Chords for Rolling Home? (Tams)

Subject: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jan 11 - 04:37 PM

Can anyone help a newbie with chords for rolling home?

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 28 Jan 11 - 08:24 PM

Which one? There are several songs by this name!!

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: kendall
Date: 28 Jan 11 - 09:22 PM

What key?

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 11:48 AM

Best sung unaccompanied......

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: NbptErnie
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 12:03 PM

Assuming the song you're looking for info on is "Rolling Home To Old New England", it certainly is very satisfying done acapella, but when I want to accompany it with my guitar, I do so in the key of A.

Here's how I hear it: [A]Call all hands to man the capstan / See the cable running [D]clear / Heave [E]away and with a [A]will, boys / For New [E]England we will [A]steer.

Just repeat that for all the verses (and there are many and varied).

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 02:59 PM

Many thanks yes the John Tams one. I tend to play in C as much as possible but will sort something out.

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: Bernard
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 03:57 PM

John Tams song (as already commented, best sung unaccompanied):

Key C

     C
Round goes the wheel of fortune
     G            C
Don't be afraid to ride
          F                C
There's a land of milk and honey
                   G
Waits on the other side
           F                     C
There'll be peace and there'll be plenty
                    G
You'll never need to roam
     C
When we go rolling home,
           G       C
when we go rolling home.

Chorus:

C
Rolling home,
           F       G
when we go rolling home
           C       F
When we go rolling, rolling,
     C    G       C
when we go rolling home

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: Bernard
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 03:58 PM

Hmmm... even though I used a non-proportional font and started lines with non-breaking spaces... it still went a bit squint!!

Still, it's close enough I suppose...

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: Bernard
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 04:09 PM

Complete words for those who don't know it...


Rolling Home
(John Tams)


Round goes the wheel of fortune
Don't be afraid to ride
There's a land of milk and honey
Waits on the other side
There'll be peace and there'll be plenty
You'll never need to roam
When we go rolling home, when we go rolling home.

Rolling home, when we go rolling home
When we go rolling, rolling, when we go rolling home

The gentry in their fine array
Do prosper night and morn
While we unto the fields must go
To plough and sow their corn
The rich may steal the power
But the glory's ours alone
When we go rolling home (etc)

The frost is on the hedgerow
The icy winds do blow
While we poor weary labourers
Strive through the driving snow
Our dreams fly up to glory
Up where the lark has flown
When we go rolling home (etc)

The summer of resentment
The winter of despair
The journey to contentment
Is set with trap and snare
Stand to and stand together
Your labour's yours alone
When we go rolling home (etc)

So pass the bottle round
And let the toast go free
Here's a health to every labourer
Wherever they may be
Fair wages now and ever
Let's reap what we have sown
When we go rolling home (etc)


Written about 1987, this song first featured in the play "Cider with Rosie" and was also used in Bill Bryden's production of "The Big Picnic" and the film "The Raggedy Rawney". It has since settled snugly into folk club repertoires. It's a regular encore for the John Tams Band, since the band can melt off and leave the audience belting out the last few choruses, led only by a manically grinning Keith on djembe.

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home?
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 07:14 PM

Many thanks all - I'm beginngin to come round to your way of thinking that unaccompanied is best.

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home? (Tams)
From: Old Vermin
Date: 30 Jan 11 - 05:10 AM

A song I only know from live performances in clubs and pubs. Last time I looked, there wasn't a recording of Rolling Home listed in John Tams' discography?

Is there one? Recordings, indeed by anyone?

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home? (Tams)
From: GUEST,Georgina Boyes
Date: 30 Jan 11 - 12:18 PM

Swan Arcade recorded "Rolling Home" on their own label cassette, "Nothing Blue", Sygnet SY01 in 1988.

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home? (Tams)
From: Bernard
Date: 30 Jan 11 - 02:26 PM

I've got a recording of Sid Kipper doing 'Rolling Drunk'...!! The song, although collected by the Kipper Family in the village of Trunch, bears remarkable similarities...!!

(okay, before anyone jumps down my throat, I do know!)

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home? (Tams)
From: Cluin
Date: 30 Jan 11 - 05:20 PM

Dougie MacLean recorded an original called "Rolling Home" many years ago.

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home? (Tams)
From: Bernard
Date: 30 Jan 11 - 06:36 PM

Ahaa! I've found an old recording of it by Redmayne... not sure if the CD is still available, but I can easily find out. PM if you want to arrange to have an MP3 of the track.

Subject: RE: Chords for Rolling Home? (Tams)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 31 Jan 11 - 06:15 PM

Someone's doctored the thread title since my first post! (Added (Tams)!) I'd agree, best a cappella.
"Rolling Home to Caledonia" (totally different song) is popular up here!