Kestrel Explains It All For You

     Once again, Mr. Payne, the manager of our little enterprise, has asked me to step forward and make what explanations I am able concerning this particular installment of our fourth adventure. I shall first, therefore, address the identities of the lyrics printed on the page, then I shall turn to the musical notation scattered thereupon.

The Lyrics:

• The first song Lance honors us with is "The Salty Dog Blues," first recorded by the Morris Brothers but perhaps best known in the version performed by Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs;
• Next, I join Lance in one of the mellowest songs ever written: "Sweet and Low," essentially a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson set to music by Joseph Barnby;
• Lance and I then launch into "Speak Low"--lyrics by Ogden Nash, music by Kurt Weill--the only song I've ever heard from their musical One Touch of Venus;
• Everyone joins in on "Old Dan Tucker," first published in 1843. The song is credited to Daniel Decatur Emmett, the same gentleman who is said to have written "Dixie";
• And of course we all sing along to "Clementine." This song is attributed to Percy Montross, but there's apparently no real evidence to support his authorship;

The Music:

• The first line of music stretching across the page is "Amazing Grace." John Newton's lyrics were first paired with their familiar melody, I believe, in the 1829 edition of Columbian Harmony;
• The second tune is "I'll See You in My Dreams," lyrics by Gus Kahn, music by Isham Jones: one of the few pieces of music I can think of that works just as well when played slowly as it does when played quickly;
• The third melody is that of "Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes," a traditional tune--sometimes ascribed to W. A. Mozart by those of excitable bent--to which one sings Ben Jonson's poem "To Celia";
• And the fourth line is one of my favorite songs ever, "There's a Long, Long Trail," lyrics by Stoddard King, music by Zo Elliott. I no longer attempt to sing it in this key, however: lowering it half a step to G results in fewer nosebleeds, I've found.

     There. I hope this has provided some enlightenment to you.

                                        Sincerely Yours,
                                  
                                        Kestrel B. Finch

P.S.: This link will return you to the Terebinth page in question.