Re: Writing Someone Else's Song (was: Pagey vs the Beatles)

[Travis Hartnett <travishartnett@gmail.com>]

http://www.iamthebeatles.com/article1158.html

Golden Slumbers

One day while Paul was visiting his father at his Cheshire home, he
began playing the piano, and looked through a songbook that belonged
to his stepsister, Ruth. (His father, James had remarried by this
time.) In this book he came across a traditional lullaby by Thomas
Dekker from the 17th century. But, as he was unable to read music, he
began to make up his own melody and new lyrics, and Golden Slumbers
was born.

Once there was a way, to get back homeward,
Once there was a way, to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby
Golden slumbers fill your eyes, smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby
Once there was a way, to get back homeward,
Once there was a way, to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby

On 5/10/05, goddard.duncan@mtvne.com <goddard.duncan@mtvne.com> wrote:
>  
> 
> >>"And what about "Golden Slumbers"?" 
> 
> I dunno; what *about* "Golden Slumbers"? Clue me in...<< 
> 
> mccartney reputedly lifted the words, but not the music, because he 
>couldn't
> read it, from something he'd been fond of as a child. I could check the
> exact details (lewissohn or mcdonald are the best references on beatles
> stuff) but it should suffice for this discussion that they are 
>non-original
> lyrics on a beatles album. 
>