Lyr/Chords Req: The Lag's Song (Ewan MacColl)

Subject: Ewan McColl -lyrics for song about Time
From: izzy
Date: 10 Mar 99 - 04:59 PM

I can only remember the start: when I was a young lad I used to wonder what happened to time when it passed then I discovered time lands in prison and there it is held fast

Does anyone know the rest?

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl -lyrics for song about Time
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 10 Mar 99 - 06:29 PM

Believe it's "The Lag's Song". Can't find it on the DT. But Oh lordy, did MacColl ever write some fine songs!

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl -lyrics for song about Time
From: Barry Finn
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 01:03 AM

When I was a young man sometimes I'd wonder
What happened to time when it passed
Then one day I found out time lands in prison
And there it is held fast

When I was a young man I used to go courting
I'd dream of the moon & the stars
The stars are still shining but the dreams they are all broken
Oh those hard iron bars

Look out of your window, look over the roof (....?)
Look over the (far walls ?) see the sky
Just one flying leap & you could make your getaway
If only you could fly

The prison is sleeping, night watches keeping
It's watch over 700 men& behind every cell door
Oh to be free once again

Oh write me a letter addressed to my number
But say you remember my name
And I'll be reminded about the world outside
And feel like a man once again

I've got time on my hands, I've got time on my shoulders
Got plenty of time on my mind
There's no summer nor winter from once you land inside here
Only that old prison grind

izzy, that should be fairly close aside from the few questions marked. Can't remember who I have singing this on tape. My brother in law plays with him from time to time but never wrote his name when he sent the tape to me. Barry

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl -lyrics for song about Time
From: Philippa
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 07:41 AM

third and fourth verses above, minor corrections:
Look out of the window and over the roof there
Ove the wall see the sky
just one flying leap, and you could make your getaway
If only you could fly

The prison is sleeping, the night watch is keeping
His watch over 700 men
And behind every cell door, a sleeping lag is dreaming,
"Oh , to be free again!"

note- a 'lag' is a long-term prisoner
second verse - dreams are broken "on" those hard iron bars; 'oh' was probably a typo.

Subject: RE: Ewan McColl -lyrics for song about Time
From: izzy
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 02:49 PM

brilliant - many thanks

Subject: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: Dave4Guild
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 04:47 PM

While we seem to have our collective Ewan Macoll heads on I wonder whether any-one has the words to "The Lag's Song". It was a song I used to sing some years ago and seem to have forgotten most of it. It starts
"When I was a young man I used to wonder what happened to time when it passed, Then one day I found time lands in prison and there it is held fast."
I was unable to find it in the digitrad!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAG'S SONG (Ewan MacColl)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 04:56 PM

Got that one.
-Joe Offer-

---

THE LAG'S SONG
(Ewan MacColl)

When I was a young lad, sometimes I'd wonder,
What happened to time when it passed.
Then one day I found out that time just lands in prison,
And there it is held fast.

When I was a young man, used to go courtin'
And dream of the moon and the stars;
The moon is still shining, the dreams they are all broken
On these hard iron bars.

Look out of the window, over the roofs there,
And over the wall see the sky;
Just one flying leap and you could make your getaway- -
- - If only you could fly.

The prison is sleeping, the night watch is keeping
Its watch over seven-hundred men,
And behind every cell door, a sleeping lag is dreaming,
O, to be free again!

Go write me a letter, addressed to my number,
But say you remember my name,
So I'll be reminded of how the world outside goes,
And feel a man again.

Got time on my hands, I've got time on my shoulders,
Plenty of time on my mind,
There's no summer nor winter when once you land inside here,
Just that old prison grind.

Words and Music by Ewan MacColl, © 1960, by Stormking Music
Source: The Ewan MacColl-Peggy Seeger Songbook, Oak Publications, 1963

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: curmudgeon
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 06:32 PM

I believe it was also recorded on one of the two "New Briton Gazette" albums. I'll try to have a look later this evening -- Tom

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: Dave4Guild
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 07:12 PM

Thank you, Joe et al!!! 9 minutes! Ain't Mudcat good?
Dave Bennett

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 12:51 AM

Dave, we have people around here who respond in ONE minute. I used to have a reputation for speed, but the young studs have surpassed me.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 06:06 AM

I sing a first verse which goes:

When I was a young man I often would wonder,
What happened to time when it passed.
Then I found out that time just ends in prison,
And there it gets held fast.

I learnt it from Ewan at one of the sessions he used to hold at his house in Beckenham many years ago, so I think it's correct (subject to memory and the "folk process").

---

Thanks, Dave. I missed that verse, because it was handwritten (with the music notation) in the songbook. I added it to the lyrics I posted. -Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 11:42 AM

Dave B, I have the song, with that verse, on a recording somewhere. Tom Lewis maybe?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 11:43 AM

Or Lou Killen, or both...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 05:46 PM

Luke Kelly also sings that verse on 'Together Again'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: Leadfingers
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 05:55 PM

Was that one written for a Radio Ballad about the Prisons or am I suffering Brain Fade again?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song by Ewan Macoll
From: Hrothgar
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 07:17 AM

Written for the documentary film "In Prison" made in Strangeways prison, Manchester, in 1956?

Copyright Stormking Music Inc 1960

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Lag's Song (Ewan MacColl)
From: GUEST,asm
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 09:24 AM

Excellent version by Luke Kelly. Have a search. cheers

---

Threads combined. Messages below are from a new thread.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Chord Req: Lag's Song
From: GUEST,Daniel
Date: 02 Nov 11 - 10:57 AM

Hi all -

I'm just requesting chords for Ewan MacColl's version of the Lag's Song.
I think his guitar is out of tune on the recording and it's throwing me way off!
I think it's in Cm, but I can't seem to get it.

Help please?

-Daniel

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Lag's Song
From: GUEST,johnmc
Date: 02 Nov 11 - 04:30 PM

IMOP

In between Cm and C sharp m; guitar sharp or flat; capo at third fret (or 4th);


Am to Em to Am to get started. Then G to C perhaps.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Lag's Song (Ewan MacColl)
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 07:47 PM

I sort of worked out

Cm               G
When I was a young lad
Eb          ?      ?
Sometimes I'd wonder

but am unsure of anything else - in fact, I'm unsure of that...

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Lag's Song (Ewan MacColl)
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Nov 11 - 08:34 PM

Still nothing?

Subject: Chords Add: THE LAG'S SONG (Ewan MacColl)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Nov 11 - 12:33 AM

Sorry, Daniel, I should have paid more attention to your message when you first posted. Here are the chords from the Oak Publications songbook that provided the lyrics I posted above.

Key: D minor

       Dm        Am        Dm            Gm
  When I was a young lad, sometimes I'd wonder,
        Dm          F             C
  What happened to time when it passed.
        F          Gm            Dm                 Am
  Then one day I found out that time just lands in prison,
   Dm           C       Dm
  And there it is held fast.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Lag's Song (Ewan MacColl)
From: GUEST,Daniel
Date: 20 Dec 11 - 03:13 AM

Joe I could kiss you!!
(If not for the gaping void of cyberspace which separates us).

Nonetheless, the gesture stands.

-Daniel

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Lag's Song (Ewan MacColl)
From: ossonflags
Date: 20 Dec 11 - 04:35 AM

Has anyone the guitar chords please?