Lyr Add: 1833 'Derby Ram'

Subject: Lyr Add: DERBY RAM / DARBY RAM (1833)
From: Lighter
Date: 21 Jan 09 - 11:17 AM

A significant text from the anonymous "Gimcrackiana; or, Fugitive Pieces on Manchester Men and Manners Ten Years Ago" (Manchester, 1833), pp. 183-84 ("from the oral chronicale of our great-grandmother" - a statement not to be taken too literally, I think):
^^
The Ram Of Derby

As I was going to Darby,
All on a market day,
I met the finest ram Sir,
That ever was fed upon hay.
[CHORUS] Indeed Sir, it's a truth Sir,
For I never was taught to lie,
And if you'll go to Darby Sir,
You may see it as well as I.


The wool upon his back Sir,
Reach'd up unto the sky,
The eagles built their nests there,
For I heaid the young ones cry.

Indeed Sir, it's a truth, &c.

The wool upon his belly
It drag'd upon the ground,
It was sold at Darby town, sir
For forty thpusand pounds.

Indeed Sir, its a truth &c.

The space between the horns Sir,
Was far as man could reach,
And there they built a pulpit
But no one in it preach'd.

Indeed Sir, it's a truth, &c.

The teeth that were in his mouth Sir,
Were like a regiment of men,
And the tongue that hung between Sir,
Would have din'd em twice & again

Indeed Sir, it's a truth, &c.

This ram jump'd o'er a wall Sir,
His tail caught on a briar,
It reach'd from Darby town, Sir
All into Leicestershire.

Indeed Sir, it's a truth, &c.

And of this tail so long Sir,
The length you know full well,
They made a goodly rope Sir,
To toll the market bell.

Indeed Sir, it's a truth, &c.

This ram had four legs to walk upon,
This ram had four legs to stand,
And every time he shifted them,
He cover'd an acre of land.

Indeed Sir, it's a truth, &c.

All the maids in Darby
Came begging for his horns
To take them to the coopers
To make them milking gawns.

Indeed Sir it's a truth &c.

The little boys of Darby
They came to beg his eyes,
To roll about the streets Sir,
They being of foot ball's size.

Indeed Sir, it's a truth, &c.

The butcher that kill'd this ram Sir,
Was drowned in the blood,
And all the people of Darby,
Were carried away in the Hood.

Indeed Sir, it's a truth, &c.

The tanner who tann'd his hide Sir,
I'm sure he'll never be poor,
When he hang'd it out to dry Sir,
It covered all Swinscoe moor.

Indeed Sir, it's a truth, &c.

The jaws that were in his head Sir,
They were so fine and thin,
They were sold to a Methodist parson
For a pulpit to preach in.

Indeed Sir, it's a truth Sir,
For I never was taught to lie,
And if you go to Darby Sir,
You may eat a bit of the pie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 1833 'Derby Ram'
From: Lighter
Date: 17 Oct 22 - 12:02 PM

Anyone with access to the October 17 2022, New Yorker should turn to p. 65 for Roz Chast's cartoon take on the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 1833 'Derby Ram'
From: Mo the caller
Date: 21 Oct 22 - 05:42 AM

Strange that this should come up just now.
I was listening to radio 3 "In Tune" and someone sang a Britten song about a crocodile. Sounded like a close cousin of that ram, and the Great Meat Pie. The Vaughan William's Library (EFDSS) has it collected by Lucy Broadwood.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 1833 'Derby Ram'
From: The Sandman
Date: 21 Oct 22 - 07:18 AM

The Crocodile was collected from Harry Cox by P Kennedy in 1953, it was also collected by sam henry, accordint to kennedys notesit appears in The Pepsyian Garland