Lyr Req: The Little Piecer

Subject: the little piecer
From: GUEST,Roberto Campo
Date: 17 May 01 - 01:58 PM

I'd like to have the lyrics of the song The Little Piecer. It is not in the DT. It is from the CD Deep Lancashire. A beautiful song indeed. Please, help needed. Thank you. Roberto Campo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: Snuffy
Date: 17 May 01 - 04:06 PM

Do you mean The Merry Little Doffer, sung by Harry Boardman? I've got the words in a book by Boardman "Folk Songs and Ballads of Lancashire". I'll try and post them later tonight or tomorrow.

Wassail! V

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE MERRY LITTLE DOFFER
From: Snuffy
Date: 17 May 01 - 05:33 PM

Here you go, Roberto. How good are you at Lancashire dialect?

THE MERRY LITTLE DOFFER

A merry little doffer lad
Coom down to Shapper's Mill
To see if he could get a shop.
He said his name were Bill.
"Bill what, me lad?" th' o'erlooker said,
"Arto coe'd nought besides?"
"Oh, yigh", said th'lad,
"They co'n me things
Sometimes 'at's hard to bide."

"But what's thi faither's name, me lad?
Thou'll surely tell me that?"
"Said th'lad "Some cao'n him 'Apple Dad',
His gradely name's 'Owd Hat'."
My Uncle Joe's co'de 'Flopper Chops'
And sometimes 'Owt Betide'
They co'n him those at th' weighvin' shops;
An' I know nought beside."

Said th' o'erlooker, "I know Old Joe,
He weighvs for Billy Grime.
But what dun they co' thee, my lad,
When they co'n dinner time?"
Th' lad grinned an said "They never han
To co' me then - no fear."
Said th' o'erlooker, "How's that, my lad?"
Said th' lad, "I'M AL'AYS THEER!"

"My lad, thou looks a lively cowt;
Keen as a sharp-cut saw;
Short yure, sharp teeth, a twinklin' e'e,
An a little hungry maw.
But wheer hasto bin wortchin' at?
What's brought thou down our way?"
Said th' lad, "I wortched for Tommy Platt;
He' gan me th'bag today."

"Thou's brought thi characte, I guess?"
Says th' lad, "Yo're wrange I doubt."
Says th' o'erlooker, "How's that me lad?"
Says th' lad, "I'm better bowt!"
Says th' o'erlooker, "I never see
Such a lad sin I wur born.
But, I'll try what I can to make o' thee,
Come to thi wark in th'morn."

MIDI file: MERRDOFR.MID

Timebase: 480

Tempo: 180 (333333 microsec/crotchet)
Key: C
TimeSig: 6/8 36 8
Name: Merry Little Doffer, The
Start
0000 1 67 127 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 64 127 0479 0 64 000 0001 1 64 090 0239 0 64 000 0001 1 64 090 0479 0 64 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 62 127 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 62 090 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 62 090 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 64 127 0479 0 64 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 62 090 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 59 120 0479 0 59 000 0001 1 60 127 1199 0 60 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 64 127 0479 0 64 000 0001 1 64 090 0239 0 64 000 0001 1 64 090 0479 0 64 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 62 127 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 62 090 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 62 090 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 64 127 0239 0 64 000 0001 1 60 090 0479 0 60 000 0001 1 62 090 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 59 090 0239 0 59 000 0001 1 60 127 0959 0 60 000 0241 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 71 090 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 71 090 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 64 090 0239 0 64 000 0001 1 62 127 0959 0 62 000 0241 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 64 127 0479 0 64 000 0001 1 64 090 0239 0 64 000 0001 1 64 090 0479 0 64 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 62 127 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 62 090 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 62 090 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 64 127 0479 0 64 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 62 090 0479 0 62 000 0001 1 59 090 0239 0 59 000 0001 1 60 127 1199 0 60 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X: 10
T:Merry Little Doffer, The
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:1/4=120
C:Words - Edwin Waugh
S:Tune "Jumping John" arranged by Harry Boardman
D:Deep Lancashire, Topic 12T188,1968
B:Folk Songs and Ballads of Lancashire, Oak Publications, 1973
K:C
P:A
G|E2E E2C|D2D D2G|E2C DB,2|C3-C2 G|
E2E E2C|DD2 D2G|EC2 D2B,|C3-Cz G|
c2G A2B|c2G A2B|c2A G2E |D3-Dz G|
E2E E2C|DD2 D2G|E2C D2B,|C3-C2 ||



Wassail! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 17 May 01 - 08:22 PM

Thankyou for posting that, Snuffy; it's one of the songs that Roberto was also looking for.  (See thread  Lyr Req: Hand-loom weaver's lament)  -what he didn't tell us was that he was talking about the recent CD reissue of Deepest Lancashire, which, as it turns out, also includes the follow-up album Owdem Edge, which is the one Little Piecer was on.  I don't have either record, or the reissue, and the text doesn't seem to be available on the web, so can't help any further.

Malcolm

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LITTLE PIECER (G A North, D Brooks)
From: Anglo
Date: 17 May 01 - 08:51 PM

Well, here's the song, sung by Dave Brooks, apparently his tune to a poem by G.A. North. This is the best I can do - it's a long time since I lived in Manchester (and that was Victoria Park & Didsbury).


Buzzer's blowing, Willie lad,
Lights are blazing down below,
Come on, best get ready, lad,
It's almost time to go.

Now see thee (?) Old Wilson's shut his gate,
Henry Cartright's crossing t' fold,
Come on lad, best not be late
Though t' morning's black and cold.

Kettle's boiled and your cocoa's brewed,
You'll find a bun on cellar head,
Daylight's breaking now at th' hill (?)
Come on lad, it's time for t' mill.

Buzzer's blowing, Willie lad,
Lights are blazing down below,
Come on, best get ready, lad,
It's almost time to go.


I could probably post an abc of the tune if you need one, not for a couple of hours though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 May 01 - 09:01 PM

It's always nice to have a tune with a new song. That way MMario doesn't have to beat up on us.......Yes, please do post the tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: GUEST,Roberto Campo
Date: 18 May 01 - 10:22 AM

Thank you, Anglo. That's the song I was looking for. And thank you Snuffy, because The Merry Little Doffer is another song from the CD Deep Lancashire, and I'm trying to get the lyrics of most of the songs in that collection. I've been listening to folk music from the British Isles and collecting recordings since I was a boy, some decades ago, but I didn't know until a month ago the songs featured in Deep Lancashire, that I think are really beautiful and interesting.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: MMario
Date: 18 May 01 - 11:01 AM

NWC of the merry little doffer sent to Joe.

Subject: Tune Add: THE LITTLE PIECER
From: Anglo
Date: 19 May 01 - 12:50 PM

Well, when I said a couple of hours I guess I meant a couple of days. Here's the ABC, transcribed from the Deep Lancashire CD (though as pointed out, it was originally on the Owdham Edge LP).

Perhaps someone could check out the queries in the lyrics.

I'm good with Finale, but haven't totally got the hang of ABC, so I'm hoping this works. I'll try and remember to put line breaks in properly.

X:1
T:The Little Piecer
C: G. A. North/Dave Brooks
M:4/4
L:1/4
K:g
d/d> c2 A|B/G (D/ D2)|D>DEF|G>GD2|
d/d> c2 A|B/G (D/ D>) B,|DDE>F|G4||

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: Snuffy
Date: 19 May 01 - 05:19 PM

Anglo,

I think it's "Daylight's breaking ower th' hill", but the rest is spot on. Thanks for the ABC.

Wassail! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: Anglo
Date: 19 May 01 - 06:21 PM

Gotcha. That's it. Thanks. Those liaisons get me every time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 May 01 - 06:27 PM

I think it's 'Daylight's breakin' now our Bill etc etc'

(Bill=William=Willie)

Our, in Lancy, being pronounced 'are'

It's what I sing anyway - and it makes sense in Manchester!

Cheers and enjoy it - whatever you sing,

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: Snuffy
Date: 21 May 01 - 08:13 AM

I always preferred to think it was "Now silly Old Wilson's shut his gate," but unfortunately it's probably 'see thee'.

Wassail! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 02:04 PM

Copied from http://www.tfict.net/deane/cotton_mills.htm :

Typically a boy would start work as a 'little piecer', that is, an assistant to the spinner (or minder as they were known) and his duties would include picking up the broken ends of yarn of the spinning mules, and cleaning and oiling the machinery.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the little piecer
From: little john cameron
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 02:56 PM

Dear Diary

Today I had to get up at 5.00 a.m. I could hardly walk to the factory. It is an ugly black building and it stinks of rotten eggs.

Our work starts at 6.00 a.m. We get 2 shillings a week, but we don't even get paid for the first three days! You'd think we were slaves.

When I went in I was told I was a piecer. I have to watch thousands of machines and when the thread breaks I have to piece it together. It stings your hands like mad. You'd never have seen me doing this in Culmailie, but we have to do it here.

A girl called Maggie works beside me, she's really kind. we were talking about work, when the overseer saw us. He got his massive leather strap and hit Maggie with it, it must have been agony. At lunch I couldn't eat my piece, I was too exhausted. Maggie gave me some water though. Then the whistle blew again and we went back into the building. On the way in there is a sign. It has 21 rules, if you break one you get fined!

After lunch I was almost falling onto the machines. My dress got ripped on it. Maggie says a boy had his arms ripped off in the machinery and he lived for 24 hours after!

At 7.30 p.m. the whistle blew and we trudged slowly home.