12 Mar 01 - 11:46 AM (#415756) Subject: Rainbow Waistcoat From: The_one_and_only_Dai This was performed by Brass Monkey fairly recently, I think, but I just can't make out half the lyrics. Garry or Wolfgang, do you have a crib for this? Anybody else? |
14 Mar 01 - 11:41 AM (#417358) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: The_one_and_only_Dai Oops, it was Home Service. Sorry chaps. |
14 Mar 01 - 12:00 PM (#417372) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: Noreen Not heard of it, sorry.... |
14 Mar 01 - 04:20 PM (#417591) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: Liz the Squeak Not heard of the song, but I have the waistcoat and trousers to match....... LTS |
15 Mar 01 - 03:38 AM (#418006) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: The_one_and_only_Dai Well, one of the verses definitely goes: That, along with the mentions of 'Mister Isambard' asking one to build a railway to the sea, makes it a navvy shanty in my book. FYI the ostentatious waistcoat and expensive cap were the favoured badges of occupation for navigators during the 1830s'-40's, partly I suppose to set them apart from mere labourers. So, all I need is a lyric... |
23 Mar 01 - 09:57 AM (#424054) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: The_one_and_only_Dai refresh |
11 Apr 01 - 10:07 AM (#438033) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: The_one_and_only_Dai reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-fresh |
11 Apr 01 - 07:26 PM (#438571) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: Snuffy I'm sure I've seen this in another thread a couple of monthd ago - try the forum search |
01 Aug 01 - 11:52 AM (#519095) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: The_one_and_only_Dai Okay, let's rewind here a mo'. Has anybody actually heard this song, or is my copy an elaborate hoax? Anybody care to execute a joint effort in speculative lyrical interpolation? |
01 Aug 01 - 12:27 PM (#519115) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: IanC Well, here's the "Home Service" album on which it appears Wild Life, so it probably does exist. Presumably it was a reference to navvies as (from here) [Their] distinctive clothing included "...moleskin trousers, double-canvas shirts, velveteen square-tailed coats, hobnail boots, gaudy handkerchiefs, and white felt hats with the brims turned up. They would pay fifteen shillings, a great price, for a sealskin cap, and their distinct badge was the rainbow waistcoat." Can't tell youy any more though ...
Cheers! |
01 Aug 01 - 01:07 PM (#519143) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: nutty There is an incomplete set of lyrics if you scroll down the list here...... on the Greame Taylor site RAINBOW WAISTCOAT |
02 Aug 01 - 04:56 AM (#519541) Subject: ADD: Rainbow Waistcoat (Bill Caddick) From: The_one_and_only_Dai Wha-hey! Result! Thanks for that link nutty. I have made soem additions and post them here for comment. Unclear Caddick-ese is phonetically spelled and framed in query marks... Rainbow Waistcoat (© Bill Caddick, 1995) Mister Isambard he says to me: Get down ¿Dan? and let your daddy in "Go and build me a railway to the sea" Down on the Western Railway
Well if the ¿shant? is good and the wages well
Blasting, building, tunneling away
But if you dig that ¿lip? just a little to tall
? sound ? we let the ?
It's fifteen shilling for a sealskin cap
Tribes of Israel on the track
Don't go on a ? pay
Mister Isambard he says to me:
Well if the ¿shant? is good and the wages well
When the westbound train drive through your land |
02 Aug 01 - 09:36 AM (#519625) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: Ralphie Yes indeed...a wonderful Bill Caddick song recorded in the Half Moon Putney many years ago, and released on the "Live" (post Tams) Home Service album. As the man who recorded the gig, I'm afraid I can't remove the ? marks...! Must tell Bill to sing more clearly, or, nobody will be able to nick his songs!! Ralphie |
02 Aug 01 - 09:39 AM (#519630) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: The_one_and_only_Dai Cheers Ralphie - I had no idea it was recorded in the Half Moon, where I've spent many a happy hour (and pound). If you see Bill, tell 'im... |
02 Aug 01 - 09:45 AM (#519637) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat From: Ralphie Dai...Will do!! To be completist, If anyone wants to try and decipher the words, The CD is called Wild Life on Fledg'ling records (FLED 3001). And the Half Moon gig was on 30th August 1992 (Jeez...! that's nine years ago almost to the day!!) Ralphie |
14 Oct 05 - 11:51 AM (#1583084) Subject: Lyr Add: RAINBOW WAISTCOAT (Bill Caddick) From: Mr Fox Numerous listenings and an interest in industrial history and I reckon this is more or less right: RAINBOW WAISTCOAT (c Bill Caddick, 1995) Mister Isambard he says to me: Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in "Go and build me a railway to the sea" Down on the Western Railway Well if the shanty's* good and the wage as well Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in Then I'll build you a railway down to hell Down on the Western Railway Blasting, building, tunnelling away Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in Twenty tons of dirt in a day* Down on the Western Railway But if you dig that lip just a little too tall Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in You'll be buried deep 'neath the shit and the fall Down on the Western Railway By the sounding arch* we left Long John Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in Old Blackbird died 'neath the barrow runs* Down on the Western Railway Paid fifteen shilling for a sealskin cap Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in And this rainbow waistcoat on my back Down on the Western Railway Tribes of Israel on the tramp* Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in At the end of the line we'll strike our camp Down on the Western Railway I'll go on the randy* with my pay Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in And I won't come back till the Judgement day Down on the Western Railway Mister Isambard he says to me: Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in "Go and build me a railway to the sea" Down on the Western Railway Well if the shanty's is good and the wage as well Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in Then I'll build you a railway down to hell Down on the Western Railway When the westbound train runs through your land Get down, Dan, and let your daddy in Raise a glass to the navvy man Down on the Western Railway *shanty = Navvy's accommodation. As the name implies, pretty basic. *Twenty tons of dirt in a day = What a navvy was expected to shift. Miners only(!) had to shift sixteen *Sounding arch = Maidenhead bridge over the Thames. Several navvies were drowned when a scaffolding gave way while building it. *Barrow runs = a (very dangerous) way of getting earth from the bottom of a cutting to the spoil-heap. Long John and Old Blackbird are navvy's nicknames. *on the tramp = wandering the countryside looking for work *on the randy = a drunken binge |
02 Jan 18 - 06:02 PM (#3896995) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat (Bill Caddick) From: GUEST,SLC This is so many years after but I was looking for these lyrics. Great, great song. |
03 Jan 18 - 02:02 PM (#3897194) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rainbow Waistcoat (Bill Caddick) From: GMGough Rainbow Waistcoat is included in the 2002 double CD set "Unicorns", a selection of songs written by Bill Caddick and on this set performed by the man himself. The sleeve says "Working Joe Music Ltd 2002" Hope you can find a copy. |