Welcome to the Greenblatt & Seay Songbook, an assortment of 27 zany tunes lovingly crafted over the last four and a half decades by the lawfully wedded team of Debby Greenblatt & David Seay.
Video recordings of some of these songs and audio recordings of most of the other songs are available on our website.
As you play and sing these tunes, you will experience songs inspired by Debby’s own childhood (“The Baby Goes to Boston”, “Flyers On the Wall”, “Running Aground”), songs inspired by David’s college years (“Flea-Bitten Blues”, “Thunder Roll”, “Train Songs”), songs inspired by our children (“Gonna Getcha Train”, “Same Songs”, “I Wish I Were a Sailor”), songs inspired by our village of Avoca, Nebraska (“The Avoca Polka”, “Play Harmony”, “Quackoff”, “The Milk Cows Know”), songs inspired by real people (“Alice Johnson’s Jig”, “Drifter Dog, M.D.”, “Who Will Marry Harry”), and songs with advice (“Ask a Meeske”, “Don’t Sing at the Table”, “Mom Said”).
The songs are notated in treble clef, and they include chords, and lyrics for all the verses. The stories behind the tunes are in the back of the book, so you can understand the motivation behind the songs.
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“Acapella in Acapulco” by Greenblatt & Seay “Alice Johnson’s Jig” by Greenblatt & Seay “Ask a Meeske” by Greenblatt “The Avoca Polka” by Greenblatt & Seay “The Baby Goes to Boston” music by Greenblatt* “Bitch Creek” by Greenblatt “Coffee, Coffee, Coffee” by Greenblatt & Seay “Don’t Sing at the Table” by Greenblatt “Drifter Dog, M.D.” by Greenblatt “Fixin’ the Furnace” by Greenblatt & Seay “Flea-Bitten Blues” by Seay “Flyers on the Wall” by Greenblatt “Gonna Getcha Train” by Greenblatt & Seay “I Wish I Were a Sailor” by Greenblatt & Seay “The Milk Cows Know” by Greenblatt & Seay “Mississippi River” by Greenblatt & Seay “Mom Said” by Greenblatt & Seay “The Old Lady Who” by Greenblatt & Seay “Overalls” by Greenblatt & Seay “Play Harmony” lyrics by Seay** “Quack Off” by Greenblatt & Seay “Running Aground” by Greenblatt “Same Songs” by Greenblatt & Seay “Thunder Roll” by Seay “Train Songs” by Seay “True Love” by Seay “Who Will Marry Harry” by Greenblatt & Seay
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= Poem by Laura E. Richards (circa 1902) |
“Deborah Greenblatt and David Seay have self-published a delightful collection of whimsical and entertaining original songs, written between 1975 and 2015. Each of the 27 songs is published over two pages - one page contains a vocal line written in treble clef, and the other, song lyrics and chord symbols. In the back of the volume, Greenblatt & Seay have provided charming anecdotal stories about the origins of each song. It is fascinating to read about each selection and, through those descriptions, to learn more about this couple who have been composing and performing for nearly 50 years.
Appropriate for singers, guitar, fiddle and most C instruments, these songs are perfect for avocational musicians who appreciate traditional storytelling through song. Accessible to intergenerational groups, this collection is a welcome addition to the canon of traditional music for teachers, students, community singers and families who enjoy making music together.
The musicians’ website contains recorded examples of most of the songs. In addition, videos of them performing selections from this collection further illustrate the adaptability and flexibility to combine a virtually endless combination of traditional instruments for individual and unique accompaniment. The lyrics with clever rhymes and catchy melodies are memorable and charming.
These modern-day troubadours have crafted a volume of songs that can be performed and enjoyed by many groups of musicians. These are all original works that are not available except through the composers’ website.”
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