Songs about blacksmiths

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 08:35 AM

Jacqued-

That's a nice one.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: GUEST
Date: 17 May 10 - 07:06 PM

Farriers are not blacksmiths....

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 17 May 10 - 07:41 PM

Apart from the Blacksmith's son, are there any songs about farriers shoeing horses? Or blacksmiths making wrought iron gates....?

Kitty

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 17 May 10 - 07:46 PM

Apart from the Blacksmith's son and the Farrier's trade....

Kitty

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 18 May 10 - 12:33 AM

Guest "Farriers are not blacksmiths.... "

They most certainly are but specialize in shoeing horses.
The blacksmith historically did that and many other duties as well!

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: LadyJean
Date: 18 May 10 - 12:41 AM

I've got a chum who's a blacksmith. (He's writing a book on blacksmithing now.) I've never seen him near a horse. But I've seen cast iron pots, skillets, hooks and other useful implements he makes not to mention steel knives.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 18 May 10 - 02:10 PM

Surely there is a difference between songs about "a" blacksmith and "the" blacksmith. Who was "the" blacksmith by the way?

And for that matter, where is "the" studio we hear so much about??

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: maddin girl
Date: 04 Nov 10 - 11:24 PM

FAILL IL ElLEADH, FAILL IL 0

Moderately fast, rhythmic

FONN: Faill il éileadh, faill il o
First the heel and then the toe.
Pack you kits, and off you go.
Hurrah for our commanders.
Murchadh Mór, an gobhainn ruadh,
Ged nach biodh aig' ach an tuagh,
Gheibh an "Kaiser" sud mu'n ghruaidh
When we go over to Flanders

(Translation)

FAILL IL EILEADH, FAILL IL 0
CHORUS:       Fàill ii éileadh, fOul ii o.
First the heel and then the toe.
Pack your kits, and off we go.
Hurrah for our commanders.
Big Murdo, the red-haired smith,
Although he would only have an axe
Would strike it against the Kaiser's cheek
When we go over to Flanders.

(and from from Great great grandfather;)
Faill il éileadh, faill il o
First the heel and then the toe.
Pack your kits, and off you go.
Hurrah for our commanders.
Kaiser Bill, you dirty brute
The devil will get get you by hook or by crook
So put on your larrigans and scoot
When we get to Flanders

Subject: ADD: Three Brave Blacksmiths
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 05 Nov 10 - 05:09 AM

From the West of Ireland
Jim Carroll

THREE BRAVE BLACKSMITHS (Roud 9768)
Vincie Boyle, Mount Scott, Mullagh. Rec. December 2003

Three brave blacksmiths down in County Clare,
They wouldn't shoe a grabber's horse, they wouldn't shoe his mare.
They would not take his money, for his threats they didn't care;
They'd rather go unshod themselves than shame the County Clare.

Three brave blacksmiths were marched away to jail;
Off they went, quite content, their spirits didn't fail.
They would not make apologies, they would not offer bail,
And so they got their punishment; a day for every nail.

Three brave blacksmiths coming home once more,
Met a crowd of loving friends at the prison door.
The people cheered behind them and the music played before,
Until each blacksmith stood again on his cabin floor.

Three brave blacksmiths heard with grateful pride
From their wives and little ones how they were well supplied;
Kept in every comfort by the neighbours far and wide,
And in the fullness of their health with joy they nearly cried.

Blacksmiths, whitesmiths, tradesmen everywhere.
Farmers, labourers, see your model there;
Be you all as ready for the cause to do and dare
As the three brave blacksmiths down in County Clare.

In 1888 in Miltown Malbay, three local blacksmiths, Maguire, Moloney and Heany were jailed for supporting the boycotting of local landlord, Mrs Burdett Moroney, by fusing to shoe the horse of one of her employees. They were sentenced to a day for every nail they would have used, a total 28 days.        
The term 'grabber' in the first verse is an 18th -19th century expression, an abbreviation of 'land-grabber', referring to a person who took possession of lands of evict tenants. The song was written by T D Sullivan, Land Leaguer and editor of The Nation and was first published in 1888 in Prison Poems or Lays of Tullamore. He also wrote God Save Ireland.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: bluerabbit10
Date: 05 Nov 10 - 11:54 AM

Here's one I wrote couple years ago, about our Village (town) blacksmith:

http://c1.ezfolk.com/Lake_Fork_Verne/?song=8776

Town Blacksmith;
© by: Verne Garrison-04-02-07…Valley Park, Mo
Banjo adgbd (G tuning 5th spiked to A at 7th fret)
Medium speed—Key D

