Lyr Req: Yarmouth Town (Cyril Tawney)

Subject: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: breezy
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 08:02 AM

after hearing Nic Jones on Unearthed my interest has been rekindled, but its not in the D.T. or Lyrics lib, so can you help me please?thanks. p.s. webber/fentiman at the silver cup harpenden this Fri 9th Nov.

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Jim Hancock
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 03:34 PM

It's on Sailor's Delight - http://www.folk-now.co.uk/cyril.tawney will get you there

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 03:54 PM

Note: The lyrics are not there. Just a CD/album to buy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Wolfgang
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 03:38 AM

A song titled 'Yarmouth Town' ("In Y. T. there lives a man, kept a little tavern down by the strand...") has been posted in the Forum at least twice and is easily found by a search. However, I doubt this is the song you are looking for.

Wolfgang

Subject: Lyr Add: YARMOUTH TOWN (Cyril Tawney)
From: GMT
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 09:30 AM

There you go Breezy. I hope this comes out ok.

Cheers Gary

YARMOUTH TOWN

In Yarmouth town there lived a man,
And he kept a little tavern down by the strand.
The landlord had a daughter fair
A pretty little thing with the golden hair.

chorus:
Oh Won't you come down, Oh won't you come down,
Oh won't you come down to Yarmouth down. (repeat)

At night there came a sailor man,
And he's asked the daughter for her hand.
Oh why should I marry you she said,
I have all I want without being wed.

But if with me you do want to linger,
I'll tie a piece of string all around me finger.
And as you pass by just pull on the string,
And I'll come down and I'll let you in.

At closing time the sailor man,
He's gone to the tavern down by the strand.
And as he passed by he pulled on the string,
And she's gone down and she's let old Jack in.

Now he's never seen such a sight before,
'Cause a string around her finger was all she wore!

The sailor stayed the whole night through,
And early in the morning went back to his crew.
And when he told them about the maiden fair,
The pretty little thing with the golden hair.

Well the news it soon got around,
And the very next night in Yarmouth town,
There were fifteen sailors pullin' on the string,
And she's come down and she's let them all in.

So all young men that to Yarmouth go,
If you see a pretty maid with her hair hanging low,
Well, all you got to do is pull on the string,
And she'll come down and she'll let you in.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: GUEST,Ranks from work
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 01:26 PM

Two additional lines for verse 5 as Peter Bellamy sang:

He was so darned pleased he pulled the string and she came down and let him all in

Greetings,

Ranks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Wolfgang
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 01:36 PM

And I had thought that song was 'trad.'. Well, that's the magic of some of Tawney's songs.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: breezy
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 03:00 PM

thanks one and all,I've since found the 4th line of v5 is ''she opened the sheets, and she let him in'' via Richard Spurr from Vikki Clayton, which puts it very nicely IMHO. I'm now singing it to two tunes, but I so like the way Nic Jones rocks it up, perhaps it is one of the songs he absorbed in part.Thank you especially to Gary.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: MMario
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 03:11 PM

I first heard this a decade or so ago at a ren-faire.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 03:42 PM

Yep, for a long time I thought it Trad. too.

...well, Amen to every word Wolfgang says!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: breezy
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 06:10 PM

also'' He staggered back to hiscrew'' note, two words unlesssslurrrred. O.K.MMario whats a ''ren-faire'' please? and so who did write it then, P.B.?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Anglo
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 07:46 PM

Hold on a mo'. I'm confused. The implication I read here is that Cyril Tawney wrote "Yarmouth Town" which with the words given above is the same song Peter Bellamy used to sing, in fact he recorded it on his very first solo LP. There as I recall he gave its provenance as from Peter Bullen of Norfolk, and in Wake The Vaulted Echoes his source is given as "a young man who had learned it from his grandfather." Cyril's tape mentioned above is a recording of primarily traditional songs, and I don't have it to check, neither do I have the new Nic Jones compilation so I can't look there. So where does the attribution of authorship to Tawney come from?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: GUEST,Ranks (from Work)
Date: 12 Nov 01 - 06:06 AM

I forgot to mention, that Peter Bellamy always said, that Yarmouth Town was the first song he ever collected.

This suggests it is a traditional song.

Greetings, Ranks

Subject: RE: Bellamy sings...
From: Abby Sale
Date: 12 Nov 01 - 09:42 AM

In v. 2, Bellamy sings (but others don't)

Oh why should I marry you she said,
I get all I want without being wed.

I don't know if that's his own joke but in light of the character of the lass it seems appropriate.

I sang this wonderful song at the local Round Robin a few weeks ago and one wag calls out "Great! Now we're singing songs about gang bangs!." I didn't demur but his own song included a lot of naughty words but no sex. In fact, his was the more socially acceptable around here. More's the pity.

BTW, this is the same song as "Domeama" (or "Do Me Ama") sung by many and especially by Carthy. The basic story's a very old one - especially the 'pull the string' bit.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 12 Nov 01 - 12:55 PM

I thought it was Trad too, in light of the above statements, somebody please put me out of my misery. Is it or Isn't it?? Confused JohnB.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 Nov 01 - 01:38 PM

People often post enquiries about "so-and-so's" (name of song) because that's the only person they've heard sing it, not because they think that person wrote it (although sometimes they do).  The best way of answering the question would be to ask Cyril.  He can be contacted through his homepage at "Guestlist":  Cyril Tawney

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: breezy
Date: 12 Nov 01 - 02:26 PM

I am not of the opinion Cyril wrote it but it was his rendition that I was alluding to.I am greatful for all the responses.Thank you one and all. Amen.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 12 Nov 01 - 03:35 PM

Cyril didn't write this. It IS traditional. Check out 'Do-Me-Ama. Burl

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: flatcap
Date: 12 Nov 01 - 05:40 PM

Hi!, Arch Tawney is a regular at The Opendoor Folk Club. I shall ask him next week

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Ralphie
Date: 12 Nov 01 - 07:58 PM

Well
!!!
I don't suppose it amounts to anything where the damn song came from!
But, Nic learnt it from Peter Bellamy......Where Peter got it from....who knows!!
But I'll follow this thread with bated breath to find out
Love Ralphie xx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 04:03 PM

Okay...the song is a derivative of 'Jack, the Jolly Tar' and, as mentioned previously, 'Do Me Ama'...both stemming, according to A.L.Lloyd from a chapbook tale, 'The squire and the farm sarvant'(sic).

All references I've found so far point to 'Yarmouth Town' being a traditional song...I think the most Cyril could claim would be an 'expansion on a theme' but I've e-mailed the Tawneys for confirmation.

Harry.

P.S. So, flatcap....joined the kitties at last.....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 04:23 PM

Me again...I've just finished speaking to Cyril on the 'phone and the song is definitely traditional...see Anglos' earlier message for details of where the song came from 'cos he had it bang to rights!

Sorry Ralphie, I've got to disagree with you...its important we do know where these songs come from.

All the very best

Harry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Ralphie
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 05:19 AM

Harry...
My comment was very much tongue in cheek, so, apologies for that.
I'll pass on the info to Nic, I'm sure he'll be interested.
He doesn't really remember much from those days, and anything that jogs his memory is a bonus.
All the best
Ralphie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 10:21 AM

No need to apologise Ralphie....I tend to get a bee in my bonnet about song sources...

Take care and regards to Nic when you see him...

Cheers

Harry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Marymac90
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 10:52 AM

Wow, I had no idea Cyril Tawney was still alive! I've thought of him as someone who sailed on tall ships back while they were still commercial (not historical or nostalgic, as they are seen now.) And he sings at a local sing-wow!

Marymac

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 01:43 PM

Glad you nailed this one back on the deck where it came from.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 03:27 PM

Slight misunderstanding methinks...Cyril is definitely very much alive and kicking but the gentleman flatcap mentioned who sings at the Open Door is Archie Tawney...Cyrils' older brother.

Harry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: breezy
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 04:49 PM

so what about an evening with both Tawneys or is it Tawnies, ? an'owl' of....just a brainstorm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 10:28 PM

I have a cassette tape with Will Priest of Baltimore singing that one.

Being a resident of yarmouth, Maine, I found it particularly interesting that the motto of our Town is "Our Latchstring Is Always Out." Any connection, I wonder? No one down at the Town Hall has ever heard of this song, or for that matter where the motto came from either. Regardless, I get the impulse to snicker every time I see Yarmouth's "Town Seal" (prominently featuring a buxtom draped maiden) with that motto ever since hearing this song. Sort of puts it in a whole different perspective!

I may have to copy these lyrics and bring them down to Town Hall and the Yarmouth Historical Society for our community edification.

If anyone has evidence of the vintage of this ditty, I'd be interested! Somehow I don't think we will be finding it in any period publications any time soon!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 11:15 PM

Re Yarmouth Maine Town Seal "Our Latchstring is Always Out":

http://www.yarmouth.me.us/images/lgrey.jpg

Take a peek!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: tawney's 'yarmouth town
From: breezy
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 06:10 PM

go 4 it,