Chord Req: Building Up and Tearing England Down

Subject: Chord Req: Building up and tearing england down
From: widowmaker
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 11:23 AM

Hi Catters anyone got the chords to this song preferably in G or D thanks in advance

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Building up and tearing england down
From: mg
Date: 29 Sep 08 - 12:43 AM

No but I love some of the words to that song..it wasn't his intent he got a fine head of cement.

Did Dominic Behan write it? mg

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: PADDY ON THE ROAD (Dominic Behan)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Sep 08 - 01:19 AM

I found these on the Christy Moore Website. Chords are from Frank Harte's "Songs of Dublin" songbook.
-Joe-

Paddy On The Road
Dominic Behan

I've won a hero's name with McAlpine and Costain
With Fitzpatrick, Murphy, Ashe and Wimpey's gang
I've been often on the road on my way to draw the dole
When there's nothing left to do for Sir John Laing
I used to think that God made the mixer pick and hod
So that Paddy might know hell above the ground
I've had gangers big and tough tell me tear it all out rough
When you're building up and tearing England down

In a tunnel underground a young Limerick man was found
He was built into the new Victoria Line
When the pouring gang had past sticking through the concrete cast
Was the face of little Charlie Joe Devine
And the ganger man McGurk big Paddy ate the work
When the gas main burst and he flew off the ground
Oh they swear he said "Don't slack, I'll not be here until I'm back"
Keep on building up and tearing England down

I remember Carrier Jack with his hod upon his back
How he swore he'd one day set the world on fire
But his face they've never seen since his shovel it cut clean
Through the middle of a big high tension wire
I saw auld Bald McGann from the big flyover fall
Into a concrete mixer spinning round
Although his life was spent he got a fine head of cement
As he was building up and tearing England down

I was on the hydro dam the day that Pat McCann
Got the better of his stammer in a week
He fell from the shuttering jam and that poor auld stuttering man
He was never ever more inclined to speak
No more like Robin Hood will he roam through Cricklewood
Or dance around the pubs of Camden Town
But let no man complain Paddy does not die in vain
When he's building up and tearing England down

So come all you navvies bold who think that English gold
Is just waiting to be taken from each sod
Or that the likes of you and me could ever get an OBE
Or an knighthood for good service to the hod
They've the concrete master race to keep you in your place
The ganger man to kick you to the ground
If you ever try to take part of what the bosses make
When they're building up and tearing England down

---

Click to play

CHORDS
  
  C                                             G
  I've won a hero's name with McAlpine and Costain
            C                F         G       C
  With Fitzpatrick, Murphy, Ashe and Wimpey's gang
                                                      G
  I've been often on the road on my way to draw the dole
                C               F      G        C
  When there's nothing left to do for Sir John Laing
     Am                 F            G              E
  I used to think that God made the mixer pick and hod
           Am                          G   Am
  So that Paddy might know hell above the ground
             C                                            G
  I've had gangers big and tough tell me tear it all out rough
               C               F       G       C
  When you're building up and tearing England down

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Building up and tearing england down
From: GUEST,Dave MacKenzie
Date: 29 Sep 08 - 08:04 PM

I learned it from the Dubliner's recording in G, and those chords don't look quite right, though It's a bit late to work out what I do play - I live in a flat.

In C I'd have an F on McAlpine ( and the corresponding place in lines 3 and 7), and the progression on the 5th line doesn't look like what I play, though I'll have to check.

Subject: ADD: Building up and tearing england down
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 03:40 AM

This version has a number of differences from the lyrics I found at the Christy Moore site.

Building Up and Tearing England Down
[Paddy on the Road]
(Dominic Behan)

Oh, I've won a hero's name with McAlpine's and Costain
With Fitzpatrick, Murphy, Ashe and Wimpey's gang
And I've been often on the road on my way to draw the dole,
When there's nothing left to do for Johnny Laing.
Now I used to think that God made the mixer, pick and hod,
So that Paddy might know hell above the ground.
I've had gangers big and tough, tell me 'Tear it all out rough!'
When you're building up and tearing England down.

