Chord Req: Virginia

Subject: Chord Req: Virginia
From: GUEST,robertloes
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 05:41 AM

I have heard this song on a Bob Fox album 'Borrowed Moments'. It is identified as 'Trad' arranged by Bob Fox. It is about transportation of criminals to Virginia who are effectively sold as white slaves. I cannot find any reference to lyrics or chords or tune anywhere. Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: Peace
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 05:48 AM

Barry Finn is the guy to speak with I think.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: Barry Finn
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 10:38 AM

See this thread Lads of Virginia [Link Fairy]

The midi of this in the DT is a different tune than the one I sing ing to, not even closse if you'd rather my tune PM me your phone # & I'll leave it on a voice message machine. In the thread the words I sing & have are the words in (inside) the brackets.


I hope the link works, itll be my 1st sucess.

Barry

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: Barry Finn
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 10:38 AM

I'll refresh the thread instead

Barry

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: Roberto
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 10:58 AM

Virginia
As sung by Bob Fox on Borrowed Moments, Topic TSCD544, 2003. I hope I made no mistakes.

Now come all you young fellers, where'er you may be
Come listen a while and I'll tell you
For it's many's the young man meself I have seen
More fitted to serve than to die on the string
But those hard-hearted judges, how cruel they have been
For they've sent us poor lads to Virginia
O, they've sent us poor lads to Virginia

Now when I was in service in fair London Town
I worked long and hard for me master
Till those pretty young ladies, they led me astray
And me work I neglected for sport and for play
And for to maintain it, robbed on the highway
And for that I was sent to Virginia
And for that I was sent to Virginia

Now when we got to Virginia, that cold shameful place
Which now I recall in me story
Our captain he stood with a whip and a cane
And he bargained for us, poor souls out of hand
Like horses they yoked us that plowed the salt main
And they sold us for slaves in Virginia
And they sold us for slaves in Virginia

Now when I robbed on the highway, well I lived at me ease
I laid down me head on soft feathers
With a glass in me hand and a lass on me knee
No robber in England did better than me
Now me bed's the cold ground, far across the salt sea
And how hard is me fate in Virginia
Now hard is me fate in Virginia

O England, O England, I fear I'll ne'er see you more
If I do it's ten thousand to twenty
For me fingers they are rotting and me back it is sore
And I wander around right down at death's door
But if I could just live to see seven years more
Well, I'd soon bid farewell to Virginia
Yes, I'd soon bid farewell to Virginia


Bob Fox writes he learned the song from Martin Carthy. Here is Martin Carthy's recording.
From Garry Gillard's site THE WATERSONS:

Virginny
Sung by Martin Carthy on Crown of Horn (1976). Martin Carthy also sang it at the Dranouter Festival in 1976.

Charles Gamblin, a helper of the folksong collector George Gardiner, obtained Virginny from a Mrs Goodyear just outside Basingstoke. Mr Gamblin was considered unreliable as a notator of tunes by some who felt it necessary to double-check his finds, but this one seems to be all right. The song dates from before the American War of Independence when the British Establishment used Virginia and the Carolinas as a dumping ground for their social effluent. Victims served out their sentences in slavery, and, at the end, if they survived, often stayed to work the land for their own benefit. Many subsequently became extremely wealthy. The song seems only to have been collected twice - the other time from the East Anglian singer Bob Hart, in whose mouth the location is Australia. (Martin Carthy's note from the Crown of Horn LP sleeve.)

Now come all you young fellers where'er you may be
Come listen a while and I'll tell you
It's many's the young man myself I have seen
More fitting to serve than to die on a string
But how odd were the judges how cruel they have been
For to send us poor lads to Virginny
Now when we come to Virginny that cold shameful place
Which now I recall in my story
Our captain did stand with his whip and his cane
To bargain for us poor souls out of hand
Like horses they yoked us that had plowed the salt main
How hard was my fate in Virginny

O England sweet England I fear I'll never see you more
And if I do it's 10000 to 20
For me fingers they are rotting and me bones they are sore
I wander about I'm right down to death's door
But if I can just live to see seven years' more
I will soon bid farewell to Virginny



Five recordings of Australia

Notes from The Ballad Index:

Australia (Virginny)
DESCRIPTION: "When I was a young man, my age seventeen, I ought ha' been serving Victoria our Queen, But those hard-hearted judges, how cruel they've been, To send us poor lads to Australia." To please his girlfriend, the singer turns outlaw, and winds up transported
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1969
KEYWORDS: transportation courting work outlaw
FOUND IN: Australia Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Fahey-Eureka, pp. 12-13, "Australia" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #1488
RECORDINGS:
Bob Hart, "Australia" (on BHart01, HiddenE)


a) Come All You Young Fellows (Australia)
Bob Hart, A Broadside, Musical Traditions MT CD 301 -2, 1969 recordings

Come all you young fellows
Whereso'er you may be
Come listen a while to my story

When I was a young man
Me age seventeen
I ought to been serving Victoria, our Queen
But those hard-hearted judges
Oh, how cruel they be
To send us poor lads to Australia

I fell in with a damsel
She was handsome and gay
I neglected me work
More and more, every day
And to keep her like a lady
I went on the highway
And for that I was sent to Australia

Now the judges, they stand
With their whips in their hands
They drive us, like horses
To plough up the land
You should see us poor young fellows
Working in that jail yard
How hard is our fate in Australia

Australia, Australia
I would ne'er see no more
I'm worn out with fever
Cast down to Death's door
But should I live to see
Say, seven years more
I would then bid adieu to Australia

