ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues

Subject: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From:
Date: 09 Sep 98 - 04:08 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics of The Rout of the Blues. It was on an album of the same name by Robin and Barry Dransfield. The song began: As I was walking o'er Salisbury Plain What a dainty fine sight I beheld . . .

P.S. Delete the Zs from the email address. If you can't do that then you're an automatic email address grabber and won't have anything to contribute!

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From: Pete M
Date: 09 Sep 98 - 05:13 PM

I'll post them later if no one beats me to it. Just need to refresh my memory on a few points.

Pete M

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ROUT OF THE BLUES
From: Pete M
Date: 09 Sep 98 - 06:38 PM

THE ROUT OF THE BLUES. (Trad arr Dransfield)

Recorded by Robin & Barry Dransfield on Folk Trailer LER2019

As I crossed over Salisbury plain,
Such a dainty fine sight I behold,
All the lasses were crying and tearing their hair,
For the rout has just come for the Blues.
For the rout has just come for the Blues.

Then each one home to their mothers do run,
Saying "My heart is undone it is true,
I'll pack up my clothes without more delay
And boldly I'll march with the Blues."
"And boldly I'll march with the Blues."

The landlord and landlady walks hand in hand,
And so do they pretty girls two
And each one poured out a bottle of gin,
To drink the good health to the Blues
To drink the good health to the Blues

Our ship she is rigged and we all set sail,
How sweetly the French horns play too
And each one sets up a loud huzzah
"Success to King George and his Blues."
"Success to King George and his Blues."

They're as gallant young fellows as ever you'll see,
Though you search bonny Britain all through
When dressed in His Majesty's suit you'll agree
There are none can compare with the Blues.
There are none can compare with the Blues.

As I crossed over Salisbury plain,
Such a dainty fine sight I behold,
All the lasses were crying and tearing their hair,
For the rout has just come for the Blues
For the rout has just come for the Blues.

Notes:

The Royal Horse Guards (the Blues) trace their origins to a force raised by Cromwell. The Regiment was especially favoured by King George IV and it is presumably from this period that the song originates. With the appointment of the Duke of Wellington as its Colonel, the regiment was elevated to the status of Household Cavalry in 1820. The Blues were merged with the Royal Dragoons (The Royals) in 1969 to form the Blues and Royals.

Salisbury was, and is, one of the main Army training areas, particularly for mounted regiments.

The title illustrates an interesting example of two English words which now have the same spelling but completely different meanings and origins. Rout meaning disorganised flight etc., comes from ME from OF route. Rout as in this song, meaning muster, or fetch out of hiding, derives from root from OE rõt.

Pete M

Subject: RE: Post Lyrics
From: Mick Maguire
Date: 09 Sep 98 - 06:47 PM

Many thanks Pete M for your prompt and enlightening reply. That Rout of the Blues album disappeared from my collection circa 1973.

Subject: Rout of the Blues
From:
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 06:56 AM

I used to sing this song (Dransfields original I reckon) - but have forgtten most of the lyrics - help please! trev

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rout of the Blues
From: masato sakurai
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 07:09 AM

It's posted HERE (Post Lyrics 'The Rout of the Blues').

~Masato

Subject: ADD Version: Success to the Blues
From: nutty
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 01:56 PM

This Bodlean Broadside (pre 1840) is probably a little more original than the Dransfield version

SUCCESS TO THE BLUES

---

SUCCESS TO THE BLUES

As I was going down Rosemary hill,
A most beautiful sight I beheld,
Of the pretty girls crying and wringing their hands,
Saying the rout has come for the Blues.

Now the daughter unto her old mother did say,
My heart’s filled with love for the Blues,
I'll pack up my clothes I’ll make no delay,
And I'll travel the world with the Blues.

The landlord and landlady walk’d arm in arm,
And so does the young women too,
You would have laugh’d to see them go round,
To take their farewell of the Blues.

He is as clever a young fellow as ever you see,
When dress’d in his Majesty’s clothes,
You may search England o’er and Scotland all through.
And there’s none can compare with the Blues.

Our ship she is waiting and we must away.
Drink success to brave George and his Blues,
Then give three huzza’s success to king George
Success to king George and his Blues

Subject: RE: Post Lyrics 'The Rout of the Blues'
From:
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 08:53 PM

Thanks i was searching the web for this i learnt the song from my science teacher in 1976 and have not heard it since - finally have the words infull-
ill be singing it down the pub in a session in Norwich, Uk soon

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From:
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 06:59 AM

Did you find the lyrics...I was looking for them as well.

