Season 474 - My Name is Carnival.

Working on this. All my text disappeared!!!


“I’ve seen your face in every place that I’ll be going
I read your words like black hungry birds
Read every sowing
Rise and fall. Spin and call, Here my name Carnival.”
So starts the song by Jackson C. Frank that this week’s Season is named after.

A couple of options for you this week.
Option 1: Any song sung, written or covered by singer songwriter Jackson C. Frank. Not a huge discography but plenty of gems in a career cut short by a series of tragic circumstances.
If he was a contestant on one of those crappy TV talent programs on these days - he’d be a shoo -in to get a start based on his “ sad back story” tm alone.
A couple of whole albums, as well as plenty of songs can be found on youtube. And. Chord charts for a few songs can also be found.
A brief video of his story.


Option 2: All things Carnival, Circus, Fair ground, Amusement park, Medicine Show, fete etc.
To make it even easier your song just has to contain a word in the lyrics that could commonly be associated with any of the above. Even if in the context of the song it is not directly about a circus etc.
For example “ Stuck in the middle with you “ with it’s line “clowns to the left of you” is indeed acceptable even though it is not referencing circuses in the song.
The only circus animals I will accept are – Lions, Tigers, Elephants and Monkeys. Again in any context. So “ The Lion sleeps tonight” is acceptable even though it’s not about a circus.
I enjoy the fact that as well as the fun side of these amusements popular culture has always dabbled in the dark side. Witness Tod Browning’s 1932 horror film “ Freaks”, the 1947 film noir “ Nightmare Alley”- Tyrone Power’s acting masterpiece (watch for free on youtube). A film in which the word “Geek” has it’s original somewhat sinister meaning. “ Geek” also occurs in this context in Dylan’s “ Ballad of a Thin Man”.
Ray Bradbury’s “ Something Wicked This Way Comes”…another example of the dark carnival.
So - light or dark.
Roll up, Roll up.
All the usual rules regards start and finish timing apply. See previous seasons.
Originals welcome but I would like these to be within the context of Carnivals, circus’s etc. not just containing a possibly unassociated lyric as I’m accepting for covers.
Collaborations, multi tracks, other instruments all ok. Just have some uke in somewhere.
No song limit. But if you do more than two circus songs you must then have a Jackson C. Frank for your third before you can do more circus songs..
Late week enthusiasts have plenty of time to get some in on Brian’s Singing season.
Cheers John - Playlist below
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBJ_WKUxx2a3_36sQaac7LjQkxofEtw-L

Sorry had a lot of trouble posting new thread. Hope it is finally ok.

That all sounds really interesting, John! I look forward to finding out about Jackson C. Frank ... I've never even heard of him!

This'll be a fun theme! Seems like I jumped the gun with the only Jackson C Frank song I know a couple of weeks ago though - I guess I'll just have to get to know more of them!

jackson c. frank - what a sad story. thanks for posting that vid about him. i look forward to discovering more of his music this week - great theme

Thanks Val and Lynda for the encouragement! And cheers Edwin. I had this idea for a while...when you posted Blues Run the Game I was hoping you wouldn’t give someone the idea for a J.C.F season before my turn.

such a great theme John
i was so buried in 60's folk for many years and discovered the songs of my life then
Patrick Sky in particular who i consider myself lucky to have exchanged emails w/ these past years
i've just taken a swipe at carnival but Bert Jansch's version from his Toy Balloon LP
is the best cover i have heard of this week's theme song
here:

I'm hearing a lot of recording artist I've never heard of.

mountain goat said:

such a great theme John
i was so buried in 60's folk for many years and discovered the songs of my life then
Patrick Sky in particular who i consider myself lucky to have exchanged emails w/ these past years
i've just taken a swipe at carnival but Bert Jansch's version from his Toy Balloon LP
is the best cover i have heard of this week's theme song
here:

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Yes Bert Jansch is terrific Jon. I like how he plays Yamaha guitars too. Probably irks some guitar snobs. I confess I don’t know Patrick Sky. Sounds as though I should. Looking forward to any JCF you do. You got the bones.

aspieman456 said:

I'm hearing a lot of recording artist I've never heard of.

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Hi Aman, is it Dave? from memory. Hope you might enjoy some new ones. Cheers mate.

Cheers for hosting this one John. This fella seems to have had as much tragedy in his life if not even more than the big Roy 'O' . He's someone I've not heard of but hey my musical knowledge of bands and songs Is pretty poor anyway as I was tunnel visioned on Rockabilly especially with the rockin' 80's revival and can probably count on one hand how many records I've ever brought outside of the Rockabilly genre so this will be a real challenge. RIP Ray Campi (rockin' god) who died three days ago . Cheers mate

freshly written - your season being the reason

thank you for this week john
a tasmanian redneck version of this season's theme song
(looking forward to hearing many more)
JCF was a wonderful songwriter + musician

mythinformed said:

Cheers for hosting this one John. This fella seems to have had as much tragedy in his life if not even more than the big Roy 'O' . He's someone I've not heard of but hey my musical knowledge of bands and songs Is pretty poor anyway as I was tunnel visioned on Rockabilly especially with the rockin' 80's revival and can probably count on one hand how many records I've ever brought outside of the Rockabilly genre so this will be a real challenge. RIP Ray Campi (rockin' god) who died three days ago . Cheers mate

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Good on ya Mark. Anything you get the time to do will be enjoyed by me.

Playlist added.

one from The Big O

Hi John - thanks for hosting mate - good to see you in the hot seat!
But here is an early dilemma for you: I did this collaboration with Mel Meow a couple of weeks back, and if you listen really carefully there is some picked baritone uke in the mix. It fits the theme - ferris wheels and circus crowds are mentioned in the lyrics. But as already mentioned we recorded it a couple of weeks back in anticipation of your chosen theme.
So... would you be willing to accept it for the season? Happy to go with whatever you decide - yes, I know I’m pushing my luck a bit here! Cheers matey!

Hello John, and thanks for the week! This was the second circus-related song I thought of - the first was "Lydia, The Tattooed Lady", but I've already done that! I hadn't realised that this one had so many verses ... I was thinking of doing them all, but decided that life was too short, so this is the abridged version. It tells the whole story, though ... sincere young man loses his girl to showy and unscrupulous circus performer. In the full version, it turns out that said trapeze artist ends up incorporating her in his act, whilst he stands on the sidelines, taking his ease ... THE CAD!!!

Flatbaroque said:

Dear Del,
Look mate I'm willing to accept only because I know you do have some psychic abilities and no doubt predicted my season choice. I've heard you even predicted the eighties was going to be a decade of good music....going against the all the respected wisdom of the time...oh Both Sides Now....great song looking forward to a listen.

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Haha - thanks mate - I knew you were gonna say that!
Really appreciate your leniency here - I’ll be a good boy for the rest of the week!