Origins/tune: Geordie Black/Geordy Black

Subject: Lyr Add: GEORDIE BLACK^^
From: Graham Pirt
Date: 21 Nov 99 - 05:41 PM

Thread #15496   Message #139206
Posted By: dragondai
21-Nov-99 - 02:19 PM
Thread Name: Lyr/Chords Req: Maidens of Burnley/Calico Dress
Subject: Haunted by Two Songs

I have been searching for a long while for the lyrics/chords for two songs. The first is a mining song called 'Geordie Black' and the second is called 'The Maidens of Burnley - or 'The Calico Dress.' Any help on either would be much appreciated.

---

Words for GEORDIE BLACK. If you need a translation let me know!
Graham


1. Ma name is Geordie Black, aa'm gettin' very aad.
Aa've hewed tons of coal in me time,
An' when aa wes just a lad, aa could either put or hew.
Oot the others aa could aalways tak the shine.
Aa'm gannin doon the hill, I cannet use the pick.
The maister hes ne pity on aad bones.
So noo aa'm on the bank, an' aa while me time away
Amang the bits o' lads wi' pickin' oot the stones.

CHORUS: Oh, me name is Geordie Black. In me time aa've been a crack.
An' aa've warked baith in the Gyuss an' in the Betty.
An' the coals upon the Tyne oot the others tak the shine,
An' we lick 'em aal for iron doon at Hawks's.

2. Noo, when aa wes just a lad carried on me father's back,
An' away he wad take me te the pit,
An' to get in the cage an' te gan doon belaw
'Twas enough te mak a youngster tak a fit.
For te sit an' keep a door midst the darkness an' the gloom,
Ay, mony an 'oor be messel,
An' te hear the aaful shots that rummelled roond the pit,
An' lumps o' roondy coal come doon pellmell.

3. Noo aa'll say good neet, for it's nearly time te lowse.
An' aa've done me best te please ye, ivery one.
Young lads that's here the neet, mind, de the thing that's reet.
In this warld that's the way te get on.
So here's successs te trade baith on the Wear an' Tyne!
Aa divent like te see the place se slack.
For if wor pit lies idle, ne pay-note comes teneet,
An' it grieves the heart o' poor Geordie Black.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Haunted by Two Songs
From: dragondai
Date: 24 Nov 99 - 08:56 PM

Thanks Graham - much appreciate. No translation needed, I was a miner for fourteen years andworked with many Geordies and Northumbrians.

Dai

Subject: Geordie Black
From: Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 06:05 PM

Geordie Black

Ma name is Geordie Black, aa'm gettin' very aad
Aa've hewed tons of coal in me time.
An' when as wes just a lad,
As could either put or hew,
Oot the others aa could aalways take the shine.

Aa'm gannin' doon the hill,
I cannet use the pick.
The maister hes ne pitty on aad bones.
So noo aa'm on the bank,
An'aa while me time away
Amang the bits o' lads wi' pickin' oot the stones.

Oh. me
name is Geordie Black
In me times aa've been a crack,
An' aa've warked baith in the Gyuss an the Betty

Subject: Tune Req: Geordie Black
From: le cheffie
Date: 11 Mar 13 - 07:41 AM

While searching for something else on the net I came across the lyrics to this song but have no idea of the tune.
I know Graham Pirt posted the words on here several (lots of several)years ago.
Can any one help even a youtube link would be good

Regards

Nick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Geordie Black
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 11 Mar 13 - 11:07 AM

Here's the version from Come All Ye Bold Miners. There are a few (2 I think) very minor textual differences between the text there and that posted by Graham.

Mick

---

X:1
T:Geordie Black
B: Lloyd - Come All Ye Bold Miners
S: Peter Elliott of Birtley, Co.Durham, 31 July 1963
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:Ador
(HB2 HA)|G2 A G2 E|D3-D2 D|E2 F G2 E|D3-D2
w:Ma_ name is Geor-die Black,_ aa'm get-tin' ve-ry aad,_
B,|D3 D2 G|B3 B2 c|A3-A3-|A2 z
w:Aa've hewed tons of coal in me time.__
B2 A|G2 A G2 E|D3 D2 D|E2 F G2 E|D3 z2
w:An' when aa wes just a lad, aa could ei-ther put or hew,
B,/B,/|D2 D G2 A|B2 c A2 B|A3-A3-|A2 z
w:Oot the oth-ers aa could aal-ways tak the shine.__
(F2 G)|A2 A A2 B|A3 z2 F|A2 A A2 B|A3-A2
w:Aa'm_ gan-nin' doon the hill, I can-net use the pick._
F|A2 A A2 B|A G2 F G2|A3-A3-|A3
w:The mais-ter hes ne pi-ty on aad bones.__
(B2 A)|G2 A G2 E|D3- DDD|E2 F G2 E|D2
w:So_ noo aa'm on the bank,_ an' aa while me time a-way
D B,2 D|G2 A B2 c|A2 A B2 B|G3-G3-|G2 z||
w:A-mang the bits o' lads wi' pick-in' oot the stones.__
"^Chorus:"HB2 HA|G2 A G2 E|D3 D2 D|E2 F G2 E|D3
w:Oh, me name is Geor-die Black. In me time aa've been a crack,
B,2 C|D2 D G2 A|B3 c2 B|B A2-A3-|A3
w:An' aa've warked baith in the Gyuss an' the Bet-ty.__
B2 A|G2 A G2 E|D3 DDD|E F2 G2 E|D3
w:An' the coals up-on the Tyne oot o' the oth-ers tak the shine,
B,2 C|D2 D G2 A|B2 c d2 B|A3-A3|G3 |]
w:An' we lick 'em aal for i-ron doon at Hawk_s's.

