Lyr ADD: Shores of Old Blighty (Graeme Miles)

Subject: Shores of Old Blighty Lyrics?
From:
Date: 27 Oct 98 - 04:11 PM

We heard a song years ago with a chorus that went something like this: The shores of old Blighty we're leaving behind The dim lights of Harwich are fading away When we get to Germany how will we find l Life on a serviceman;s pay Anybody out there know any more? Can't remember the melody to the verse Anthea

Subject: Lyr Add: SHORES OF OLD BLIGHTY (Graeme Miles)
From:
Date: 15 Nov 98 - 03:32 PM

Dear Anthea

Sorry I haven't responded sooner but I only saw your posting a couple of days ago. This song was recorded by Bob Fox & Stu Luckley; the words are as follows.

We're 200 soldiers on a troop-carrying ship
All dressed in our uniforms brown
We're all bound for Germany on a night trip
Serving our nation & crown.

Chorus:
And the shores of old Blighty we're leaving behind
The dim lights of Harwich are fading away
When we get to Germany how will we find
Life on a serviceman's pay, Sergeant
Life on a serviceman's pay?

We're 200 squaddies all barely but men
And all with numbers instead of our names
Oh how I wish I could come home again
Each one is thinking the same.

Chorus

We're 200 conscripts all asleep down below
Till the Sergeant he wakes us at dawn
When the lowlands of Holland by the rising sun show
Then it's down on the quay we'll form

Repeat chorus twice

Hope this helps. It's obviously not a traditional song in the true sense of the word so I think you would have to buy the sheet music; I don't know if they've brought out a songbook at any point.

Regards

Sue

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 11-Jan-02.

Subject: Shores of old blighty
From: shep
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 03:09 PM

Hello

I'm looking for the lyrics for a song called "The Shores Of Old Blighty". Its written by Grahame.... Somebody.

Does any one know where I can find this. I've checked in a number of music archives around the net for sometime now but with no joy.

Thanks

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 03:29 PM

I have them but am just about to dine.

Watch this space.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SHORES OF OLD BLIGHTY (Graeme Miles^^
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 04:19 PM

THE SHORES OF OLD BLIGHTY
Words and music by Graeme Miles

The shores of old blighty we're leaving behind,
The dock lights of Harwich are fading away,
When we get to Germany how will we find
Life on a few bob a day, Sergeant, life on a few bob a day.

We've waved our good-byes to the girls on the quay,
And it's with heavy hearts that we lean on the rail,
The roll-call's been taken, the siren has blown,
And that means we're ready to sail, Sergeant, that means we're ready to sail.

We're a boatload of squaddies all barely but men,
With numbers instead of our names,
I wish this old steamer would turn back for home,
And the lads are thinking the same, Sergeant, the lads are thinking the same.

We're unwilling conscripts, two hundred or so,
All dressed in our uniforms brown,
Bound o'er the seas on an overnight trip,
For the sake of our country and crown, Sergeant, for the sake of our country and crown.

We're all tired soldiers, who kip down below,
'Til the Corporal bawls at us at dawn,
"Get out of your pits, get your kit up on deck",
Then it's down on the quay we will form, Sergeant, down on the quay we will form.

The shores of old blighty we're leaving behind,
The dock lights of Harwich are fading away,
When we get to Germany how will we find
Life on a few bob a day, Sergeant, life on a few bob a day.
^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 01 Jan 00 - 05:16 PM

The latest issue of 'The Living Tradition' Click here features an article on Graeme Miles, although it isn't displayed on the website.

Now if this blue clicky thing actually works I'll open a bottle of champagne to Joe Offer! - Susanne

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: Margo
Date: 02 Jan 00 - 12:44 PM

Don't know if you're interested but you can get a listen to The Shores of Old Blighty here at Shangaied on the Wilammette. Shanghaied does a nice job of it. Margo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: GUEST,Aaron
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 03:24 AM

Much obliged. I have sought the lyrics of that particular song for a long time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 04:14 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 08:32 AM

I was writing in another thread Ron Angel / Chemical Workers Song
"I would argue that Teesside has produced more songwriters of note ( pardon the pun) in the British Folk music scene than any other area.
Incidentally for non-UK readers Teesside in the North East of England , birth place of many things 1st Railway , James Cook, all that sort of stuff . Main towns Middlesbrough, Stockton,Guisborough if you're looking at a map".
The person who gave us this confidence and sense of direction i.e. believing ordinary folk were capable of writing songs which were worth listening to, was, indeed Graeme Miles . His contribution British Folk music has been immense - and a very intelligent and pleasant person too !

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: GUEST,Betsy
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 08:40 AM

Sorry my name was missed off previous message .........

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 02:34 PM

Around here we sang

The dim lights of Harwich are fading away instead of The dock lights of Harwich are fading away and also life on a service mans pay sargeant life on a service mans pay

Gerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: rich-joy
Date: 12 Oct 04 - 01:30 AM

... I believe Graeme has done a few revisions of his song since first written (in mid-50s?????)...

Cheers! R-J
(who still loves Bob Fox and Stu Luckly's version best!!!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of old blighty
From: fiddler
Date: 12 Oct 04 - 03:49 AM

Typical Pete betts , never keeps his 'gob' shut.

Well done.

If folk wnat I am sure the fettlers won't mind if I put their recording of it on my web site for a while!

AS a PS I have a group of Uni Students who think the fettlers are brilliant and 2 years ago in Sta albans was faced with a 21 year old singing chemical workers song unaccompanied.......

How can a band like this go on for ever?

Perhaps I should make a formal fettlers site, I was speaking to Dave Bryant at the weekend who appears to have doen some stuff with them when I was not about (pre my 14th birthday rather then after my 20th)

It is good to see GM getting the credit he justly deserves.

You in Saltburn again next year mr Betts?

Andy

Subject: RE: Chor Req: Shores of Old Blighty (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,Royster301
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 05:31 AM

I have been trying to find the chords for Graeme miles song, the shores of old blighty. Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of Old Blighty (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 06:18 AM

basically it's just 2 chords, e.g. A to G

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shores of Old Blighty (Graeme Miles)
From: alex s
Date: 16 Jan 12 - 11:07 AM

Guest is me sans cookie