Lyr Req: Men on the Rigs (from Alan S. Ferguson)

Subject: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 07 Feb 01 - 09:48 PM

Hi folks A couple of years ago, might be 15 or 20, I heard a song on the radio which came back into my mind some weeks ago. I remember some of the lyrics but neither title nor the band who did it. I'm nearly shure it was a Scottish Band 'cause one of the phrases I remember was "Now don't count on the millions of pounds that it cost. Just count on the poor bloody lives that were lost,a prosperous Scottland for you and for me is in the hands of the men who bring oil from the sea" and another one:" well the men on the rigs are like you and like me,Ahh would you like to be that damn' close to the sea?" Does anybody out there know it?

take care everybody

menzze

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: MartinRyan
Date: 08 Feb 01 - 09:09 AM

There's a mention of it, I think, HERE under the title "The Men from the Rigs". No lyrics, though.

Regards

Subject: Lyr Add: MEN FROM THE RIGS (Gordon Menzies)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 08 Feb 01 - 09:48 AM

Thanks to Martin's hint I found Men from the rigs. It doesn't seem to be the right song but it is worth posting. So here it is.

Wolfgang


MEN FROM THE RIGS
(Gordon Menzies)

Out from the rocky coast of Scotland
Where the North seas heave and boil
Men have gone to seek their fortune
Drilling for the North Sea oil

CHORUS: Captives o' the rigs and the barges
Some may once again be free
Some will find eternal bondage
Underneath the rolling sea

Black above the clouds of thunder
Black below the waters roll
Black the oil they seek to plunder
Black as the Yankee gangers' soul

Some will always seek adventure
Some are always on the run
Some will brave the mighty Forties
Just to boast of what they've done

Men of every creed and colour
Every nation side by side
Battle with the common enemy
Wind and water, time and tide

Repeat 1

(as sung by Gaberlunzie)


[1976:] The men from the North Sea rigs constantly battle against the elements to harvest the Black Rain. [This] is a song for them. (Notes Gaberlunzie, 'Wind
and Water, Time and Tide')

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 08 Feb 01 - 10:00 AM

Hi Wolfgang

It's actually not the one I'm looking for but you're right, it has been worth posting. Maybe somebody else might know it and post it here. Anything new about German mudcatters getting together?

menzze

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 07:24 PM

hi

really nobody who knows this song out there?

I've searched my ol' tapes through and found a part of the song at the end of one of them. I must have taped it in the second half of the 70s. but there's no more lyrics on it as the ones I mentioned above. It's got complete folkband playing it and ya can really hear the roar of the the northern sea.

Please!!!! somebody must know it

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 04:28 PM

Boy, this one is tough! I've just done a search on google and I ony came up with likely possibilities to search and they aren't even folk, really.

It looks as though Jethro Tull came out with an album either called Stormwatch or the song on it was that and it looked like it might be about that. Couldn't find the lyrics, but the annotation made it sound likely.

Also, Peter Gabriel might be worth looking into.

Hope that helps some. My dad worked in the oil fields all of his life, including in the Aleutian Islands, so I'd realy like to share this with him.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 04:48 PM

kat

I got the album Stormwatch from, If it were on it I would know.

No, it is really a folk song played by a folk group from Scotland as far as I can recognize the dialect. I've found a short piece of recording on the end of one of my ol' ol' ol'....very ol' tapes. As I said I must have recorded it in the late 70s but it's only a small part of the song at the end of the tape. I wrote down all the lyrics that I have, sorry that I haven't got more. Yeah this one seems to be really tough but I won't give up!!!

It's a really lovely and strong melody and a great voice. Sometimes I hum it all the day, just because I love the melody. It was shurely not Peter Gabriel.I got most of his work at home and I would imideatly recognize his voice.

But thanks a lot for your efforts.

I'll keep posting it here, maybe in a year or two... *g*

'til then........

menzze

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 05:23 PM

Is there anyway you can make a sound file to post it at Driveway.com or somewhere, where we could hear what you do have? Maybe someone would recognise it then? Just a thought.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 05:41 PM

Man, I'm not finding anything either. Which Scottish groups were recording in the '70's? ummm, Weavers, Silly Wizard, ummm who else?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 06:15 PM

kat/Sorcha

I don't know how to make a sound file from this snip I've got but I could ask around here. Maybe I'll find some one who could do it for me.

It wasn't Silly Wizzard nor The Tannahill Weaver nor The Battlefield Band as far as I know them, which is quite a bit. The fact that I think it could be Scottish does not necessarily mean it is Scottish. But the words "...a prosperous Scottland for you and for me..." and the pronounciation of the singer make me think it is a Scottish band.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: radriano
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 06:30 PM

Wasn't Archie Fisher involved in writing songs of the oil rigs? His Men of Worth was on the subject.

Richard

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 06:46 PM

Yes, he did, and I found the lyrics to that one, but it is still not the one requested. (I suppose I should post them, or Joe will whack me again........grin)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 06:50 PM

Never mind. They're already posted in this thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 06:52 PM

Good night everybody it's one o'clock in the morning here, have to go to bed, this time with the feeeling things have started to move

bless ya

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 08:25 PM

menzze, if you're in Germany you could send me a tape with the snippet you've got. Maybe I or other friends will recognise the band. Email me at [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 14 Feb 01 - 05:32 PM

Susanne, will you be in Munster in may? I could bring the tape along. At the moment there might be a possibility to copy the tape to a minidisc and from there to my hard disc. I try to do it within the next week. I have to look for a minidisc player and the cables to connect it to my pc.

