Lyr Req: Lancashire - Short Time (Foster parody)

Subject: Lancashire Lyrics
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 26 Apr 03 - 07:03 AM

I'm currently doing some research into the cotton famine of the 1860's and have come across a version of Stephen Foster's 'Hard Times' entitles 'Short Time'. As it stands I can only find one verse and chorus although I believe there to be four verses.

The verse and chorus I have available reads as follows:-

Let us pause in life's pleasures and count it's many tears,
While we sup sorrow with the poor;
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears,
Oh, short time, come again no more.

Chorus.

It's the song of the factory operatives,
Short time, short time, come again no more;
For we can't get our cotton from the old Kentucky shore;
Oh, short time, short time, come again no more.

If anyone can help with the rest of this I'd be mucho grateful...


All the best...............Harry Basnett.

Subject: RE: Lancashire Lyrics
From: Hillheader
Date: 26 Apr 03 - 10:46 AM

Try this Link

Subject: RE: Lancashire Lyrics
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 26 Apr 03 - 03:06 PM

Cheers...but it's the version known as 'Short Time' that I'm looking for...a song utilising the Foster original but relating to the cotton famine which hi in the 1860's due to the war between the States...

Thanks anyway............Harry.

Subject: RE: Lancashire Lyrics - Short Time (Foster parody)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 May 03 - 05:06 AM

Harry, I was away last week, and am just checking through the threads I missed. That first verse and chorus is in "Ballads and Songs of Lancashire". Some years ago I wrote to the EFDSS asking if they had the complete lyrics, and they did send them to me. I'll check my files for them and come back to you.

Joan

Subject: RE: Lancashire Lyrics - Short Time (Foster parody)
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 04 May 03 - 05:08 AM

Hadn't realised until after posting that my cookie needed resetting - that was me above.

Joan

Subject: RE: Lancashire Lyrics - Short Time (Foster parody)
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 04 May 03 - 07:05 AM

Cheers, Joan....that'd be brilliant!! John Harland said there were four verses but only decided to print one and the chorus.....

All the best...............Harry.

Subject: RE: Lancashire Lyrics - Short Time (Foster parody)
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 04 May 03 - 12:24 PM

Unfortunately, it's not in the file it should be, so it may take some time to find. Will get back to you when I can.

Joan

Subject: RE: Lancashire Lyrics - Short Time (Foster parody)
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 04 May 03 - 01:21 PM

Thanks, Joan....you're a good 'un!

Subject: RE: Lancashire Lyrics - Short Time (Foster parody)
From: GUEST,Julian Taylor
Date: 05 May 04 - 02:15 PM

I know I might be a bit late but did anyone find the missing 'Lancashire verses for Hard Times?

Subject: Lyr Add: SHORT TIME COME AGAIN NO MORE
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 03:39 AM

Following an appeal I made for information about recordings of the BBC North West programme "Ballad of the North West" from 1973-75, Pat Ryan has given me copies of a dozen of the programmes that she recorded on a cassette recorder at the time. One of these programmes was called "Panic in Lancashire" which was about the cotton famine brought about by the blockade of the Southern ports of America.
This song is featured at the end of the programme and whilst the quality of the recordings that Pat made are not Dolby 5:1 surround sound stereo they are listenable to and I've transcribed the song below. Not sure if there were any more verses but here's the three that were sung by Canny Fettle:

SHORT TIME COME AGAIN NO MORE

Let us pause in life's sorrows and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor;
There's a song that's going to linger forever in our ears,
Oh, short time, come again no more.

Chorus:
It's the song of the factory operatives,
Short time come again no more;
For we can't get our cotton from the old Kentucky shore;

And we've been building roads and digging holes to get a bit of bread
And we've all been to school every day
But we're glad that we're all back in the weaving sheds again
It's far better for to draw a full week's pay

Now this cotton famine is over and the wars are done at last
And America's slaves are all free
Short time, short time will never come again
And we'll all see a new prosperity

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lancashire - Short Time (Foster parody)
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 04:22 PM

It's a few years down the line but I've found some more verses for this song from an old ballad sheet. The version above from Ballad of the North West makes me think that the writers got the first verse and chorus from Harland and made the other two verses up to suit the story. The source for this version is HERE

Cheers
Mark

SHORT TIME COME AGAIN NO MORE

Let us pause in life's sorrows and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor;
There's a song that's going to linger forever in our ears,
Oh, short time, come again no more.

Chorus:
It's the song of the factory operatives,
Short time, short time come again no more;
For we can't get our cotton from the old Kentucky shore;
Oh Short time, short time come again no more.

Our wives and our children are pining day by day
Through the wars of America they say;
And we can't get them bread to ease them of their pain
Oh! short time come again no more.

We are not constant beggars whom you have seen before
But poverty drives us from our home;
And we can't procure bread as in the days of yore,
Oh! short time come again no more

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lancashire - Short Time (Foster parody)
From: Brian Peters
Date: 13 Apr 22 - 01:13 PM

The link in Mark's post above doesn't seem to be working, but the broadside from which he provided that text is on the Vaughan Williams Library archive and can be viewed here.

It was printed by J. T. Kerrison of Ashton-under-Lyne, and clearly dates from the years of the Lancashire Cotton Famie at the time of the American Civil War.