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29 Aug 07 - 04:27 AM (#2135865) Subject: Tune Req: Bang Upon The Big Drum From: stormalong Can anyone point me to a score for 'Bang Upon The Big Drum'? I've tried to learn it by ear but I don't think I've got it quite right. It was on the Martin Wyndham-Read/Druids LP 'Songs of the Redcoats'. It dates from the Second (?) Afghan War in the Nineteenth Century and is mentioned in Kipling, but I have not been able to find it in any books or on the web. |
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29 Aug 07 - 05:14 AM (#2135882) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bang Upon The Big Drum From: stallion we recorded it on "Sing the Sun into the Sky". CD still available! PM me for a copy, it is a slightly different arrangement to "Songs and Music of the Redcoats" but essentially the same. I used to sing it wryly as a bit of a dig at the war there and changed the words from Bala Hiza (the fortress in Kabul) to Mulla prisoner but I have now reverted to the original words. Any way, I don't think it is our best track but ok. Peter www.myspace.com/twoblacksheepandastallion |
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07 Jun 13 - 09:18 AM (#3523783) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bang upon the Big Drum From: GUEST,falcons1988 Hi I have been searching for the sheet music for bang upon the big drum as well. Is there sheet music still available? my e-mail is pjbray88@hotmail.com regards f88 |
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13 Apr 15 - 01:46 PM (#3701581) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bang upon the Big Drum From: GUEST,guest Playing it (by ear) in G on a G/D concertina, there's a single C# in there. That had me bamboozled for a minute or two. I can't find a score - looked in ABC, etc. RH |
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28 May 16 - 12:47 PM (#3792644) Subject: Lyr Req: Bang Upon The Big Drum From: GUEST,threelegsoman I have had a request for me to sing Bang Upon The Big Drum. I have found one site with a set of lyrics from Songs From Hazzards Huzzah. These lyrics more or less match up with the YouTube video of the song which I was sent, but miss out one verse. The missing verse starts: Then we marched from ------- and we met a wild Afghan....... If possible, I would like the lyrics for this verse or even better, the whole song please. |
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28 May 16 - 06:24 PM (#3792674) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bang Upon The Big Drum From: FreddyHeadey The lyrics page you've got ? http://folk-lyrics.co.uk/Lyrics/BangUponTheBigDrum strangely numbering the chorus as verses & Youtube https://youtu.be/GnzaR1158UA ? the words for that verse at 1:16 ? ~~~~~ Then we marched from Chalasan(Gujarat?) and we met a wild Afghan, and made him ?.......... for to run boys oh, And we marched him to Kabul and we took the Bala Hisar*, and we made him to respect the British soldier. (*https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bala_Hissar,_Peshawar) |
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28 May 16 - 08:14 PM (#3792690) Subject: ADD: Bang Upon The Big Drum From: Joe Offer We always like to have lyrics here, not just a link. Freddy posted the link above: http://folk-lyrics.co.uk/Lyrics/BangUponTheBigDrum BANG UPON THE BIG DRUM When first I went a soldier, With pike upon my shoulder, There wasn't any bolder in the corps boys-oh. And when I walked abroad, All the pretty girls would wink at me. The ladies can't resist a jolly soldier. CHORUS Bang upon the big drum Crash upon the cymbals, We'll sing as we go marching along boys-oh. And although on this campaign, There's no whisky or champagne Still we'll keep our spirits going with a song boys. And when we got the route, And for ……we set out, With the girlies flocking round us to the dock boys-oh. So we gave three hearty cheers, For the pretty little dears, And we hope that each one gets another soldier. CHORUS And now I'll say goodbye, For I'm feeling rather dry, And I see a comrade waiting with his song boys-oh. So here's good luck to all, And promotion soon and "batter" money, That's the sort of ticket for a soldier. From the collection Songs From Hazzards Huzzah Here's a YouTube video: The recording has an additional verse about Afghanistan. |
