Lyr Req: Blow the Wind Southerly / Blaw...

12 Jul 02 - 10:55 PM (#747515)
Subject: blow ye winds southerly
From: GUEST,mg

I love this song but I have never seen many words to it. here is the digitrad (click)
Are there more words? Someone must know them. Please to post them.. If we are absolutely sure and positive there are no words floating around, then and only then should a committee be formed for the purpose of exploring the possibility of writing more.

mg

---

12 Jul 02 - 11:34 PM (#747531)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: masato sakurai

This song, I think, is composed of one verse and one chorus, as is in The Puffin Song Book (pp. 135-137) and William Cole's Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales (pp. 38-39). The latter book says the author is John Stobbs, and it is "A traditional Tyneside air from northern England. The words are based on a frangment found in The Bishoprick Garland."

~Masato

---

13 Jul 02 - 12:05 AM (#747546)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: GUEST,mg

well darn....let's wait a little longer before we form the committee just in case..

mg

---

13 Jul 02 - 12:59 AM (#747563)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: masato sakurai

I was wrong. The version Kathleen Ferrier sang (on Blow The Wind Southerly, Decca 417 192-2) has a second verse:

Is it not sweet to hear the breeze singing,
As lightly it comes o'er the deep rolling sea?
But sweeter and dearer by far 'tis when bringing
The barque of my true love in safely to me.

And these versions (Click HERE & HERE) have 4 verses, the above being the last, the second & the third being:

They told me last night there were ships in the offing,
And I hurried down to the deep rolling sea;
But my eye could not see it, wherever might be it,
The barque that is bearing my lover to me.

I stood by the lighthouse the last time we parted,
Till darkness came down o'er the deep rolling sea,
And no longer I saw the bright barque of my lover.
Blow, bonny breeze and bring him to me.

~Masato

---

13 Jul 02 - 01:03 AM (#747565)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: masato sakurai

"these versions (Click HERE & HERE) have 3 verses"; the other is a repeated one.

---

13 Jul 02 - 01:05 AM (#747566)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: raredance

Five? Can anyone raise it to five?

rich r

---

13 Jul 02 - 08:41 AM (#747655)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: greg stephens

And, for those who like little snippets of useless information, the tune is also known as the fiddle jig "Biddy from Sligo"(first half only)

---

13 Jul 02 - 09:24 AM (#747662)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Malcolm Douglas

The tune and one verse appears in Bruce and Stokoe's Northumbrian Minstrelsy (1882).

Blaw the wind southerly, southerly, southerly,
Blaw the wind southerly, south, or south-west;
My lad's at the bar, at the bar, at the bar,
My lad's at the bar whom I love best.

The editors comment: "This is evidently a fragment of an older ballad, and is taken from [Cuthbert] Sharp's Bishoprick Garland [1834]. A variation of the last two lines has been sometimes heard from old songs:

Blaw the lad ti' the bar, ti' the bar, ti' the bar,
Blaw the lad ti' the bar that I love best.

Roud Folk Song Index number 2619. A lot of people in the UK will, like me, have learned the three-verse set while at school.

---

13 Jul 02 - 10:48 AM (#747671)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: GUEST, mg

Thanks everyone...I especially like the last variation..now I can rest easy.. mg

---

13 Jul 02 - 01:52 PM (#747705)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Charley Noble

Hmmmm. I'll have to look up the words Bill and Gene Bonyun used to sing. I only remember the chorus.

---

14 Jul 02 - 09:20 PM (#748051)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)

Some chords and sheet music at: Southerly
(Only two verses here)

---

15 Jul 02 - 11:59 AM (#748352)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Mr Red

masato sakurai
Kathleen Ferrier singing BtWS was my first folk influence toher than a few nursery rhymes. Still does it for me.

---

15 Jul 02 - 12:25 PM (#748370)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: GUEST,,gargoyle

Song in America 1962, by Burl Ives, contains the same three verses. Shocked that this classic, haunting tune, song was not on a previous thread....I use it as a bridge to other pieces.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

---

15 Jul 02 - 03:23 PM (#748454)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Charley Noble

No new verses in my searches.

