Roll Down/Sweet Ladies of Plymouth music

Subject: Roll Down/Sweet Ladies of Plymouth music
From: DMcG
Date: 25 May 24 - 08:52 AM

I have recording and lyrics for this song from Peter Bellamy's "The Transports" but have not been able to track down sheet music and/or ABC notation for it.

Can anyone direct me to it?

Subject: ADD: Roll Down/Sweet Ladies of Plymouth
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 May 24 - 03:28 PM

I know this isn't what you want, Dave. But we try to make sure we have the lyrics for every song that's talked about.

Sweet Ladies of Plymouth
(also known as Roll Down and Around me Brave Boys)

The late Peter Bellamy wrote this as part of his now legendary folk opera Transports, first performed in 1978 with cast that included The Watersons, Martin Carthy, Nic Jones, A. L. Lloyd, June Tabor, Cyril Tawney and Dave Swarbrick. This song was sung by Bert Lloyd, playing Abe Carman in a story based on two convicts transported to New South Wales with the first fleet.
Sweet Ladies of Plymouth ("The Transports" Shanty)
Words and Music: Peter Bellamy

SWEET LADIES OF PLYMOUTH
(Peter Bellamy)

Sweet ladies of Plymouth we're saying "Goodbye",
Ro-o-oll down.
But we'll rock you and roll you again bye and bye,
Walk around m' brave boys and roll down.

And we will Ro-o-oll down,
Walk around m' brave boys and roll down.

Our anchor's a-weigh and the sails are unfurled,
And we're bound for to take her half way round the world,

In the wide Bay of Biscay the seas will run high,
And those poor seasick Transports will wish they could die.

When the Cape of Good Hope it is rounded at last,
The poor homesick Transports will long for the past.

And when we arrive off Australia's strand,
The poor weary Transports will long for the land.

And when we set sail for old England's shore,
Those poor stranded Transports we'll see then no more.

Then sweet ladies of Plymouth we'll pay all your rent,
And go roving no more 'til our money's all spent.

Exmouth Shanty Men: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owoHRsYEBu0

Source: https://www.exmouthshantymen.com/songbook.php?id=163

Shrewsbury Folk Festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=331YoodePks

Subject: ADD: Roll Down/Sweet Ladies of Plymouth
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 May 24 - 03:30 PM

SWEET LADIES OF PLYMOUTH
(Peter Bellamy)

Sweet ladies of Plymouth we're saying goodbye
Ro-o-o-ll Down
We'll rock you and roll you again bye and bye
Walk around me brave boys and roll down

And we'll ro-o-o-ll down
Walk around me brave boys and roll down

Our anchor's away and our sails are unfurled
Ro-o-o-ll Down

We're bound to take you halfway round the world
Walk around me brave boys and roll down

And we'll ro-o-o-ll down
Walk around me brave boys and roll down


Source: High Seas Folk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mprKmEG4qq0

Subject: RE: Roll Down/Sweet Ladies of Plymouth music
From: Reinhard
Date: 25 May 24 - 09:22 PM

This song ist *not* "also known as Roll Down". In Peter Bellamy's "The Transports" the title of this song is "Roll Down", and all re-recordings of "The Transports" and all recordings by serious artists (Cyril Tawney, John Roberts, The Young'uns) use the title "Roll Down".

On the original recording, "Roll Down" was sung by Cyril Tawney as The Shantyman, not by A.L. Lloyd as the Exmouth Shanty Men claim.

These are Peter's lyrics from his album:

ROLL DOWN
(Peter Bellamy)

Sweet ladies of Plymouth, we’re saying goodbye
      Ro-o-o-oll down!
But we’ll rock you and roll you again bye and bye
      Walk her round, my brave boys and roll down!
      And we will ro-o-o-oll down!
      Walk her round, my brave boys and roll down!

Now the anchor’s aweigh and the sails are unfurled
And we’re bound for to take her half-way round the world

In the wide Bay of Biscay the seas will run high
And the poor sickly transports they’ll wish they could die

When the wild coast of Africa it do appear
The poor nervous transports they’ll tremble with fear

When the Cape of Good Hope it is rounded at last
The poor lonesome transports they’ll long for the past

When the great southern whales on our quarter do spout
The poor simple transports they’ll goggle and shout

And when we arrive off Australia’s strand
The poor weary transports they’ll long for the land

And when we set sail for old England’s shore
The poor stranded transports we’ll see them no more

Then sweet ladies of Plymouth we’ll pay all your rent
And go roving no more till our money’s all spent

Subject: RE: Roll Down/Sweet Ladies of Plymouth music
From: DMcG
Date: 26 May 24 - 02:45 AM

Thanks for that, Joe and others, but it is the sheet music I am after, not recordings.   I just wanted to save the effort of having to transcribe it myself, and I wanted it to be as he wrote it, not with any embellishments people might have introduced while recording it.

As for the title: I agree the song's title is indeed "Roll Down" not "Sweet Ladies of Plymouth". The problem is that there are other songs also called Roll Down and I wanted to make sure people knew which one I was talking about. It would have been better if I had mentioned Peter Bellamy or "The Transports", I agree, but that assumes someone who knew where the music was also knew knew where the song came from. So I thought giving the first line would help people know which song I meant.

Anyway, not mentioning Peter or The Transports, was a mistake, I admit.

Subject: RE: Roll Down/Sweet Ladies of Plymouth music
From: Reinhard
Date: 26 May 24 - 05:32 AM

No worries, DMcG, I was only concerned about the inaccuracies on the Exmouth Shanty Men's page and didn't want them propagated here unchecked.

Sorry that I can't help with the dots.