I remember "AS I walked out over Salisbury Plain what a dainty fine sight I did see, as lasses were crying and tearing their hair...Oh the roses just come for the Blues....the roses just come for the Blues..."that's all I remember...that and the lovely little tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 07:01 AM

alec - follow the links at the top of this page.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From: GUEST,Rumncoke
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 08:19 AM

It was Scarborough sands - if my memory serves it was in the magazine of the Efdss that there was an article about the song from the person who made the tune for some words he found and then was bemused to find the song being 'folked'with every passing month. He knew it was originally his by the tune.

The original first verse goes something like

As I rode over Scarborough sands
Such jolly fine sport for to view
All the lasses were crying and wringing their hands
Saying rout it is come for the blues (twice)

I have two versions in my collection, but it is still in the car with the rest of the stuff from Sidmouth - must go and rescue the guitar before it cooks.

I will check for already on line sources of sets of words and put up the versions I have if significantly different.

Anne (who is a member but keeps coming up as Guest)

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ROUT OF THE BLUES (from Dransfields)
From: wildlone
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 01:41 PM

THE ROUT OF THE BLUES
  Traditional
  
  1 As I crossed over Salisbury plain,
    Such a dainty fine sight I behold,
    All the lasses are crying and tearing their hair,
    For the rout has just come for the Blues.
    For the rout has just come for the Blues.
  
  2 Then each one home to her mother do run,
    Saying "My heart is undone it is true,
    I'll pack up my clothes without more delay
    And boldly I'll march with the Blues."
    And boldly I'll march with the Blues."
  
  3 The landlord and landlady walk hand in hand,
    And so do those pretty girls too
    And each one pours out a bottle of gin,
    To drink a good health to the Blues
    To drink a good health to the Blues
  
  4 Our ship she is rigged and she's ready to sail,
    And sweetly the French horns play too
    And each one sets up a loud huzzah
    "Success to King George and his Blues."
    "Success to King George and his Blues."
  
  5 They're as gallant young fellows as ever you'll see,
    Though you search bonny Britain all through
    When dressed in His Majesty's suit you'll agree
    There's none to compare with the Blues.
    There's none to compare with the Blues.
  
  6 As I crossed over Salisbury plain,
    Such a dainty fine sight I behold,
    All the lasses are crying and tearing their hair,
    For the rout has just come for the Blues.
    For the rout has just come for the Blues.

Dransfield recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRi3g_c6Xz4

Subject: ADD Version: THE ROUT OF THE BLUES
From: GUEST,Rumncoke
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 02:45 PM

Still a guest even though I signed in - maybe the security system on this pc will not allow access

The original words were

THE ROUT OF THE BLUES

As I was a walking on Scarborough sands
Such jolly fine sports for to view
All the lasses were crying and wringing their hands
Saying rout it is come for the blues
Rout it is come for the blues

And Dolly unto her old mother did say
My heart's full of love it is true
And she packed up her clothing without more delay
To take her last leave of the Blues
Take her last leave of the Blues.

Our landlords and landladies walk arm in arm
And so do the young women too
You'd have laughed if you'd seen how the lasses flocked in
To take the last leave of the Blues
Take the last leave of the Blues

We tarried that night and part of next day
For sweethearts we had got enough
And times being hard the lasses did spend
On a glass of good gin for the Blues
A glass of good gin for the Blues

Such sparkling young fellows sure never were seen
As the Blues and Her Majesty too
You could search the world over and Yorkshire all through
There's none to compare with the Blues
None to compare with the Blues

Now the boats being ready these lads to jump in
And the music so sweetly halloed
They gave out their voices in three loud hurrahs
Sucess to the Queen and her Blues
Sucess to the Queen and her Blues.

These are taken from my book, copied from the magazine of the EFDSS - I have been a member for over thirty years so I don't have the issue to hand - but I am pretty good about copying words exactly even if I sing different ones.

Its a nice tune, 3/4 time I think - music not being my strong suit. Yes, you could waltz to it - 3/4 time.

Anne

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 03:04 PM

The lyrics posted by Wildlone are, with very minor differences, what Robin & Barry Dransfield recorded for Trailer in 1970.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 07 Aug 05 - 03:28 PM

Just so; that will be where he or she got them, I expect. See the other, more recent, thread for more detailed information; this one was long-forgotten until somebody stumbled across it a little earlier on today. (Note: the second link above is to a completely unrelated song that happens to mention Salisbury Plain).

