The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #9627   Message #1112829
Posted By: Long Firm Freddie
09-Feb-04 - 05:29 PM
Thread Name: Origin: Hill and Gully Rider-is there such a song?
Subject: Lyr Add: HILL AN GULLY
In a book called Mango Spice - 44 Caribbean songs chosen by Yvonne Conolly, Gloria Cameron and Sonia Singham, published by A & C Black of London, it gives the following:

HILL AN GULLY - Words and Melody Traditional Jamaican

Hill an gully rida,
(Hill an gully)
Hill an gully rida,
(Hill an gully)
An ah ben dung low dung,
(Hill an gully)
An a low dung bessy dung,
(Hill an gully)
Hill an gully rida,
(Hill an gully)
Hill an gully rida,
(Hill an gully)
An yu better mind you tumble dung,
(Hill an gully)
An yu tumble down yu bruk yu neck,
(Hill an gully)

The notes say Hill an Gully is a call and response song which used to be sung by workmen constructing new roads. In its topical way it refers to the uneven and hazardous terrain through which the new road had to be cut.

The response can be sung in unison or in two part harmony.

The thud of pick axes driven into the ground provided the accompaniment to the song... as the leader sang out his call, the pick axes were raised for the next downward swing.

LFF