Charley Noble

---

10 Jun 09 - 03:15 AM (#2652930)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: GUEST,Rebekah

I learned this song in the 1950's at school there was a verse that went like this

Last night as I lay on my pillow
Last night as I lay on my bed
Last night as I lay on my pillow
I dreamt that my bonny was dead was dead
bring back oh bring back oh bring back my bonny to me to me
Oh bring back Oh bring back Oh bring back my bonny to me.

anyone else heard this version it was the one taught in English Schools between 1955 and 1965.

---

10 Jun 09 - 05:54 AM (#2653006)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Artful Codger

Sounds like a spurious import from "My bonny lies over the ocean".

---

10 Jun 09 - 06:08 AM (#2653013)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: WalkaboutsVerse

A great E.trad best sung by females, I think - as if looking out over the sea and waiting for their fishermen/sailors to return.

---

10 Jun 09 - 07:26 AM (#2653043)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Matthew Edwards

Walkabouts Verse wrote:-
"best sung by females"

Hmphhh! Better not let Graham Pirt hear you say that! He and son Sam perform an excellent version on their recent Fellside CD 'dance ti' thee daddy'.

Matthew

---

10 Jun 09 - 07:37 AM (#2653052)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Tug the Cox

Don't know about a spurious import, I too learned it at school in the 50;s as the second verse of my Bonnie lies over the ocean.
The only time you hear that now is as a pub drinking/singing game where you alternatively stand and sit every time a word beginning with B is sung. Good fun when the chorus comes round.

---

10 Jun 09 - 08:53 AM (#2653090)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Deckman

My memory says that Jo Mapes recorded this in the 50's ... perhaps Rolph Cohn backed her up? Bob(deckman)Nelson

---

10 Jun 09 - 05:01 PM (#2653464)
Subject: Lyr Add: BLOW THE WIND SOUTHERLY
From: dick greenhaus

Kathleen Ferrier is probably the one who made it famous; Jo Stafford also did a fine job of it. Les Barker parodied it (Breaking Wind Suddenly) and most recently Graham Pirt sings it on his new Fellside CD (Dance ti thi daddy, Graham and Sam Pirt)

BLOW THE WIND SOUTHERLY

Blow the wind southerly, southerly, southerly,
Blow the wind south o'er the bonny blue sea;
Blow the wind southerly, southerly, southerly,
Blow bonny breeze my lover to me.

They told me last night there were ships in the offing,
And I hurried down to the deep rolling sea;
But my eye could not see it,
Wherever might be it,
The bark that is bearing my lover to me.

Blow the wind southerly, southerly, southerly,
Blow the wind south that my lover may come;
Blow the wind southerly, southerly, southerly,
Blow bonny breeze and bring him safe home.

I stood by the lighthouse the last time we parted,
Till darkness came down o'er the deep rolling sea,
And no longer I saw the bright bark of my lover.
Blow, bonny breeze and bring him to me.

Is it not sweet to hear breezes blowing,
As lightly they come o'er the deep rolling sea?
But sweeter and dearer by far when 'tis bearing
The bark of my true love in safety to me.

---

10 Jun 09 - 06:03 PM (#2653505)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Yes, Kathleen Ferrier, without accompaniment. On GEST with video (courtesy youtube), text as posted by Greenhaus and guest mg.
The one and only.

---

11 Jun 09 - 03:15 PM (#2654209)
Subject: Lyr Add: BREAKING WIND SUDDENLY (Les Barker)
From: GUEST,Jacqued

Or there's this:

BREAKING WIND SUDDENLY
by Les Barker, from Irritable Bow-wow Syndrome.

Breaking wind suddenly, suddenly, suddenly
Tends to exclude one from society.
Breaking wind suddenly, suddenly, suddenly,
I blamed the dog but they knew it was me.
A friend said to me there were jobs in the offing,
So I hurried to town as an interviewee.
I was almost employed when my hopes were destroyed
By a thund'rous eruption. They knew it was me.

Breaking wind suddenly, suddenly, suddenly
Somehow I feel did not help my cause.
Breaking wind suddenly, suddenly, suddenly,
I spelled out 'fart' in impeccable Morse.
I knew they were pleased with answers I'd given,
And all were impressed by my honours degree,
Then my hopes went under; I said it was thunder
But that was a blunder, they knew it was me.

Breaking wind suddenly, suddenly, suddenly;
Rippling the surface of their cups of tea.
Breaking wind suddenly, suddenly, suddenly
I knew I'd not be their new employee.
And later that evening, my old trouser coughing
Gave warning to ships on the deep rolling sea;
A great clap of thunder boomed all down the Humber;
I blame the dog, but they know it was me.

---

11 Jun 09 - 04:49 PM (#2654291)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Guest, that rude bit of unpleasantness was posted in thread 94596:
Breaking

---

11 Jun 09 - 05:39 PM (#2654336)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Steve Gardham

Sorry, Graham and Sam, but unlike Q I much prefer Les's bellylaughs to
flowery theatrical pieces like the original. I know, I'm a philistine!

---

13 Jun 09 - 09:56 AM (#2655564)
Subject: Lyr Add: BLAW THE WIND SOUTHERLY
From: Jim Dixon

From The Music of the Waters: A Collection of the Sailors' Chanties, or Working Songs of the Sea, of All Maritime Nations by Laura Alexandrine Smith (London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co., 1888):

"Blaw the wind southerly, southerly, southerly,
Blaw the wind southerly, south, or south-west;
My lad's at the bar, at the bar, at the bar,
My lad's at the bar whom I love best."

Sometimes the last two lines of this song are varied—

"Blaw the lad ti' the bar, ti' the bar, ti' the bar,
Blaw the lad ti' the bar that I love best."

The music of the waters A collection of the sailors' chanties, or working songs of the sea, of all maritime nations. Boatmen's, fishermen's, and rowing songs, and water legends By Laura Alexandrine Smith

---

13 Jun 09 - 02:37 PM (#2655691)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

L. A. Smith's book is an interesting one. She places "Blaw ..." with Tyne songs, no comments.
I could not find it in "Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs," 1862, but that volume has a version of "Weel May the Keel Row" (that gets the bairns their breed), that is the same as one in L. A. Smith's book (p. 109-110).

Thanks for the link. I had looked at the chanteys in her book, but had not gone further.

---

14 Jun 09 - 03:28 AM (#2655958)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Dave Hanson

Kathleen Ferrier must have put thousands of people off it for donkeys years.

Dave H

---

14 Jun 09 - 06:28 AM (#2656010)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Suegorgeous

My earliest memories of both these songs are from my dad singing them. We played the KF version of BTWS at my mum's funeral last year (one of her fave singers).

---

14 Jun 09 - 03:51 PM (#2656317)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Ross Campbell

I think Dave Hanson is being a bit unfair to Kathleen Ferrier. I just heard her version again last week, part of a film soundtrack. Neither the accompaniment nor the trained, operatic voice take away in the least from the clarity of the words and the expression of the sentiments of the lyrics. If half the singers in folk clubs could deliver a song like this (and I'm not talking about voice quality), life would be a lot richer!

Ross

---

15 Jun 09 - 03:15 AM (#2656650)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: Dave Hanson

Fair play Ross.

Dave H

---

15 Jun 09 - 08:27 AM (#2656824)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: masato sakurai

The tune is "Kinloch of Kinloch." See The Fiddler's Companion. Robert Burns wrote "Sweetest May let love inspire thee" to this tune, which is in The Scots Musical Museum, Volume VI, song 559, page 578.

---

01 Oct 10 - 09:15 AM (#2997499)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: GUEST,Phil Underwood

I didn't like the Kathleen Ferrier version either, but I removed my head from up my own bottom and behold, it's beautiful!

---

01 Oct 10 - 10:05 AM (#2997526)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blow ye winds southerly
From: GUEST,leeneia

Thanks for the links, masato.

And Jim, belated thanks for the dots which actually appear in the post. Amazing!

---

19 Apr 19 - 02:51 PM (#3988248)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blow the Wind Southerly / Blaw...
From: FreddyHeadey

I like singing this but I hadn't checked on mudcat before.

I'm pretty sure I couldn't keep a straight face singing
"My lad's at the bar, at the bar, at the bar, at the bar, ..."

---