song about oysters

Subject: song about oysters
From: GUEST,Stan Reeves
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 12:28 PM

Hi I am involved in a project about Wars in the firth of Forth(Edinburgh) over the rights to collect Oysters. Ayone know of song about or refering to Oysters. General soung of the sea of the area would help Ta

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 12:51 PM

If you search DigiTrad for oyster you get 22 hits.

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 01:14 PM

If there's a song about the Oyster Wars, Jack Campin will know. Details of his CD Rom can be seen at Embro, Embro: the hidden history of Edinburgh in its music

You can contact him via the site.

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 01:40 PM

I was doing a search for Amos on Cole Porter songs and found this one, I have no Idea how it goes though;


THE TALE OF THE OYSTER (Fifty Million Frenchmen, 1929)

Down by the sea lived a lonesome oyster,
Ev'ry day getting sadder and moister.
He found his home life awf'lly wet,
And longed to travel with the upper set.
Poor little oyster.
Fate was kind to that oyster we know,
When one day the chef from the Park Casino
Saw that oyster lying there,
And said "I'll put you on my bill of fare."
Lucky little oyster.
See him on his silver platter,
Watching the queens of fashion chatter.
Hearing the wives of millionaires
Discuss their marriages and their love affairs.
Thrilled little oyster.
See that bivalve social climber
Feeding the rich Mrs. Hoggenheimer,
Think of his joy as he gaily glides
Down to the middle of her gilded insides.
Proud little oyster.
After lunch Mrs. H. complains,
And says to her hostess, "I've got such pains.
I came to town on my yacht today,
But I think I'd better hurray back to Oyster Bay."
Scared little oyster.
Off they go thru the troubled tide,
The yacht rolling madly from side to side.
They're tossed about 'til that fine young oyster
Finds that it's time he should quit his cloister,
Up comes the oyster.
Back once more where he started from,
He murmured, "I haven't a single qualm,
For I've had a taste of society,
And society has had a taste of me."
Wise little oyster


Peace, Rustic

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: pavane
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 04:43 PM

I seem to remember hearing Archie Fisher sing a song about oysters - but I can't lay my hands on it at this momnet.

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 06:16 PM

Probably the Dreg Song, pavane. I have two different versions, both as yet unchecked. One starts

The herring loves the moonlight, the mackerel loves the wind
But the oyster loves the dredging song for it comes of gentle kind

the other one:

The oysters are a gentle thing
They wouldn't tak' unless you sing
Come by, my oysters, aff the thing(?) ping(?)
To serve the sheriff and the king
And the commons o'er the land
And the commons o' the sea

Then there is Hamish Imlach's bawdy The Oyster Girl

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 06:51 PM

Jest to see ef she had eny arsters...

You might also consider "You can't eat the oysters," referring to pollution ruining the quality of oysters in New Haven Harbor.

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: open mike
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 07:37 PM

isn't there a song about gooey ducks?
and aren't these a type of oyster-like critter?

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: open mike
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 07:41 PM

a gooey duck is a clam, a bi-valve, it this related to oysters?
here is the song...gooey duck

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: delphinium
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 07:51 PM

The Walrus and the Carpenter is about collecting oysters *G*
There are musical versions, I think Donovan recorded one.

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 09:13 PM

Geoducks are to oysters what the cheetah is to a house cat. Bigger, faster, stronger. No comparison, in other words, except that they both live in salt water.

We've discussed geoducks at length on Mudcat before, if any clarification is needed. Head for the Pacific Northwest-oriented threads.

SRS

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Haruo
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 11:27 PM

Wait. Cheetahs don't live in salt water. (oops)

Susanne´s Folksong-Notizen says "Bekanntlich sind Austern genauso gut wie Rhinozeros-Horn - meine ich. (Notes Hamish Imlach, 'Scottish Sabbath')" which I think means "As is well known, oysters are just as good as Rhinoceros horn - I mean. (Notes Hamish Imlach, 'Scottish Sabbath')"

Haruo

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Glen Reid
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 12:28 AM

Would songs about prairie oysters be appropriate???

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 01:51 AM

Leland, I saw that when I wrote it, but figured the salt water reference would sort itself out. I wasn't worried--as Ivar always said, "Keep Clam."

SRS

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Gurney
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 02:28 AM

There's a well-known music-hall song about "What noise annoys an oyster" (A noisy noise annoys an oyster most.) It may be well-known, but I haven't looked for it. Good luck. Chris.

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: JennyO
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 03:05 AM

Type in "what noise annoys an oyster" on google, and you get all sorts of interesting things, including an interesting site -www.neilinnes.org (sorry, haven't worked out how to do blue clickies yet).

Found the music hall song in one of the sites, too. Heading is Previous Updates:

What noise annoys an oyster
Oh tell me, tell me do
What noise annoys an oyster...
And gets him in a stew
of all the noisy noises
Along the sea and coast,
I tell yer boys, a noisy noise
Annoys an oyster most.

Jenny

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: pavane
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 03:25 AM

Susanne, yes Archie Fisher did the first one you mention.

The Oyster Girl is also the name of a traditional tune, and a variant of it was apparently used as the Salisbury processional, (to accompany the Giant, I seem to recall)

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: pavane
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 03:45 AM

A search of the Bodley Ballad collection gives the following list



Oyster-shell bonnet and dandy chignon (About fashion, not actually oysters)

Oyster boat ("Oh, swiftly goes the oyster boat ...")

The oyster man ("You've heard of a dandy dogs meat blade ...")

The oyster girl ("Many a knight and lady gay ...")

Oysters, sir ("Many a knight and lady gay ...") (same as Oyster Girl?)

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 01:31 PM

My Dad used to sing

Ahem....

What noise annoys an oyster?
What noise do you mean?
What noise annoys an oyster?
Tis the cry of the runner bean!

I think there's a bit of Spike in my ol' Pa.

Sal

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 07:01 PM

Pavane, if you follow the link above you'll find The Oyster Girl Hamish Imlach did starts differently -
As I was a-walking down a London street
A pretty little oyster girl I chanced for to meet
- so maybe there are two songs named The Oyster Girl.

Have you got the correct lyrics of Archie Fisher's version of the Dreg Song? I've only got it on tape and find it hard to understand.

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Snuffy
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 07:37 PM

The versions of Oyster Girl in the DT do not match the well-known jig tune of the same name, but "Many a knight and lady gay ..." sounds as if it might.

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: nutty
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 02:06 AM

It appears that Robin Laing recorded a track called CALLER OYSTERS for this CD on the Music and Song of Edinburgh but I haven't been able to track down the lyrics..

Here's the CD CLICK

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 05:54 AM

During a bride-to-be's hen party, one of her friends advises her to buy the groom a dozen oysters before their wedding night, to improve his sexual performance. After the honeymoon the new wife bumps into her friend who asks if it worked. "Oh yes", she answers "It was great, it might have been even better, but four of the oysters were duds !"

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: JudeL
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 07:02 AM

Capella sing a version of "If a noise annoys an oyster"
all I can remember of it at the mo is the first couple of lines I have it on tape somwhere and will try and did it out.

If a noise annoys an oyster
then a noisy noise annoys an oyster more


when the seaweed rustles on the


the poor old oyster feels a trifle limp


Another oyster song is sung by Cathy Wallis "Taking my Oyster for Walkies"

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: pavane
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 07:27 AM

There are many copies of The Oyster Girl in the Bodley library, I didn't look at them all! Probably several versions there though.

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: saulgoldie
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 07:40 AM

It does not specifically mention oysters, but there is "Eat Bertha's Mussels". And isn't an oyster a mussel? (I don't remember all of the animal classifications from bio class, so I could be wrong.) But it's a fun song. Recently discussed on another thread, here.

"...a plate a day of Bertha's Mussels,
and you'll live til you're ninety-eight!"

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: mooman
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 07:46 AM

"Taking my oyster for walkies"....ah, remember it well! Wasn't that written by Bill Oddie (former Goodie now of birdwatching fame)?

moo

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 12:49 PM

A round "New Oysters" published by Thomas Ravenscroft is her
JohnB

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 01:09 PM

Hmm, you make me wonder whether the W.S Gilbert Bab Ballad "Etiquette" (

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 01:17 PM

(sorry, hit the wrong button) . . . Bab Ballad "Etiquette" (here) is related to your topic.

Oysters figure prominently, as does territorial dispute -- in a way. Of course, as I haven't researched the dates of the Firth of Forth "Wars," I could be completely off base.


Here's the full text for those too lazy to click. It's long, but worth the trouble:

Etiquette
A Bab Ballad

THE Ballyshannon foundered off the coast of Cariboo,
And down in fathoms many went the captain and the crew;
Down went the owners--greedy men whom hope of gain allured:
Oh, dry the starting tear, for they were heavily insured.

Besides the captain and the mate, the owners and the crew,
The passengers were also drowned, excepting only two:
Young PETER GRAY, who tasted teas for Baker, Croop, and Co.,
And SOMERS, who from Eastern shores imported indigo.

These passengers, by reason of their clinging to a mast,
Upon a desert island were eventually cast.
They hunted for their meals, as ALEXANDER SELKIRK used,
But they couldn't chat together--they had not been introduced.

