't refer to this piece in that way originally I did in my followup post ... it was just easier that way. However, the problem is whether an instrumental can be considered a song, since the word is obviously related to singing. I just looked up song at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/song, and the relevant definition is "a short musical composition of words and music". So mroldies, who has an excellent command of English especially considering what he told us last year about being self-taught, was actually quite correct in the way that he made that distinction about whether this piece was an instrumental or a song -- and it was especially relevant in the context of trying to identify the origins of this piece.  

So what's "Wigwam"? Once again Dylan defies definition. Then there's "Jungle Fever" by Chakachas, but I won't go there.
 

 

September 8, 2021 7:58 am  #13


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

Because I have poor English, I can't discuss this language too much. I just don't want there to be a big dispute about how I use English here.
I am glad that this forum exists and that you are helping me.
In Czech it is as follows:
"Song" means in popular music that a singer is singing in it. When the recording is without singing, it is "orchestral" or "instrumental".
And that's how I use it, even though I express myself in English. 

     Thread Starter
 

September 8, 2021 8:30 am  #14


Re: Is it a familiar melody?

That's ok, mroldies. As we were discussing this yesterday, I was thinking that you'd probably feel that way about not wanting this to be a big issue. But interestingly, the issue of whether an instrumental can be referred to as a song is something that I've thought about for many years because of postings about insttrumentals on the old board. I've tended to want to avoid using song to refer to them, but at the same time I've figured that it's pretty commonly done and so I probably shouldn't be that concerned about this. So I didn't mind looking into the issue and discussing it here, and what you're saying about how you use the word makes perfect sense to me. 
There's also a larger issue that I think is worth mentioning here. I learned a long time ago that when it comes to how people use language, I should try to understand where they're coming from and why they're saying things the way that they do -- even if it's different from what I might think is correct. And as the admin here, I'd like to encourage everyone to try to do this. Yesterday I felt the need to comment at length on what had been raised here because of this larger issue, and going forward I'd appreciate it if we can all do our best to keep this in mind. 

 

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