---

Click to play (joeweb)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Geordie Black
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Mar 13 - 12:48 PM

Thread #3003   Message #389957
Posted By: bill\sables
04-Feb-01 - 06:11 PM
Thread Name: Songs about getting older?
Subject: Lyr Add: GEORDIE BLACK

GEORDIE BLACK

Ma name is Geordie Black, aa'm getting very aad.
Aav'e hewed tons of coal in me time,
An' when aa wes just a lad, aa could either put or hew.
Oot the others aa could aalways tak the shine.
Aa'm gannin doon the hill, Aa cannet use the pick.
The maister hes ne pity on aad bones.
So noo aa'm on the bank, an'aa while me time away
Amang the bits o' lads wi' pickin oot the stones.

Oh me name is Geordie Black. In me time aa've been a crack.
An' aa've warked baith in the Gyuss an' in the Betty.
An' the coals upon the Tyne oot the others tak the shine,
An' we lick 'em aal for iron doon at Hawks's.

Noo when aa wes just a lad carried on me father's back,
An' away he wad take me te the pit.
An' te get in the cage an' te gan doon belaw
'Twas enough te mak a youngster tak a fit.
For te sit an' keep a door midst the darkness an' the gloom
Ay, mony an 'oor be messel,
An' te hear the aaful shots thar rummelled roond the pit,
An' the lumps o' roondy coal come doon pellmell.

Noo aa'll say good neet, for it's nearly time te lowse.
An' aa've done me best te please ye, ivery one.
Young lads that's here the neet, mind, de the thing that's reet.
In this warld that's the way te get on.
So here's success te trade baith on the Wear an' Tyne,
Aa divent like te see the place se slack.
For if wor pit lies idle, ne pay note comes teneet,
An' it grieves the heart o' poor Geordie Black

Bill

---

Note: Bill's version was added to the Digital Tradition in 2001.

Bill's version and the DT lyrics are from Come All Ye Bold Miners: Ballads and Songs of the Coalfields, compiled by A.L. Lloyd. (Lawrence and Wishart, 1952 & 1978, pp 139-141) -Joe Offer-

Notes from Come All Ye Bold Miners: Written by the Gateshead comedian Rowland Harrison in 1872. Transcribed from the singing of Peter Elliott, Birtley, Co. Durham (31 July 1963).
The "Gyuss" is the Goose Pit, near Holmside. The "Betty" is the nickname of a pit near Birtley.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Geordie Black
From: GUEST,Ebor_Fiddler
Date: 11 Mar 13 - 12:50 PM

It's the same tune Bert Lloyd used for "Ugly Dave" on his "Australian" LP. Connection?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Geordie Black
From: 2581
Date: 11 Mar 13 - 01:14 PM

Check out the excellent version performed by the Ian Campbell Folk Group on their album, "The Times They Are A Changin'". The Wayfarers also do a fine version on their self-titled album.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Geordie Black
From: le cheffie
Date: 11 Mar 13 - 02:05 PM

Thanks Mick, how ever I unfortunatley don't play guitar so cant follow the chords. I need a physical tune to learn the song from

Regards

Nick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Geordie Black
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 11 Mar 13 - 02:21 PM

Nick - the thing I posted is the melody in abc format. If you copy everything from the X:1 line to the end of my post into the big box at abc Converter at mandolintab and press the Submit button you will get the sheet music printed and (below the sheet music display) links to download a pdf of the sheet music or a midi of the tune.


You can hear a recording on the Tobar an Dualchais site: Geordie Black sung by Gordon Atkinson (Press the Play button on the left to hear it)


Mick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Geordie Black
From: le cheffie
Date: 11 Mar 13 - 05:54 PM

Mick thats brilliant thank you very much

Nick

Subject: Chord Req: Geordie Black
From: beachcomber
Date: 23 Oct 19 - 12:40 PM

I hope that someone can give me the chord pattern for this song. The tune that I have in mind is that used by David Pegg (I think it was) on the Ian Campbell Folk Group LP titled COALDUST BALLADS.

To jog memories, the first line went......

MA NAME IS GEORDIE BLACK AN' I'M GETTIN' VERY OWD....etc., etc.

i would be very much obliged.