That's where they used to send 'em, years ago



b) Australia
Bob Hart, on Hidden English, Topic TSCD600, from Songs from Suffolk, Topic LP 12TS225; song recorded in 1972

Come all you young fellows
Whereso'er you may be
Come listen a while to my story

When I was a young man
Me age seventeen
I ought to been serving Victoria, our Queen
But those hard-hearted judges
Oh, how cruel they be
To send us poor lads to Australia

I fell in with a damsel
She was handsome and gay
I neglected me work
More and more, every day
And to keep her like a lady
I went on the highway
And for that I was sent to Australia

Now the judges, they stand
With their whips in their hands
They drive us like horses
To plough up the land
You should see us poor young fellows
Working in that jail yard
How hard is our fate in Australia

Australia, Australia
I would ne'er see no more
Worn out with fever
Cast down to Death's door
But should I live to see
Say, seven years more
I would then say adieu to Australia


c) Australia
Chris Foster, Jewels, The Living Tradition, Tradition Bearers Series LTCD1102, 2004. From Bob Hart's.

Come all you good people
Where so ever you may be
Come listen a while to my story

Now when I was a young man
And my age seventeen
I ought to been serving Victoria, our Queen
But those hard-hearted judges
Oh, how cruel they have been
To send us poor lads to Australia

I fell in with a damsel
She was handsome and gay
I neglected my work
More and more, every day
And to keep her like a lady
I went on the highway
And for that I was sent to Australia

Now the judges, they stand
With the whips in their hands
And they drive us like horses
To plough up the land
You should see us poor young fellows
Working in that jail yard
How hard is our fate in Australia

Australia, Australia
I would never see no more
Worn out by fever
Cast down to Death's door
But should I live to see
Say, seven years more
Oh, I would then bid adieu to Australia


d) Australia
Cyril Poacher, Plenty of Thyme, Musica Traditions MT CD 303; song recorded in 1974; also on Farewell, my own dear native land, Songs of exile and emigtarion, The Voice of the People, Topic TSCD 654

Now come all you young fellows wheresomever you be
If you listen I'll tell you a story

When I was a young man of about seventeen
I ought to been serving Victoria our Queen
But those hardhearted judges, oh, how cruel they've been
To send us young lads to Australia

I fell in love with a damsel, she was handsome and gay
I neglected my work more and more every day
And to keep her like a lady, I went on the highway
And for that I got sent to Australia

You should see how they stand with their whips in their hand
They drove us like horses to plough up the land
You should see us poor young fellows, we worked in that jailyard
How sad was our fight in Australia

Australia, Australia, I shall never see no more
I'm worn out with fever, cast down at death's door
But if ever I should live to see seven years more
I will then bid adieu to Australia


e) Australia
Cyril Poacher, Plenty of Thyme, Musica Traditions MT CD 303 – 3 verses only; song recorded in 1974

Come all you young fellows wheresomever you be
If you listen I'll tell you a story
When I was a young man of about seventeen
I ought to been serving Victoria our Queen
But those hardhearted judges, oh, how cruel they've been
To send us young lads to Australia

You should see how they stand with their whips in their hand
They drove us like horses to plough up their land
You should see us poor fellows, we worked in that jailyard
How sad was our fight in Australia

Australia, Australia, I shall never see no more
I'm worn out with fever, cast down at death's door
But if ever I should live to see seven years more
I will then bid adieu to Australia

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: Barry Finn
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 11:43 AM

could a Joe clone combine this thread with the refreshed thread "Lads of Virginia"?
thank you to the elf who does this.

Barry

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 03:28 PM

Many songs called Virginia.
I echo the request by Barry Finn.

The cane was the authority symbol of the ship's Captain as pointed out in thread 41994, Lads of Virginia; not a whip (Carthy and some other recent versions).
Transportation to Virginia ceased with the American Revolution; the Australian versions are welcome.

Are any Australian (or perhaps Van Dieman's Land) versions from the 19th c? None seems to have been found.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 07:44 PM

No, please don't combine them; that would make for a lot of confusing duplication. Bob Hart's words were posted there five years ago; there is no point at all in adding the two identical transcriptions in this new thread (three, in fact, since Chris Foster's arrangement uses Bob's exact words).

The other thread is about the history and background of the song; revival arrangements, however nice they may be to listen to, can tell us little about that. Best kept separate, but linked. The only text from tradition that's missing from the other discussion is Cyril Poacher's; it differs hardly at all from the other Blaxhall sets, though; all of which, in any case, seem to have been learned from a single source.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: Roberto
Date: 26 Nov 06 - 06:31 AM

Malcolm Douglas seems to think it is not important to consider the text of the different recordings of a song word by word, as they're actually sung. I think in these traditional songs the blend of music and words is most important, and a pleasure to listen to, and I like to get exactly the words and exactly the notes of each single recording. I'll always thank Malcolm for his valuable knowledge and the useful comments he makes on the songs, but as to the texts of songs, I stick to my opinion. R

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: GUEST,robertloes
Date: 26 Nov 06 - 10:43 AM

Wow!! I did not realise just how much information I would receive. Thanks to all. Ideally I would like to know the chords if it does not break any laws.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: Roberto
Date: 26 Nov 06 - 10:49 AM

I don't have chords, but the staff notation to Bob Hart's version, who sang it without any accompaniment: it is from Sam Richards & Tish Stubbs, The English Folksinger, Collins 1979. Robertloes, if you PM me your e-mail, I can send you the notation. R

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Virginia
From: GUEST,robertloes
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 04:08 AM

Roberto

Thanks - do not know how to 'PM' but I will assume that most people on this means are not multi e-maillers so here is mine '[e-mail]'

Again thanks