|
01 Nov 17 - 10:11 AM (#3886197) Subject: Origins: Life of a Rover and its origins From: CelticMatt So I've found "Life of a Rover" on an old Irish Rovers CD back in 1969, but I was wondering if the song was older than that. I can't seem to find much about the songs origins anywhere. Wanting to use it on my band's first CD and just trying to figure out its origins. Want the first one to be fairly traditional with the songs so just trying to get some research done. Thanks, and Cheers! |
|
01 Nov 17 - 12:28 PM (#3886229) Subject: RE: Origins: Life of a Rover and its origins From: The Sandman it was written by Ewan macColl,and is generally known as thirty foot trailer. [C]The old ways are chan[F]ging you cannot deny [C]The day of the[F] traveler's[G] over There's[C] nowhere to gang and there's nowhere to[F] bide So[C] farewell to the[F] life of the[C] rover [C]Goodbye to the[F] tent and the old caravan To[C] the tinker, the[F] rover, the[G] traveling man And[C] goodbye tae the[F] thirty foot[C] trailer Farewell tae the cant and the traveling tongue Farewell tae the Romany talking The buying, the selling, the old fortune telling The knock on the door and the hawking You got to move fast to keep up with the times For these days a man cannot dander There's a bylaw to say you maun be on your way And another to say ye can't wander Farewell to the blossom and besoms of broom Farewell tae the creels and the baskets The folk of today would far rather pay For a thing that is made oot o plastic The old ways are passing and soon will be gone And progress is aye a big factor Its sent to afflict us and when they evict us They tow us away wi a tractor Farewell tae the pony, the cob, and the mare The reins and the harness are idle You don't need a strap when you're breaking up scrap So farewell tae the bit and the bridle Farewell tae the fields where we've sweated and toiled At pulling and hauling and lifting They'll soon have machines and the traveling queens And their menfolk had better be shifting |
|
01 Nov 17 - 12:29 PM (#3886230) Subject: RE: Origins: Life of a Rover and its origins From: Reinhard I've googled for "Life of a Rover" and "Irish Rover"; the lyrics I found are a slightly modified (last line of the chorus) version of "The Thirty-Foot Trailer". Ewan MacColl wrote this song for the 1964 radio ballad "The Travelling People". |
|
01 Nov 17 - 12:50 PM (#3886236) Subject: RE: Origins: Life of a Rover and its origins From: The Sandman Reinhard, that is what i have said. |
|
01 Nov 17 - 01:23 PM (#3886242) Subject: RE: Origins: Life of a Rover and its origins From: Reinhard Yes of course Dick. If you look at the posting times you'll see that we both answered at the same time; I couldn't see your answer yet when I wrote mine. |
|
01 Nov 17 - 01:41 PM (#3886247) Subject: ADD Version: Life of the Rover (Ewan MacColl) From: Joe Offer Here's my transcription of the Irish Rovers version: THE LIFE OF THE ROVER (Ewan MacColl, as sung by the Irish Rovers) The old ways are changing you cannot deny, The day of the traveller's over; There's nowhere to go and there's nowhere to bide, So goodbye to the thirty-foot trailer. Farewell to the tent and the old caravan, To the tinker, the gypsy, the travelling man; Goodbye to the life of the rover. Farewell to the songs and the travelling talk; Farewell to the horse and the bridle; The buying, the selling, the old fortune telling, The knock on the door and the hawking. You've got to move fast to keep up with the times, For these days a man cannot dander; There's a bylaw to say you must be on your way, And another to say you can't wander. The old ways are passing and soon will be gone, For progress is always a factor; It's sent to afflict us, and when they evict us, They tow us away wi a tractor. Irish Rovers recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nkw5gWnW7Q (may not play in Europe) |
|
01 Nov 17 - 04:58 PM (#3886271) Subject: RE: Origins: Life of a Rover and its origins From: Steve Gardham Arguably the seminal version recorded in the 60s was by the Watersons. |
|
01 Nov 17 - 04:59 PM (#3886272) Subject: RE: Origins: Life of a Rover and its origins From: Steve Gardham Joe, Can you change the title of this thread please to the correct title now the OP knows what it is? |