Lyr Req: Smuggler (The McCalmans) #5

Subject: Smugglers life for me
From:
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 05:01 PM

I heard a folksong and can remember words in the refrain: "Smugglers life for me ..." Any help? Thanks - Hans

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SMUGGLER (from The McCalmans)^^
From: Kernow John
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 05:41 PM

Soljanka

This is a song we sing quite often. Smugglers have a lot of sympathy in this part of the country. A local car stickers states:
The Mines Have Closed
The Fishing's Gone
Bugger it Lads! Back to Smugglin'.
I thought this would be in the database but I couldn't find it. These are the words we got from a McCalmans' album.

The Smuggler

The boat rides south o' Ailsa Craig, in the waning of the light,
there's thirty men in Lendalfit, tae mak our burden light.
There's thirty horse at Hazelholm, with the halters on their heads,
all set this night upon yon hieght, if wind and water speed.

Smugglers drink of the Frenchman's wine,
and the darkest night is the smuggler's time,
away we run from the exciseman,
it's a smuggler's life for me,
it's a smuggler's life for me.

2) O lass ye hae a cosy bed, and cattle ye hae ten,
can ye no live a lawful life, and live wi' lawful men.
But must I live with hamely goods, while there's foreign gear sae fine,
must I drink at the waterside, and France sae full of wine.

3) O weel I like tae see ye Kate, with the bairnie on thy knee,
but my heart is now wi' the gallant crew, that plough thro' the angry sea,
the bitter-gales, the tightest sales, the sheltered bay our goal.
It's the wayward life, it's the smuggler's strife, it's the joy of the smuggler's soul.

And when at last the sun comes up and the cargoe safely stored
Like sinless saints to church we go, God's mercy to afford,
And it's Champagne fine for communion wine and the parson drinks it to
With a sly wink prays'forgive these men for they know not what they do!'
^^
If you need the music leave a message.
Kind regards Baz,

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: Hans
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 05:48 PM

Thank you Baz - that's it! I heard it in a session when I was drunken :-) Can you post the music?

Thanks for help

HANS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: Melbert
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 06:01 PM

My great uncle was a smuggler. he was caught trying to evade customs with 3000 pairs of Calvin Klein boxer shorts. Thereafter he and his gang were known as "the Pirates of Men's Pants" (groan).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: Kernow John
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 06:44 PM

Melbert
I like it I'll use it at a gig we've got just outside Men's Pants this Thursday!
Regards Baz

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: Melbert
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 07:45 PM

Can't claim originality! Think I got it from Richard Digance.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From:
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 08:02 PM

I"d like to music to that song. Could you post it my page if you dont' mind. THanks. Hummingbird

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 04 Nov 99 - 07:06 AM

I know that we've had threads on this song before - it's obne of my favourites. I believe that Wolhgang provided the lyrics for me about 2 years. I even thought that it was in the DT by now, bvut I can;t see it. I will happily post the tine in the next week or so (sorry but I'm out of my home state at the moment - I'm even paying for Internet access at the moment). I had the feeling that the tune had already been posted, but haven't had the chance to explore ild threads. If i forget please remind me about posting the tune. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: Wolfgang
Date: 04 Nov 99 - 07:58 AM

You're half right, John:
first thread on this song
second thread on this song
third thread on this song
fourth thread on this song
In none of these threads I have found the tune, so it is still missing.
Dick, this here is the fifth request for the lyrics of this song. Please give it a high priority for the next update.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: Wolfgang
Date: 04 Nov 99 - 08:01 AM

I forgot to mention that the lyrics can as well be found on the McCalmans Homepage.

Subject: Tune Add: THE SMUGGLER
From: Snuffy
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 01:18 PM

SMUGGLERS is in the DT already and is on Mmario's list of missing tunes. However, the DT version is seriously deficient, and includes only verses 1, 4 and 2 in that order.

The version posted by Kernow John above as THE SMUGGLER (03-Nov-99 - 05:41 PM ) has the right words, as does the version posted by Wolfgang as SMUGGLER (24-Jun-97 - 07:39 AM) in this thread Smugglers - McAlmans.

Wolfgang's posting also has the correct title - at least the CD I have with it by the McCalmans lists the Track as Smuggler (Trad. Arr Moffat, McCalman, Bayne).

