May the Road Rise to Meet You

by Roger McGuinn, former member of The Byrds band

Don't be confused, there is another song called "May the Road Rise to Meet You, an Irish Blessing" which follows the entire text of the well known blessing. 

ROGER McGUINN the song's composer
Roger McGuinn singing this song Roger McGuinn YouTube video If you are at all familiar with The Byrds, you'll hear Turn Turn Turn, Hey Mister Tambourine Man...in his playing and singing. He explains that he wrote this song with his wife.

However, I first heard this song, sung by Cathy Ryan, an Irish American singer. You can search for it on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify...your player of choice.

CATHY RYAN
If you are unfamiliar with her work, take a listen....exquisitely beautiful and tasteful
Cathy Ryan collection of songs on YouTube
Some of my favorite songs of hers are:
   Callín Deas Cruíte na mBó  (Pretty Maid Milking Her Cow)
   Rough and Rocky
   Ned of the Hill
   Somewhere Along the Road

SONG SHEET
Here is my SONG SHEET of this song, with 3 verses and the beautiful refrain.  I play it tuned in a 1-5-8 tuning (D-A-D) in the key of 'C', which just means I choose to use chords found in the key of C (C, G, F, Am) and I have a 1+ fret on my dulcimer which makes it easy to do a C (3 1+ 1) and F(1+ 1+ 1+) chord. You can easily transpose the chords to play in the key of D (D, A, G, Bm), if you don't have a 1+ fret.
May the Road Rise to Meet You PDF SONG SHEET
This is a chords and lyrics SONG SHEET...not tablature. I rarely play a song I sing, with tablature these days.  For the introduction I am playing a fingerpicking pattern that follows the melody in the first half of the verse, and then the refrain.  For the ending, I just fingerpick the chorus melody.  I tried finger picking through the entire song and I sing it, but it sounded too busy...so ended up strumming through the singing parts.

MY YOUTUBE VIDEO
May the Road Rise to Meet You - Janene Millen
I am playing on my koa McSpadden dulcimer, tuned up a 1/2 step that day (D#-A#-D#).  I needed it a little higher than usual to do the song when I sat down to record.  That happens to me all the time. 

Desert Lullaby

A beautiful contemporary lullaby by Christopher Vann Stuart. 

The best (in my opinion) version with no instrumental accompaniment but gorgeous harmonies.
Desert Lullaby on YouTube

My song sheet of lyrics and dulcimer chords used to sing this song
Desert Lullaby Song Sheet

My YouTube video of Desert Lullaby on dulcimer
Desert Lullaby on dulcimer

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams

In Wikipedia, it is written that Hank Williams recorded the song in 1949 and the lyrics were originally meant to be spoken, as was his style in other recordings.  However, there is an interesting piece of information:
According to "Paul Gilley: Ghost Writer in the Sky," by Kentucky historian W. Lynn Nickell, Gilley sold the song to Williams with all the rights, allowing Williams to take credit for it.
^{Wikipedia "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"}
Reading more about Gilley, he wrote a number of hits sung by other artists and drowned at the age of 27 in 1957. Here is some info on him Brief info on life and career of Paul Gilley

Here is my  TUTORIAL, illustrating chords used for accompaniment and a basic strum
Lonesome - video TUTORIAL

Here is my song sheet for my simply accompanied version of the song
PDF of SONG SHEET I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry

Here is the YouTube Video of my version I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry on dulcimer - Janene Millen

John Sackenheim's tablature book "The Mountain Dulcimer Plays Hank Williams"
John Sackenheim sells several tablature books of country and gospel music of which I own several. Full disclosure, the simple chorded version I use to create my song sheet was not taken from his tablature book. I collect tablature books which have taught me so much at times in my life where I was completely isolated from other dulcimer players. I especially appreciate those who make the effort to procure copyright clearances to offer contemporary songs and their efforts should be supported IMHO.

Musical Influences

I thought I'd offer some of the names of people that inspired me to attempt singing, somewhat later in life (in my 50s)  Started singing with dulcimer about 9 years ago.  I can trace that desire to a single song.  I had just discovered the English folksinger Kate Rusby and she was singing You Belong To Me, a pop tune.You Belong to Me - Kate Rusby (YouTube)  I actually felt her singing vibrate in my chest.  I HAD to work it out on the dulcimer so that I could find a way to be part of it rather than just listen.  I believe this was my first "arrangement" of a song to sing with the dulcimer.  I've since changed it, but I have to acknowledge my earliest efforts. You Belong to Me - Janene 2009

I don't listen to the radio much (unless it's a talk show).  I don't have the patience to sit through songs I don't absolutely love.  I discover songs from exploring on YouTube, iTunes, Spotify. Discovering one artist's repertoire would lead to the discovery of another, more songs, more artists etc. etc. When I discovered the ipod over 10 years ago...it enabled me to be totally absorbed in the songs I loved so much, over and over again. I never went anywhere without it; long walks from a parking lot to a destination, under the dryer getting my hair "done", in the waiting room at the doctor's office, in line at the DMV....I do watch quite a few movies, and LOVE dance TV shows and often freeze frame to jot down the name of a song I heard, identified in the credits.

