Origins: Fathom the Bowl

Subject: Lyr Add: BOWL! BOWL! (FATHOM THE BOWL)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Feb 07 - 08:24 AM

Surprisingly, I can't find a version of this at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads. There's this, though:

From and article called "Old English Drinking Songs" in "The Gentleman's Magazine," 1907, viewable with Google Book Search.

BOWL! BOWL!

Come all you good fellows, give ear to me, come!
I'll sing in the praise of good brandy and rum.
Old ale and good cyder o'er England do roll.
Give me the punch-ladle, I'll fathom the bowl!

CHORUS: I'll fathom the bowl, I'll fathom the bowl,
Bowl! Give me the punch-ladle, I'll fathom the bowl.

My father he lies in the depths of the sea,
With the stones at his feet, but no matter to me;
There's a clear crystal fountain o'er England doth roll,
Give me the punch-ladle, I'll fathom the bowl!

From France there comes brandy, from Jamaica comes rum,
Sweet oranges and lemons from Portugal come,
Old ale and good cyder o'er England do roll
Give me the punch-ladle, I'll fathom the bowl!

[There is also a tune there that looks different from the one I've heard, but I don't read music very well.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: Tradsinger
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 09:21 AM

Hello Captain Ginger,

It's a version I collected from a family in Petersfield, Hampshire, about 35 years ago. I think it's a better tune than the one usually sung.

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 09:06 AM

My father he do lie in the depths of the sea,
With NO STONE AT HIS HEAD but what matter for he


Where did the rope come from ?

eric

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: Linda Goodman Zebooker
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 09:03 AM

I don't like the third verse, finding it gratuitously racist. When I next sing the song, I'm going to substitute a new verse.
Linda

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: Captain Ginger
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 08:44 AM

Not heard that tune before, Tradsinger; is that a Hampshire version?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: Tradsinger
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 04:39 AM

I put my version on youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kml1gT1C56Y

Enjoy

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: Barry Finn
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 12:15 AM

Most? You must be speaking for yourself Charlie. Cliff did bring a good bit to the fore front but a fair amount was already here in New England before Cliif's adorned these lovely shores.

I don't see a need for any changes, it's been sung & collected the same way for ages but if it suits someone's fancy to give it a twist, let her rip. If it sticks you'll know if it was a change for the better, if not, oh well.

Barry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: Effsee
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 09:36 PM

If it aint broke, don't fix it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 07:22 PM

Most of us in New England learned this song from Cliff Haslam's singing.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: GUEST,Gabe Heller
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 07:05 PM

I have that Cliff Halsam album, and there's another verse at the beginning you forgot!

Come all ye bold heroes, give an ear to my song!
I'll sing in the praise of good brandy and rum.
There's a clear crystal fountain near England shall roll.
Give me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: danleighton
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 05:34 PM

didn't know that first verse

ta for that.

don't worry I was just being pedantic about 'do' and 'does'.

what on earth does the clear crystal fountain bit mean?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: Ringer
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 01:40 PM

Doesn't anybody sing (what I know as) the first verse any more?

Come all my bold heroes, give an ear to my song; And we'll sing in the praise of good brandy and rum. There's a clear crystal fountain from England shall roll, Give me.. etc

Apart from "with a rope round his neck", I can't see a big difference.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: danleighton
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 06:33 AM

I wasn't worrying about it being "obsolete" merely bad english!

The version I posted uses obsolete verb forms - just not in that horrible cackhanded "Ye Olde Englande" way ;)

(No offence meant to anyone who likes that kind of thing...)

And it's the second verse that is mainly different.

Dan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: MMario
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 09:52 PM

?? I don't find this to be any more or less coherent then the version poseted in the DT...But I will admit I have a preference for "obselete" english and older verb forms...still, it's a perfectly singable version, so I guess that is what counts.

Subject: Fathom the Bowl - minor changes
From: danleighton
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 08:20 PM

just a couple of minor changes which we habitually sing.
I think they help the song make sense a little more and get rid of some of the doggerel english...

nice song this if sung in three or four part harmony
cheers

Dan


From France we do get brandy, from Jamaica comes rum,
Sweet oranges and lemons from Portugal come;
But beer and strong cider are in England's control,
Bring me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl.

cho: I'll Fathom the bowl, I'll fathom the bowl,
Bring me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl.

My father does lie at the bottom of the sea,
With a rope round his neck but no matter to me
For I've a flagon of strong cider myself to console
Bring me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl.

cho:

My wife she does disturb me as I lay at my ease,
For she does as she will and she says as she please;
My wife is the devil, and she's black as the coal,
Bring me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl.