Lyr Req: Jowl and Listen Lad

Subject: Many a Marrer's missing lads, because he
From: GUEST,Carole
Date: 21 Oct 01 - 04:13 PM

Heard a song at recent folk club in Stony Stratford that rang bells from my childhood, containing line: Many a 'marrer's' missing lads, Because he wouldn't listen lads. The song is about miners 'listening' to the coal seam to hear trouble ahead.

Thanks

Subject: Lyr Add: JOWL JOWL AND LISTEN LAD
From: bill\sables
Date: 21 Oct 01 - 04:35 PM

Jowl Jowl and listen lad
You'll hear the coal face working
There's many a marra missing lad
Because they wouldn't listen lad

My father always used to say
That pit work's more than hewing
You've got to coax the coal along
And not be riving and chewing

Now the deputy gans from flat to flat
While the putter rams the chumins
But the man at the face has to knaa his place
Like a mother knaas her younguns

I learned this from the singing of Jack Elliot of Birtley Co. Durham back about 1963.
Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many a Marrer's missing lads, becaus
From: GUEST,Carole
Date: 21 Oct 01 - 04:41 PM

Thank you very much. That is exactly what I was looking for. The fact that you learnt it from the Elliotts is fascinating.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many a Marrer's missing lads, becaus
From: bill\sables
Date: 21 Oct 01 - 04:55 PM

According to Bert Lloyd (Come all ye Bold Miners) it was collected by W.Toyn from Henry Nattress of Low Fell (Gateshead) Co. Durham in 1962.
Bill

Subject: LYR ADD: Jowl Jowl and listen lad
From: Noreen
Date: 21 Oct 01 - 05:52 PM

For harvesting purposes:

See Bill's post above @ 4.35pm.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many a Marrer's missing lads, becaus
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 21 Oct 01 - 05:56 PM

Carole?? Carole who??? You mean there is a female at a Stony folk do I don't know??? (incidentally it was almost certainly sung by Brian Peckett, and I am most upset you didn't ask about any of my songs)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many a Marrer's missing lads, becaus
From: John Routledge
Date: 21 Oct 01 - 06:13 PM

Carole - This song used to be sung immediately after Rap her to Bank. I have never heard it sung on it's own.

Thanks Bill for the words.I needed the last verse. Cheers John

Subject: Lyr Add: JOWL AN' LISTEN
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 21 Oct 01 - 10:14 PM

For the sake of completeness, here it is as given by Lloyd:

JOWL AN' LISTEN

(Noted by W. Toyn from Henry Nattress of Low Fell, County Durham, in 1962)

Jowl, jowl an' listen, lad,
An' hear that coal-face workin'.
There's many a marra missin', lad,
Because he wadn't listen, lad.

Me feyther aalways used te say
That pit-work's mair than hewin'.
Ye've got te coax the crew alang,
An' not be rivin' an' tewin'.

So jowl, jowl &c.

Noo, the depitty craals fre flat te flat,
While the putter rams the tyum 'uns,
But the man at the face hes te knaa his place
Like a mother knaas her youh 'uns.

So jowl, jowl &c.

As printed in Come All Ye Bold Miners (A.L. Lloyd, 1978).  A midi made from the notation will go to the  Mudcat Midi Pages;  until then, it can be heard via the  South Riding Folk Network  site:

Jowl an' Listen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many a Marrer's missing lads, becaus
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 09:03 AM

I was taught this song by W Toyn, Headmaster of George Street Secondary School Birtley in something like 1965 and I believe he actually collected it. He collected a great many old North East songs...mainly in dialect and passed them on to us in music lessons. Apparently he and the Elliots worked together to preserve a lot of the songs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many a Marrer's missing lads, becaus
From: Santa
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 05:25 PM

Jack Elliot sang at least one more verse:

And when that awful day arrived
The last shift for me father
A fall of stones, and brocken bones
but still above the clatter

He cried rap her to bank, me canny lad
Wind her away, that's clever,
This poor old lad, he's taken bad,
He'll be back here never

Not sure of some of the finer details.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many a Marrer's missing lads, becaus
From: Little Robyn
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 02:52 AM

Santa you've got the wrong song - the other thread has the words to Rap her to bank. Yes, Jack Elliot sang Jowl, jowl straight after it but the words you quote are in the first song.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many a Marrer's missing lads, becaus
From: Little Robyn
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 02:55 AM

Here: Rap her to bank
Robyn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Many a Marrer's missing lads, becaus
From: GUEST,Santa
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 01:51 PM

Apologies.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jowl and Listen Lad
From: GUEST,John Elliott
Date: 26 Oct 08 - 09:51 AM

Jack Elliott was my Grandfather, the lines you refer to are from another song, Rap Her to Bank