ADD: Last Trip Home (Davy Steele/J. McCusker)

Subject: Battlefield Band: Last Trip Home
From: DonMeixner
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 01:31 PM

Hello All.

I heard this tune about the passing of the work horse into history on Prairie Home Companion saturday nite. I love the words and chords if anyone can supply them. Its a little, very little actually,like but of similar emotion to Jethro Tull's Heavy Horses.

Both wonderful songs. Thanks

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Barbara
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 04:18 PM

That was a neat song, wasn't it, Don? I just taped it off the rebroadcast of PHC, and if no one else posts it, I'll transcribe it for you the next time I take a break from costumes.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: DonMeixner
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 04:52 PM

Barbara,

I just heard it again on a rebroadcast and apparently your tape machine works were as mine doesn't. Thandks for the offer, I'll take you up on it if no one else has the chords and lyrics.

Don

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAST TRIP HOME (Battlefield Band)^^
From: Barbara
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 11:41 PM

Say, Don, how are you at transcribing Braid Scots from a monaural tape with pipes in the "background"? This is my best shot at the moment, and I'll give it more of a listen and post my later guesses. Unless of course, someone out there already knows this song. I kinda suspect it's new, though.
I'm pretty sure it's "muckle" meaning 'great' or 'grand' not "muscle".
Other questionable phrases are also in brackets. When I didn't know I gave you what it best sounded like. 'Fael' could be 'foal'; 'folks that line' could be 'folks (or someone) alang..', and "spirit sounds like "sayrit".
The whole last verse has a pipe note through it, argh, wiping out the consonants.
Cool song, though.
Blessings,
Barbara

THE LAST TRIP HOME
Davey Steele and John McCusker
Battlefield Band

Have I walked on fens an' frae the start
The muckle horse's won my heart
Wi' big broad back he proudly stands
The uncrowned kings o' a' the lands
An' yet for all their power an' strength,
They're as gentle as a summer's wind

CHORUS
So steady, boys, walk on;
Our work is nearly done;
No more we'll till or plow the fields --
The horse's day is gone,
And this'll be the last trip home,
So steady , boys, walk on.

Now you'll hear men sing the songs of praise
Of Arab stallions in a race
Or hunters that vie with the hounds
To chase the fox and run him down
But none of them compare, I vow
Tae a workin' [fael] that pulls the plow,

Chorus

An' o'er the years I've plied my trade
And' a' the fields I've plowed and made
I never thought I'd fear the time
That a Clydesdale's work would ever end
That progress runs its driven course
I tracked our [spirit] with my horse

Chorus

As we head back the [folk that line] the road
To be there one last time
Was never there with [wonderment]
The chance to see us pass like this
They'll say this [story] in years to come:
The muckle horses last trip home
^^

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Barbara
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 11:59 PM

Sure would make more sense if the first line were "Have I worked on farms and frae..."
now, wouldn't it? Think he actually says "fairm".
Where is Cuilionn when we need her?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: DonMeixner
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 12:11 AM

Barbara,

Its late, take nap. We can work this out on monday I'm sure. Thanks for all the effort.

Don

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAST TRIP HOME (Battlefield Band)^^
From: Bev Lawton
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 09:06 AM

Don the song is from the "Leaving Friday Harbour"
CD Temple records COMD2080 The Battlefield Band's latest.
www.battlefieldband.co.uk

From the sleeve notes :

THE LAST TRIP HOME/ (Tune in middle : The Luckenbooth)

1. A've ay worked on farms and fae the the start the muckle horses won ma heart,
Wi' big broad backs they proudly stand, the uncrowned kings o a' the land,
An' yet for a' their power and strength, they're as gentle as a summer's wind.

CHORUS: So steady, boys; walk on; oor work is nearly done,
No more we'll till or plough the fields; the horses' day is gone,
An' this will be oor last trip home, so steady, boys; walk on.

2. Noo you'll hear men sing their songs of praise, of Arab stallions in a race,
Or hunters that fly wi' the hounds, to chase the fox and run them down,
But none o' them compare I vow, tae a workin' pair that pulls a plough. CHORUS

3. And aw the years I've plied ma trade, an aw the fields we've ploughed and laid,
I never thought I'd see the time when a Clydesdale's work wid ever end,
But progress runs its driven course and tractors hae replaced the horse. CHORUS

4. As we head back our friends have lined the road tae be there one last time,
For nane o' them wid want tae miss, the chance tae see us pass like this,
They'll say they saw in years tae come, the muckle horses' last trip home. CHORUS

NB.
MUCKLE = BIG

words by Davy Steele tune John McCusker

the Luckenbooths were locked trade stalls that surrounded the walls of the old Scottish Parliament building and Tolbooth on the High Street of Edinburgh. They and the Parliament disappeared about 300 years ago.
Bev Lawton^^

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Pelrad
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 09:48 AM

Maybe the cut from the cd is the one that Dick Pleasants played on his Saturday folk show last weekend...when the Battlefield Band played it on Sat. night's PHC broadcast, I already knew the chorus and wondered where I'd heard it.

The band reminds me of Silly Wizard; must be those smokin' reels!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Barbara
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 12:58 PM

Thanks Bev. I wasn't too far off on most of it, but it's good to have the language straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: DonMeixner
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 05:10 PM

Thank you Barbara and Bev,

You both have been most generous with your time and I am very grateful.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Bev Lawton
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 10:03 PM

Well as I'm lousy at working out chords for songs if you do sort them out I would be glad to have a copy! Bev Lawton

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: BK
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 10:15 PM

We're going to see them in concert this saturday.. we'll be looking for this song. Trying to remember another really great song about the last of the Clydesdales used to plow in Dundee (I think) - a real grabber.. I think it's on one of the Garnet Rogers CD's, not sure who wrote it, but it's a real beauty.. Of course Garnet's wife raises horses, 'n if you want another really great horse song, based on a true story, listen to "Small Victory," the title song from his excellent CD, "Small Victories."