Anne's text was, I expect, originally taken from Ingledew's The Ballads and Songs of Yorkshire (1860), where it appears as 'Scarboro' Sands', apparently transcribed from a broadside copy in the editor's possession. There are some minor differences of wording. I don't find the song in Roud's listings for ED&S, but that may be an oversight.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From: wildlone
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 02:09 PM

The Blues

---

A Brief history of the Blues and Royals

The Blues and Royals were formed in 1969 from an amalgamation of The Royal Horse Guards (The Blues) and The Royal Dragoons (The Royals).

The Royal Horse Guards trace their origins to a force raised by Cromwell prior to the second invasion of Scotland, but the parliamentary officers were replaced by royalists in 1660. The Regiment then saw almost continuous service in Flanders, the Boyne, the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War during which the Regiment was commanded by the celebrated Marquis of Granby. The Regiment went on to see service during the Peninsular Campaign, fighting at the decisive Battle of Vittoria in 1813, and as part of the Household Cavalry Brigade at Waterloo. The Regiment was especially favoured by King George IV and, with the appointment of the Duke of Wellington as its Colonel, was elevated to the status of Household Cavalry in 1820.

The Royal Dragoons trace their origins to a troop of horse raised by King Charles II in 1661 to form part of the garrison of Tangier. They became Dragoons on their return to England in 1683, the term Dragoon being derived from the 'dragon', a musket suitable for mounted infantry. The Regiment then served in the War of Spanish Succession, the War of Austrian Succession and in the Spanish Peninsula before performing with distinction at the Battle of Waterloo where the Regiment captured the Colour, surmounted by an eagle, of the French 105th infantry Regiment. This eagle is now commemorated in the Regimental cypher and worn on the left sleeve of all uniforms. The latter half of the 19th century saw them in action in the Crimea, the Boer War and in India before deploying to Flanders in 1914. The Regiment fought at Ypres, Loos, Hohenzollern and the Hindenburg Line in 1917. The inter-war years saw the Royal Dragoons stationed in Egypt, India and Palestine. They deployed to the Western Desert in 1941 seeing distinguished service at El Alamein. Operation Overlord in 1944 saw the Regiment in Normandy from where they liberated Copenhagen in 1945. The Regiment spent the post-war years in Egypt, Germany, Aden and Malaya before amalgamation in 1969.

Meanwhile, the Royal Horse Guards were serving with the Household Cavalry Regiment in Egypt in 1882, the Sudan and South Africa. Like the Life Guards, the Blues saw action in the majority of major actions in France and Flanders during World War I. Likewise World War II saw the Regiment divided between the 1st and 2nd Household Cavalry Regiment in Palestine, Syria and the invasion of Normandy as reconnaissance troops for the Guards Armoured Brigade.

History post-1945

After the war the Regiment undertook tours in Germany, Cyprus and Windsor before amalgamating with the Royal Dragoons in 1969.

Since then the Blues and Royals has served in Windsor, Northern Ireland, Germany and Cyprus, most notably providing the two armoured reconnaissance troops during the Falklands Campaign in 1982. The Regiment also had a squadron on operational duty with the UN in Bosnia in 1994/95. As a result of the Options for Change Review in 1991, the Regiment has, like the Life Guards, two recce squadrons in Windsor and a mounted ceremonial squadron in London.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From: GUEST,vanman
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 01:47 PM

Has anyone got the history of this one or the 'Scarborough' version.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From: patriot1314
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 02:20 PM

There's an excellent version by the late, great John Wright on his solo album "A Few Short Lines"

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Rout of the Blues
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 03:51 PM

Roud number now 21098
Alt titles

The route has come for the Blues (Sharp)
The route has just come for the Blues (Purslow-The Foggy Dew)
The Blues (Folk Song Journals)
Scarboro'Sands (Ingledew from a broadside)
Success to the Blues (Catnach broadside c1830)
The rout it is come for the Blues (Baring Gould's Garland of Country Songs)
Rout of the Blues (Sharp-Reeves' Idiom of the People)

Widely printed on English broadsides. The Scarborough Sands version is probably later having been printed by Bebbington of Manchester c1850. The earlier versions either have 'Rosemary Lane' or 'Rosemary Hill' Both Catnach and Pitts printed it so it probably dates from about 1820.

