Lyr Req: Tune, New Research Guy Fawkes Song

Subject: Lyr Add: GUY FAWKES
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 03 Nov 02 - 10:47 AM

The Guy Fawkes Song- already in mudcat but details not extensive enough so here is more.
I put the text of the song at the end. Feel free to include any of below into the database.

The song appears in a play from 1840 Guy Faux; Or, The Gunpowder Treason An Historical Melo-Drama,
In Three Acts, By George Macfarren, in Act 1. (I have transcribed this play and it is here http://www.bcpl.net/~hutmanpr/macfarrenfaux.html)
This is the earliest date so far. The Bodleian library has it in two places Pitts publication of 1819-144 and Johnson Ballads no date given.

The url for the song music and midi on my pages is
http://www.bcpl.net/~cbladey/guy/html/verse.html#fawkes

the midi is here:
http://www.bcpl.net/~cbladey/guy/fawkes.mid

Notation is here
http://www.bcpl.net/~cbladey/guy/html/fawksong.jpg



Bodleian Library Ballad Collection.
Printer: Pitts, J. (London) Date: between 1819 and 1844   Imprint: Pitts, Printer, wholesale Toy and Marble warehouse, 6, Gt. St. Andrews Street, Seven Dials
Copies: Harding B 11(2706)
3. Guy Fawkes, and the parliament ("I sing a doleful tragedy: Guy Fawkes the prince of sinisters ...")
Subject: Guy Fawkes day; Fawkes, Guy, 1570-1606


Printer: [s.n.] ([s.l.]) Date: [s.a.]   Ballads on sheet: 1
   Copies: Johnson Ballads 2539
1. Guy Fawkes ("I sing a doleful tragedy -- Guy Fawkes, the prince of sinisters ...")
Subject: Guy Fawkes day; Fawkes, Guy, 1570-1606

A Melo Drama,
In Two Acts.
By. Edward Stirling, Esq.
Author of the Pickwick Club, Bachelor's Buttons, Woman's the Devil, Rose of Corbeil, The Devil's Daughters, The Serpent of the Nile, The Dragon Knight, Mr. Horatio Sparkins,
&c. &c. &c.
The Only Edition Correctly Marked by Permission From the Prompter's Book:
To which is added,
A description of the Costume-Cast of the Characters-The whole of the Stage Business Situations-Entrances Exits Properties and Description
As Performed at the London Theatres.
Embellished with a fine Engraving,
By Mr. Findlay, from a Drawing, taken expressly in the Theatre
London:
Printed and Published By J. Duncombe & Co
10, Middle Row, Holborn
1840

GUY FAWKES

The Tune!

I sing a doleful tragedy—Guy Fawkes, the Prince of Sinisters,
Who once blew up the House of Lords, the King, and all his Ministers;
That is—he would have blown them up, and folks will ne'er forget him—
His will was good to do the deed-that is, if they'd have let him!

Chorus- Bow, wow, wow
             Tol lol de riddle lol de rol lol de ray.

He straightway came from Lambeth side, and wish'd the State was undone,
And crossing over Vauxhall Bridge, that way com'd into London;
That is- he would have come that way to perpetrate his guilt, sirs,
But a little thing prevented him- the bridge it was not built, sirs.

Then searching through the dreary vaults, with portable gas-light, sirs,
About to touch the powder train, at witching hour of night, sirs,
That is—I mean, he would have used the gas, but was prevented,
'Cause gas, you see, in James's time, it had not been invented

And when they caught him int the fact, so very near the Crown's end,
They straightway sent to Bow Street for that brave old runner Townshend;
That is—they would have sent for him—for fear he is no starter at—
But Townshend wasn't living then-he wasn't born till arter that.

So then they put poor Guy to death, for ages to remember,
And boys now kill him once a-year, in dreary, dark November;
That is—I mean his effigy, for truth is strong and steady—
Poor Guy they cannot kill again, because he's dead already.

Then bless her Gracious Majesty, and bless her Royal Son, sirs—
And may he never get blown up, if to the Throne he comes, sirs;
And if he lives, I'm sure he'll reign, so prophesies my song, sirs—
And if he don't, why then he won't, and so I can't be wrong, sirs.- Johnson Ballads 2539

Subject: Lyr Add: GUY FAWKES (from Louise Pound)
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 10 Feb 03 - 10:36 AM

A late reference to a variant of this song

American Ballads and Songs,
Book by Louise Pound; Scribner, 1922

37

GUY FAWKES

I'll tell you a doleful tragedy -- Guy Fawkes, the prince of sinisters,
Who once blew up the House of Lords, the King and all his ministers;
That is, he would have blown them up, and we would ne'er forget him,
His will was good to do the deed, if they had only let him.

Singing bow -- wow -- wow,
Whack fol -- de -- riddle,
Singing bow -- wow -- wow.

Straightway he came from Lambeth side and wished the State was undone;
And crossing over Vauxhall bridge that way he came to London;
That is, he would have crossed the bridge to perpetrate his guilt, sir,
But a trifling thing prevented him, the bridge it was not built, sir.

And as he searched the dreary vaults with portable gas light, sir,
About to touch the powder train at the witching hour of night, sir;
That is, he would have used the gas, had he not been prevented;
But gas you know, in James's time, it hadn't been invented.

Now, when they caught him in the act, so very near the Crown's end,
They sent straightway to Bow Street for that gay old runner Townsend;
That is, they would have sent for him for danger he's no starter at,
But Townsend wasn't living then, he wasn't born till arter that.

So then they put poor Guy to death for ages to remember;
And now they kill him every year in dreary dark November;
That is, his effigy, I mean, for truth is strange and steady,
They cannot put poor Guy to death for he is dead already.

38. Guy FAWKES. Text known to A. J. Leach of Oakdale, Antelope County, Nebraska, 1914, who learned it as a boy in Michigan. A much better known Guy Fawkes song begins, "O don't you remember the fifth of November."

P247