|
28 Jul 00 - 11:54 PM (#267061) Subject: fathers grave From: Rasta I was at a pickin party a few years ago and an old plumber friend sang this song with a ice cold beer in his hand (they are moving fathers grave to build a sewer) a really funny tune I think the Clancy Bros. did it way back when but I cant find the lyrics. Does anybody know this tune thanx and be happy -----RASTAAAAAA |
|
29 Jul 00 - 12:01 AM (#267068) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Giac Here ya go. |
|
29 Jul 00 - 12:04 AM (#267074) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Catrin One of the things I think is amazing about mudcat, is that someone can post a request like this and get an answer in (literally) five mins!! Way hay Catrin |
|
29 Jul 00 - 09:21 AM (#267234) Subject: Lyr Add: FATHER'S GRAVE (from Tom Paley) From: GUEST,Allan S. I heard it from Tom Paley as follows back in 1955
They are shifting father's grave to build a sewer.
But father in his life was ne'er a quitter.
Now, won't there be some pangs of constipation? |
|
29 Jul 00 - 09:42 AM (#267240) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST,Allan S. Sorry I just remembered the 2nd. Verse
Now what's the use of having a religion? |
|
29 Jul 00 - 04:00 PM (#267410) Subject: Lyr Add: MOVING FATHER'S GRAVE (Oscar Brand) ^^^ From: Tiger I've got a longer one. :-) MOVING FATHER'S GRAVE - Oscar Brand
They're diggin' up Father's grave to build a sewer.
If, when you're dead, your troubles never cease? Just because some bloody fool Wants a pipeline for his tool, They won't let poor old Father rest in peace.
Yes, they're diggin' up Father's grave to build a sewer.
And he'll haunt the place from double seat to drain, And the councilmen will quail, The alderman turn pale. They'll never try that ruddy trick again.
Now, Father, in his day, was not a quitter,
And won't the bastards rant and roar and rave? Which is more than they deserve, For havin' the bloody nerve, To muck about a British workman's grave. |
|
29 Jul 00 - 07:44 PM (#267530) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Peter K (Fionn) Not that Max ever seems to mind, but there's some wasted space and effort here. First, this song's in the DT - which is why it's always worth looking there before starting a thread. Second, Giac pointed this out, and if subsequent posters had checked his link they could have posted only the bits in their versions that depart from the DT version, rather than re-keying the whole song. Rasta, you asked about the tune, too, which is indeed a fine one. And that, as far as I can see, is not in the DT. I could send this to you - or to the Cat for that matter - as an image (gif, jpeg or whatever) if that's any use, but I've not yet mastered ABC or any other software for writing musical notation. Anyway, say if you still need tune, and I'll bite this bullet one way or the other. |
|
29 Jul 00 - 08:45 PM (#267555) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Joe Offer Well, Tiger's version was a bit different from the two in the database, but not enough to warrant inclusion. I found the tune in Silverman's "62 Outrageous Songs," so I'll transcribe and post it sometime today. I think that makes five songs I'm transcribing today. I hope more of you learn to use ABC or a MIDI program like Noteworthy Composer. -Joe Offer- |
|
29 Jul 00 - 08:52 PM (#267557) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Mbo The only problem is Joe, we have to shell out big bucks for that program. The shareware one only lasts for 30 days. I'll stick to ABC. I got a lot of tunes to add, but my questions are not getting answered! |
|
29 Jul 00 - 09:34 PM (#267580) Subject: Noteworthy Composer From: Joe Offer Hmmm. That's something I hadn't heard, Mbo. I wonder if somebody could try Noteworthy and see if they now have a thirty-day limit on use. It used to be that you could use the limited (unregistered) version of Noteworthy for as long as you wished, but that it could only save a file ten times (which should be more than enough). If I used a registered version on a file created on an unregistered version, the "unregistered copy" restrictions were removed. -Joe Offer- |
|
29 Jul 00 - 09:47 PM (#267589) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Rasta THANX GIAC CATRIN ALLAN TIGER FIOR MBO AND OF COURSE bIG jOE allan is there an album tom paley cut this on or oscar brand , maybe i can look it up thanx again a big help THE RASTAAAAAA MAN |
|
30 Jul 00 - 09:15 AM (#267816) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST,Allan S. Not on any album I know of. I have a tape somewhere with Tom saying how he was promped to sing a Folk Song in an English class at CCNY. His friend said sing The british working man's Grave. Tom did not think it would proper however his prof. thinging it was a good labor song insisted. Tom sang it, the prof. agreed it was not proper. This would be in the late 1940's or so as I heard him sing it 1954. |