In a tunnel underground a young Limerickman was found
He was built into the new Victoria Line
When the bonus-gang had past, sticking through the concrete cast
Was the face of little Charlie Joe Devine.
And the ganger-man McGurk, 'Big Paddy' eats the work,
And the gas main burst and he flew off the ground
Oh they swear he said "Don't slack, I'll not be here until I'm back,
Keep on building up and tearing England down!"

I remember Carrier Jack with his hod upon his back
How he swore he'd one day set the world on fire
But his face we've never seen since his shovel it cut it clean
Through the middle of a big high tension wire
I saw auld 'Balls' McCall from the big flyover fall
Into a concrete mixer spinning round
Though it was not his intent he got a fine head of cement
As he was building up and tearing England down.

I was on the hydro dam Oh the day that Jack McCann
Got the better of his stammer in a week
He fell from the shuttering jamb and that poor old stuttering man
He was never ever more inclined to speak
And no more like Robin Hood will he roam through Cricklewood
Or dance around the pubs of Camden Town
But let no man complain, for no 'Pat' will die in shame
When he's building up and tearing England down.

So come all you navvies bold who do think that English gold
Is just waiting to be taken from each sod
For the likes of you and me could ever get an O.E.B. (sic)
Or a knighthood for good service to the hod.
They have a concrete master race for to keep you in your place
And a ganger-man to kick you to the ground
If you ever try to take part of what the bosses make
When they're building up and tearing England down.


from Songs of Dublin, edited by Frank Harte, Ossian Publications, 1993.

---

Click to play

Subject: Lyr Add: BUILDING UP AND TEARING ENGLAND DOWN
From: GUEST,Dave MacKenzie
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 06:51 PM

I still haven't checked the chords, but the words I have are as follows:

BUILDING UP AND TEARING ENGLAND DOWN.

I've won a hero's name with McAlpine and Costain,
With Fitzpatrick, Murphy, Ashton and Wimpey's gang.
I've been often on the road on me way to draw the dole
When there's nothing left to do for Johnny Laing;
And I used to think that God made the mixer, pick an' hod
So that Paddy might know hell above the ground;
I've had gangers big and tough tell me "Tear it all out rough!"
When you're building up and tearing England down.

In a tunnel underground a young Limerick man was found,
He was built into the new Victoria Line;
When the Bonus Gang had passed sticking from the concrete cast
Was the face of little Charlie Joe Devine;
And the Ganger Man McGurk said, Big Paddy hates the work
When the gas main blew and he blew off the ground
Oh they swore he said "Don't slack, I'll not be there until I'm back"
Keep on building up and tearing England down.

I was on the shuttering jamb on the day that Jack McCann
Got the better of his stammer in a week;
He fell from the shuttering jamb, and that poor auld stuttering man
He was never ever more inclined to speak;
And I saw old Bald McCall from the big flyover fall
Into a concrete mixer spinning around
Though it wasn't his intent he got a fine head of cement
When he was building up and tearing England down.

I remember Carrier Jack with his hod upon his back
How he swore one day he'd sat the world on fire;
But his face they've never seen since his shovel it cut clean
Through the middle of the big high tension wire
Well, no more like Robin Hood will he rove through Cricklewood
Or dance through all the pubs in Camden Town
Oh but let no man complain, sure if Pat can die in vain
When he's building up and tearing England down.

So come all you navvies bold, do not think that English gold
Is just waiting to be taken from each sod
For the likes of you and me will never get an OBE
Or a knighthood for good service to the hod
If the concrete master race want to keep you in your place
And the ganger man to kick you to the ground
If you ever try to take part of what the bosses make
When you're building up and tearing England down.

By Dominic Behan. As sung by the Dubliners on Polydor LP POLD 5079 "Prodigal Sons"

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Building up and tearing england down
From: AKS
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 03:03 AM

Does the banjo tune on that particular Dubliners' recording of BUaTED have a 'name' – I'd like to find the sheet...?

AKS

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Building up and tearing england down
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 04:06 AM

It's the hornpipe "Off to California" played undotted.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Building up and tearing england down
From: AKS
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 05:21 AM

Thanks Dave!
AKS