Lyr Req: Edward Sayer's Brass Band (R Digance)

Subject: Lyr Req: Final stand of the brass band
From: GUEST,Jenny sans cookie
Date: 13 May 14 - 03:52 AM

Can someone please remind us of the lyrics, and who recorded a song with the following lines (from the chorus?):

He wanted to play in the town brass band
But the council pulled down the bandstand
Nobody noticed the levelled out land
Nor the final stand of the brass band

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Final stand of the brass band
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 13 May 14 - 04:20 PM

Certainly, the Scottish folk-rock band "Contraband" recorded it in the early 1970s. I'm 99% certain that the song was written by Rosie Hardman - title was "Edward Sayers' Brass Band". I think I have the words somewhere, and if no-one else comes up with them before the end of the week, I'll post them for you - bit busy at the moment.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Final stand of the brass band
From: GUEST
Date: 13 May 14 - 05:05 PM

Edward Sayers' Brass Band
Written By – Richard Digance

Haven't been able to ascertain whether or not that's true.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Final stand of the brass band
From: GUEST
Date: 13 May 14 - 05:12 PM

http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_301435/richard-digance/tpx_24599275

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Final stand of the brass band
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 May 14 - 07:19 PM

Clicky

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Final stand of the brass band
From: GUEST,Jenny sans cookie
Date: 15 May 14 - 05:36 AM

Ah yes - Contraband. Why ever did we give away that album!
Thankyou all for reminding us, and further research shows that it was indeed written by Richard Digance.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Final stand of the brass band
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 15 May 14 - 06:14 AM

Thanks for the correction - the old memory's not quite what it was - "Lady For Today" was the song they recorded by Rosie Hardman.
I see that you can get a download of either the original by Richard Digance, or the "Contraband" version on "iTunes", so you might want to do that and get the lyrics from there yourself.
I'm sure I'd written them out at some point, but haven't been able to locate them. If all else fails, I'll buy the "Contraband" download and get them for you from there - no hardship, it's a song I've always liked.
Regards, Kenny

Subject: Lyr Add: EDWARD SAYER'S BRASS BAND (R Digance)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 May 14 - 09:58 AM

I found this on Spotify. Unfortunately a few words or phrases were unintelligible to me. (This is my transcription.)

EDWARD SAYER'S BRASS BAND
As sung by Richard Digance on "Working Class Millionaire: The Transatlantic Anthology" (1974) and "The Best of The Transatlantic Years" (1975)

1. Mister Edward Sayers was brought up in Lancashire.
His father was a miller by trade and a lover of Lancashire beer.
But Edward was a musician at heart, not knowing where to start,
And that was the rise and fall of Mister Sayers' broken heart.

CHORUS: He wanted to play in the town brass band but the council took down the bandstand.
Not many noticed the leveled-out land or the final bow of the brass band.

2. Every Tuesday after work he'd walk to rehearsal hall.
He'd clean ... his very best ... a special night after all.
They'd walk the halls ... milit'ry balls with leader Jeffrey Brown,
And when they rehearsed for many's the day they'd march around the town.

3. Membership fell from thirty to ten reliables close at hand,
And that ... too late when two joined a rock-and-roll band.
Their uniforms became ragged and torn; their dying days descended.
One pair of feet walked the silent streets as Edward's dream had ended.

4. His trumpet rests in a cared-for grave on a shelf beside the door
With a photograph of his mother and dad taken before the war.
Edward stares into the night; his face is filled with sorrow,
And he's thinking of joining a brand-band; he's seeing someone tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Edward Sayer's Brass Band (R Digance)
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 17 May 14 - 04:59 AM

A few additions to what Jim has posted above :

1 - . Mister Edward Sayers was born and brought up in Lancashire.
      His father was a miller by trade and a lover of Lancashire beer.
      But Edward was a musician at heart, not knowing where to start,
      And that was the rise and fall of Mister Sayers' broken heart.

CHORUS: He wanted to play in the town brass band
         but the council took down the bandstand.
         Not many noticed the levelled-out land
         or the final bow of the brass band.

2. Every Tuesday after work he'd walk to rehearsal hall.
    He'd clean his buttons, look his very best,
    it was a special night after all.
    They'd walk the halls to the military calls
    with leader Jeffrey Brown,
    And when they rehearsed for many's the day
    they'd march around the town.

3. Membership fell from thirty to ten reliables close at hand,
    And that was of late to fall to eight
    when two joined a rock-and-roll band.
    Their uniforms became ragged and torn,
    their dying days descended.
    One pair of feet walked the silent streets
    as Edward's dream had ended.

4. His trumpet rests in a cared-for grave on a shelf beside the door
    With a photograph of his mother and dad taken before the war.
    Edward stares into the night, his face is filled with sorrow,
    And he's thinking of joining a brand-band,
    he's seeing someone tomorrow.

A sad song for any musician, but there is a wee bit of optimism in that last line.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Edward Sayer's Brass Band (R Digance)
From: GUEST,Mike Wiles
Date: 03 Feb 24 - 03:49 AM

Massively late to this thread, but, from memory (I will check), there is an additional verse in the original Richard Digance version. The original verse 3 is

They marched the street from Chester Gate
To the crown of Christmas Hill.
Where the little boys and girls
Would call them names as they passed the mill.
Edward held his head up high
But inside began to cry.
I think that’s when he realised
That the band was about to die.