|
05 Aug 00 - 04:06 PM (#271969) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST The Clancy Bros. version that started this thread includes an added tune that goes: "My old man said follow the van but don't dilly dally on the way / Off went the van with the old man in it, I followed on .....?" Can anyone out there complete this for me? I've listened to it over and over but I can't understand the lyric. Thanks, Dan |
|
05 Aug 00 - 04:09 PM (#271972) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Mbo Sure Dan! It's the chorus to "My Old Man" and goes: My old man said "Follow the van! And don't dilly dally on the way!" Off went the van with me old man in it I walked behind with the old cock linnett I dillied, I dallied, I dallied and I dillied I lost me way and don't know where to roam You can't trust the Specials like the oldtime coppers When you can't find you're way home!! Ha ha! My most favorite version of the song! --Matt |
|
05 Aug 00 - 05:26 PM (#271996) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Shanti Thanks Mbo for the lyrics to the last verse of the Clancy version. I'd always thought the song itself was something from the English Music Halls, but if it was, it has certainly been confiscated by others. Of course, I have no idea who wrote it for the music hall stage. |
|
06 Aug 00 - 12:19 AM (#272192) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST,Hutzul Question: I assume "old cock linnet" is an male bird, but why would you follow your father to the drunk tank with it? |
|
06 Aug 00 - 12:26 AM (#272196) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Mbo Because they were moving! Look for "My Old Man" in the DT, and you can see the whole song. The Clancys only tack a bit of it on at the end of "Moving Father's Grave" for fun. --Matt |
|
06 Aug 00 - 06:37 AM (#272260) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Micca Meebs, not only moving, but (I have always understood)doing a "Moonlight flit" that is moving to avoid paying the arrears of rent and to escape other debts. and line 3 should, I think, read " off went the van with my home packed in it i followed on with my old cock linnet" |
|
06 Aug 00 - 10:07 AM (#272313) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST,Dan Thanks, Mbo, for the "My Old Man" lyrics. It was the "cock linnet" that kept throwing me off. I always thought he somehow had found Molly Malone along the way and couldn't understand what the "cockle" was in! Dan |
|
07 Aug 00 - 03:51 PM (#273049) Subject: Tune Add: MOVING FATHER'S GRAVE From: Joe Offer MIDI file: SEWERMOV.MID Timebase: 192 Name: MOVING FATHER'S GRAVE This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X:1 I've also sent the tune to Mudcat MIDIs. |
|
07 Aug 00 - 04:33 PM (#273088) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Bert Here's the rest of the story. I sing a slightly different version to any of those above. You can hear it in the Mudcat Radio Archives (can't remember which week). Bert. |
|
07 Aug 00 - 06:26 PM (#273170) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Big Red Does anyone know the author of FATHER? Or when the song first surfaces? I have the words and music in an old book but no author noted. The book is a paperback from the 60's and is falling apart. Apparently all the songs were "traditional" as no authors are given. |
|
08 Aug 00 - 11:22 AM (#273569) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Bert I would guess it's a Music Hall song, about a hundred years or more old. |
|
08 Aug 00 - 03:42 PM (#273718) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Peter K (Fionn) The illustrator Charles Keeping included it in a wonderful collection of music hall and parlour songs, "Cockney Ding Dong," published by Kestrel Books (in association with EMI Publishing) in 1975. It's a well researched book, and the fact that the credit for this song is "collected by Charles Keeping" suggests to me that finding out who wrote it will not be easy. My guess though is that it was indeed written. It's surely too polished a song to have just grown. |
|
08 Aug 00 - 03:46 PM (#273723) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Bert In 'Songs of Peace, Freedom and Protest' Tom Glazer claims it was 'collected' in 1967. |
|
25 Oct 00 - 10:10 PM (#327467) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Alan of Australia G'day, Thanks to Joe the tune for "They're Moving Father's Grave To Build A Sewer" can be found here at the Mudcat MIDI site.