Here is a sampling of some of the voices I particularly enjoy.  If you've responded to my choice of songs, you might explore some of these people whose music inspired me to try.

Mary Dillon The Green Fields of Canada
Cara Dillon Johnny, Lovely Johnny
Karine Polwart Dowy Dens of Yarrow
Mae McKenna Mirk, Mirk is the Midnight Hour
Dierdre Connolly (with Cherish the Ladies) Erin Gra Mo Crois
Mary Black Both Sides the Tweed
Patty Griffin Rain
Alison Krauss When You Say Nothing At All
Cathie Ryan Ned of the Hill
Emmylou Harris Boulder to Birmingham
Bonnie Raitt Love Has No Pride
Cathie Ryan Ned of the Hill
Mary Black Both Sides the Tweed
Heidi Talbot If You Stay

I LOVE harmonies:
Wailin Jennys One Voice
Cox Family Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown
Church Sisters Wild Flowers
Dixie Chicks God Speed
the Judds

Teddy O'Neill - Traditional

A traditional Irish song written around 1840 and most likely comes from the North of Ireland.  The lyrics in the first verse suggest it's all a dream but by the third verse, it's an apparent reality for Nora, as her true love leaves on a ship. 

I first learned this song from a dulcimer tablature book.

Waltzing with the Dulcimer

By Tull Glazener
http://www.tullglazener.com/BK002-Waltzing_Tull-Glazener.htm

 

Teddy O'Neill, simple melody notation

Mudcat.org lyrics and simple melody in musical notation

 

My PDF SONG SHEETS, downloadable:

 Teddy O'Neill SONG SHEET (lyrics, chords, fingerpicking)

Teddy O'Neill SONG SHEET (lyrics and chords)

 

Videos

Dolores Keane on YouTube

a deeply sung version of Teddy O'Neill

 

Teddy O'Neill - Janene Millen YouTube Video

 

 

If you wish to learn the instrumental of the song, for dulcimer, I recommend Tull's book "Waltzing with the Dulcimer"

 

Lyrics

I dreamt all last night  O bad cess* to my dreaming!
I'd die if I thought 'twould come surely to pass.
I dreamt while the tears down my pillow were streaming
That Teddy was courting another fair lass.
And didn't I wake with a weeping and wailing;
The grief in my heart was too deep to conceal.
My mother cried, "Nora, dear, what is your ailing?"
But all I could answer was Teddy O'Neill."
I've seen the old cabin beyond the wee boreen*;
I've seen the old crossroads where we used to dance.
I've rambled the lane where he called me his storeen*
And my girlish heart felt the thrill of romance.
But now all around me is so sad and so dreary,
All dark and all silent -- no piper, no reel.
Not even the sun through my casement shines cheery
Since I left my darling boy Teddy O'Neill.
Shall I ever forget when the big ship was ready
And the time it was come for my love to depart?
How I cried like a child, "Oh goodbye to you, Teddy,"
With a tear on my cheek and a stone in my heart.
He said 'twas far better his fate he went roving,
But what would be gold to the joy I would feel
If he'd only come back to me, tender and loving,
Though poor, but my own darling Teddy O'Neill
(cess=luck, in this case bad luck)
(stor = treasure; storeen is diminuative) (boreen = small country lane)

My SONG SHEET BASICS

Dulcimer SONGS, deconstructed.
I’ve decided to post my own song sheets for arranging and learning various SINGING SONGS on the dulcimer.  I may also include a learning video where I demonstrate the song in small chunks. 

Basic Overview
When I find a song I want to learn on the dulcimer, I listen to many versions of the song.  I used to primarily use Apple’s ITunes software to sample a lot of versions and then purchase one or more that I particularly liked, and loaded them onto my iPod (this started about 7 years ago).  I took my iPods everywhere and if I had to park a long distance from my workplace (or anywhere), sat in the Dr’s office, waited in the line at the DMV (you get the picture) I’d pull out the iPod to listen. I think you  must absolutely know the melody cold to work it out on the dulcimer.  I usually choose songs that are unfamiliar to me initially, but have melodies I am drawn to.

I now use Spotify to discover artists I may like, and hear many many versions of songs I want to learn.  The variety of arrangements inspire my own instrumental breaks, intros, and outros for the songs. I often listen to Karaoke versions of the songs to hear what an accompaniment can sound like.  I rarely play melody under my singing of the melody but rather save that for an instrumental break mid-way through the song. A pared down chord series is best suited normally.

The Song Sheets

I create my own song sheets, on Excel spreadsheets, and they usually include:

• The tuning I use

• Whether I strum or fingerpick the song

• The first 3 or 4 notes of the melody

• The verses, color-coded and staggered so that I only have to indicate the chords once…by line of the verses.

I may add commas, underlines, dashes etc. to help with difficult phrasings in some of the songs. A mark where a breath should be taken can also be useful….adequate and well-placed breaths are most difficult for me.

