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Subject: RE: marching to pretoria author history? From: Melissa Date: 09 Jun 08 - 11:45 PM Baden-Powell was involved in the Boer War. He used the song with his first batches of boys, I think. Somebody here will probably know who wrote it..if not, I'll try to catch the thread again before it floats downstream and see if I can find info in my gs stuff. |
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Subject: marching to pretoria author history? From: GUEST,Allan S. Date: 09 Jun 08 - 09:06 PM Who wrote the song "We are Marching to Pretoria" No it wasn't the weavers or Josiepf Maris. What is the history of the piece??? From what I can figure it is from the 2nd. Anglo Boer War.. How does Baden-Powel figure in to this. I know it is popular with the Boy Scouts from RSA.. Tot Siens Allan |
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Subject: RE: Tune/Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Little Robyn Date: 29 Apr 06 - 05:23 PM Yep, that's the tune my cousin used, only she didn't sing the chorus part. Robyn |
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Subject: RE: Tune/Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Apr 06 - 09:33 PM Added note- The midis at Ons Blêrkas are excellent. |
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Subject: RE: Tune/Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Apr 06 - 09:29 PM I have been unable to find any verification that this song was sung during the 'Boer War'. All 'evidence' seems to be anecdotal. Its early association with the Scouts leads me to think that it originated with Lord Baden-Powell and the early Scout movement, after the War. Any Afrikaans version would be even later, if my presumption is correct. In British Columbia, a form of the song has survived, "Swimming to Victoria." The tune could be Afrikaans- perhaps it may be found at the very extensive Afrikaans folk song site, "Ons Blêrkas van Afrikaanse volksmusiek." http://esl.ee.sun.ac.za/~lochner/blerkas Ons Blerkas |
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Subject: RE: Tune/Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Charley Noble Date: 28 Apr 06 - 07:28 PM Robyn- That's much more interesting than what we were chirping! Charley |
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Subject: RE: Tune/Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Little Robyn Date: 28 Apr 06 - 05:07 PM Actually, looking back at the verses posted by Q, they could be similar: Jou kombers en My matras en Daar lê die ding, Daar lê die ding, Daar lê die ding. en daar le die ding = and ah lady dum. It seems to have the mattress bit there already! Robyn |
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Subject: RE: Tune/Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Little Robyn Date: 28 Apr 06 - 05:02 PM Charley, my cousin grew up in South Africa and used to sing an Afrikaans song that may be your missing verse. I heard it back in 1969 and I haven't a clue how it should be spelt but the phonics in my memory go something like this: Oh, ill ma trass and ma pa trass and ah lady dum, Ah lady dum, ah lady dum, Oh, ill ma trass and ma pa trass and ah lady dum, Ah lady dum, ah lady dum. Which she reckoned meant: Your mattress and my pillow and there lies the thing.!!! A bit risque for a young lass but I was teaching her to play guitar and that was one of the few songs she knew and there wasn't time to teach her many new ones. Robyn |
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Subject: RE: Tune/Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Charley Noble Date: 28 Apr 06 - 03:53 PM Damn, can't someone else supply an accurate transcription of Josef Marais and Miranda's Afrikaansa verse? Maybe I'll ask my brother if he can still babble it out. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Tune/Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Joe Offer Date: 28 Apr 06 - 02:47 AM Here's the tune from World Folk Songs, by Marais and Miranda. Lyrics are the same as what's in the Digital Tradition. I e-mailed a scan of the song to Sol. -Joe Offer-
Click to play |
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Subject: RE: Tune/Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Rabbi-Sol Date: 27 Apr 06 - 04:07 PM Is the sheet music available anywhere on the web or can someone who has it scan a copy and e-mail it to me ? SOL ZELLER |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Joe Offer Date: 27 Apr 06 - 04:01 PM Let's post in this thread instead of splitting the discussion. Sol, send me a personal message with your e-mail address, and I can e-mail a scan to you. The version I have is copyright 1942 by G. Schirmer. Josef Marais says he introduced the song to American radio audiences in 1939, but that it comes from the Boer War of 1901. I'd say it's relatively clear that it's in the public domain - but not completely so. My Travelin' On With the Weavers songbook also gives the 1942 Schirmer copyright and attributes the song to Marais and Miranda. -Joe- |
