Lyr Add: Farmer Hugh's motor car

Subject: Lyr Add: Farmer Hugh's motor car
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Apr 23 - 02:22 PM

All the words but for a few. Sorry - Corrections and additions gratefully accepted

Twixt Rawtenstall and Bacup, live a farmer name of Hugh
Bought himself a motor car to see what it could do
He drove it home in splendour but before he reached the door
It gave a cough and then a wheeze and the engine went no more

Chorus
It was rusted, it was busted
That old car wouldn't travel far
But it's true, Old farmer Hugh
Had many a ride in that old car

Well, Hugh he had a sweatheart, by the name of Marlene Crone
She had hands like a navvie and weighed in at sixteen stone
missing bit I hope someone can help with
Then one night he took her home to see the workings of his car

Cho.

He used his handpump daily, to keep his tyres hard
He daily checked the lubricant and topped it up with lard
At the Ministry of Transport, he could not pass his test
But at riding on the back seat, Farmer Hugh he was the best

Cho.

He never taxed it or insured it in the usual way of things
He just ensured the doors were locked before he nightly taxed the springs
missing 2 lines

Cho.

He rode with all precautions, safety belt and all the lot
But one night of hot romance his surpressor he forgot
As he changed from first to second his piston gathered speed
His brakes they failed, his clutch it slipped because his big end had been siezed

Cho.

That summer in the village church our Marlene married Hugh
It was a family gathering, just a quiet do
They honeymooned in Blackpool but before they caught the train
They went back to Hugh's old car to ride it one again

Cho.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Farmer Hugh's motor car
From: cnd
Date: 03 Apr 23 - 08:12 AM

Dave, where is this song from? I'd like to know more about it, and its background, and couldn't find much inline searching its name.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Farmer Hugh's motor car
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Apr 23 - 09:26 AM

Well, I would guess from Lancashire as it starts twixt Rawtenstall and Bacup :-D The only mention I found of it was here on Mudcat where it is attributed to Hamish Imlach but on seeing the words in that thread it seems an obvious derivation of this one. See here. - It starts out as being 'aul Shuggie' but in the chorus reverts to Farmer Hugh.

My mate used to sing it a lot so next time I speak to him I shall ask where he got ot from and see if he can fill in the missing words too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Farmer Hugh's motor car
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Apr 23 - 09:59 AM

The tune is the same as the Hamish Imlach one but when I look for the credits for that on Spotify there are no details :-(

Subject: Lyr Add: FARMER HUGH'S MOTOR CAR
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Apr 23 - 12:09 PM

Complete song with missing bits and corrections to a verse I got in the wrong order -

FARMER HUGH'S MOTOR CAR

Twixt Rawtenstall and Bacup, lived a farmer name of Hugh
Bought himself a motor car to see what it could do
He drove it home in splendour but before he reached the door
It gave a cough and then a wheeze and the engine went no more

CHORUS
It was rusted, it was busted
That old car wouldn't travel far
But it's true, Old farmer Hugh
Had many a ride in that old car

Well, Hugh he had a sweatheart, by the name of Marlene Crone
She had hands like a navvie and weighed in at sixteen stone
He used to take her courting to meadows near and far
Then one night he took her home to see the workings of his car

Cho.

He used his handpump daily, to keep his tyres hard
He daily checked the lubricant and topped it up with lard
His timing was quite perfect, his points they were just right
With a spanner on his half shaft he kept his balljoint tight


Cho.

He never taxed it or insured it in the usual way of things
He just ensured the doors were locked before he nightly taxed the springs
At the Ministry of Transport, he could not pass his test
But at riding on the back seat, Farmer Hugh he was the best

Cho.

He rode with all precautions, safety belt and all the lot
But one night of hot romance his surpressor he forgot
As he changed from first to second his piston gathered speed
His brakes they failed, his clutch it slipped because his big end had been siezed

Cho.

That summer in the village church our Marlene married Hugh
It was a family gathering, just a quiet do
They honeymooned in Blackpool but before they caught the train
They went back to Hugh's old car to ride it one again

No nearer to finding who wrote the original but my mates Ged and Dave, heard it, could only remember parts and then filled in the missing bits with their own words so if anyone performs it please credit Staff Folk of Swinton Folk Club with the arrangement :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Farmer Hugh's motor car
From: jugmws
Date: 03 Apr 23 - 08:19 PM

Hamish told me when I booked him in Rotherham folk Club that Watt Nicoll & he wrote it together; the inspiration came from a story a Scottish comedian told on stage in the very early 1960's. Hamish was a great raconteur so I was never sure; sadly he is here no more, but I believe Watt is still active in Scotland; that would be a good starting point. The extra verses you have must cast doubt on what Hamish sang, (Unless he cut it down; which I know he often did. He used to use the number of whiskies he had the same way that comedian Jimmy James timed his act with his cigarette burning time). What a character.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Farmer Hugh's motor car
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 06:36 AM

Thanks jugmws - Looks like it is the folk process in action! :-)