Mike Kennedy and I have been working on "The Jolly Bargeman," a vintage canal poem by Cicely Fox Smith, adapting it for singing and I think we've got something of interest. Mike has a nice melody for the chorus but I have a different melody than Mike's for the verse, and I've done some minor revision of this World War 1 era poem. Here's a link to the song and the original poem on my website with a MP3 sample: click here for lyrics and MP3 Sample!

Here's the song with chords (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords):

Composed by Cicely Fox Smith, © 1919
Adapted for singing by Charles Ipcar, 5/23/10
Tune: Mike Kennedy chorus/Charles Ipcar verse

The Jolly Bargeman


Chorus:

C--------F-----------C--------------F-------------------G
And it's "Gee-hup, Mabel," we'll do the best we're able,
----------C-------------------------------------F----------------G
For the Country's took us over an' we're helping her to win,
-----C--------------------------------F----------------G
An' when this war is over, we'll all lay down in clover,
------------F-----------------------G---C-G--C--G7-C
An' we'll drink all together at the Na-vi-ga-tion Inn!


C-------------------------F------------------------C-----------------G
I've put the old mare's tail in plaits — now ain't she lookin' gay?
--------F------------G--C-----------------------F----C-G
Bright ribbons in her mane, you'd think it First o' May;
C----F--------------------C--------------------------F------------------G-C
For why? We're under Government, though it ain't quite plain to me
----------F------------C------------G----------------C
If we're in the Civil Service or in the Admiral-ty! (CHO)


Now I brought the news to Missis, an' to her these words did say:
"Just chuck your old broom-handle an' some rusty nails this way:
We're bound to have a flag-staff for our old red, white an' blue,
For now we're under Government we'll have our ensign too." (CHO)

Now the Navy is the Navy, and it sails upon the sea,
The Army is the Army, and on land it has to be;
There's the land an' there's the water, an' the Cut comes in between,
And I don't know what they'll call me if it ain't the Horse Marine. (CHO)

So the Missis sits upon the barge, the same's she used to sit,
But they'll have her in the papers now for "doin' her own bit":
And I trudge upon the tow-path here as proud as anything,
Though I haven't got no uniform, I'm serving of the King. (CHO)


Notes:

From Small Craft: Sailor Ballads and Chantys, edited by Cicely Fox Smith, published by George H. Doran Co., New York, US, © 1919, pp. 72-73. First published in Punch Magazine, Volume 152, May 16, 1917, p. 320.

This poem captures a moment in World War 1 when the British Government had issued an order mobilizing the canal bargemen into the war effort, replete with great detail.

My wife Judy captured the image of the horse-drawn canal boat heading under the bridge.

Always interested in comments if you have any.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble