Lyr Req: Dracumag (Ewan MacColl)

Subject: lyric.requ. dracumag
From: konrad
Date: 15 Jan 05 - 03:34 PM

Not found in the forum or DT I am looking for the words of this song,which I have heard as a song full of pepper on the CD "Antiquities",sung as a duet by Ewan Maccoll and Peggy seeger.
Thanks Konrad

Subject: RE: lyric.requ. dracumag
From: konrad
Date: 15 Jan 05 - 03:42 PM

additional:
probably its a song about Maggy Thatcher, named as a dracula
Konrad

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dracumag (Ewan MacColl)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Jan 05 - 02:57 AM

I listened to several sound samples, and this is the best I can do:

DRACUMAG
(Ewan MacColl)

... It's a drain on our resources
And it doesn't help the forces,
For it's missiles that we need, not meals on wheels.
And you know what:
It's got to stop.
Old people should be taken out and shot.
Shoot the lot.
Stop the rot.
Welfare is another bolshie plot.
When she rises from her coffin,
She's surrounded by her boffins,
By her ministers they call the living dead. (Good chaps, really!)
And they sing their merry ditty
As they fly above the City
... up ahead.
So watch your step. They're very good
At tearing out a heart to drink the blood.
Their appetite is very great.
They'll eat you in the interest of the state.
She is filled with indignation
At the thought of education
Being subsidized and ... by the rates. (It just isn't fair!)
...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dracumag (Ewan MacColl)
From: konrad
Date: 16 Jan 05 - 03:22 PM

thank you Jim, thats great.
With my school learned english I will catch the first sentences from the cd too.
Ciao Konrad , north sea

Subject: Lyr Add: DRACUMAG (Ewan MacColl)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 02:22 AM

G'day Konrad,

I wasn't expecting my The Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook to cross the world for anther two weeks ... amazing these Post Office camels!

Here is my scanned version, from p. 259:

DRACUMAG
© Ewan MacColl, 1985

There's a bloke in Transylvania
who's said to have a mania.
He's under the impression he's a bat. (A vampire bat!)
But this feller they call Dracula
's not nearly so spectacular
At sucking blood and draining off the fat
As you-know-who.
You surely do!
She's working up an appetite for you.
She'll make a stew,
A barbecue.
She'll eat you, bones and all, before she's through.

She doesn't think that your old granny
should be sitting on her fanny.
Sheltered housing is a luxury, she feels. (A luxury we can't afford.)
It's a drain on our resources,
and it doesn't help the forces,
For it's missiles that we need, not Meals on Wheels.
And you know what?
It's got to stop!
Old people should be taken out and shot.
Shoot the lot,
Stop the rot!
Welfare's just another bolshie plot!

When she rises from her coffin
she's surrounded by her boffins,
By her ministers they call "the living dead." (All good chaps, really.)
And they sing their merry ditty
as they fly above the city,
Yes, and Countess Thatcheratoo's at their head.
So watch your step!
They're very good
At tearing out a throat to drink the blood.
Their appetite
Is very great.
They'll eat you in the interests of state.

She is filled with indignation
at the thought of education
Being subsidised and bolstered by the rates. (It just isn't fair!)
Nursery schools and swimming classes,
leisure-centres for the masses,
Yes, and dustbins emptied free the lady hates.
Do you know why?
Because they're dopes!
(They proved it when they handed me their votes.)
So cap the rates
And cut their throats!
(Time to bring back flogging and the rope.)

When Count Dracula is lurkin' in the shadows he's a-workin',
One by one his victims fall to tooth and claw.
But the lady's had instruction
in the use of mass-production
And she sucks your blood protected by the law. (Splendid law)
So be alert,
And watch your back!
It's when you least suspect her she'll attack.
Don't let her fit
You with a cap -
Her policies are just a load of crap!

So-when you hear the vampires yappin'
with their talk about rate-cappin',
Then it's time to load your double-barrelled gun.
When the councils they are sacking
and communities are cracking,
Then it's time to send them back from where they come.
And drive a dart
Right through the part
Where there would be a heart if she'd a heart.
Now don't delay!
Do it today!
To deal with vampires it's the only way.

Music note: The italicised phrases were spoken in as near a Maggie manner and as much a Thatcher accent as possible.

OK ... ? (Or do you need the tune ... ?

Regards,

Bob

Subject: Tune Add: DRACUMAG (Ewan MacColl)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 03:45 AM

G'day again,

I don't have any fancy way of posting the tune ... this is the old MIDItext app from "Alan of Australia" ... and "no longer supported by Mudcat. Hoewver, if you have a version of the old software - that works on your current OS - you can retrieve a MIDI file. If not ... well there is an automatically generated ABC file tacked on the end - and there are lots of freeware / shareware apps that will translate that for you!

MIDI file: dracumag.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8

Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)

Start

0720 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0000 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0000 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 1584 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 68 080 0096 0 68 064 0024 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0504 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0504 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0624 1 76 080 0192 0 76 064 0048 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0504 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0504 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 73 080 0096 0 73 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0744 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 74 080 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 080 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0084 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 080 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 60 080 0096 0 60 064

End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1

T:

M:4/4

Q:1/4=100

K:C

E7F|GGGGGGCEF|GGGGGCEF|GGGGGcBA|G8|-G6DE|

FFFFFEDE|FFFFFEDE|FFFFF^GGF|E5GAB|c5GAB|c6e2|

cccccBAB|c5ABc|d5AB^c|d7d|dcB3/2A/2GFED|C3/4||

Lots of luck!

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dracumag (Ewan MacColl)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 12:15 AM

G'day konrad,

Did you come back and pick up the Ewan MacColl words (and tune ... if you have the need / or application)?

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dracumag (Ewan MacColl)
From: konrad
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 02:21 AM

Thank you Bob, the words have arrived and it`s great to have the full version.To get the tune by PC I still have no idea and I plan that midi- project , till my daughter can teach me.
But I have got that song on the CD "antiquities".
Thank you for all your efforts.
My next project is to understand, how to mail members here directly.
Times are changing...
Konrad from over the ocean

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dracumag (Ewan MacColl)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 06:53 AM

G'day Konrad,

I've just e-mailed the MIDI of the tune to Joe Offer. He'll post it to the Mudcat MIDI site and you can access it via the "Quick Links" pull-down menu.

What I have sent is just a simple rendition of the tune, saved from my music program: one verse / single melody line / single note "piano" ... basically enough to hear how the melody sounds (plays in MS Media Player, &s) ... or to import into a music notation program, in order to create your own "sheet music" version.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dracumag (Ewan MacColl)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 04:56 PM

Konrad, for personal messages to members go to the box at the top of the page (where it says 'Quick Links', open the menu and find 'Send a Personal Message', then take it from there.