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Subject: Tune Req: Marching To Pretoria From: Rabbi-Sol Date: 27 Apr 06 - 03:52 PM I am looking for a copy of the sheet music for "Marching To Pretoria". I was told that the song is in the public domaine and hence no copyright laws will be broken if someone would furnish it to me. I need it to create a midi-karaoke file using the VanBasco player. The person who I am collaborating with on this project can only work from sheet music and not from chords or MP3s. I will be glad to make the finished product available to anyone who wants it free. SOL ZELLER |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: GUEST,Charley Noble Date: 29 Apr 05 - 05:17 PM Q- My eyes are also dim from web brosing myself, in my case looking for images of old Japanese fishing trawlers, but not to worry. I wouldn't dare post the giberish that I remember singing with my brother. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 29 Apr 05 - 01:13 PM I should have noted that the comment by Marais is from Marais and Miranda, 1964, "World Folk Songs," pp. 16-18, where the sheet music is given for the song. Unfortunately, only Josef Marais's version in English is there. There is a large Afrikaans song website, but it doesn't seem to have the "veld song" mentioned by Marais. Yeah, Charley, I'll look some more, but later. I went through 38 pages of "Marching to Pretoria" on google, plus some other combinations, and my eyes don't want to cooperate any longer. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Charley Noble Date: 29 Apr 05 - 09:04 AM As I recall Josef Marais and Miranda also sang an Afrikaansa verse which used to fascinate my brother and I with its rolling multisyllable words. Have a great search! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Apr 05 - 10:48 PM The tune, called by Marais a "veld song," was sung by soldiers on both sides during the war. Marais said "I wrote English verses and a definitive musical adaptation, which, to my delight, has captured..." His verses were "I'm with you ...," "Sing with Me...," and "We have food n' ...," When we eat we will sing...," etc. Anecdotally, Lord Baden-Powell on the march to Pretoria is supposed to have used the following, but this is mixed up with stories of Baden-Powell and Sgt. Major Goodyear and the founding of the Scouts: March with me and we'll march together And yes, we will march together (2x) I'll march with you and you'll march with me And yes, we will march together as we march. Oh, yes, we're marching to Pretoria, Pretoria, Pretoria. We are marching to Pretoria, Pretoria, Pretoria, hurrah! One Boer version goes: Jou kombers en My matras en Daar lê die ding, Daar lê die ding, Daar lê die ding. (We are marching to Pretoria, Pretoria, Pretoria. We are marching to Pretoria, Pretoria, here we come) Die een kant op en Die anderkant af en Daar lê die ding, Daar lê die ding, Daar lê die ding. This dance from Ralph Page, 1984, "An Elegant Collection of Contras and Squares," p. 15, Yates Publishing. DANCING TO PRETORIA Singing square. Song: Marching to Pretoria Intro, Break and Ending All join hands, circle left, circle once around All the way around, 'til you get back home again Reverse back, the other way you go then Right hand to your partner for a grand right and left [all the way around]; sing it! We'll go dancing to Pretoria, Pretoria, Pretoria We'll go dancing to Pretoria, Pretoria, hurrah! Figure Allemande left your corner and Come back and swing your partner Swing with your partner, swing around and round The head two couples right and left through Turn to face back in And the side couples do the same old thing Then you promenade one-quarter way round the ring Four ladies chain, chain across the ring Then you chain right back and with your partner swing To Pretoria, hurrah! Sequence: Intro; figure twice for heads; break; figure twice for sides; ending. Origin? Or original with Ralph Page? www.izaak.unh/nhltmd/syllabus2003.pdf |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Apr 05 - 07:24 PM Amos, that is the Scout version. The original which I am looking for speaks of the invasion of the Transvaal. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Amos Date: 28 Apr 05 - 06:16 PM As it was played by Josef Marais and Miranda, it was a simple song, as marching osngs often are: We are marching to Pretoria, Pretoria, Pretoria We are marching to Pretoria Pretoria, Hooorah! You sing with me, I'll sing with you and so we will sing together So we will sing together So we will sing together Sing with me, I'll sing with you and so we will sing together As we march along. We are marching to Pretoria, Pretoria....etc. Repeat with other verbs in place of "sing" such as talk, march. As a youth I used to spice it up by adding a "sleep" verse, but it didn't make a hit. A |
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Subject: Lyr Req: Marching to Pretoria From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Apr 05 - 05:59 PM In the DT (as 'Marchin to Pretoria') is a Scouts version of the Boer War Song (English side). I am looking for the song as sung originally by British soldiers. In British Columbia, I heard a parody, but I can remember only the title, "Swimming to Victoria." Does anyone have the words? Words to one or both would be much appreciated. |
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