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28 May 16 - 08:28 PM (#3792693) Subject: ADD Version: Bang Upon The Big Drum From: Joe Offer BANG UPON THE BIG DRUM When first I went to soldier with rifle on my shoulder There wasn't no one bolder in the corps boys, oh And when I walked abroad all the pretty girls, they'd wink at me The ladies can't resist a jolly soldier. CHORUS Bang upon the big drum, crash upon the cymbals We'll sing as we go marching along boys, along And although on this campaign There's no whiskey or champagne Still we'll keep our spirits going with a song, boys Now, when we got the route, and for India we set out The girls they cried around us to the docks boys, oh And we gave three hearTy cheers for the pretty little dears In hopes that each one got another soldier Then we marched through Khalasan and we met the wild Afghan And made him at Karazia for to run boys, oh And we marched into Kabul, and we took the Bala Hisar And we made them to respect the British Soldier. And now I'll say good-bye for I'm feeling rather dry And I see a comrade waiting with a song, boys, oh So here's good luck to all and promotion soon, and better money That's the sort of ticket for a soldier! https://plus.google.com/+david1966dc/posts/eo7EhqVnaVj Here's a YouTube video:
The recording has an additional verse about Afghanistan. |
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29 May 16 - 04:36 AM (#3792711) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bang Upon The Big Drum From: GUEST,threelegsoman Thank you for all the help. I must be getting even more stupid than I thought. The lyrics were printed below the video I was looking at, but were hidden and it was not until this morning after getting the above replies that I realised that by clicking on the 'Show More' link the lyrics were revealed. Thanks to this I have now recorded my own version and will be uploading it to YouTube later this morning. Kind regards to all from the Isle of Man, Tony (threelegsoman) |
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31 May 16 - 01:55 AM (#3792973) Subject: Songs and Music of the Redcoats - on YouTube From: Joe Offer At his concert here in the Sierra Foothills on Sunday, Keith Kendrick spoke of the album Songs and Music of the Redcoats, and how it is now unavailable. Interestingly, we had discussed the album in this thread just a few days before. For now, the album is available here: |
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31 May 16 - 03:10 AM (#3792986) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bang Upon The Big Drum From: GUEST,threelegsoman Thanks once again for all your help. Here is my YouTube upload: Bang Upon The Big Drum (Including lyrics and chords) One small point, in the lyrics at the beginning of verse 2 "route" should be "rout". A rout in this sense is the term for enlisting soldiers which was usually done by a sergeant and perhaps a couple of corporals or privates going around the countryside looking for likely candidates and offering them the King's Shilling. An example would be the song "The Rout Of The Blues" |
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14 Apr 20 - 05:09 AM (#4045975) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bang Upon The Big Drum From: GUEST 'Rout' refers to a regiment receiving marching orders for change of station- in this case embarkation for India, rather than a recruiting part. "The Rout Of The Blues" refers to the same process. |
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07 Jun 20 - 02:02 PM (#4057937) Subject: Lyr Add: BANG UPON THE BIG DRUM (Martin/Hobday) From: Jim Dixon From a play, Doctor Faust and Miss Marguerite: or, The Young Duck with the Old Quack, a Burlesque Opera in Four Acts, by Robert J. Martin and E. A. P. Hobday, "Produced for the first time on any stage at the Queen's Theatre, Dublin, August 24th, 1885" (Dublin: P. Morrow and Son), page 42: BANG UPON THE BIG DRUM 1. It was not so long ago That they sent us all, you know, For a jolly expedition up the Nile, boys, oh, To Lord Wolseley's great regatta, With the prospect of some batta, Badly wanted by the gallant British soldier. CHORUS. Bang upon the big drum, clash upon the cymbals, As we go marching along, boys, oh! Although in this campaign We'd no whiskey or champagne Still we kept our spirits going with a song, boys. 2. There was not a man could row, So we took the boats in tow, And we sailed at least a hundred yards a day, boys, oh! With the devil a canteen, Or a public, or shebeen For refreshment of the thirsty British soldier. CHORUS 3. Then upon the river side Every man that couldn't ride They mounted on a camel from the Zoo, boys, oh! Which led to much disaster And the use of sticking plaster On the tender portions of the British soldier. CHORUS 4. While this was then our fate They found out, but rather late, That we might be doing just as well at home, boys, oh From which you may remark That a field-day in the Park Brings more glory to the gallant British soldier. CHORUS |