I’m a whiz at Excel through my former work life…but if writing out by hand, I would recommend using graph paper and colored pens/pencils. Or pre-print your own “tab” sheets…series of 3 lines repeated on a sheet,  to work out notes and chords. I've posted a video explaining the set up of a SONG SHEET on the computer (using Excel) Song Sheet Set Up

(added 3/23/2020)
I made a tutorial on the basics of setting up a song sheet (as I do) using EXCEL spreadsheet software.  You can see the tutorial, here on YouTube
EXCEL tutorial video


The Learning Videos

Depending on my energy level, I may produce a video demonstrating a song in chunks, chords used and suggested picking or strumming patterns :-)

When I call out chords…I’ll try to call out the chord fingerings from top string going down…bass to treble (i.e. 3-1-0 for a G chord)….furthest away string to nearest string.  I may mess up sometimes….but in the interest of being consistent, I’ll try to do this.

I’ll start with the most basic interpretations of the song….simplest chord structure and strum first…adding embellishments or more varieties of strum or picking patterns after the basics are introduced.

I’ll indicate the chords used in the song first, and the strum or picking patterns used for isolated practice.

I may not play through the entire song uninterrupted…I have full versions of all the songs I’ll deconstruct, available on my YouTube Channel Janene M.  I have over 100 songs and tunes posted there. These versions may be a little rough…they were filmed the first time I got through the song, while learning it myself, from my own notes. My inclination is to learn a song, document it, record it for memory purposes…and move on to another song. These are not, nor ever have been, meant as performance videos.

 

La Vie En Rose - Edith Piaf

This song was written in 1945 by Edith Piaf herself and became her signature song.  The title literally means life in pink, or basically, through rose-colored glasses. La Vie En Rose - Wikipedia
My freshman year in college (I think) I read a Cosmopolitan magazine article about Edith Piaf's life and was so taken with the story and accounts of her incredible success, I quickly went to the library and found a CD of her music and fell in love with every song.  I think of it as a cabaret song.

Inspired by the many versions I heard and saw performed on YouTube, AND having earlier purchased and played from a copy of an arrangement made by Tull Glazener for dulcimer Tull's workshop CD series for La Vie En Rose, I decided to attempt my own simple arrangement in a key that I could sing myself.  I play it using a 1+ fret.

La Vie En Rose - lyrics and chords

If you would like to play the song as an instrumental, I recommend you purchase Tull's arrangement.

Goodnight My Someone - Meredith Willson

from The Music Man

I don't have much a story behind this song, except I've always loved it.  Had it worked out on the dulcimer in a higher register but was very difficult to play and sing at the same time. When I traced the chords I had "created" to make it sound right to my ear, I found these chords identified in my chord reference as Am6, Em6, E7,A7, Am G, D

I realized I now use the 1+ fret a lot, and decided to find the melody in a lower register. I found that playing it in 'G' was workable for my limited range.  This "arrangement" is strictly a chord arrangement to enable me to sing this song.  It is not tablature of the melody.  This is how I make a SONG SHEET to best sing a song.  I hadn't planned on offering this song in a TEACHING VIDEO so you are left to your own devices.

Short anecdote:  In the late 70s I was working in a southern California small city where the youth theater group put on a production of The Sound of Music during the summer.  I was told after one of the performances, that Meredith Willson was in the audience of our little 500 seat auditorium.  He evidently liked to go to community theater performances of his music, when he could.

Goodnight My Someone SONG SHEET
The simple chord accompaniment is hi-lited in YELLOW
You need a 1+ fret for this arrangement

Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

My version of this song is not based on obtaining the chords that Cyndi used when she wrote and recorded this song, but rather I worked out the chords myself or found them on a guitar chord and lyric page on-line.  I really can't remember. The videos and pdf forms available through this blog, are offered for teaching purposes only.

Of course Cyndi's own version (on dulcimer) (Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time) has influenced me, but my favorite version is by Eva Cassidy and I encourage you to listen.  Unfortunately she is no longer with us but made covers of a lot of songs, and made them her own. (Eva Cassidy - Time After Time)

Can download or view the following:

• Time After Time SONG SHEET PDF This is NOT tablature.  I documented chords and lyrics here as I play and sing it.
  


• Time After Time CHORDS PDF
  


•  Time After Time - Janene Millen MP4.  Video of complete song
  


• Time After Time TEACHING VIDEO
  


• Time After Time Video NOTES PDF Teaching Video PDF of "notes" these are diagrams of suggested picking and strum patterns used in the song, as well as a diagram of the basic intro used.  These NOTES appear as overlays in the TEACHING VIDEO
  

Disclaimers:
On the CHORD SHEET there is an 'A' chord listed with a 4-2-1 fingering. This was listed and mentioned on the video IN ERROR.  Please ignore.  This chord is not used in the song.

This was my first effort at making a teaching video...and it was tedious.  What I plan to gain from this entire process is some more knowledge about my movie editing software..and to gain experience in trying to convey what I am doing.  Harder than you'd think.  You will no doubt find errors.  Hopefully I will improve as I continue doing this.

Thanks for dropping by