Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman

Subject: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 05:37 PM

Do Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman have a tour schedule available anywhere on the Internet? Christina and I saw them Friday night at a house concert in Davis, California. As usual, they were terrific. As an extra treat, I knew half the people in the audience, and got to introduce my bride to them.
But back to Dave and Anni and their darn good concert. It was mostly the new stuff that you'll find on their 2002 CD, Away From It All. There's no mention of the CD on their Website, which seems to be quite out of date. Here are the cuts on the CD - I'll link to at least some of the lyrics later.

1. Old Figurehead Carver (Rev. Hiram Cody/Dick Swain)
   
2. Race of Long Ago (C. Fox Smith/trad)
   
3. Gyetside Lass (J. Wilson)
   
4. Dutch in the Medway (Kipling/Bellamy)
   
5. Is Me Team A-Ploughing (A.E. Housman/Dave Webber)
   
6. New Season's Love
7. Derwentwaters's Farewell (trad)
   
8. Old Ship of Mine (Arden/Pelosi)
   
9. Joy of Living (MacColl)
   
10. Contentment (Drive Dull Care Away) (trad)
    
11. Song of the Sea (Shearman)
    
12. My Boy Jack (Kipling/Bellamy)
    
13. Lady Margaret (trad)
    
14. Catch Me If You Can (trad)
    
15. Nelson's Lament (trad)

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Other songs in the concert were a song about a camp follower named Dolly Coxon, a Devon song about a goose fair, and a nice rendition of Barbara Allen. Let's see what else - after the intermission, there was an interesting version of Lord Randall I haven't heard before (better to have toads for your meat than to eat of the Wild, Wild Berry); something about mighty horses winning one's heart. There was also a great Geordie song about going to "Californiey" - I wish that one had made it onto the CD. Of course, there were the favorites like "O My Love Is Gone," and "My Lady of Autumn."
Great concert. I hope many of you get to see them on this tour.
-Joe Offer-

You'll find a nice article about Dave & Anni here (click).

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 05:45 PM

I'm also going to use this thread to index songs recorded by Webber & Fentiman.

• May Song
• Limehouse Reach (Fox-Smith)
• London River (Shearman)

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 05:45 PM

That'll be Tavistock Goosey Fair, I imagine - "and it's oh, and where be you going, and what be you doing of there?" This is part of the Webber-Fentiman North-South cultural exchange (as is Californie) whereby Dave learns to sing in Geordie and Annie sings songs from the West Country. Great stuff - hope you enjoy it.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 05:55 PM

I really need those lyrics to "Californie," Kitty. See what a good guy I was to add a link to "Tavistock Goosey Fair" to your post?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Peg
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 05:55 PM

I am seeing them at a house concert in Massachusetts this Wednesday and can't wait!!!

peg

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Micca
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 06:01 PM

Peg, get them to sing Dick Swains song about the Marco Polo. I think it is the one Joe calls the Figure head Carver up above, It is Just Bloody amazing!!!

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 06:26 PM

They used to be local but they moved up North. Lovely people.If you have the chance to see them,then do so.

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 06:45 PM

Next Tuesday, I'll be seeing them at a house concert in New Hampshire.

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 06:47 PM

The Dolly Coxon song is a well-known North Eastern song called Dol-li-a. You'll find it in the Northumbrian Minstrelsy and in Songs And Ballads Of Northern England for example.

Mick

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 06:47 PM

Last was me.

Mick

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 07:34 PM

Anni gave a littlle speech about how Dolly pawned her sark, but that most versions (including the one in the DT) cleaned the song up and had Dolly pawn her shirt.
In the "Old Figurehead Carver" song, part of the chorus is "I will carve the music of the wind into the wood." Nice, eh?
Oh, they also sang By the Bright Silvery Light of the Moon (Byrne), and Row On.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: IS MY TEAM PLOUGHING? (Housman/Webber)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 07:43 PM

Here's the A.E. Housman text from "Is Me Team A-Ploughing,", from A Shropshire Lad. Webber changes it a bit. The power of the peom is greatly enhanced by the tune, I think.

IS MY TEAM PLOUGHING?
(A.E. Housman)

"Is my team ploughing,
    That I was used to drive
  And hear the harness jingle
    When I was man alive?"
  
  Ay, the horses trample,
    The harness jingles now;
  No change though you lie under
    The land you used to plough.
  
  "Is football playing
    Along the river shore,
  With lads to chase the leather,
    Now I stand up no more?"
  
  Ay, the ball is flying,
    The lads play heart and soul;
  The goal stands up, the keeper
    Stands up to keep the goal.
  
