A new money making idea

Subject: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,Pooroldhorse (Chris Amos without cookie)
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 11:54 AM

Hi,

Wondered if this should go in the BS section, but decided it was musical.

I have had an idea to make money out of gullible American tourists, I could take them on a guided tour of London and sing folk songs appropriate to each location. So on Tower Hill I could sing "Lovely on the Water", cross over the road to Royal Mint St. which is the location of Rosemary Lane (next song). A short stroll to St Katharine's Dock for "Jack Williams" or "A Boatman by my Trade", then back out onto the Highway for a rendition of "Radcliff Highway" or "The Deserter".

Any ideas for other locations and songs, (don't have to be in London) will be gratefully received. This should keep me in cash until I can organise the over 60s coach trip to the site of the Isle of Wight Festival.

Regards

Chris

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 12:10 PM

actrually sounds like a fine idea - not just for the gullible.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 12:11 PM

While on the boat on the Thames: "Sweet Thames flow softly"

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,Amos
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 12:19 PM

How about "With Her 'Ead Tooked Underneath Her Arm"...you know where.

A

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,Giok
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 12:22 PM

What about Ratcliffe Highway too!
Giok ¦¬]

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 01:50 PM

Penguin 'Grey Cock' - The burning Thames I have to cross.
Bedlam and Bedlam Boys are Bonny

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,Willa
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 01:53 PM

Guest at 1.50 was me.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,Leadfingers
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 03:13 PM

Pretty Little Ratcatchers Daughter For several locations and London Burning in Ashes for even more ! Sidney Carter has a few as well !
When you organise the tours , if you need another singer , give me a call !!

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 06:02 PM

Then put them on a train to Rotherham for "Spencer the Rover" ...

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,Liz the Squeak
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 02:49 AM

Almost any song about prostitutes or brothels will do for the Southwark area - the Bishop of Winchester had a palace there (ruins still visible), owned all the brothels in that area.

You could do a Mummers' Play featuring St George, in the George & Dragon, Southwark - supposed to be London's oldest original surviving pub building, frequented by many famous people over the last 400 years.

Crossing back over the river, sing them 'London River' on London Bridge and sell them a copy of the words in the excellent Rod Shearman Songbook.... London Bridge is where the last of his ashes were committed into the river he loved.

You could do 'Sweeney Todd' in Fleet Street.... any song about Punch and Judy at the 'Punch Tavern' at the bottom of that street.

'The Old Dun Cow caught fire' in Old Kent Road - the pub is (according to Manitas) still there.

One day I'll get round to finding the Dockers lament for his birthplace - a country lad who moved to Poplar when the Royal Docks were being built. It's somewhere in my head, but I can't find it!

LTS

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,Bill the Collie
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 08:44 AM

M. A. B.
It's a big 'orse





{For the overture}

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 12:45 PM

They already do this in Dublin and it's quite successful.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 01:18 PM

We did something of the sort on our honeymoon, me, Manitas and the other two people with us...... we were driving around Ireland and someone made the rule that we had to sing a song or hum the tune about the area/town we were in.

Driving through Limerick was great fun!

LTS

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Chris Amos
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 05:20 PM

Thanks to everyone for you ideas and encouragement, I feel enthused about this, I will cogitate and report back.

Greenwich has potential, the Cutty Sark has to be good for the odd shanty or two, then, as has been suggested there is Bedlam and the Imperial War Museum, (sing any war song that you can think of).

Chris

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: mooman
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 05:25 PM

Well obviously one of my favourites...

"Waterloo Sunset"

What about "The Lass of Richmond Hill"?

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 05:48 PM

"Down below" about the sewage system?

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Micca
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 05:56 PM

Chris, there is the very excellent "Limehouse Reach" also

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 05:59 PM

If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Leadfingers
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 06:49 PM

Mooman - the 'Lass of Richmond Hill' is the Yorkshire one actually !!

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: jimmyt
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 07:48 PM

Being a gullible American,I imagine your idea will work quite well, providing you keep the songs something short of 26 verses. I am assuming you are being somewhat facetious with the "gullible" tag, but if you are entertaining and informative,I would imagine folks would buy your services. I travel quite a bit and frequently hire private tour guides in areas where I would like more information than is readily available. I hope these people that I am paying money to don't necessarily think of me as being a gullible American. Most of the folks that would meet that description would not be interested in hearing any traditional music anyway. They are all shopping at Harrods' or at Speakers' Corner for a photo op with some nut job on a soap box. Good luck!   jimmyt

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: open mike
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 02:07 AM

I have seen recordings such as this available in a couple of places..

at chamber of commerce, tourism center gift shops.

they were not however for sale..

enterprising folks (i assume) worked out a deal

with dept. of travel and tourism to offer these

fro free...at one end of the state (in one case)
or at one point in a scenic drive. They could be
returned ffor free to a point at the other end of
travel...such as at a rest area, for use by other
travellers. One was in Nebraska, a state that is about
500 miles long. it described historical points along
the way, famous people, inventions, etc. which were
connected to the area. One version of it described
sights from east to west, another was organized in
the opposite way, for use while travelling the other direction.

the other one of these is for a portion of I-5 highway
between Redding and Oregon. these both had traditional
tunes, as well as sound effects of ferries, steam trains,
bird calls, and sounds of covered wagons, and other historic
sounds. great addition to travel...you just have to find
a sponsor to foot the bill for the production and re-production!

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 02:12 AM

What is the point of travelling along a road and being fed recordings of what happens while travelling along that road?

That's almost as daft as those service stations where you can drive for 80 miles, stop and get out of your car, into the service area where there are machines that you can play on, that simulate you driving your car for 80 miles.....

Give me a guide book I can dip in and out of any day - but a recording of local music would be fine, if I didn't have to play it to find out where I was!

LTS

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 04:17 AM

A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.
Incidentally, there was one in our garden in Stoke yesterday, and I not only heard it but saw it, which is unusual.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: mooman
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 04:39 AM

Terry ....sssssshh! They don't know that!

Richard

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: pavane
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 05:45 AM

BTW You are both wrong.

It is neither Radcliff nor Ratcliffe Highway.

The actual spelling of the street in Wapping, which is correctly specified in broadsides was RATCLIFF highway. This can be seen in old maps.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: pavane
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 05:46 AM

Black Velvet Band originates from Barking, which is downstream of London on the Thames

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: pavane
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 05:49 AM

The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green (famous pub)

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: pavane
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 05:51 AM

And for an instrumental break - Goodmans Fields hornpipe. There is a Goodmans Fields in Aldgate (although maybe not the original!)

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST, Hamish
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 06:00 AM

Bob Lines - based in Sutton Coldfield - does "Folk Walks" up in the West Midlands. I think it's a hobby/charity thing. i.e. he charges real money for it but it's not his job and the proceeds go to charity. I could let you have his number, Chris, if you e-mail me and you could pick his brains on the subject.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: pavane
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 06:25 AM

We can also find songs and/or broadsides which mention Pimlico, Chelsea, Fulham, Lambeth, Greenwich, Woolwich, Deptford, Tottenham, Holborn, St Pauls,

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: pavane
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 06:39 AM

Not forgetting
St James (Westminster)
Kentish Dick (The Lusty Coachman of Westminster)
Kensington
Hyde Park
Chrystal Palace (as it was spelt then?)
Whitechapel (infamous for Jack the Ripper)
Billingsgate
Covent Garden
Limehouse
East End
Hampstead
Hammersmith

and no doubt many more!

Also : I live in Trafalgar Square (With 4 lions to guard me)

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: rumanci
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 06:46 AM

I can't imagine why I've thought of this one :-)

Two Lovely Black Eyes (Bethnal Green)

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Ian
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 07:07 AM

Also It was through Moorfield I wandered,

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 07:42 AM

Great idea. I've just been to Budapest and there is a tour where the driver-guide does a similar thing. It didn't improve his driving at all!