---

Roud Index Search

Subject: Lyr Add: SCARBORO' SANDS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 08:11 PM

From The Ballads and Songs of Yorkshire by C. J. Davison Ingledew (London: Bell and Daldy, 1860), page 219:

[I have boldfaced the words that are different from the version previously posted. Note there is no indication that the last line of each verse is to be repeated.]


SCARBORO' SANDS.

1. As I was a walking over Scarboro' Sands,
Some dainty fine sport for to see;
The lasses were crying and wringing their hands,
Saying the Rout it is come for the Blues.

2. Dolly unto her old mother did say,
"My heart's full of love that is true;"
She packed up her clothes without more delay,
To take the last leave of the Blues.

3. Our landlords and landladys walk arm in arm,
And so does the young women too,
You'd have laughed if you'd seen how the lasses flocked in,
To take the last leave of the Blues.

4. We tarried all night and part of next day,
For sweethearts we had got enough,
The times being hard the lasses did spare,
A glass of good gin for the Blues.

5. Such sparkling young fellows sure never was seen,
As the Blues and her Majesty too;
You may search the world over and Yorkshire all through,
There's none to compare to the Blues.

6. The boats being ready these lads to jump in,
The music so sweetly did play;
They gave out their voices with three loud huzzas,
Success to the Queen and her Blues.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rout of the Blues
From: Rumncoke
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 03:04 PM

Thank you for the information on the song.

I have to confess that it was not the original copy I made - I made what I thought was an exact copy from my original book - obviously not.

I don't think I can unlearn it now, so I will just claim 'folk process'.

I was also confident that it was from the EFDSS magazine - but I did once go to London to Cecil Sharp house and spent the afternoon in the library - now I wonder if it was found there. My memory is not what it was.

At least - I don't think it is....

Anne Croucher

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rout of the Blues
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 03:32 PM

Anne,
It isn't in any of the English Dance and Song copies I have, but a Scarborough Sands version is in Frank Purslow's EFDSS book 'The Foggy Dew' p81 published in 1974.

Other than that the only other well-known source is Ingledew. They will have a copy of Ingledew in Cecil Sharp House. The Bebbington broadside copy is in York Minster Library and the only other SS version I know of was printed by Williamson of Newcastle but I haven't got a copy. I only know this because he listed it in his c1860 catalogue.

Subject: Rout of the Blues - historical event
From: GUEST,ploppo
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 08:38 AM

was this an actual event?

Subject: RE: Rout of the Blues - historical event
From: Will Fly
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 10:31 AM

A "rout", in the sense that it's used in this song, is a muster of a regiment - a calling together of the ranks ready for some activity of other. It was a common experience, and the Blues (latterly Blues & Royals) was a popular regiment.

You can read in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" how the girls of Meriton were sad when the militia upped stakes and moved on. So the "lassies crying and tearing their hair" was probably quite common!

Subject: RE: Rout of the Blues - historical event
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 04:31 PM

Looks like a recruiting song to me, the equivalent of the recruiting TV ads of today. It bulls up the soldier's life and is very patriotic. As Will says it was a common event and this ballad could and was easily adapted to different areas, and there are plenty of similar broadsides.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 May 17 - 03:49 PM

The Traditional Ballad Index doesn't have much on this song, and I can't find it in the Digital Tradition. Here's what the Ballad Index says:

Rout of the Blues

DESCRIPTION: The Blues have their orders and parade to the ship, rigged and ready to sail. "Lasses ... crying and tearing their hair" run home to mother and say they'll pack up and "march with the blues." All drink and cheer "success to King George and his Blues"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1839 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 16(285d))
KEYWORDS: army farewell ship drink nonballad
FOUND IN: Britain(England(West))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Reeves-Sharp 82 (Idiom of the People), "Rout of the Blues" (2 texts)
Roud #21098
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 16(285d), "Success to the Blues" ("As I was going down Rosemary-lane"), J. Catnach (London), 1813-1838; also Harding B 15(321a), "Success to the Blues"
NOTES: "The Blues" are the "Royal Horse Guards." "In 1750 the regiment became the Royal Horse Guards Blue and eventually, in 1877, The Royal Horse Guards (The Blues)" (source: Wikipedia, "Royal Horse Guards"). - BS
Last updated in version 2.6
File: ReSh082

---

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2016 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Alan Reid and Rob Van Sante have a very good (and free) recording of the song on this page:

http://www.reidvansante.com/download-selection.htm>http://www.reidvansante.com/download-selection.htm

They were right here, 12 miles from my home, last month - and I was too tired to go out that night. I'm still kicking myself for missing that concert.
I'm trying to remember a song that uses the same melody. It has a lot of ornamentation on the last word of the last line, and then repeats the last line without ornamentation. It sounds almost like the Christmas carol "Gesu Bambino" (When Blossoms Flowered 'Mid the Snows), but not exactly. What's the song I'm thinking of?

