Songs about blacksmiths

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: pavane
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 08:10 AM

A search of the Bodleian Ballad library also finds the following texts, though without tunes

From a blacksmith ("Since I'm in love with you, I find ...")
The contented blacksmith ("The blacksmith sings from morn till night ...")

The blacksmith's son ("A stalwart lad is the blacksmith's son, with broad bare chest and strong ...")

The blackest of blacksmiths. ("Come all you young rakish fellows and listen unto me ...")

The cast iron man ("A blacksmith once, noted for having great skill ...")

The trooper ("In Dublin fair city a blacksmith did dwell ...")

The bonny black-smith's delight. Or, A noble song in praise of the black smiths ("Of all the trades that ever I see ...")

The four jolly smiths ("Four jolly smiths with their hammers great ...")

Bold farriers, a new song ("Here's a health to all farriers ...") (version of Twankydillo)

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 08:02 AM

Pavane: you are qute right, you got in first with Two Magicians. Its difficult reading threads through and remembering what everyone has said. Especially when youve got a memory like mine.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: pavane
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 07:58 AM

Note: "A blacksmith courted me" is an alternative title to "The Blacksmith" (what a surprise)

PS Breezy & greg see previous posting!

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 06:37 AM

Another source to follow is the tale of Wayland, the smith. Wayland's smithy near Uffington is named in his honour.
Wayland was the smith who created Beowulf's corselet.

For more details follow The Song of Wayland

CHEERS

Nigel

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 06:10 AM

"THe Two Magicians"(in the DT) is a classic song about a blacksmith, loaded with mythological stuff.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 06:08 AM

"The Merry Blacksmith" is very well-known Irish reel.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: DG&D Dave
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 05:29 AM

Johnny Collins recorded a track called 'My Father was a Blacksmith' on 'Pedlar of Songs'; which I can't find in DT.

Anyone know the lyrics?

Dave

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: breezy
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 04:43 AM

Ramskyte sang one last night at the Herga , Wealdstone, every Monday at the Royal oak , Peel Road.
They are are a 4 piece accapella, men, from Portsmouth hants Eng
I had never heard it before.
Worth tracking down.

Jones ale has verse about b'smith

then there's'The Lusty Smith' as sung Ed Mcurdy
'red hot grew his hammer with vigorous beating'


but pray wont you use it once more ere you go'

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: GUEST,Tracey Dragonsfriend (no cookie here)
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 04:01 AM

The DT also lists "A blacksmith courted me", which I always liked...

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 02:50 AM

Child #98 Brown Adam (in Digitrad)

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: pavane
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 02:28 AM

The Blacksmith (!)
Two Magicians
Twankydillo

A search ofr BALCKSMITH turned up a large number of other references in the DT and threads.

The Trooper & the Tailor
Joneses Ale
Sally Munro

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Kaleea
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 01:53 AM

I know there are lots of Irish tunes about blacksmiths & "tinkers" but I don't know if any of them have lyrics.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 01:51 AM

This one, an adaptation by Jake Thackray of a story in Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie, doesn't seem to be in the Digitrad:

The Blacksmith and the Toffee Maker (Jake Thackray)

He was a blacksmith by trade, he used to live on his own;
She was a little old maid, she was all gristle and bone,
Just a crone that you might not have fancied yourself;
She was not born to attract; she was lined up for the shelf
If it were not for the fact the blacksmith loved her well
He loved her like hell he used to grunt and sigh, fit to die,
But from afar, for he was shy, as blacksmiths often are.

She made a meagre livelihood from home-made toffee that she'd sell
Up and down the neighbourhood to a butterscotch and caramel clientele.
Optimistically, she used to think that she would get a husband yet.
She was far too modest to wink, to proud to be coquette
You bet 'cos she'd got a squint, she was skinny, she was skint
It never seemed that she, so palpably bizarre and banal
could ever be a femme fatale.

Time has no time to spare. And the years passed by, as they must
The spinster shivered with despair and the blacksmith sweated with lust
Fit to bust, until one day she went into the church
Her simple heart to unclose
"Lord, don't leave me in the lurch. Don't turn up your nose
God knows I'm not much cop but my legs go up to the top.
Oh tell me why you've passed me by.
And, if you can, Dear Lord on high, get me a man!"

Then, she was in for a shock for high in the tower like a bird
The smith was mending the clock and he had overheard every word.
He nearly fell off his perch with delight but, stout fellow, he kept his head;
He didn't snigger as a lot of men might but in the tones of Jehovah instead
He said: "You're not bereft there's a good lad left
He's nothing flash, but still, reliable, staunch and true.
Dear daughter will, will a blacksmith do?"

The spinster's eyes opened wide when she heard the Almighty One.
In a trembling voice she replied "Lord, any man is better than none"
Thereupon the joyous blacksmith went home in a trot
Dressed up to kill in a tick, went and asked her if she'd have him or not.
And she said yes damn quick because she knew her state, it's daft to wait
When love is overdue, to miss your cue, delay or demur
An answer to a little cri de coeur.

This is as much of a romance as all of the others that you get
And not so much a song and a dance as your Romeo & Juliet, nor as wet
Because their love didn't go to their head. No call to go berserk.
The spinster went up to bed and the blacksmith went to work.
Don't smirk, such loves are few, they were happy, they were true
They knew their hearts' desires as love requires with few deceits.
He used his fires to boil up her sweets.

Link to illustrative cartoon: toffee


LFF

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Neighmond
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 01:44 AM

"Blacksmith Blues"...
I think Ella Mae Morse (Moore?) did it.

Loosely follows the old poem (Beneath the spreading chestnut tree...)

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: DonMeixner
Date: 06 Apr 04 - 12:06 AM

The song "Joshua Johnson" by Jim Craig of Chicago is the best I've ever heard. Never heard a recording of it except off the radio 20 years ago. Art Thieme may have knowlege of where to go for it.

Don

"The Blacksmith of Brandywine" isn't awful either

Subject: Songs about blacksmiths
From: GUEST,Ingrid Frances Stark
Date: 05 Apr 04 - 11:49 PM

I have been issued a challenge to find as many songs as I can about blacksmiths. I am hoping to find lyrics and tunes before July 2004. Anybody know where I can look?
IFS