|
24 Mar 12 - 05:03 AM (#3328038) Subject: Lyr Add: King of Ditch Diggers From: Young Buchan One of Graham Miles'. Begins somewhat after this fashion: When I was a lad I was told by my dad That I'd had enough now of learning. It was out of the school and onto the tools, For it's time that a wage I was earning. The dole office man with his cards in his hand Said, 'There's no place for plumbers or fitters. You're a big strapping lad with a good pair of arms: So I'll set you to digging the ditches.' Can anyone supply the rest please? (If anyone's in contact with Robin Dale, he'll know!) |
|
24 Mar 12 - 07:38 AM (#3328047) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: King of Ditch Diggers From: Young Buchan Sorry. Can a Service Elf please retitle this as Re. Lyr REQ. Thanks |
|
25 Mar 12 - 05:50 PM (#3328799) Subject: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Young Buchan I'll try this again with the right heading this time! Can anyone help with this. One of Graham Miles'. Begins somewhat after this fashion: When I was a lad I was told by my dad That I'd had enough now of learning. It was out of the school and onto the tools, For it's time that a wage I was earning. The dole office man with his cards in his hand Said, 'There's no place for plumbers or fitters. You're a big strapping lad with a good pair of arms: So I'll set you to digging the ditches.' Can anyone supply the rest please? (If anyone's in contact with Robin Dale, he'll know!) |
|
25 Mar 12 - 06:16 PM (#3328817) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: GUEST,999 KING OF THE DITCH-DIGGER'S TRADE (Just leaving that there while I go look, else I shall forget.) |
|
25 Mar 12 - 06:19 PM (#3328822) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: GUEST,999 KING OF THE DITCH-DIGGER'S TRADE - comp by Graeme Miles of Middlesbrough - FOLKSONG TODAY #3 1970 from folktrax org |
|
25 Mar 12 - 06:45 PM (#3328836) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: GUEST,999 I am finding nothing immediate. However, given that the language still argues with itself about the use of hyphens to create compound nouns or for times when two or more words need to be used as an adjective, we need to check the permutations. I gotta go eat spaghetti. Back in a while. I just looked. Didn't find it. I haven't tried under the Graham spelling of his name. The spaghetti is cold. |
|
26 Mar 12 - 08:11 PM (#3329393) Subject: Lyr Add: King of the Ditch Diggers Trade From: Hoblander From two sources of Graeme Miles' own recording from the 1970s/80s Cassette entitled Songscapes 78 and Cassette entitled Volume 12 King of the Ditch Diggers Trade 1. We—ll when Ah was a lad, Ah was told by me Dad It's time that a wage you was earning It out o' that school and on to the tools It's now to a trade you'll be turning Chorus With a dirrum durham daa With a dirrum durham day Me tools are a shovel and spade With a dirrum durham daa With a dirrum durham day Ah'm king of the ditch diggers trade. 2 We – ll the labour exchange man with forms in 'is 'and Said there's nothing for joiners or fitters But you're a strappin' fine lad with a good pair of 'ands I'll put ya to the digging of ditches Chorus 3 Ah've bin up to ma knees in the waters of the Tees When working on land reclamation Ah've bin up to ma lugs ( ears ) in gravel and mud When working on roads for the nation Chorus 4 Ah've travelled the land with me spade in me 'and From John O'Groats right down to Dover Ah drink breathe and eat cement and concrete An' when Ah sleep then Ah dream of bulldozers Chorus 5 Ah've often bin rich like a king in ma ditch When Ah've bin on good piece work and bonus But when Ah've nowt left for grub Ah've scrounged for a sub Saying Gaffer ken ten bob you loan us Chorus 6 Now when Ah'm out dead and cold lower me into a hole There's one for that purpose Ah'm keeping On me grave lay me spade and engrave on the blade The King of ditch diggers is sleeping Chorus |
|
26 Mar 12 - 08:15 PM (#3329396) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Hoblander Hello Young Buchan and 999 you will find a Lyric Added thread with the full lyrics and chorus posted 26.03.2012 Cheers Kevin |
|
26 Mar 12 - 08:40 PM (#3329408) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: GUEST,999 Wow. Thank you, Kevin. |
|
27 Mar 12 - 05:53 AM (#3329543) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Hoblander Hello 999 et al, I have about 350 - 360 of Graeme's songs as recordings or manuscript. We have been endeavouring to get as many of his recordings as possible digitised, with a view to producing some more song books and maybe a cd with a verse and a chorus. As the Ironopolis Singers we have produced a double cd of Songs of Ironopolis and we are in the middle of producing another show Purple Acres which is a collection of Graeme's songs based on the North York Moors. Get in touch if there are any other songs you need lyrics for, I haven't worked out how to get the tunes up on the computer. We need a web site where we can offer mp3s. Just a matter of time. Kevin |
|
27 Mar 12 - 11:02 AM (#3329675) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: GUEST,999 Kevin, are you a Teessider? |
|
27 Mar 12 - 11:08 AM (#3329679) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: GUEST,999 Young Buchan, here's a link to the new thread started by Kevin. thread.cfm?threadid=144077&messages=1 |
|
27 Mar 12 - 12:36 PM (#3329712) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Young Buchan Many thanks indeed. I had no idea there was a chorus! The version I heard many years ago didn't. |
|
27 Mar 12 - 02:30 PM (#3329735) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Hoblander Hi Young Buchan depends who you heard sing it. For some of Graeme's songs I have him singing 3 or 4 versions as it progressed. Contact me for more info if you need it Kevin |
|
27 Mar 12 - 06:29 PM (#3329831) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Young Buchan I'm convinced there is another verse about drinking ****** ******* with Geordies and Micks in a thousand and one public houses And fighting **************** with Cockneys and even with Scousers |
|
27 Mar 12 - 06:44 PM (#3329839) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Carol Y B perhaps memories of your ill-spent youth? |
|
27 Mar 12 - 06:50 PM (#3329844) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Young Buchan Carol - you know very well that: a I don't drink b I'm no use at fighting and c I stay out of the way of scousers! Derek |
|
27 Mar 12 - 06:56 PM (#3329846) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Carol Ah but that's now Derek, it doesn't follow that you were perfect in your youth. Where are you now by the way? |
|
27 Mar 12 - 06:57 PM (#3329847) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Young Buchan Bristol |
|
27 Mar 12 - 06:59 PM (#3329848) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Carol I'm up in Greatham now |
|
28 Mar 12 - 06:45 PM (#3330346) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Hoblander Hello 999 missed the post where you asked if I was a Teessider. Yes born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire and proud of it. Both parent's sides of the family iron and steel and chemical workers. Great- grand and grandfathers, me Dad and uncles, cousins. I worked in the construction industry in the steelworks and petro-chemicals. Dad was a foundryman at Cochranes, until he saw sense and got a pub. However I've lived in Saltburn by the Sea since 1974, nearly a native. Cheers Kevin |
|
28 Mar 12 - 06:58 PM (#3330349) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King of Ditch Diggers From: Hoblander Young Buchan or Derek I haven't been able to find the verse you quote part of, but I will see Graeme next week and ask him if he remembers it.If he does I will post it here and in the Lyric Add thread. As I mentioned he did do a lot of revising of songs. What Graeme defines as the final versions of songs now, differs a lot from the originals. Along the Guisborough Road in Songscapes is a good example of the final printed version being so different to the 60's version. And of course what the folk process does to the originals, and what folks " remember". There are even instances when individuals have written their own verses because they felt the song was incomplete or too short. I don't think Graeme has ever written an incomplete song, and if it was short he intended it to be short. Cheers Kevin |