Lyr Req: ash grove parody

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 27 Nov 25 - 05:26 PM

As I remember there was a parody of the racy set of words mentioned above, that was invented by a group of Civil Engineering students in Bradford in 1974. It was skewed towards geology. "The hair on her igneous intrusion" etc. I do not expect them to be recorded anywhere!

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Helen
Date: 27 Nov 25 - 04:39 PM

Also, I have read that Hugh Webb's music has been used in television programmes and I strongly believe that one or two of his beautiful harp solo pieces were used in early episodes of the UK show Long Lost Family. All of the music is uncredited for some reason.

I just watched some of the videos of harp versions of The Ash Grove, and one or two showed double strung Welsh harps. That's the way to avoid the flipping levers, but I don't have that option. I'm guessing it might explain why my other fave Welsh harp tune (i.e. David of the White Rock) has accidentals as well.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Helen
Date: 27 Nov 25 - 04:59 AM

GUEST,Olwen Blyton, I have a beautiful version of Ash Grove played on Celtic harp by Hugh Webb.

The CD is called Celtic Folk Harp. It also has another Welsh favourite of mine, David of the White Rock and some other beautiful tunes. I was given the CD which is one of those cheap generic albums and the performer was not named but I tracked the details down through a lot of determined internet searches.

There are also a number of harp players who have posted videos if you do a search for:

Ash Grove harp

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: GUEST,Olwen Blyton
Date: 27 Nov 25 - 03:48 AM

Thank you for the interesting lyrics but none are quite the ones I'm looking for. I'll check back another time, though, as I've had some luck doing that here a long time ago with another song.

Yes I agree the Ash Grove is a lovely melody. I've been playing it lately on my little sopranino recorder. Would love to hear it on the celtic harp.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Helen
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 10:40 PM

Yes it is a Celtic lever harp. Those flipping levers can be annoying sometimes. LOL

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 06:06 PM

Most lever harps have levers for all strings.

Yes, you have to flip the levers to play "accidentals" but that's just a tdchnique you have to learn.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Robert B. Waltz
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 05:01 PM

Helen wrote: Yes, I should try it on the harp.

Keep in mind that the melody uses a tritone. I don't know what sort of harp you have, but if it's a standard Celtic harp, with sharping levers only on the C and F strings, you'll be limited in the keys you can play it in, and you'll have to flip the levers on and off in the course of the melody.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: GUEST,The Sandman
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 03:44 PM

on the subject of parodies, i cannot help singing this paridy of the canptown races   
whos that man with the helmet on dixon dixon
whos that man with the helmet on dixon of dock green
been on the beat all day
on the wife all night
whos that man with the helmet on dixon of dock gree

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Helen
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 02:42 PM

Yes, I should try it on the harp. Good idea! :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Johnny J
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 02:23 PM

It's a beautiful tune on the harp and I like to play it on mandolin as well. Just as an instrumental.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Helen
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 12:54 PM

Johnny J, when I was in late primary school or early high school we learned to sing Ash Grove and I loved the lyrics but especially the melody. It also appealed to me because my Grandmother was Welsh.

In late high school, one of the teenage boys from the nearby boys' high school started singing some racy lyrics to the tune of Ash Grove and it totally ruined the song for me. It was difficult to regain my love of the song for many, many years because that memory tainted its innocence for me.

I've never heard the vege version of the song but I probably would have just thought that one was funny.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Robert B. Waltz
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 12:43 PM

Sol wrote: Once you've been exposed to a great parody, it becomes hard to sing the original lyrics without drifting into the alternative ones.

Especially when the original lyrics are in Welsh. :-p

Remember that "The Ash Grove" is itself Oliphant's translation of the Welsh "Llwyn On." Field collections of the English song, while not quite non-existent, are rare.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Sol
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 12:35 PM

I know what you mean, Johnny J. Once you've been exposed to a great parody, it becomes hard to sing the original lyrics without drifting into the alternative ones. I've slipped up a few times myself.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Johnny J
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 05:46 AM

I was quite alarmed when I saw the thread heading as I thought some of the alternate lyrics for this song would be too explicit even for this site.
:-)

Maybe "Onion Version", please in the thread title might be an idea. Tee, hee.

Having said that, it's a beautiful melodody but I often feel self conscious about playing same It needs to be in a respectable intelligent company. You know, the "Can you listen to The William Tell Overture without thinking about The Lone Ranger" scenario.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: GerryM
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 05:30 AM

The Mama Lisa site has something like that,

My teacher's got a bunion
A face like a pickled onion,
A nose like a squashed tomato
And legs like matchsticks.

to be sung to the tune of Ash Grove. The one verse is all that's there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: Robert B. Waltz
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 04:33 AM

There's also a camp song parody, "Down Yonder Brown Outhouse," which I have not investigated but might be worth trying to find.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 04:26 AM

I vaguely remember words like

Oh Johnny you're a funny one
With a face like a pickled onion
A nose like a squashed tomato
And legs of bamboo.

Subject: Lyr Req: ash grove parody
From: GUEST,Olwen Blyton
Date: 26 Nov 25 - 03:40 AM

Does anyone know a parody to the Ash Grove with lyrics about a lot of strange vegetables. My Dad used to sing it back in the fifties and he was already in his forties then. I remember a lot of his lyrics but not this one!