  "Is my girl happy,
    That I thought hard to leave,
  And has she tired of weeping
    As she lies down at eve?"
  
  Ay, she lies down lightly,
    She lies not down to weep,
  Your girl is well contented.
    Be still, my lad, and sleep.
  
  "Is my friend hearty,
    Now I am thin and pine,
  And has he found to sleep in
    A better bed than mine?"
  
  Yes, lad, I lie easy,
    I lie as lads would choose;
  I cheer a dead man's sweetheart,
    Never ask me whose.
  

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: GUEST,lamarca
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 09:26 PM

Uh, Joe - a sark IS a shirt - it's the Scottish form. Most Scots versions of Scarborough Fair have the lover asking for a cambric sark; a "Cutty Sark" was a torn and tattered shirt that barely covered the nubile charms of the lassy wearing it.

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 09:55 PM

Well, maybe, LaMarca - but you don't see people wearing shirts very often without wearing something below the waist - so "shirt" tends to give a less risque impression - at least in the eyes of this male...
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DUTCH IN THE MEDWAY (Kipling)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 11:00 PM

THE DUTCH IN THE MEDWAY

(1664-1672)

Rudyard Kipling

IF WARS were won by feasting,
    Or victory by song,
Or safety found in sleeping sound,
    How England would be strong!
But honour and dominion
    Are not maintainéd so,
They’re only got by sword and shot,
    And this the Dutchmen know!

The moneys that should feed us,
    You spend on your delight,
How can you then have sailor-men
    To aid you in your fight?
Our fish and cheese are rotten,
    Which makes the scurvy grow—
We cannot serve you if we starve,
    And this the Dutchmen know!

Our ships in every harbour
    Be neither whole nor sound,
And, when we seek to mend a leak,
    No oakum can be found,
Or, if it is, the caulkers,
    And carpenters also,
For lack of pay have gone away,
    And this the Dutchmen know!

Mere powder, guns, and bullets,
    We scarce can get at all,
Their price was spent in merriment
    And revel at Whitehall,
While we in tattered doublets
    From ship to ship must row,
Beseeching friends for odds and ends—
    And this the Dutchmen know!

No King will heed our warnings,
    No Court will pay our claims—
Our King and Court for their disport
    Do sell the very Thames!
For, now De Ruyter’s topsails,
    Off naked Chatham show,
We dare not meet him with our fleet—
    And this the Dutchmen know!

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found at this site.

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 11:12 PM

For the text of The Wild Wild Berry (posted by a certain Joe Offer) and some information about its source (from me), see this earlier thread: Lyr Req: The Wild Wild Berry

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I knew that song sounded familiar. I added a link up above. Thanks, Malcolm.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 11:28 PM

Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman will be in the Washington, DC area on Saturday, November 9th, under the auspices of the Folklore Society of Greater Washington (FSGW). The concert will be at the Knox Presbyterian Church in Falls Church (on US 50 two lights in from the Beltway) at 8:00 p.m. Further details may be had at the FSGW website..

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 02:35 AM

Ask them to do one of Rod Shearman's songs... they're producing a book of his writing, there were several requests for lyrics here last year. Anything would be good, but some of the best are his sea songs, 'The Big Fellow', 'London River' and my favourite, 'Here's to friends'.

LTS

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Jeri
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 08:15 AM

I goofed - the house concert I'm going to is in York, MAINE, not NH.

Here's London River: words and tune.

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Oct 02 - 07:56 AM

Monday 25th November they w-f, should be at the Herga for the club's charity night and if last nights open evening was any indication then with Kitty, Johnny Collins, Graeme Knights-plural- it'll be worth travelling for,not to mention Geo Papa-g 'the bard of Salonika' via Amersham, see him at St Albans this Friday with Roy Bailey if you have a ticket.

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Oct 02 - 08:13 AM

Yes, Jeri, Westhaven is in MAINE, MAINE, MAINE! Have a great time. I wish I could hear them as well but it's about an hour and a half drive on a week night one way.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman
From: GUEST,Kipling
Date: 29 Oct 02 - 08:32 AM

Does anyone have the words to the figurehead carver/ marco polo.

I think I first time I heard them sing it was at Lancaster Maritime festival, UK. It was a wonderful song sung by two excellently matched voices (in my opinion)

The words are beautiful and i'd really like to learn it.

I'd love the words if anyone knows them
Kipling

Subject: RE: Webber/Anni Fentiman Live on Radio 1:00 Today.
From: Jeri
Date: 02 Nov 02 - 12:31 PM

They're on Boston Public Radio, WGBH at 1:00 PM/1300 Mudcat time today. Listen live here. (There's a short "give us money" message first.)

The folks show is on as I type this.