Lyr Req: Billy Winker

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Billy Winker
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 07:31 PM

The words "worm" should read "wom" (home)

OCR is good but not infallible!

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Billy Winker
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 07:26 PM

Billy Winker by John Trafford Clegg "Sketches and Rhymes in the Rochdale dialect" by John Trafford Clegg (Aldine press 1895)

Billy Winker dhrove a cart
For a brewer deawn at Shay ;
Wi full ale barrels he'd start
On a journey every day ;
Empty kegs he'd get fro some,
But o th' shameful tale to tell
When wi th' empties he geet worn
He were oft brimful hissel.

Chorus (slow music) :
Oh, Billy ! What a mon !
Life's last bodle soon tha spent ;
Neaw tha's supped o th' ale tha con ;
It were gettin time tha went.

Customers, ne'er thinkin wrong,
Used to give him 'leawance glasses,
Mild or bitther, wake an' sthrong,
Every mak fro Coop's to Bass's ;
Winker olez sattl't th' lot,
Owt were reet his spark to sleek ;
Jug or bottle, glass or pot,
He could empty deawn his neck ;
Oh, Billy ! &c.

Bill grew fat, an' Bill grew fatther,
Whol his nose wi shame went pink ;
He'd forgetten t' taste o' watther
Sin' he'd taen to mix his dhrink ;
So it is bad habits floor
Th' best o' folk 'at live bi sweat ;
Iv he'd stuck to milk it's sure
Th' fellah could ha bin here yet,
Oh, Billy ! &c.

Billy's maisther, soft i' th' yead,
Co'd his mon in one fine day ;
" Here's nine gallon, lad," he said, " Tak it worn tha's nowt to pay.
Tha con swallow weel, aw think,
Or tha'rt ill belied bi folk ;
Set thysel to side this dhrink,
An' aw'll time thee, just for th' joke."
Oh, Billy ! &c.

Billy thanked him wi a grin,
T' barrel on his shooldher cocked,
Made for worn, an' safely in,
Front an' back his durs he locked,
Tapped his bung, an' deawn he sit,
Bucklin to a neet's hard wark ;
Th' ale so fast began to flit
It were welly gwone bi dark.
Oh, Billy ! &c.



Mornin coome bi nine o' t' clock
Back wi t' barrel Billy went,
Stonnin steady as a rock,
Fillin th' spot wi bermy scent.
" Done bi neaw !" his maisther cries ; "
Billy Winker, tha'rt a cure !"
" Done ! Why, mon, to tell no lies,
For th' supper aw'd to fot some moore."
Oh, Billy ! &c.

" Put thi barrel deawn i' th' nook,"
T' brewer said ;" tha's sattl't me !"
Bill ne'er snapped to tak his hook,
But stood his greaund wi twinklin e'e.
" What art stoppin theere for ? Bowt !"
T' maisther sheauted in a crack ;
" Come !" says Billy ; "is there nowt
At o for bringin th' barrel back ?"

Chorus (solemn) :
Oh, Billy ! What a mon !
Life's last bodle soon tha spent ;
Neaw tha's supped o' th' ale tha con ;
It were gettin time tha went !

Just found this in an ebook on an internet site.

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yorkshire song entitled Billy Winker
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 09:40 PM

Looks like Billy Winker is still missing....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yorkshire song entitled Billy Winker
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 27 Jul 03 - 10:42 AM

Ah; the other Billy Winker, then!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yorkshire song entitled Billy Winker
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 27 Jul 03 - 10:41 AM

These are the notes from the LP sleeve "For Old Time's Sake" by the Oldham Tinkers

Billy Winker tells of the prodigious drinking exploits of a drayman. But however much we marvel at Billy's capacity for ale and no matter how much we enjoy the story the song tells, we are haunted by the last line in the refrain which reminds us that Billy, though a great drinker, has supped himself near to death.
The words are included in "Sketches and Rhymes in the Rochdale dialect" by John Trafford Clegg (Aldine press 1895). Clegg died March 1895 aged 38.

I'll try and get the lyrics written out sometime.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yorkshire song entitled Billy Winker
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Jul 03 - 03:06 PM

No lyric, but a little background. I assume that "Yorkshire" in the thread title was a mistake.

The following quotation is from Katherine Briggs, A Dictionary of Fairies (Penguin 1977 p.24):

"Billy Winker. The Lancashire version of Wee Willie Winkie of Scotland, Old Luk Oie of Hans Andersen and, even less credible as a folk figure, The Dustman. These are all nursery spirits, and it is doubtful if they ever enjoyed full grown-up credence. Unlike the Nursery Bogies, these are all gentle spirits, worthy to be invoked by weary nurses and mothers of obstinately wakeful children."

There is also a reference in H. de Vere Stacpoole's novel The Blue Lagoon (1908, chapter 5):

"Shut your eyes tight," replied Mr Button, "or Billy Winker will be dridgin' sand in them." Perhaps, like the Sandman, Billy threw sand into the eyes of children to make them sleep, as the Dustman threw dust.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yorkshire song entitled Billy Winker
From: Sorcha
Date: 25 Jul 03 - 11:54 PM

Lots of Yorkies here but I think most of them are at Warwick Festival this weekend. Maybe on Monday.........

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yorkshire song entitled Billy Winker
From: masato sakurai
Date: 25 Jul 03 - 08:31 PM

It's on this Topic album (Click here):

12TS276 For Old Time's Sake. The Oldham Tinkers.
Signora; Eaur Joe's Lad; John Willie's Horse; Barefoot Days Medley; Lancashire Witches; Come Whoam to Thi Childer an' Me; Johnny Bugger; Billy Winker; Bits 0' Bromley Street; The Condemned Cell; The Maypole; For Old Time's Sake

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Yorkshire song entitled Billy Winker
From: Sorcha
Date: 25 Jul 03 - 06:01 PM

Do you have any lyric snippets at all? So far I have found nothing.

Subject: Lyr Req: Lancashire song entitled Billy Winker
From: GUEST,Gordon (Cutty Wren Folk Club, Marske.
Date: 25 Jul 03 - 05:51 PM

The information about this tragi-comic song that I have to hand is that it was collected in the Rochdale area towards the end of the nineteenth century. It may have been recorded by the Oldham Tinkers. Many of the words are in the original dialect form. Is there anybody out there who is familiar with this song? (and can you translate where necessary)