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 04:24 PM

Can you set up as a tour guide in London without a "blue badge"?

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 04:45 PM

blue badge tour guide info


You don't need to hold the blue badge to set up as a guide. Although they are the only guides allowed in certain places, see info on above link.

But, if you have a tour with 'an edge', as you are describing, and advertise it well, it will probably work. It will all boil down to the marketing of it.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 04:52 PM

I will come on your walk if you promise not to sing the Streets of London.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Chris Amos
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 12:54 AM

Greg,

That is a promise, I might run to Sunny Goodge Street though.

Chris

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 02:30 AM

Just as well, Ralph gets very touchy about other people singing his song.

Even if he did pinch the tune from Pachabel.

LTS

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 02:45 AM

Liz,
Why would a songwriter object to his song being sung?
(Obviously no-one wants ME to murder their song...but anyone else singing it, surely, would be flattery??)

RtS
(voice made for mime)

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 03:10 AM

I think this is a brilliant idea. I know someone who'd come with you. Schantieman and I are thinking about chartering a yacht and singing sea songs etc. Anyone want to come?

Sal

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Gurney
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 03:25 AM

What a nice idea.
'The Streets of London' is a little too depressing, though.

How about that Outward/Homeward song that starts:   To Catherine's Dock I bid farewell, to charming Sue and lovely Nell.....

Few would know that "Dirty Old Town' wasn't London. Perhaps a 'bridge' Whilst passing through some unsalubrious area?

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 03:41 AM

Ronn Johnson wrote a song about the London Eye and all you see from there.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 06:34 AM

Roger - I have no idea.. he just doesn't like other people doing it... he especially doesn't like people changing one or two of the words and doing it. A certain football clubs fans have 'adopted' it as their song, changing London to the name of their town. The sentiment of the song remains unchanged, but when the BBC asked him for permission to broadcast it, he refused point blank and has been very cagey about letting anyone do it ever since.

LTS

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: pavane
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 08:27 AM

I would have thought that it was his 'pension' song.
(Like Peter Sarstead and 'Where do you go to, my lovely'.)

These are apparently songs for which the royalties flow, year after year.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,Wolfgang
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 11:39 AM

It is done in Hannover, Germany, as well.
"Warte, warte, nur ein Weilchen...."

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: sian, west wales
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 12:14 PM

As I walked out over London Bridge
One misty morning early
I overheard a fair pretty maid
Was lamenting for her Geordie?


And, Liz, your honeymoon was a group effort? What's that all about? No, maybe I shouldn't know ...

siân

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 05:41 PM

Advertise that you know where the decent lavatories are, and people of all nations will flock to follow you.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: open mike
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 08:37 PM

welll, the point of having songs about the area you are passing thru
is very apparent if the place is so large that it takes 6-8 hours to drive thru it on a road which is basically level and straight..this
to keep you from nodding out along the way and to convince you there
is something going on around you besides "flat stuff".
and so that when you get to the other side you know more than
when you started.

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 01:42 AM

Thank you Open Mike, sensible idea... I find Alice Cooper and Mozart prevent me from nodding off, but I can see the attraction. The only road we have in the UK that would fit that criteria (apart from being straight) is the M25 - you can be on that for DAYS if you aren't careful!

Sian... yes... well.... it was a prebooked holiday for Manitas and his band.. I just sort of 'tagged along' seeing as how we got married the week before. Won't ever do it again though... If I ever get another honeymoon, I'm going with people I like!!

If your tour stretches out to Chelsea, you could do a Richard III song out by Crosby Hall... it's a house that he lived in that was moved out there from its original location.

LTS

Subject: RE: A new money making idea
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 03:53 AM

hanging Johnny at Tyburn - Marble Arch - mind you to get above the noise of the traffic - you'd need a portable PA system.

best of luck with your project - bugger the Americans, I wouldn't mind going on it - sounds like fun - although I always get lost in London