For PETER GRAY, and SOMERS too, though certainly in trade,
Were properly particular about the friends they made;
And somehow thus they settled it without a word of mouth--
That GRAY should take the northern half while SOMERS took the south.

On PETER'S portion oysters grew--a delicacy rare,
But oysters were a delicacy PETER couldn't bear.
On SOMERS' side was turtle, on the shingle lying thick,
Which SOMERS couldn't eat, because it always made him sick.

GRAY gnashed his teeth with envy as he saw a mighty store
Of turtle unmolested on his fellow-creature's shore:
The oysters at his feet aside impatiently he shoved,
For turtle and his mother were the only things he loved.

And SOMERS sighed in sorrow as he settled in the south,
For the thought of PETER'S oysters brought the water to his mouth.
He longed to lay him down upon the shelly bed, and stuff:
He had often eaten oysters, but had never had enough.

How they wished an introduction to each other they had had
When on board The Ballyshannon! And it drove them nearly mad
To think how very friendly with each other they might get,
If it wasn't for the arbitrary rule of etiquette!

One day, when out a-hunting for the mus ridiculus,
GRAY overheard his fellow-man soliloquising thus:
"I wonder how the playmates of my youth are getting on,
MCCONNELL, S. B. WALTERS, PADDY BYLES, and ROBINSON?

These simple words made PETER as delighted as could be,
Old chummies at the Charterhouse were ROBINSON and he!
He walked straight up to SOMERS, then he turned extremely red,
Hesitated, hummed and hawed a bit, then cleared his throat, and said:

"I beg your pardon--pray forgive me if I seem too bold,
But you have breathed a name I knew familiarly of old.
You spoke aloud of ROBINSON--I happened to be by--
You know him?" "Yes, extremely well." "Allow me--so do I!"

It was enough: they felt they could more sociably get on,
For (ah, the magic of the fact!) they each knew ROBINSON!
And MR. SOMERS' turtle was at PETER'S service quite,
And MR. SOMERS punished PETER'S oyster-beds all night.

They soon became like brothers from community of wrongs:
They wrote each other little odes and sang each other songs;
They told each other anecdotes disparaging their wives;
On several occasions, too, they saved each other's lives.

They felt quite melancholy when they parted for the night,
And got up in the morning soon as ever it was light;
Each other's pleasant company they reckoned so upon,
And all because it happened that they both knew ROBINSON!

They lived for many years on that inhospitable shore,
And day by day they learned to love each other more and more.
At last, to their astonishment, on getting up one day,
They saw a vessel anchored in the offing of the bay!

To PETER an idea occurred. "Suppose we cross the main?
So good an opportunity may not occur again."
And SOMERS thought a minute, then ejaculated, "Done!
I wonder how my business in the City's getting on?"

"But stay," said MR. PETER: "when in England, as you know,
I earned a living tasting teas for Baker, Croop, and Co.,
I may be superseded--my employers think me dead!"
"Then come with me," said SOMERS, "and taste indigo instead."

But all their plans were scattered in a moment when they found
The vessel was a convict ship from Portland, outward bound!
When a boat came off to fetch them, though they felt it very kind,
To go on board they firmly but respectfully declined.

As both the happy settlers roared with laughter at the joke,
They recognised an unattractive fellow pulling stroke:
'Twas ROBINSON--a convict, in an unbecoming frock!
Condemned to seven years for misappropriating stock!!!

They laughed no more, for SOMERS thought he had been rather rash
In knowing one whose friend had misappropriated cash;
And PETER thought a foolish tack he must have gone upon
In making the acquaintance of a friend of ROBINSON.

At first they didn't quarrel very openly, I've heard;
They nodded when they met, and now and then exchanged a word:
The word grew rare, and rarer still the nodding of the head,
And when they meet each other now, they cut each other dead.

To allocate the island they agreed by word of mouth,
And PETER takes the north again, and SOMERS takes the south;
And PETER has the oysters, which he loathes with horror grim,
And SOMERS has the turtle--turtle disagrees with him.

W.S. Gilbert

Cheers
Claire

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Apr 10 - 10:12 AM

Jennyb
My mother used to sing a song with thwords' when I see an oyster climb upstairs, then I'll get married'
Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 11 Apr 10 - 04:12 PM

I have two: one about women in WWII picking oysters in the dark and one about oystermen being called up for Vietnam war. mg

Subject: RE: song about oysters
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 11 Apr 10 - 11:56 PM

Just heard a great one about the sinking of an oyster ship, the Bruce. Tells of selling oysters to the gold miners of California, I think. mg