Town Blacksmith

My (D) home town had a blacksmith named Henry (E) Bosler
He was the (A) one on whom all the farmers (D) depend
Mr Bosler would make their plow shares (E) sharper
So they (A) could go back and plow their fields (D) again

He (G) had a little shed on the far side of (D) town
Where they (E) would come and form a long (A) line
If the (D) didn't get there real (E) early
They would (A) lose a day of plowing (D) time

Some (D) of the big farmers got real (E) edgy
And (A) wanted to move up and get out of (D) line
But Henry would stare at them with his heavy (E) hammer
They would (A) grumble, but get back in (D) line

Henry (G) Bosler was the village (D) blacksmith
And the (E) only one for miles a-(A) round
At (D) times, he could be real inde-(E) pendent
Make him (A) self scarce, not to be (D) found (D7)

Everyone (G) finally knew he was (D) needed
And they (E) made a point to thank him every (A) day
Then (D) Henry came down with a (E) sickness
And they (A) used a black wagon to haul him (D) away

Now (D) the town is very (E) sorry
That (A) they had treated him that (D) way
They took up a big (E) collection
And sent (A) it to his sister far, far (D) away

I (D) know the town did not (E) prosper
Without (A) Mr. Bosler there every (D) day
Some say it was his way of gettin (E) even
And that (A) he and his sister are spending that collection (D) today.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Joe_F
Date: 05 Nov 10 - 06:33 PM

The Russian song "Vo Kuznitse" (At the Smithy) concerns a bunch of blacksmiths gossiping about a young lady and symbolically imagining her seduction. Oddly, Google brings up plenty of performances of it, but AFAICT no texts.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Gutcher
Date: 05 Nov 10 - 07:37 PM

I cannot bring to mind at this time of night whether the fiddle tune
"The Smiths A gallant Fireman" has words to it or not.
On another tack did anyone ever come across the phrase "Smiddy Hours". In my young days when there were many smiddys working
blacksmiths were notorious for late rising in the morning. They
would start work at 10am and work to 10pm this was known as "smiddy
hours". Farmers and farmworkers would bring in their metalwork
for repair in the evenings and whilst the smith was working they
would discuss all manners of subjects,these of course being country
smiddys. All horse shoeing was done during the day
Joe.
P,S. We also had the term "Elders Hours"

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: GUEST,KaiserFrazer67
Date: 16 Jan 11 - 02:52 AM

What about the Ella Mae Morse tune, "Blacksmith Blues"? Hope it's not too lowbrow for you. It was a big hit for her in 1952. Written for her by one Jack Holmes, the lyrics are as follows:

Down in old Kentucky, where horseshoes are lucky, There's a village smithy standin' under the chestnut tree, Hear the hammer knockin', see the anvil rockin', He sings the boogie blues while he's hammerin' on the shoes-- See the hot sparks a-flyin', like Fourth-of-July-in', He's even got the horses cloppin' "pop!" down the avenue, Folks love the rhythm, the clang-bangin' rhythm, You get a lotta kicks outta the blacksmith blues!

Kind of a catchy tune, probably the most popular "blacksmith" song you'll find out there.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 03 Mar 11 - 07:19 PM

@ Sandy Mc Lean

It is an insult to call a blacksmith a farrier. Farriers are maybe 10% blacksmith and 90% horse vet.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 03 Mar 11 - 11:16 PM

I am unsure if Guest Guest sees the insult to the farrier or the blacksmith. A blacksmith was required to perform many tasks including shoeing horses. A farrier is trained to do one aspect of the job. As for a horse vet that would be a strange title as a vet is a doctor trained in the medical care of many animals. A farrier performing as a vet would have to be called a quack if he does not have proper training.
However if a farrier can only perform some of the tasks of a blacksmith he should feel no insult. Historically a blacksmith would smelt ore to make metal, shape, weld and temper it. Make coke from coal to fire his forge and be able to read the glow of the metal in able to work it. In the days when the world turned on the power of horses the blacksmith shop was as important as a mechanics garage. Today a farrier fits pre-made shoes to a horse's feet but he still carries on at least part of a tradition that is only historical today.

Subject: RE: Songs about blacksmiths
From: GUEST,Susie
Date: 04 Mar 11 - 07:47 PM

Sung Jack Henderson's "Blacksmith" to classes of kids in primary and middle schools in Worcestershire and Powys for 30 years - I believe Jack came from Shrewsbury. And I THINK Tom & Barbara Brown gave me the song. They may have got it from Jack at the National....