Cheers, BK

Subject: RE: Lyric request; LAST TRIP HOME
From: GUEST,Victoria
Date: 26 Mar 00 - 10:07 PM

Isn't that the most moving song? I just love it! It's on their latest album "Leaving Friday Harbor" (available from temple records or Rounder records in the US.) Don't know if many are aware of it, but Davy Steele (writer and singer of that wonderful song) has been quite ill - I firmly believe that our positive thoughts/prayers for his complete recovery would mean a lot...in fact, perhaps I will post that again (seperately)in case folks don't see it here. There's a lot to be said for the power of positivity, don't you think?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: MMario
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 04:48 PM

tune?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 05:02 PM

Well bugger me, this was only on the radio tonight..... Mike Harding must just listen to PHC and get his playlist from there!! Haven't heard it for years previous to today, and now here it is, twice in one day. Thanks to Mmario for refreshing this, when I checked on search, it didn't come up.

Does anyone have a recording they can wavefile me or the tune in dots they can send me please? Still can't get the hang of those midi files.....

Thanks

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 05:06 PM

Or a link to a web page? Again, I've tried searching, but get nothing sensible. An album would be a great help....

LTS

getting a bit desperate now....

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 06:55 PM

Short sound-sample at CDNOW:  Leaving Friday Harbour

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Kernow John
Date: 26 Apr 01 - 05:48 PM

Liz
Are you still looking? I have converted the radio file to WAV (Huge 39MB) and to MP3 (4MB) I'm happy to email the mp3 if you want it.
Marion is working on the dots but they may be a day or two.
Regards K.John

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Barbara
Date: 27 Apr 01 - 02:07 AM

Ooh man, I'd love the dots too. I've been singing this for a while, and when I replayed my tape from the radio, I discovered I was doing it wrong.
I dropped the long notes like "muuuuuuck-le" (are they birdseyes?) and I regularized the first beats of the chorus. And then I sang it for Dave Webber's tape recorder... so I would guess this song is well on its way to being folk processed. (In the folk processor - made into jam).
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Kernow John
Date: 27 Apr 01 - 10:25 AM

I'll get Marion to hurry and then post the dots.
Regards KJ

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Apr 01 - 02:32 PM

Yes please, I can't learn songs without dots or words.... it's frightening!

If you could PM me a link to the MP3, I'd be a happy bunny too.....

Thanks everyone!

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip H
From: zander (inactive)
Date: 28 Apr 01 - 12:37 AM

You should know that one of the authors of ' The last Trip Home ' Davy Steele died last week. Our love is with his wife and family. Davy was a fine musician and singer and will be sorely missed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip Home
From: IvanB
Date: 01 Dec 01 - 11:00 PM

No one seems to have transcribed this tune yet, so I posted it here:

Last Trip Home

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battlefield Band: Last Trip Home
From: breezy
Date: 19 Mar 02 - 12:38 PM

Muckle means Heavy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Last Trip Home (Battlefield Band)
From: The Maverick
Date: 12 Mar 15 - 01:18 PM

Did anyone ever post the chords?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Last Trip Home (Battlefield Band)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 09:25 AM

'hae' = have; muckle = many

I hae warked on farms an' frae the start
The muckle horse's won my heart
Wi' big broad back they proudly stands
The uncrowned kings o' a' the lands
An' yet for all their power an' strength,
They're as gentle as a summer's wind
CHORUS
So steady, boys, walk on;
Our work is nearly done;
No more we'll till or plow the fields --
The horse's day is gone,
And this'll be the last trip home,
So steady , boys, walk on.
Now you'll hear men sing the songs of praise
Of Arab stallions in a race
Or hunters that vie with the hounds
To chase the fox and run him down
But none of them compare, I vow
Tae a workin' pair that pulls the plow,
Chorus
So steady boys walk on
our work is nearly done
no more we'll till or plow the fields
our work is nearly done
and this will be our last trip home
so steady boys walk on.

An' o'er the years I've plied my trade
And' a' the fields we've plowed and laid
I never thought I'd fear the time
That a Clydesdale's work would ever end
That progress runs its driven course
And tractors hae replaced the horse
Chorus
As we head back the friends that line the road
To be there one last time
for nane o' them wid want tae miss
The chance to see us pass like this
They'll say they saw in years tae come
The muckle horses' last trip home
chorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Last Trip Home (Battlefield Band)
From: Jeri
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 01:13 PM

No, i didn't delete the post from GUEST that said :
Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAST TRIP HOME (Battlefield Band)^^
From: Bev Lawton
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 09:06 AM
but I made it a link.

This may have been intended to point out that the lyrics have been in the DT forever. See the link at the top of this thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Last Trip Home (Battlefield Band)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 05:18 PM

The TUNE given in the DT does NOT belong to this song: don't know what has happened there but it's very obviously from a totally different song! And the transcription given by IvanB on 01.12.01 has disappeared too.
But here is a YouTube of Davy himself singing it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKCbJSNNIYY
Give me time and I might be able to come up with some dots and chords...as some people have been waiting over 10 years for them!

And referring back to BK's post in 1999: some confusion here, I think.
There is a thread somewhere about "The Last Of the Clydesdales" but I think the Garnet Rogers song is "The Field Behind the Plow".