The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #13371 Message #2830696
Posted By: Jim Dixon
05-Feb-10 - 11:44 AM
Thread Name: Lyr/Chords Req: Tonight's the Night (Steeleye Span
Subject: Lyr Add: TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT (Steeleye Span)
This song is in the DT under the title TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT FOR DRINKING, but I think its structure is better illustrated if it's formatted this way:
TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT
As recorded by Steeleye Span
1. Northerly, bobbing up and down,
Along with all the others.
Half of them have cousins in the town,
And the other half are brothers.
CHORUS: And tonight, tonight they're all ashore.
When they've had enough to drink, they'll drink some more,
And that's what the old town's for.
Tonight's the night for drinking!
2. Southerly, and it's blowing up a gale
From Portsmouth down to Dover.
There they are all supping up the ale,
Until the storm is over. CHORUS
3. Easterly, and it's anybody's guess,
And a few of them are out there hauling.
But most of them, they take a little rest,
When they hear Lord Nelson calling. CHORUS
4. Westerly, and nothing but the sound
Of a thousand seagulls screaming.
It's thirsty work, that bobbing up and down,
So it's homeward bound they're steaming. CHORUS
REPEAT 1.
LAST CHORUS: And tonight, tonight they're all ashore.
When they've had enough to drink, they'll drink some more.
Who ever said Lord Nelson's dead?
Tonight's the night for drinking!
* * *
Recorded by:
Steeleye Span, "Tonight's the Night, Live!"
Blackthorn (from Michigan) "Tonight's the Night for Drinking"
http://www.blackthorn1.com/products/index.html
Parcel of Rogues (from Aberdare, Wales)
http://www.gigall.co.uk/gigall.cfm?BandID=95
Those are all the recordings I have been able to identify, and I have not found any songwriter's credit or other origin for it. Searching is complicated by the fact that there are many other songs titled TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT. Rod Stewart wrote one, Neil Young wrote one, George Gershwin wrote one, Herbie Hancock wrote one....