The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #68960   Message #3699736
Posted By: GUEST,henryp
05-Apr-15 - 06:48 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Rolling Home (not all at sea!)(Tams)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Home (not all at sea!)(Tams)
I hear;

The gentry in their fine array do prosper night and morn
While we unto the fields must go to plough and sow the corn
The rich may steal the power but the glory is ours alone

https://sites.google.com/site/somejohntamslyrics/rolling-home
Tam says; "First off, massive thanks have to go out to Jennifer Thorp, on whose groundbreaking John Tams .info website, these lyrics were to be originally found."

Written about 1987, this song first featured in the play "Cider with Rosie" and was also used in Bill Bryden's production of "The Big Picnic" and the film "The Raggedy Rawney".

(Verses have since been included in War Horse.)

3. The frost is on the hedgerow
The icy winds do blow
While we poor weary labourers
Strive through the driving snow
Our dreams fly up to glory
Up where the lark has flown
When we go rolling home (etc)

4. The summer of resentment
The winter of despair
The journey to contentment
Is set with trap and snare
Stand to and stand together
Your labour's yours alone
When we go rolling home (etc)

Her other verses are accurate, so I would put some confidence in these too. But there is some doubt about 'stand to/true'.

http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/09/rollinghome.htm
John Tams (1987) Written for the play, Cider With Rosie, a dramatisation originally produced in 1983 of the 1959 book by Laurie Lee [1914-1997] and adapted by Nick Darke [1948-2005].

Stand true and stand together, your labour is your own

I think I'd contact info@johntams.co.uk and Mrs Tams will reply!

http://mss-cat.nottingham.ac.uk/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqSearch=(RefNo==%22MS809%2F35%2F8%22)
Theatre programme for a production of 'Cider with Rosie'; 6-29 Nov. 1986
Production by the Crucible Company of 'Cider with Rosie' by Laurie Lee, adapted by Nick Darke, directed by Stephen Daldry.