15 Jun 99 - 01:19 PM (#86875) Subject: 'The Propeller Song' From: SandyBob Does anyone know of a source for the lyrics to a ballad called 'Hey Jimmy' or 'The Propeller Song'? I heard Ewan McColl sing it once and have looked for it since. It is about a guy working in the shipyards in Scotland. His boss caught him in the sack with the boss's daughter and punished him by giving him a dangerous job climbing up a huge propeller on one of the ships in the yard. I remember a great lyric...something about "He gave me the job that I most hated. Hey Jimmy, Ho Jimmy Revenge is sweet, though overrated. Hey Jimmy, Ho." Thanks, SandyBob
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15 Jun 99 - 01:39 PM (#86879) Subject: RE: 'The Propeller Song' From: Roger the zimmer If this is off one of his Radio Ballads the good news is that the BBC are issuing the full set on 8 CDs. The bad news is I haven't seen them listed separately so that's over £80 sterling. |
15 Jun 99 - 02:07 PM (#86891) Subject: RE: 'The Propeller Song' From: Roger the zimmer Just looked on the BBC shop website (www.bbcshop.com/) and the new release isn't listed so it may be licenced to someone like ?Argo. I'll check the ad tonight. |
15 Jun 99 - 04:56 PM (#86959) Subject: RE: 'The Propeller Song' From: Ewan McVicar The song was written by Glasgow singer and shipyard worker Jim Brown, although Maccoll did indeed sing it. I'll scout round and see if I have the lyrics. If not I'll phone Jim when I can. |
15 Jun 99 - 05:17 PM (#86967) Subject: RE: 'The Propeller Song' From: SandyBob Fantastic! I'd be very interested in any history behind the song. I remember Ewan Maccoll sang it in heavy Scots dialect and said it was based on a true story. His advice to the singers in the audience was that the Hey Jimmy/Ho Jimmy part "should be sung as if you were about to vomit." SandyBob
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16 Jun 99 - 03:42 AM (#87065) Subject: RE: 'The Propeller Song' From: Roger the zimmer Re: my postings above- the set is available on Topic Records for £14.99 each or £89.99 the set, special offer from Radio Times Enterprises, telephone UK 01483-204488. No numbers quoted and only three (Travelling People,Song of a Road and Body Blow) mentioned by name. |
16 Jun 99 - 04:28 AM (#87072) Subject: RE: 'The Propeller Song' From: Ewan McVicar Here you go. Never say I never done nuthin fur ye!
THE PROPELLER SONG
I've a note in a book which discusses Jim's songs that "The song was inspired by the writer looking down into a dry-dock on such a cold morning, watching the engineers at work and creating in his mind the story of the foreman's revenge." |
18 Jun 99 - 03:20 PM (#87734) Subject: RE: 'The Propeller Song' From: SandyBob Thanks Ewan! The melody has stuck in my head all these years so I believe I can even sing this song. Your note about the inspiration reinforces what I've seen so many times -- that storytelling songs come from good story tellers, not necessarily directly from biographical events. SandyBob |