If I can manage that, whereto can I send the soundfile then?

menzze

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 17 Feb 01 - 05:34 PM

menzze, let me know closer to May at [e-mail] whether you still need the tape.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 04:54 AM

five days and nothing happened here :-((

You're not giving up, will ya?

menzze

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 23 Feb 01 - 04:26 PM

hey, what's goin' on????????????????????

Nothing?????????????????????

NOTHING ???

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 06 Mar 01 - 07:21 AM

a last try :-)))

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 11:00 AM

another last try that maybe someone may read it and help me in my desert :-(((

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: Wolfgang
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 11:15 AM

Menzze,

bring the tape to Münster and perhaps...

BTW, congratulations, you have surpassed in number of posts asking for a single song the legendary jamas in his several months quest for 'Killybegs'. Incidentially, his request was responded to about one and a half years later. So don't despair. I wish you luck.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 09 Mar 01 - 12:17 PM

Hi Wolfgang,

the fact that I'm still refreshing this shows I don't despair*gr* As I wrote in one of my songs "...we'll never give up, our fight(or search in this case) goes on" and it will.......................

Münster depends on my driving license, means: is my psy-doc good enough to get me through this fucking MPU (IdiotentesT) so I can regain it before may. Chances are falling at the moment but that's somehting different...

All the best to you and even more to the one who knows this song

menzze

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: Amos
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 08:46 PM

Here's one CD for sale with the title on it

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 06:34 AM

Amos
this thread is running since the beginning of feb. Why did you wait this long before posting to it??? Tz...tz...tz...tz...tz.... happy you finally did it. Have to look for other places now where I can buy it from. Australia is a little, but just alittle, bit far from here.

Thank you SIR AMOS, hope this is the one.

menzze

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: Amos
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 01:10 PM

Well, I hope so! SOrry to not have popped into the thread earlier; I am not a full-time Catter, you see, and I came to this thread because you specifically asked me to; otherwise I would not have gotten into it as I don't have time to read everything on the Forum!

Regards,

A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: menzze
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 01:57 PM

Amos, *vbg*

Menzze

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: GUEST,Offshore Brazil
Date: 25 Dec 11 - 06:50 PM

Hi Menzze

It's funny I was loking for this lyric ,I guess this site is closed now ? I remember a band playing in Aberdden who used to sing it ?

Eric

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Dec 11 - 11:05 AM

Hi Menzze, Hi Eric

even I remembered a few days ago about this song, that I heard a very long time ago.

Did you find the lyrics or the melody in the meanwhile?

Roland

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The men on the rigs
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jun 20 - 03:25 AM

Bunion They Recorded a single in 1978 and played usually Monday nights in the Malt Mill Bar, Holburn Street Aberdeen

Subject: Lyr Add: MEN ON THE RIGS (from Alan S. Ferguson)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Jun 20 - 03:13 PM

You can hear this on Spotify or at YouTube. My transcription. The tune of the chorus is the same as the verses.


MEN ON THE RIGS
As recorded by Alan S. Ferguson and Friends on "Freedom's Sons, Vol. 1" (2004)

Well, there's brave men from Shetland right down to Dundee
Workin' on rigs bringin' oil from the sea.
For a week on the rigs they get money galore
To buy what they need and a bloody sight more,
To buy what they need and a bloody sight more.

Its fourteen days on; it's twelve hours a day,
And, man, you've to work bloody hard for your pay.
Your mates are at home and they're lyin' asleep
While you're out in the night draggin' oil from the deep,
While you're out in the night draggin' oil from the deep.

CHORUS: To work on the rigs, man, it's brave and it's bold.
In the papers and storybooks, that's how it's told,
But the men on the rigs are like you and like me.
How would you like to be that damn close to the sea?
How would you like to be that damn close to the sea?

It's cold, it's wet, and your shift's nearly through.
Some other poor rigger takes over from you.
You'll go down below and you'll sleep bloody well.
In another twelve hours you'll be back there in hell.
In another twelve hours you'll be back there in hell.

CHORUS

So don't count the millions of pounds that it cost;
Just think of the poor bloody lives that are lost,
And a prosperous Scotland for you and for me
Is in the hands of the men that drag oil from the sea,
Is in the hands of the men that drag oil from the sea.

CHORUS TWICE

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Men on the Rigs (from Alan S. Ferguson)
From: GUEST,iains
Date: 29 Jun 20 - 06:23 AM

Nearly 20 years later the request is finally answered. It was originally posted the same year I made a request on mudcat for any songs of the oilfield.
The world has moved on from my days in the Texas Teahouse in Dallas.

https://triberocket.com/oilfield-music/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Men on the Rigs (from Alan S. Ferguson)
From: GUEST,Mike Keavey
Date: 14 Dec 20 - 03:55 PM

Hello, I am one half of a duo called Bunion from Aberdeen in Scotland. My singing partner (Eddie Ross) wrote and recorded “Men on the Rigs” in 1978. Good to hear so much interest in our song. We made it a double “B” side with a song called “Dreamer”.
Hope this answers the enquiries. ??