Thanks, Ray , for sticking up for me, as the "onlie begetter" of the song "FIDDLERS' GREEN",although as GoldenGob points out, Bill Meek did contribute the "Oilskins" in the chorus .. I originally wrote"Dress me up in me ABB SOCKS and jumper" ,until Bill pointed out that no-one outside Grimsby would know about these specialist fishermen's oiled-wool feet-protectors ...
      Geoff the Duck has the story of how the song was written pretty much correct ,except that there was no "competition" involved - Bill and I each went off independently and wrote a song - and when we turned up at the next "Broadside" rehearsal with two Fiddlers'Greens,Bill very kindly said he thought mine was the best,so that was the one we learned and sang..
    The song is certainly not consciously based on "Tarpaulin Jacket",although obviously that's where I got the idea for the first line of my chorus - and as far as I know the words and tune are original -although I will concede that the first line of my verse does bear a passing resemblance to "The Dark-eyed Sailor" (old songwriters' dodge - change the rhythm and they'll never notice ..)
    Most of the "alternative authors" given in that publishers' list are a mystery to me,although I did know that the Wolftones had recorded MY Fiddlers' Green,but didn't know they had put it down as "Trad" . Interesting... I haven't heard Tommy Sands' song "Flower of Fiddlers' Green" ,but I imagine it has something to do with the wonderful "Fiddlers' Green Festival" in Rostrevor ,which the Sands Family are instrumental in organising,and where I had the pleasure of singing some years ago.
Re "Three Score and ten" - yes ,Bill Meek and myself have both been flattered to have the song attributed to us,but it was in fact written by Grimsby fisherman William Delf in the 1880's.
Any further queries ,or alternative versions of "Fiddlers'Green"? Bring 'em along to my Songwriting Workshop at Whitby Folk Week ...
Hi Greg! Thanks for the burrito! - still trying to get a re-booking at Mystic Seaport!