Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song

Subject: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: GUEST,Dennis Littlehales
Date: 07 Jul 23 - 09:31 AM

Hello I'm looking for some information on a folk song I have recorded.

The recording is of John Hendley in 1978 at the Lion O' Morfe in Birdgenorth.

The song is labelled as the 'Apartment song', though I can track down absolutely nothing about it. I would very much appreciate any information on its name/ origin/ writer.

I don't think I can post the full song here but some of the lyrics are:

Opening: "I said don't ever think your heart is up for sale..."

Chorus: "And I guess I fell in love with her apartment, I really couldn't stop myself at all, all day long I wanted to lie right inside of her, apartment on the (Rouex?) evermore."

Thank you in advance mudcat!

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jul 23 - 02:38 PM

Hi, Dennis -
I wasn't able to come up with anything right away. Keep checking this thread to see if anything comes up. Sometimes, it can take years to get a good response, sometimes mere minutes.
Why don't you think you can post the whole song here? The more information you give us, the more we may be able to help.

Welcome to Mudcat!

Joe Offer, Mudcat Music Editor

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jul 23 - 03:18 PM

That is an intriguing set of clues you've given us already, but I agree with Joe - transcribe and post as many of the lyrics you can get here.

Is the place perhaps "Bridgenorth" rather than "Birdgenorth"?

There seems to be (according to YouTube) a different up-and-coming singer songwriter named John Hendley that will tend to come to the top in any searches; do you know how old your Hendley is, or his active years?

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: GUEST,RJM
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 06:24 AM

c heck with PERFOMING RIGHTS SOCIETY

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 06:43 AM

Pace Dick, I can't see the PERFOMING RIGHTS SOCIETY being much concerned about reproduction of words on here as distinct from performance. Copyright might be more of an issue, but it is generally permissible to quote small extracts, and I'm not aware of anyone getting excited about complete song texts* being quoted on here.

* Personally I dislike the term "lyrics", but perhaps that's just me.

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 11:47 AM

Mudcat is a place where these things are discussed and researched. The only way we are going to be able to research this song is if as many of the words as possible are shared, and Dick knows that, I'm sure he has participated in parsing the meaning (and correcting mis-heard lyrics) many times here.

Telling us if it is sung to a familiar tune might also help.

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 12:18 PM

It was written by the late great Roger Brooks. I put it on my album.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nNDMZ8A2VU

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 12:28 PM

obtainable from

https://kidmenthal.co.uk/roger_brooks/index.php

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 12:42 PM

Excellent!

The text printed here would help these US ears understand more of the words as it is sung.

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 12:46 PM

Sunjay keeps the Roger Brooks website. Stree Riot by Roger was a notoriouslydifficult guitar piece, which Sunjay plays perfectly.

Roger had a tough time of it. His playing was at its peak in the great traddy/contemporary conflict. So his genius wasn't recognised in his lifetime sadly.


https://rogerbrooks.webs.com/

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 01:17 PM

At https://rogerbrooks.webs.com/lyrics.htm it's first up in this list.

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 03:41 PM

It's amazing how much more Google finds when there a few crucial words to add to the search.
Live video of Roger Brooks singing The Apartment Song in 2001.
https://youtu.be/hkL2CShtmXs

Subject: ADD: The Apartment Song (Roger Brooks)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 07:51 PM

THE APARTMENT SONG
(Roger Brooks)

Verse 1
They said don't ever think that your heart is up for sale,
Because you'll end up,
Paying them to take it away,
They said take a look at those around you,
Now distraught and pale,
And you'll see there's nothing more we need to say,

CHORUS
But I guess I fell in love with her apartment,
There was no way I could stop myself at all,
All day long I wanted to lie right inside of her,
Apartment on the rue excellement,

Verse 2
I got there on the hour and the beauty was so cruel,
There were candles glowing by the side of her bed,
And she lay there so frail and precious,
Just like a stolen jewel,
And I began to see how feet can turn to lead,

CHORUS
But I guess I fell in love with her apartment,
There was no way I could stop myself at all,
All day long I wanted to lie right inside of her,
Apartment on the rue excellement,

Verse 3
Now I travel 'round and I always seem so far from home,
And the only routines just movin' along,
But gladly would I change the ways compelling me to rome,
If I had a place like that to call my home,

CHORUS
But I guess I fell in love with her apartment,
There was no way I could stop myself at all,
All day long I wanted to lie right inside of her,
Apartment on the rue excellement

https://youtu.be/hkL2CShtmXs

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 23 - 10:11 PM

I would say that Dennis got a pretty darned good result for the question he posted 36 hours ago!

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jul 23 - 04:46 PM

I am glad that the song has been found.
To clear up a misunderstanding, I was suggesting the song could be traced through performing rights society. SONGWRITERS resident in the UK generally register their songs, so if you have a title the song can be traced, that was what i meant by check with PRS.

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 Jul 23 - 06:20 PM

My version of Roger's song


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYLJqUsQuSw

Subject: RE: Origins: Staffordshire folk 'Apartment' song
From: GUEST,Dennis Littlehales
Date: 10 Jul 23 - 04:32 AM

Wow. What a result! Thank you all, especially Big Al for recognising it.