December 2015
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 20, No. 12
Next Meeting Sunday December 6th 5:00pm
This will be the Christmas party, Please bring a dish to share.
We will have an open mic. Thanks to Matthew Campbell for bringing his sound system!!
The International Songwriter’s Guild meets at 5 PM on the first Sunday of every month at the Central
Florida Musician’s Union building, 3020 East Robinson (at the extreme east end of Robinson, near
Orlando Executive Airport) in Orlando.
Songwriters, composers, performers, publishers, and the curious are encouraged to join us.
Non-members are invited to attend a meeting or two to get a feel for our group and what we do.
For more information, visit our website at www.tinyurl.com/isgsongs or myspace page at
The meetings will be structured as follows: 5:00 to 5:30, business and introductions. 5:30 to 6:00,
presentation by a guest speaker (when scheduled), 5:30 or 6:00 to 8:00, song critiques. Please bring a
CD or I-phone or mp3 player or perform your song live, and bring 10 or more lyric sheets. If we have at
least 5 songs by members who wish to be scored, and 6 members scoring, then we will have them entered
in the Monthly competition. Everyone is encouraged to write constructive comments on the lyric sheets.
Any Details not in this newsletter are at:
If you wish to join our Facebook group, please check us out at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/831814850193553/
And More Christmas Tales
By Jeff Mason
Last year I examined the inspiration and history of “Silent Night.” In keeping with that
tradition I’d like to take a look at some other Christmas favorites and an album which I believe will
become a winter classic. It’s possible to spend weeks researching the history of the popular carols.
The best place to begin is with Ace Collin’s “Stories Behind The Best Loved Songs Of Christmas.” It is
available at Amazon and other booksellers on the internet. It is an inexpensive and delightful read.
“God Rest You Merry Gentleman” dates back to the sixteenth century. This energetic dance tune
stands in direct contrast with the dark, joyless, Latin melodies presented by the fifteenth century
church. It is a pop song of it’s time and it’s author remains anonymous. The song is referred to in
Charles Dicken’s 1843 classic “A Christmas Carol.” The song must have have shocked the early church
when people danced to it. The words are interesting too. When modern people say, “merry” they mean
happy. In the fifteenth century the word meant great and mighty. The word “rest” had a different
interpretation. It meant keep or make. In modern English the line might translate to “God make you
mighty, gentleman.”
http://www.acecollins.com/books/storiesbehindchr.html
I don’t think of certain songs as Christmas songs. They appeal to me as winter songs. I would
place the song “Good King Wenceslas” in that category. It tells the story of a benevolent king
traveling the wintry countryside and providing charity to the poor. The story is based on the life of a
tenth century Bohemian duke who would become the first Czech saint. Although he may be considered a
Santa Claus type of figure, he was a young ruler when he was brutally murdered by his brother.
The melody is a thirteenth century spring carol, “Tempus adest floridum.” (“It is time for
flowering”). It was published in the 1582, Finnish song collection “Piae Cantiones.” English hymn
writer John Mason Neale wrote the words in collaboration with his music editor Thomas Helmore.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_King_Wenceslas It was published in 1853, in the book “Carols For
Christmas Tide.” The carol certainly reflects the season encouraging us to “bless the poor.”
A darker story appears in “The Girl With April In Her Eyes.” Appearing on Chris de Burgh’s
1979 album “Crusader,” it is at once a spring and winter song. “There once was a king who called for
the spring, For his world was still covered in snow.” Later the cruel king pays the price for his
miserliness and the humble man who helps the dying girl is rewarded for his generosity, “His field was
ablaze with flowers on the grave, Of the girl with April in her eyes.”
In 2009 English rocker Sting released his album “If On A Winter’s Night.” It is best
described in the CD liner notes, “Inspired by Sting’s favourite season. “If On A Winter’s Night” takes
traditional music from the British Isles as its starting point and evolves into a compelling and
personal journey with music spanning over five centuries (including two of Sting’s own songs).
An evocative collection of lullabies, carols and songs, Sting’s new album celebrates the many facets of
winter-before the snows melt and the cycle of the seasons begin once more.”
Rehearsed at Sting’s mountain top home in Tuscany, Italy. He has brought together a gifted
group of musicians from all over the world. Featuring traditional and exotic instruments, including
Sting’s own beautiful lute. One of the standout songs on the album is “Soul Cake” which I feel pays
appropriate homage to an earlier version by Peter, Paul and Mary. He takes a Robert Louis Stevenson
poem titled "Christmas at Sea" and places it over a beautiful, traditional Scottish melody from the Isle of Skye.
Now, thanks to the miracle of You Tube we can watch a complete concert at Durham Cathedral
recorded in 2009. It would be a perfect way to spend Christmas Eve with a mug of hot chocolate.
Especially for those of us transplants from a northerly clime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTQgKBPQkf0
Another year is almost done. See you at the Christmas party! December 6th at 5pm.
ISG Bulletin Board
Meeting space graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association, Local 389.
You are invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the interests of the professional
musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more information. You may reach them by phone at:
407-894-8666.
SusieCool has just completed her latest CD called "The Best of SusieCool"
17 songs for just 15 dollars.
Details at: https://sites.google.com/site/susiecoolsongs/Home/cd-information
Why isn't your gig announced here? Members in good standing
call SusieCool with your appearance schedule! 407-760-2153
Asli Goncer, SusieCool, Melanie Fisher, Jeff Evans, Kristen Bruno, and 4 songwriters from the NSAI
Orlando chapter will be doing a Showcase at the Sleeping Moon on Saturday November 21st at 7pm.
Sleeping Moon Cafe: 495 N Semoran Blvd Winter Park Fl.
There is a link to the flyer at:
https://sites.google.com/site/susiecoolsongs/Home/susiecoolgigs/sleeping-moon-nov21-2015
There is no cover charge, but you are encouraged to purchase some of their yummy food and drinks.
Also for anyone interested, Central Florida Folk hosts a song circle at the Sleeping Moon on the last
Wednesday of each month. 7 to 10pm. All are welcome. It is acoustic. They have a facebook page too.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Central-Florida-Folk-Song-Circle/139385302761066?fref=ts
On the third Wednesdays of each month we have a playing circle with the Fingerstyle Guitar Group in the
Community room of the winter Park Library. 460 E. New England Ave.-- Winter Park, FL 32789.
6 to 8:30pm. Songwriters are welcome, but we do try to play our fingerstyle songs and not use picks.
There is more info on the facebook group page.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/228147620559285/?fref=nf
Current members please send us your website info if you would like your site to be listed in the ISG
members page.
https://sites.google.com/site/isgsusiecool/home/links-and-recommended-reading/member-websites
Also if you have any songs that have placed first in the monthly critiques, please send the mp3's to
isgorlando@gmail.com if you would like to have them featured in the ISG MySpace page.
No critique scoring for November
New members always welcome!
© 2015 ISG