patinagle16 | More Dwarves & Other Rounds

I recently heard from Evy Mayer, one of the three folks who wrote the words to "Elves," the Christmas version of "The Merrie Dwarves." (If you don't know what that is, go look in the archives.)

I was delighted to find out how that change came about. Evy recorded the "Elves" version of the song on her CD, Rounds Galore and More, Vol. II, available on her website. She learned the original song from Sol "Roundman" Weber, who also taught it to Christine Lavin, who recorded the "Elves" version on her Christmas album, which started this whole discussion.

Now, when Sol learned the song, the words were thus:

Hey ho, cried the merry dwarves

It's off to the woods we are

We'd like to stay, but time is short.

so the dwarves had already changed from "dum" to "short." I sure would love to know how that change happened. If you know, tell me! If you did it, don't worry, I won't hurt you.

Hearing from Evy reminded me of some of the other wonderful funny rounds I've heard, notably those of P.D.Q. Bach. They're recorded on his album The Intimate P.D.Q. Bach, a true classic. The track with the rounds is titled "The Art Of The Ground Round." These are rebuses (i.e. musical jokes, like "The Merrie Dwarves") and ribald ones at that. Be warned!

Ten pages today on the Chapter That Will Not End. Think I'm going to have to split it in two.