Cheers, |
|
06 Mar 04 - 05:00 AM (#1130261) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Bugsy Has anyone got the guitar chords to this please? Cheers Bugsy |
|
06 Mar 04 - 07:57 AM (#1130305) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Lighter The song was sung in the British army during World War II. Regardless of the actual history of the London sewer system, as Bert noted above, I'd be surprised if the song itself appeared before the 1930's. The style of humor seems rather modern. |
|
06 Mar 04 - 08:51 AM (#1130323) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST This style of British humour goes back to Chaucer and I doubt it was new then. |
|
06 Mar 04 - 09:01 AM (#1130333) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Lighter Right, but I meant the *verbal* style. |
|
16 Feb 07 - 03:12 PM (#1970038) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Charley Noble So in summary no one can trace this song back before World War 2 but suspect it was composed in the 1930's. Charley Noble |
|
17 Feb 07 - 11:54 AM (#1970709) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST,Lighter Charley, that's my guess only. A further guess is that, as the title might suggest, it started as a parody of socialist-type songs. |
|
29 Jul 08 - 04:27 PM (#2400618) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST Though the first version is said to be taken from the Clancy Bros. Live in Ireland album, the words I remember from there are different: verse 1, line 3: nine-inch > five-inch verse 2, line 2: If while you're dead your troubles never cease verse 2, line 3: If some posh city chap wants a pipeline to his privy (This is the only 3rd line in this song without internal rhyme. Was it maybe changed because the audience is expecting an apposite word that rhymes with chap?) verse 2, line 4: They'll never let a British workman rest in peace (O rest in peace...) verse 3, line 3: For when the job's complete, he'll haunt that privy seat verse 3, line 4: He'll only let 'em sit when he'll allow verse 4, line 2: And won't those city chappies rant and rave |
|
30 Jul 08 - 01:25 AM (#2400984) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Gurney I've always sung 'They're moving Grandpa's grave.' A linnet was a popular songbird to keep, once. A finch, I think. Replaced in people's affection by the canary. Or perhaps canaries were bred from them, because I think they are also finches. |
|
21 Feb 15 - 02:33 PM (#3688538) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST,Bert-repost from 19 Feb 2015 British Workman's Grave Traditional D A E7 They are shifting Daddy's bones to build a sewer A D A They are moving them regardless of expense. D B7 E7 They are shifting his remains just to lay down karzi drains A E7 A To satisfy the local residents. E7 A Gor blimey! Now what's the use of having a religion? If after death your troubles never cease 'Cause some high society twit, wants a place to go and sit they won't let the poor old geezer rest in peace peace. Gor blimey! In his life the Old Man never was a quitter And I don't think he'll be a quitter now. no he'll dress up in his sheet, and he'll haunt the karzi seat And only let them in when he'll allow. Gor blimey! Now won't there be some pangs of constipation And won't those high born bleeders shout and rave! But they'll get what they deserve, 'cause they had the bloody' nerve To desecrate a British workman's grave. Gor blimey! To desecrate a British workman's grave. I learned this from Tom Glazer's book 'Songs of Peace, Freedom and Protest. I added the karzi and the Gor Blimey bit because it seemed to fit.
|
|
03 Oct 17 - 09:59 AM (#3880026) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Charley Noble This old ditty came back to me this morning. Charlie Ipcar |
|
18 Jan 18 - 09:54 AM (#3900318) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: GUEST I have recently been told that 'They're Moving Father's Grave' was written by Jimmy Kennedy, a song writer from Northern Ireland who is said to have written over 2000 songs in his career of which 200 became worldwide hits, including 'Isle of Capri' and 'Red Sails in the Sunset' Could it be possible that he did in fact write 'They're Moving Father's Grave'? |
|
18 Jan 18 - 10:06 AM (#3900321) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Lighter Take into account the research reported on this thread: /mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=99060 |
|
19 Jan 18 - 06:28 PM (#3900602) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: fathers grave From: Joe_F Prefix http://. |