Here's my attempt at the tune:

MIDI file: SMUGLR.MID

Timebase: 480

Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: F
TimeSig: 4/4 48 8
Name: Smugglers
Text: S:The McCalmans
Start
1440 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 69 127 0719 0 69 000 0001 1 70 090 0239 0 70 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 67 127 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 67 090 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 74 127 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 74 090 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 67 127 0959 0 67 000 0481 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 74 127 0719 0 74 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 65 090 0719 0 65 000 0001 1 65 090 0239 0 65 000 0001 1 70 127 0479 0 70 000 0001 1 70 090 0479 0 70 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 67 127 1439 0 67 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 74 127 0719 0 74 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 74 127 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 74 090 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 67 127 0959 0 67 000 0481 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 74 127 0719 0 74 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 65 090 0719 0 65 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 62 127 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 60 090 0479 0 60 000 0001 1 62 090 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 65 127 1439 0 65 000 0481 1 74 127 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 74 127 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0719 0 67 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 74 127 0719 0 74 000 0001 1 76 090 0239 0 76 000 0001 1 77 090 0479 0 77 000 0001 1 76 090 0239 0 76 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 1439 0 69 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 65 127 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 69 120 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 74 127 1439 0 74 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 127 0719 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 120 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 65 127 1439 0 65 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X: 210
T:Smuggler
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
S:The McCalmans
N:filename [SMUGLR
K:F
z4 z2F2|
A3B c2A2|G2G2 F2cc|d2d2 c2F2|G4 z2c2|
d3d c2A2|c2AG F3F|B2B2 A2F2|G6 cc|
d3d c2A2|c2AG F2cc|d2d2 c2F2|G4 z2c2|
d3d c2A2|c2AG F3C|D2C2 D2F2|F6 z2||
%Chorus
d2A2 A2dd|c2A2 A2cc|d2A2 A2dd|c2A2 G3c|
d3e f2ed|c2c2 A4- |
M:2/4
A2AG|
M:4/4
F2F2 A2c2|d6 dd|
c3A G2AG|F6 z2||


WassaiL! V

Subject: Lyr Add: A SMUGGLER'S SONG (Kipling/Bellamy)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 02:58 PM

Nice song and horrible joke! GROAN

I was always fond of this smuggling song that John Roberts and Tony Barrand used to sing:

A SMUGGLER'S SONG

(By Rudyard Kipling; adapted by Peter Bellamy)

D---------------------------------C--------------D 
  If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse's feet,
  ----------------------------------------------C----------D 
  Don't go drawing back the blinds, nor looking in the street.
  ---------------------------------C----------D 
  Them that asks no questions isn't told a lie 
  ----------------------C--------------------D------C--------D 
  Watch the wall, me darling, while the gentle-men go by.
  
  Chorus:
    

D--------------------------C-------------------D 
  Five and twenty ponies, trotting through the dark,
  --------------------------------------C----------D 
  With brandy for the parson, To-bacci for the clerk 
  --------------------C-----------D 
  Laces for a lady, letters for a spy,
  ------------------------C-------------------D------C--------D
  Watch the wall, me darling, while the gentle-men go by.

Running 'round the woods, love, if you chance to find
Little barrels, roped and tarred, all full of brandy wine;
Don't you shout, "Come and look!", nor use them for your play;
Put the brushwood back again, they'll be gone next day.

If you see a stable door set in open wide;
If you see a tired horse, lying down inside;
If your mother mends a coat, all cut about and torn;
If the linings wet and worn, don't you ask no more.

If you see King George's men, all dressed in blue and red,
You be careful what you say, and mindful what is said;
If they call you pretty names and chuck you 'neath the chin;
Don't you tell where no one is or yet where no one's been.

Knocks and footsteps 'round the house, whistles after dark,
You've no cause to run and look until the house dogs bark;
Trusty's here, and Pinch is here, and see how dumb they lie;
They don't fret or hallow while the gentlemen go by.

If you do as you been told, likely there's a chance
You'll be given a dainty doll, all the way from France;
With a cap of linsey and a velvet hood;
A present from the gentlemen, along of being good.

Chorus:

Five and twenty ponies, trotting through the dark,
With brandy for the parson, Tobacci for the clerk
Them that asks no questions isn't told a lie,
Watch the wall, me darling, while the gentlemen go by.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 03:00 PM

Be nice if I spelled the title correctly.;-(

The chords should pop in right if you copy and repaste into Word.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 03:11 PM

See also  The lyrics to "Smuggler"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: Mooh
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 08:02 PM

Some might be familiar with the band Homespun from Goderich Ontario, the local sweethearts of the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. This tune appears on their first cd "Eight Hands Round", recorded live in someone's livingroom, with their road gear and a dat machine; laid-back, raw and spirited. I can provide a copy if anyone's interested.

Mooh.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Smugglers life for me
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jul 08 - 10:35 AM

this song is 'Smugglers' by The Men They Couldn't Hang. you can hear it on youtube.