YHA Songbook
Travel Talk
I just learned that there is a YHA songbook.
YHA Songbook
The YHA Songbook was first published in 1952. Common room sing-songs were popular and the songbook was published by YHA as:
[INDENT]Many a common room sing-song has been marred because few of the hostelers know more than the first verses of the songs, and all too frequently the item that begins as a rousing chorus ends as a faltering solo. A few keen singers find a place in their rucksack or saddle-bag for a song book, but if as a result some half-dozen song books are available, it is usually found that they are all different and even the songs that are in common to several appear in differing versions.[/INDENT]
The songbook only contained the lyrics, not the music, the assumption being that someone would know the tune.
Has anyone seen it before? Are the lyrics about hostels?
- Comments
15 years
It looks like YHA Australia mentions a songbook too:
http://sites.google.com/site/yhabushies/equipment
15 years
I have it!
Not about hostels at all. Mostly the type of songs that we used to learn in school, and which are oh-so-out of fashion nowadays. Mainly English folk and known-author songs from traditional to 1900s, all very singable. And a few Welsh, since it's the Youth Hostels Association (England and Wales).
There was also an international one, which I also have, which is probably the one that Klaus referred to. That does have a good few Wanderung-type songs.
When I get back home I'll give you some more info if you want it.
At Olembia hostel in Melbourne last week, someone had a guitar on several nights and there was a quasi-sing song, but limited to 2 or 3 modern songs that the guitar players happened to know.
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