Lyr Req: Rawtenstall Annual Fair - extra verse

Subject: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: GUEST,Charley O'Neil
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 01:42 PM

Anyone ever come across a verse for Rawtenstall Annual fair which is about a bearded lady ? I'm sure I once heard it sung, but can't find it in print or on recording . Can anyone help ?

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 01:55 PM

Mike Harding quoted the extra verse in his compilation of Lancashire songs "Folk Songs of Lancashire" published by Whitehorn in 1980 (details from his website). I no longer have a copy, alas, and I think it must be out of print by now. As far as I can remember the verse was about someone setting fire to the lady's beard and her running off.

LFF

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: The Sandman
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 05:33 PM

Roll up, roll up, see the tattooed lady
See the lovely lady all the pictures on her skin.
In went the lads and they all gave a cheer
'Cos tattooed on her back was all the towns of Lancashire
There was Oswaldtwistle Manchester City
The town hall standing in the square.
There was Bolton Burnley, Ashton under Lyne
Coal pit up at Wigan was looking mighty fine
But SOMEONE SHOUTED DADDY DON'T GO DOWN THE MINE
At Rawtenstall Annual Fair.

Hope this is what you are looking for. Dick Miles

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: The Sandman
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 05:43 PM

Right, sorry here it is.

Roll up, roll up, see the bearded lady
See the lovely lady dressed in nothing but her beard
In went the lads and ee but she were bold
'Cos she'd nothin' but her whiskers on to keep her from the cold
Well little Ben Brown he bent down
And he tied the lass's whiskers to her chair
THEN HE SHOUTED FIRE, FIRE
Just to give the lass a scare
She buggered off and left her whiskers there
And ee she did look champion when she lost all her hair
At the Rawtenstall Annual Fair

Dick Miles [philistine]

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: GUEST,Charley O'Neill
Date: 22 Sep 07 - 01:35 PM

Cheers, thanks a lot

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: Mr Happy
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 07:21 AM

'cos tattoed onher back was allthe towns of Lancashire
There was Oswaldtwistle Manchester City'


I've often heard this sung as 'Odsal Bottom' rather than 'Oswaldtwistle'.

Which is right?

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 08:38 AM

ask a lancastrian, Mike Harding gives Oswaldtwistle.

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 08:44 AM

Have a look at this thread HERE

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: andrewq
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 09:07 AM

Unfortunately "ask a lancastrian, Mike Harding" isn't always reliable. He blatantly mangles a few lyrics in his book "Folk Songs of Lancashire" to fit his own sensibilities. In the notes for "The Collier Lass", for example, he says "I have missed the last verse out because it is boring". Presumably, MH preferred Polly Parker to remain in penury and in "the greatest of dangers" down the mine rather than sensibly marrying the chap she'd set her sights on for a better and safer life above ground...

As Rawtenstall Annual Fair was written by Weston and Lee there should presumably be some original sheets around somewhere to settle things conclusively. I've certainly usually heard "Odsall Bottom" sung mostly here in Lancashire and that's what's recorded on Topic's "Deep Lancashire" by Lee Nicholson and more recently by the Bolton Bullfrog, Bernard Wrigley.

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: Flash Company
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 09:53 AM

Eeee, I'd not 'eared yon verse afore!
Like it!!!

FC

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: Flash Company
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 10:07 AM

Tinking about the tattoo'd lady verse, I never sang 'Odsall Bottom ' myself, but remembering when I first heard the song, I could see it being used by the guy who sung it on that occasion.
It was a Liverpudlian caled Davey Jones, who invited two young ladies up out of the audience to be 'The Fat Girl' and 'The Tattoo'd Lady'. Odsall bottom would have gone very well with the placing of his hands. (The Filthy Swine!)

FC

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 23 Sep 07 - 06:37 PM

I'm sure I first heard it as Odsall bottom. Possibly sung by Steve Heap when with the Valley Folk (and who, IIRC, comes from Rawtenstall).

Kitty

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: Schantieman
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 04:33 AM

Odsal Bottom. Manchester City. Both require appropriate hand gestures.

Odsal TOP, of course is at the end of Manchester Road in Bradford and features Mary Shaw's, the last stop in "Doin' the Manch"

Steve

Subject: RE: Rawtenstall annual fair - extra verse
From: John J
Date: 24 Sep 07 - 05:58 PM

I've always sung 'Odsal Bottom' whilst waggling me bum - not a pretty sight. I sing 'Manchester City' whilst attempting to waggle my chest - even more unsightly - but it does add a slight sauciness to the verse.

JJ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rawtenstall Annual Fair - extra verse
From: GUEST,Patsy Edmondson
Date: 04 Nov 16 - 01:10 PM

Roll up roll up, see the tatooed lady, see the lovely lady with the pictures on her skin. In went the lads, by it were queer, written on her back were all the towns in Lancashire! There were Odsall Bottoms, Manchester City-town hall standing in the square. There were Oldham, Bolton, Ashton-under-Line, coal pit up at Burnley were lookin' mighty fine, till a lad shouted" Daddy, don't go down the mine!", at the Rawtenstall Annual Fair!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rawtenstall Annual Fair - extra verse
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 04 Nov 16 - 07:02 PM

There are a couple of extra verses composed by some Rossendale locals recently. One I recall is about the helter skelter. Don't think they've escaped the valley yet.

Incidently, there is a piece of carved stonework from the old gasworks set up as a feature at the side of the road near the original gasworks site, across the main road from the location of the gasholders. If there is any truth in the "Down behind the gasworks" line it could refer to the original alignment of the road, before the old railway line was used for road improvements ("The last train to Bacup has gone"), not the modern one, and hence mean the north side of the road as a fairground site rather than what seems obvious now.
It will probably turn out that it is all artistic licence and it was held elsewhere!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rawtenstall Annual Fair - extra verse
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Nov 16 - 07:54 AM

As far as I know there is no 'Odsal' in Lancashire anyway. There is an Ordsal in Salford but I have never heard that referred to with a bottom attached! As has been pointed out, there is an Odsal Top in Bradford.

Cheers

DtG