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#116-The Ballad of Sir Richard Rich (1991)
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The story of the Judas from A Man For All Seasons. I envisioned it as kind of Steel Eye Span style song
folk funny political sixties novelty gentle prolific idiosyncratic lehrer jefferson airplane ochs paxton steve goodman
Artist picture
Tom Paxton meets Jefferson Airplane. Extremely prolific singer songwriter with a wide range of styles from bizarre novelty tunes and surrealistic poetic songs t
With more than 300 songs and counting and for more than 30 years, I have written in a variety of acoustic styles from novelty tunes to love songs to historical ballads to poetic surrealistic songs to retro-acoustic pop. From bizarre to traditional from funny to poignant, whatever style the song is in, the melodies are usually memorable and the lyrics unpredictable. This site will eventually contain rough often first take demos of my entire song catalogue. Many of the earliest songs when I first started writing will of course be shaky. So expect the songs to get better as time goes on. Feel free to come back and browse often as I will constantly be adding songs, one by one in chronological order, starting in 1974. If you are looking for some unusual songs to cover from a little known but unique artist, you have come to the right place. Just e-mail me. If you find a song here that intrigues you, but you don't like a line or two, or you think it needs a bridge, drop me an e-mail and maybe you can earn writer's credit if it gets that song to be recorded or performed.... otherwise just enjoy. You can become a Rob Lincoln fan at no cost to you. I promise that if you keep coming back there will be some real surprises along the way. While mostly acoustic, some original material will veer into folk rock and even 60's pop, but the garage rock and loudest material will also be found in full band arrangement at soundclick.com/abrasiveflowers Eventually some of these 300+ tunes may be rerecorded and make it on to CD, including a novelty CD that would be suitable for Dr. Demento or an historical ballad CD or a political song CD--but until then, this is the only site you can hear most of these songs. (A few of my songs CAN be found on songramp.com/RobLincoln and myspace.com/lessickandlincoln)
Song Info
Genre
Rock Folk Rock
Charts
Peak #514
Peak in subgenre #35
Author
Rob Lincoln
Rights
1991
Uploaded
December 30, 2007
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.4 MB 128 kbps 3:44
Story behind the song
I watched A Man For All Seasons and was particularly upset about how Sir Thomas More was betrayed by his friend Richard Rich--(no not the guy from the Archies comic strip--that's Richie Rich). The song reallywas envisioned to be done in a British folk-rock style a la Steel Eye Span. It doesn't work as well solo as it has an unconventional structure. It is one of my very few songs without a chorus. Mp3 listeners gave this a 3.0 out of 5.0....Some comments included:"Not my cup of tea" "Chorus is needed or you need to further develop instumental riff over guitar interlude between verses, perhaps a fiddle"
Lyrics
Richard Rich was a friend of Sir Thomas More But he loved the gold and silver more And when he lay down at night He knew a richer rich would make it right In the year of 1530 Henry the 8th and Cardinal Woolsey They seemed to disagree And that was the end of old Woolsey In the year of 1531 Sir Thomas More he'd just begun To serve the king the best he could And do all that he knew was good In the year of 1532 Good King Harry finally knew That he must take another wife And if he must he'd take some life Who are we to judge King Henry? After all he was a king He went on to do what he wanted But for him we do not sing Sir Thomas More he did resign To retire from public life (About Henry) He never say he disagreed But everyone knew it to be In the year of 1533 King Henry slept uneasily Sir Thomas Cromwell and his men And Richard Rich they'd understand In the year of 1534 Sir Thomas More on dungeon floor he never did say any word But Richard Rich he swore he heard In the year of 1535 Sir Richard Rich he lied Took Thomas Cromwell's side So Thomas More he died Who are we to judge Sir Ritchie? His little lie bought him a fine career How could he know the others would soon be dead? And that Richard Rich would keep his head In the year of 1535 Sir Richard Rich he lied Took Thomas Cromwell's side And Thomas More he died And it's true now everyone of them is dead But Richard Rich he kept his head He lost his soul but kept his head
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