-Joe-

---

Here's the entry on this song from folkinfo.org (click)

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 16 May 17 - 03:58 PM

It's quite close to The Dying Cowboy/Streets of Laredo.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 May 17 - 04:34 PM

The melody that's coming to my head has something about a lark in it, and it's really bugging me that I can't remember what it is....

Where did the Dransfields get their melody? That's the one that sounds like "Gesu Bambino" to me.

Did Sharp publish the melody, or did he just collect the lyrics for this one? Reeves-Sharp (Idiom of the People) has lyrics only.

Dransfield Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRi3g_c6Xz4

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 16 May 17 - 07:39 PM

As far as I remember, the "Rout of the Blues", or "Scarborough Sands" was being sung in York Folk Clubs around 1966 or so. Dave Hillery had found the words in a collection in York Library, which I think was "Ingledew", liked them and put together a tune adapted from "The Streets of Laredo". The Dransfields were frequent guests at the Lowther in York, as they only lived over in Harrogate and were cheap (Honest!). From memory, I think they were friends with Dave Hillery and used his tune together with the "Salisbury Plain" set of words.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: Reinhard
Date: 16 May 17 - 10:22 PM

The Dransfields' album's sleeve notes:

The Royal Horse Guards are known as the Blues. This song about their mustering was put together by Barry from The Idiom of the People, Ingledew's Yorkshire Ballads, and a vaguely remembered tune learned originally from Dave Howes of York.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 May 17 - 01:44 AM

I have a secret weapon - Robert Rodriquez, who has an amazing memory for sounds. I called him and sang the melody I was thinking of, and he immediately recognized it as "Sweet Nightingale." Do you think the Dransfield melody sounds like "Sweet Nightingale," or am I barking up the wrong tree?
-Joe-

"Sweet Nightingale": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zONT4_-c1D4

Dransfield "Rout":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRi3g_c6Xz4

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 17 May 17 - 05:41 PM

No, Joe, you're not barking, it has some phrases in common with 'Sweet Nightingale' but as Ebor has said Dave Hillery used the tune of 'Streets of Laredo' which has more in common. I believe Dave is still around in County Durham somewhere. Dave Howes may be another York Dave or he may be a mistake for the other Dave. Dave produced a couple of albums and it might be on one of them.

Before the days of scanners I borrowed a copy of his thesis intending to get it copied but the cost of copying it at the local library was prohibitive at the time. He collected songs in the York area in the 60s.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 17 May 17 - 08:08 PM

Both Daves were active on the York Folk scene in the early '60s as I recall. I think Dave Howes is over in Harrogate now. His tunes keep escaping from that direction any how!

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 18 May 17 - 04:39 AM

Was it a poem or a song as it was found in the 60s?
I have been assuming it to be an authentic song, and it would be good to know that it is and just the melody is new.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 18 May 17 - 07:07 AM

It had been copied from a broadsheet by Ingledew, per the notes I made when I copied it out myself. "Ballads and Songs of Yorkshire", pub 1860, page 219. I got quite a bit of my stuff from that book!

Chris B.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 18 May 17 - 10:35 AM

The earliest extant setting seems to be that 'Rosemary Lane/Hill' again in London. Scarborough Sands appears to be a northern adaptation. The Rosemary versions printed in London by the likes of Pitts and Catnach in the early 19thc are usually titled 'Success to the Blues'. The 'Scarboro Sands' version doesn't happen to have an extant Yorkshire printing, being issued by Bebbington>Pearson of Manchester and Williamson of Newcastle in the middle of the century. There's a southern version from Worcester on the Bodl website.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: meself
Date: 18 May 17 - 10:41 AM

Rout of the Blues? Isn't that Rout 66?

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: The Rout of the Blues
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 18 May 17 - 12:32 PM

LIKE!