Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire

Subject: Origins: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,Mike Coleman
Date: 15 Feb 08 - 11:54 AM

I've been asked by a friend of mine who is a teacher to help her identify some traditional songs from Leicestershire for a school project . Can anyone help please?

Cheers

Mike C

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Feb 08 - 12:34 PM

Blue Army! Blue Army!

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: Jack Campin
Date: 15 Feb 08 - 01:04 PM

Julian Goodacre (who makes sets of Leicestershire bagpipes and comes from Leicester originally) might know of something.

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Feb 08 - 05:01 PM

The Brisk Butcher
It's of a brisk young butcher as I have heard them say
He started out of London town all on a certain day
Says he ``A frolic I will have, my fortune for to try
I will go into Leicestershire some cattle for to buy''
When he arrived at Leicester town he came into an inn
He called for an hostler and boldly he walked in
He called for liquor of the best, he being a roving blade
And quickly fixed his eyes upon the lovely chambermaid

When she took up a candle to light him up to bed
And when she came into the room, these words to her he said:
``One sovereign I will give to you all to enjoy your charms''
And this fair maid all night to sleep all in the butcher's arms

'Twas early the next morning he prepared to go away
The landlord said ``Your reckoning, sir, you have forgot to pay''
``Oh no'', the butcher did reply ``pray do not think it strange
One sovereign I gave your maid and I haven't got the change''

They straight way called the chambermaid and charged her with the same
The golden sovereign she laid down, prepared she'd get the blame
The butcher then went home, well pleased with what was passed
And soon this pretty chambermaid grew thick about the waist

'Twas in a twelve months after he came to town again
And then as he had done before he stopped at that same inn
'Twas then the buxom chambermaid she chanced him for to see
She brought a babe just three months old and placed him on his knee

The butcher sat like one amazed and at the child did stare
But when the joke he did find out, how he did stamp and swear
She said ``Kind sir, it is your own, pray do not think it strange
One sovereign you gave to me and here I've brought your change''

So come all you brisk and lively blades I pray be ruled by me
Look well into your bargains before your money pay
Or soon perhaps your folly will give you cause to range
If ever you sport with pretty maids be sure to get your change

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: Peace
Date: 15 Feb 08 - 05:05 PM

Mike,

You may want to get in touch with

peter.burnham (@) gmail (dot) com

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 15 Feb 08 - 06:45 PM

Very few traditional songs can be said to 'belong' to any particular county, but you can usually find versions of songs that have turned up in particular places. Go to the online Roud Folk Song Index and search the 'place collected' field for 'leicestershire' or any other relevant placename. This will find references to (mostly) published examples.

'The Brisk Young Butcher' (a broadside song appearing as The Leicester Chambermaid and various other titles) has turned up in oral currency in various places but there seems to be no record of any example actually found in Leicestershire.

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,Mike Coleman
Date: 16 Feb 08 - 07:18 AM

Hi

Thanks for all the suggestions. Much appreciated.

Cheers

Mike C

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,Vic at work
Date: 16 Feb 08 - 10:31 AM

Hi,
   As a born and bread in Leicestershire Folkie you wont find much as Ive been looking for the last 40years.
Yes there are some songs but they are of little merit and Ive yet to find one that I would sing.
Pete Burnham is a good starting point, He will know the people in the area that know the answers.

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: Emma B
Date: 16 Feb 08 - 10:36 AM

Hey Vic! Good to see you - still singing?

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,Vic at work
Date: 16 Feb 08 - 03:02 PM

Hello,
      Yes, when colds, bad backs, small boys and age allow. Nice to hear you, may catch you at some festival at some point.

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,oldnickilby
Date: 18 Feb 08 - 06:25 AM

Sorry to disagree you grumpy old rascal,there are several songs of Leicestershire origin but the "Collectors" were not busy here.We ,thats Vic Jacky and Nic as Young No More will be supporting the Alcester Fund Raiser this weekend.
Mike if you get in touch with me I will try to help your friend with her search

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: Emma B
Date: 18 Feb 08 - 06:30 AM

Old Nick? - love it! :)

Sorry I can't make Alcester - please pass on all good wishes to Marge, Dave and everyone working to make the w'end a sucess.

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 18 Feb 08 - 06:45 AM

A few years ago I encountered a group of earnest school teachers from a midland county adjacent to Leicestershire. They had set out, without much knowledge of folk song, to find folk songs from their county and to 'inflict' them on any audiences that could be persuaded to listen (mainly school children I would imagine - captive audiences!).

Needless to say they didn't find the very local songs they imagined were lurking in the archives (see Malcolm Douglas's post above). What they did find, though, were several (often dire) vernacular poems that should have been left in the archives! They proceeded to set these poems to music. I'd like to say that the result was eminently forgetable - but, unfortunately, I'm still struggling to forget it!

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,Edthefolkie
Date: 18 Feb 08 - 07:36 AM

I live quite near Husbands Bosworth in Leics - I understand that John Tams collected a song called "I Wish I was Single Again" from a pub session there - certainly it got recorded for an Albion Band album.

Unfortunately, it's not pukka "Trad" (whatever that means) -it was originally recorded by a gent called Highway Patrolman Frank Quinn who had emigrated to the States! Good song though - my wife and I used to sing the refrain quite regualarly in the early years of our marriage.

Maybe there are more songs lurking in the Empty Quarter of Leics - you never know, some old greybeard may consent to sing into your Edison cylinder recorder. "Do 'ee know that there Fat Bottomed Guurls zurr? That be a good 'un!"

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 18 Feb 08 - 06:49 PM

I wonder how long it will be before Steve Thomason's songs (written in Leicester, though generally set in other places) will be ascribed to Trad anon.....

Kitty

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,Oldnickilby
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 04:51 AM

Kitty Me duck they already have.
Mike if you get in touch I have at least a dozen songs from the county.Send me a pm or do it through concertina.net to oldnickilby and I will help yor friends

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: pavane
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 07:35 AM

I just had a browse of the Bodleian collection, and haven't found anything useful, though I was amused by

A Leicester-shire frolick; or, The valiant cook-maid

where the cook seems to have robbed five Tailors using just a black pudding as a weapon...

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,redmax
Date: 20 Feb 08 - 05:11 AM

I can see the attraction of trying to identify songs with a connection to your county, but as Malcolm pointed out, it's not an easy task. Good songs travelled, indifferent songs faded.

I suppose there are different approaches. John Raven proved quite adept at using texts from old black country broadsides and setting them to tunes that seemed appropriate. Graeme Meek didn't find many Bedfordshire songs so decided to write his own.

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 20 Feb 08 - 02:13 PM

"Graeme Meek didn't find many Bedfordshire songs so decided to write his own."

Didn't the late Fred Hamer collect several songs in Bedfordshire?

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 20 Feb 08 - 03:14 PM

This might help - 'The Folklore of Leicestershire & Rutland'. Author Roy Palmer. Pubs The History Press Ltd. ISBN 10 0752424688. ISBN 13 978-0752424 682. I haven't read it but all the works of Roy Palmer contain songs. Burl.

Subject: RE: Seeking: Trad songs from Leicestershire
From: GUEST,Mike Coleman
Date: 21 Feb 08 - 01:44 PM

Once again - thanksfor all the suggestions and offers of help. I'll pass them on to my friend and if she wants to follow up on anything I'm sure she will be in touch. Cheers. Mike C