Subject: Lyr Add: THE FOLKSINGER (parody of THE BOXER) From: Moira Cameron Date: 23 Jul 98 - 01:52 PM THE FOLKSINGER (Fred Wedlock) (To the tune of THE BOXER, by Simon and Garfunkel)
I am a folk musician, but my songs are seldom sold
Seeking free food and expenses, I come looking for a gig, but I get no offers; CHO.: Lye lye lye, etc.
I left my home with a repertoire of my all-time favourite songs,
And when I sing traditional, I stick my finger in my ear
And in (insert place name), I clean forgot the 42nd verse,
I stand here on the stage—a folkie by my trade— |
Subject: RE: Speaking of the Boxer: Lyr Add From: Barbara Date: 23 Jul 98 - 04:41 PM Some friends of mine traded me a tape of a Fred Wedlock album for "The Vicar and the Frog" also in DT. He's an English guy, sounds like, and his album name is going to be entirely obvious: Out of Wedlock. Basically rowdy bawdy bar songs and parodies. This one is on it. Blessings, Barbara |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE BOXER (Paul Simon) From: Ralph Butts Date: 23 Jul 98 - 06:37 PM THE BOXER (Paul Simon) First recorded by Simon & Garfunkel on "Bridge over Troubled Water" (1969)
I am just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told.
When I left my home and my family, I was no more than a boy, Lie-la-lie...
Asking only workman's wages, I come lookin' for a job, but I get no offers,
[Now the years are rolling by me, they are rocking evenly. Lie-la-lie...
Then I'm laying out my winter clothes and wishing I was gone, goin' home,
In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade, Lie-la-lie...(8x)
- - - |
Subject: RE: Speaking of the Boxer: Lyr Add From: gatyam gal Date: 24 Jul 98 - 06:10 AM I always like a good re-write! This is a special song! Two weeks ago "The Human JukeBox" Gerri Grossman came to our town. He had been going across the country singing for crowds with different musical preferences for over 30 years! This man could sing virtually any song that we hollered up to him. The only difference is his act is billed as a comedy. I feel sorry for anyone who goes from bar to bar for a living as a serious musician! Another song like this one that I like is "You People Must Be Crazy!" It is about a travelling musician who is playing a gig up in Minnesota and it is the middle of a blizzard yet people still show up. Cute Song! Sincerely gatyam gal |
Subject: RE: Speaking of the Boxer: Lyr Add From: AndyG Date: 24 Jul 98 - 06:17 AM Fred Wedlock came to fame on the UK folk circuit at about the same time as many other "folk-comedians". It seemed to be a regional sort of thing, that is every region had it's own comedian. Fred was the West-Country version, just as Jasper Carrott came from the Midlands and Mike Harding from the North-West.
I believe the Boxer parody is entitled The Folker and the double-entendre would have been intentional.
"And in Sir Patrick Spence, I clean forgot the 42nd verse,
AndyG |
Subject: RE: Speaking of the Boxer: Lyr Add From: GUEST,Colin Sharpe Date: 15 Jan 08 - 11:24 AM I remember Jasper Carrott singing "The Folker" in his usual heavy Birmingham accent. His version was a little different from Fred Wedlock's original. I am a folk singer and my story's seldom told And I massacre folk music With a yard of German plywood and a capo I do requests Just the ones that have three chords in And I disregard the rest And with Burt Weedon's help one day I'll be the best. (Burt Weedon was a British guitarist who was moderately popular in the 1950s, but best known for a guitar instruction book called "Play in a day", which was the most popular book for beginning to learn guitar in the '60s.) Seeking twenty plus expenses I went looking for a gig But I got no offers 'Cept the come-on from a groupie down in Stepney I do declare I was feeling rather randy So I had ther then and there Lye de die lie de die lie de die I've sung the folk tradition with my finger in my ear 'Cos half the stuff I sing I just can't bear to hear, it's a load of cobblers Hour after hour I play my out-of-tune guitar lie de die lie de die lie de die In Sir Percy Spence I clean forgot the forty second verse So I sang the twenty seventh Twice as loud and in reverse and no-one noticed I laughed for hours 'Til the tears ran down me trouse leg I thought I'd wet me drawers Lie de die lie de die lie de die Now I'm gettin' it together man, it's really workin' out I'm smokin' black old holbourn resin And mainlinin' on draught stout and havin' hangups I must confess I'm havin' problems with me sex-life Since I fell and sprained me wrist And me other songs are twice as bad as this. (Old Holbourn was a popular cheap, dark, cigarette rolling tobacco in Britain, and draught stout is a generic name for draught Guinness and similar drinks. A parody of musicians smoking hashish and injecting heroin when they became rich and famous) I havn't heard this song for years, so if you read this, Jasper, please correct anything I remembered wrong. |
Subject: RE: Speaking of the Boxer: Lyr Add From: Leadfingers Date: 15 Jan 08 - 01:19 PM I'm Leadfingers Silver and my story's seldom told ! Thats where My Cat handle came from Fred had a Wonderful Reputation as a Stealer of other peoples material - Without permission ! I DO at least ask , and always credit MY sources ! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: GUEST,R Grange Date: 18 Sep 08 - 05:47 PM I remeber 1 other verse to The Folker it went. Onthe stage I stand a hero and a master of my trade and I carry a reminder of every gig I,ve playedin like last Tuseday at the Irish Club whenI fled in mmortal fear with imprint of a guiness bottle stamped across my ear. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Susanne (skw) Date: 18 Sep 08 - 06:48 PM Should be quite obvious whose version this is: My name is Iain MacKintosh, my story's seldom told I murder folk music With this long-neck banjo and five strings I do requests - just the songs that have two chords I disregard the rest, with Hamish Imlach's help one day I'll be the best Seeking five pounds plus expenses I went looking for some gigs But I got no offers Just a come-on from a groupie in Stuttgart I do declare I was feeling very sexy So I had her then and there - na na na na na na na na Lie la lie ... I have sung the folk tradition with my finger in my ear Because half the stuff I'm singing I just can't bear to hear such rubbish I've sung in bars to the rhythm of an out-of-tune Yamaha guitar - na na na na na na na na Lie la lie ... On the stage I stand a hero and a martyr to my trade I carry the reminder Of all the gigs I played in, like last Tuesday At the Irish Club in Glasgow where I fled in mortal fear With the imprint of a Guinness bottle stamped behind my ear Lie la lie ... Now I've got my thing together, man, I'm really freaking out I'm reading 'Melody Maker' Main-lining on draught stout and having hang-ups Unlike the rest I'm having problems with my sex life Since I fell and broke my wrist And my other songs are twice as bad as this Lie la lie ... From what Iain told me it seems he inclined to Leadfingers' view of Fred Wedlock. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: kendall Date: 18 Sep 08 - 07:39 PM My favorite parody |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Leadfingers Date: 18 Sep 08 - 10:12 PM Cap'n - Ask me nicely and I might even sing it for you at The Getaway |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Gurney Date: 18 Sep 08 - 10:16 PM Ah, memories. I used to sing the version that Jasper sings, including the verse that R. Grange remembered, and change bits for the location. I've got myself together, man, I'm really freaking out, smoking cannabis (Old Holbourne) and drinking pints of stout and having hang-ups; I'm like the rest I've had trouble with my sex-life since I fell and sprained my wrist, and my other songs are twice as bad as this! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: GUEST,OlSmoky Date: 18 Sep 08 - 10:18 PM I always thought Noel Murphy was the author. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Folkiedave Date: 19 Sep 08 - 03:19 AM And if it is the version of the Vicar and the Frog that I am thinking of it was written by Stan Crowther who became Mayor of Rotherham. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Rog Peek Date: 19 Sep 08 - 05:44 AM On Noel Murphy's album 'Caught in the Act', the track in question is labelled THE BOXER (THE FOLKER),and is simply credited to (Simon). There is another parody on the album of 'I WALK THE LINE (I PULL THE TWINE). Don't know if he was responsible for the words on this one, but again it is credited to the original writer (Cash). So, your guess is as good as mine - maybe better! Rog P.S. I remember Bert Weedon as being somewhat more than moderately popular! I believe he is still alive. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: pavane Date: 19 Sep 08 - 06:08 AM I can confirm that The Folker was alive and well in Dubai around 1980, too |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Leadfingers Date: 19 Sep 08 - 07:18 AM Noel Murphy is another guy who never credited his sources for the songs he sang ! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Schantieman Date: 19 Sep 08 - 09:04 AM I was under the impression that the parody was written by the late Dave Turner, recently mourned in these columns..... When I used to sing this (in the 70s/80s), it went.... I'm Leadfingers Freedman and my story's seldom told But I massacre folk music with a yard of German plywood and a capo I do requests Just the ones that've got three chords in and I disregard the rest With Bert Weedon's help, one day I'll be the best Seeking twenty plus expenses I went looking for a gig But I got no offers Just the come-on from a groupie down in Clifton I do declare I was feeling rather randy so I had her then and there lai lai lai lai lai lai lai lai lai lai etc etc...v similar to that above as reported from J Carrott esq. The ballad in question is Sir Patrick Spens, which is real, worth singing and not, in fact, all that long! And the tobacco was Old Holborn (no 'u') - my grandfather used to smoke it! Ah...happy days! Steve |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Schantieman Date: 19 Sep 08 - 09:24 AM ...or maybe it was Steve Turner? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: kendall Date: 19 Sep 08 - 09:50 AM I sang this at a bluegrass festival back in 1980 or so, and the promoter thought it was not appropriate. No one else complained. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: kendall Date: 19 Sep 08 - 11:44 AM Leadfingers, I'll try to behave myself! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: goatfell Date: 19 Sep 08 - 12:02 PM the corries did this song |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Bo Date: 19 Sep 08 - 01:45 PM I've been always under the impression that "The Folker" was written by that fantastic song writer Miles Wootton. Am I wrong again? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: Leadfingers Date: 19 Sep 08 - 02:20 PM Definately NOT Miles Wootton , though thinking about it , it could well be Dave Turner - Fred W certainly didnt care who he stole songs from ! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: sapper82 Date: 19 Sep 08 - 03:56 PM From: Rog Peek - PM P.S. I remember Bert Weedon as being somewhat more than moderately popular! I believe he is still alive. Just for Rog:- The man himself! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Folksinger (parody of The Boxer) From: kendall Date: 19 Sep 08 - 04:48 PM Am I to understand that no one has copyrighted this? |
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