THE DEMERITS ONE TWO THREE GO Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and fee, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon… It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. The repetition in Nature may not be a mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical encore. --G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy One Two Three Go was made over the last weekend of January 2010 entirely in a kitchen, without multi-tracking or special effects; the music happened in real life pretty much as you hear it on the CD. Our music is rooted in the Irish and American folk traditions of jigs, reels, fiddle tunes, blues, and songs. Even the more outlandish original compositions have their origin in one or more kinds of indigenous music. OK, then. About the tunes: ONE TWO THREE GO Composed by John Mortensen John wrote this tune one day at home after finding a really neat chord progression on the mandolin. The tune sounds like something wonderful is about to happen: hence the lyrics. Listen for a familiar hymn tune in there somewhere. THE OTTER CHOP Traditional. Arranged by John Mortensen Three traditional reels make up this set: Down the Broom, The Otter’s Holt, and The High Reel. The term chop refers to the rhythmic sound the fiddles make at 1:24 and elsewhere; it’s a down home rhythmic way of playing the fiddle and is derived from mandolin playing. KEEP MY SKILLET GREASY Traditional. Arranged by John Mortensen This is an old tune about hard times. John found it in a book somewhere. He wrote the second and third verses. Though the song comes from the American black tradition, this arrangement borrows from the European jazz style of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. Well, the times are very hard; gonna buy a sack of lard: Gonna keep my skillet greasy if I can. Gonna go to old man Gene’s, buy myself a sack of beans: Gonna keep my skillet greasy if I can. Chorus: If I can, can, can, if I can, can, can: Gonna keep my skillet greasy if I can. Well, my coffee’s about to boil: made of dirt and motor oil. Gonna keep my skillet greasy if I can. Now my coffee’s gotten cold, probably cuz it’s three days old. Gonna keep my skillet greasy if I can. Chorus Well, my pig looks also forsaken cuz tomorrow he’ll be bacon: Gonna keep my skillet greasy if I can. And my horse is acting blue cuz tomorrow he’s fondue: Gonna keep my skillet greasy if I can. Chorus MONKEYBRAINSHISHKEBAB Composed by John Mortensen This is a little instrumental named after a fine afternoon hiking in the woods. John’s kids noticed the osage oranges lying on the ground. One of them commented that they look like monkey brains. A game ensued involving the kids throwing osage oranges into the air and John trying to impale them on a dagger as they descended (the oranges, not the kids). Hence, the game was named Monkeybrainshishkebab. FAREWELL TO IRELAND Traditional. Arranged by John Mortensen and The Demerits A more traditional Irish tune you cannot find. Listen to it get faster as it goes. A TRIP TO GAZOOMINAW Composed by John Mortensen Gazoominaw is one of the many made-up lands created by John and Linda’s kids. At one point it was suggested that it was home to wild boars and other unspeakable dangers. One Irish tradition is to name tunes after trips (A Trip to Skye, A Trip to Dublin). While the main tune could be considered to resemble a jig, the composition quickly outstrips the usual confines of traditional tunes and wanders far and wide. THE JUG OF SWEDISH FISH Traditional. Arranged by John Mortensen Here are some jigs for you. The first is known as The Swedish Jig for reasons which are not entirely clear or trustworthy (possibly because of its odd harmonic wandering into the wrong key?). It is followed by The Ugly Fish, a willful and odd tune which tries to be in both six-eight and three-four time. Next comes the Jig of Slurs (known in Irish circles as The Jug of Slugs). For an ending we hear part of the Swedish Jig (the good part) one more time. SWEET IS THE SOUND Composed by John Mortensen John wrote this over Christmas break in 2009. The lyrics draw from an old-time folk tune called Cotton-Eyed Joe, the poetry of George Herbert (1593-1633), and the 150th Psalm. If you want to know what it means, you have to work it out for yourself. Get out your fiddle; your bow prepare: Play an old tune called Were You There? Wood becomes music, song springs from grain Only when touched by hammer and stain. Chorus: All that has breath, breathe out your part; Awake and play with all your art. Heaven come down, sky meet ground: sweet is the sound. Tune up your guitar; search for the chord: Play a new tune called All Things Restored. Like stretched sinews, by tuning stressed, So all strings must learn what key is best. Chorus LUCKEY HASKINS Composed by John Mortensen Luckey Haskins is an exit off I-75 in northwestern Ohio. It is a barren and desolate place in desperate need of interesting events. If someone made a movie about a fantastic story that took place there, this composition would be the film music. John loves the name because it sounds like it could be a guy’s name or possibly a board game. Or a ride at the county fair. LUCY’S REELS Traditional. Arranged by John Mortensen Some more traditional Irish tunes for you. They are: Lucy Campbell’s Reel, Lexie McAskil’s, Sporting Paddy, and The Barrowburn. SAM-N-EM Composed by John Mortensen John wrote this to give the fiddlers something to do. The first theme is played all together by the fiddles and mandolin. Then Emily gets a turn to solo. Back to the main theme. Then Sam has to shred a solo. Main theme. Then appears a joyful tune, which is more or less a reel in A major. The fiddlers play it together. Turns out playing together is even more fun than playing solos. ROUSTABOUT Traditional. Arranged by John Mortensen This traditional song is also known as Lulu Gal. It’s about a girl who is always in trouble, as told from the point of view of the guy trying to get her out of trouble. Where did you get them high top shoes? That dress that you wear so fine? I got my shoes from a railroading man. My dress is from a driver in the mine. Chorus: Hop high, hop high, hop high, my Lulu gal. I’ll pawn you my watch and I’ll pawn you my chain, I’ll pawn you my gold wedding ring, To pay my little Lulu’s fine, I’ll pawn you my wagon and my team. Chorus Where have you been, my pretty little gal? Where have you been so long? I’ve been in the pen with the rough and rowdy men, And honey, I’m going back again. Chorus