Songs about the game of Cricket?

Subject: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: The Shambles
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 05:12 AM

Can you help? I am trying to think of some songs about the finest of all ball games - Cricket.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: fogie
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 05:14 AM

The kippers did a long song about cricket a la game of all fours, which someone will find for you I'm sure. It's risque to say the least- not for the sunday school outing.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 05:43 AM

When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease by Roy Harper

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 05:52 AM

Therte's a good one that Leslie Haworth write that I think the Spinners recorded. I think it was called The Cricket Match.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Hrothgar
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 05:58 AM

There is a poem by Thomas E Spencer called "How Macdougal Topped the Score" which is a popular recitation over here.

Ted Egan has written a couple, I think - "The Tiger and the Don" springs most readily to mind. That one might not be too popular in England with a chorus that goes:

Feast your eyes upon the Tiger and the Don
The Don's the greatest bat of all, and when the Tiger gets the ball
He puts the fear of God into every Englishman.

- about Don Bradman (obviously) and Bill O'Reilly.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 06:21 AM

There was a book published about twenty years ago titled "A Song For Cricket" sorry I can not remember who the compiler was but the forward was by Tim Rice. It contained poems and songs about the game from village green heroics right up to Roy Harper's "Old Cricketer" which it stated was THE song for cricket.
I'm sure that local libraries would be able to help.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: okthen
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 06:21 AM

A peaceful spot is Piper's Flat. The folk that live around -
They keep themselves by keeping sheep and turning up the ground;
But the climate is erratic, and the consequences are
The struggle with the elements is everlasting war.
We plough, and sow, and harrow-then sit down and pray for rain;
And then we all get flooded out and have to start again.
But the folk are now rejoicing as they ne'er rejoiced before ,
For we've played Molongo cricket, and McDougal topped the score!

Molongo had a head on it, and challenged us to play
A single-innings match for lunch-the losing team to pay.
We were not great guns at cricket, but we couldn't well say no,
So we all began to practice, and we let the reaping go,
We scoured the Flat for ten miles round to muster up our men,
But when the list was totaled we could only number ten.
Then up spoke big Tim Brady: he was always slow to speak
And he said "What price McDougal, who lives down at Cooper's Creek?"

So we sent for old McDougal, and he stated in reply
That he d never played at cricket but he'd half a mind to try.
He couldn't come to practice -he was getting in his hay,
But he guessed he'd show the beggars from Molongo how to play.
Now, McDougal was a Scotchman, and a canny one at that
So he started in to practice with a paling for a bat.
He got Mrs Mac to bowl to him, but she couldn't run at all ,
So he trained his sheep-dog, Pincher, how to scout and fetch the ball.

Now, Pincher was no puppy; he was old, and worn, and gray ;
But he understood McDougal, and-accustomed to obey.
When McDougal cried out "Fetch it!" he would fetch it in a trice,
But, until the word was "Drop it!" he would grip it like a vice.
And each succeeding night they played until the light grew dim:
Sometimes McDougal struck the ball-sometimes the ball struck him.
Each time he struck, the ball would plough a furrow in the ground;
And when he missed, the impetus would turn him three times round.

The fatal day at length arrived - the day that was to see
Molongo bite the dust, or Piper's Flat knocked up a tree!
Molongo's captain won the toss, and sent his men to bat
And they gave some leather-hunting to the men of Piper's Flat.
When the ball sped where McDougal stood, firm planted in his track,
He shut his eyes, and turned him round, and stopped it-with his back!
The highest score was twenty-two, the total sixty-six,
When Brady sent a yorker down that scattered. Johnson's sticks.

Then Piper's Flat went in to bat, for glory and renown,
But, like the grass before the scythe, our wickets tumbled down.
"Nine wickets down for seventeen, with fifty more to win!"
Our captain heaved a heavy sigh, and sent McDougal in.
"Ten pounds to one you'll lose it!" cried a barracker from town ;
But McDougal said, "I'll tak it, mon and planked the money down.
Then he girded up his moleskins in a self-reliant style,
Threw off his hat and boots and faced the bowler with a smile.

He held the bat the wrong side out, and Johnson with a grin
Stepped lightly to the bowling crease, and sent a "wobbler" in;
McDougal spooned it softly back, and Johnson waited there,
But McDougal, crying "Fetch it!" started running like a hare.
Molongo shouted "Victory! He's out as sure as eggs,"
When Pincher started through the crowd, and ran through Johnson's legs.
He seized the ball like lightning; then he ran behind a log,
And McDougal kept on running, while Molongo chased the dog!

They chased him up, they chased him down, they chased him round, and then
He darted through the slip-rail as the scorer shouted "Ten!"
McDougal puffed; Molongo swore; excitement was intense;
As the scorer marked down twenty, Pincher cleared a barbed-wire fence.
"Let us head him!" shrieked Molongo. "Brain the mongrel with a bat!"
"Run it out! Good old McDougal!" yelled the men of Piper's Flat.
And McDougal kept on jogging, and then Pincher doubled back,
And the scorer counted "Forty" as they raced across the track.

McDougal's legs were going fast, Molongo's breath was gone
But still Molongo chased the dog-McDougal struggled on.
When the scorer shouted "Fifty" then they knew the chase could cease;
And McDougal gasped out "Drop it!" as he dropped within his crease.
Then Pincher dropped the ball, and as instinctively he knew
Discretion was the wiser plan, he disappeared from view;
And as Molongo's beaten men exhausted lay around
We raised McDougal shoulder-high, and bore him from the ground.

We bore him to McGinniss's, where lunch was ready laid,
And filled him up with whisky-punch, for which Molongo paid.
We drank his health in bumpers and we cheered him three times three,
And when Molongo got its breath Molongo joined the spree.
And the critics say they never saw a cricket match like that,
When McDougal broke the record in the game at Piper's Flat;
And the folk are jubilating as they never did before;
For we played Molongo cricket-and McDougal topped the score!

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,Elfcall
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 06:41 AM

There was also a calypso type song from the 50's which went approximately

'those two friends of mine
Sonny Ramadin and Alfred Valentine'

Elf

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: red max
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 07:59 AM

In Holroyd's Collection of Yorkshire Ballads there's "The Richmondshire Cricketers' Song" by William Swain. It was written in celebration of the visit of the All England cricketers to Richmond in 1857

Ye cricketers of Richmondshire
Just list to what I say
Don on your cricket toggery
For England comes today
Gird well your loins as on the course
You stand and plaudits meet
Prepare you for the tug of war
The race is to the fleet

Chorus
Then bowl away my jolly boys
With bias, break or spin
And show these noble champions
that Richmondshire can win

There are 5 more verses and a variation on the chorus. I'm afraid I don't know the tune

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 08:04 AM

Bernard Carney's "Cricket Lovers". Contains numerous cricket terms used in 'double-entendres'. Funny, but not for those who are easily offended.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,Long Firm Freddie at Work
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 08:46 AM

I used to own the following LP - dunno where it got to, though...

White Hart YET 3003 John Arlott & The Yetties - "The Sound Of Cricket"
Poems read by John Arlott and songs by The Yetties
Side 1: Introduction - Cricket On The Village Green* / Maker Of Bat & Ball - John Small* / The Cricketers Of Hambledon On Windmill Down, 1789 / Stonewall Jack* - The Old Cricketer / Introduction - I Keeps It There Or Thereabout* / Introduction - The Flower Bowler*
Side 2: Fred Grace - The High Catch* / The Master Artful Dodgers - A Tickle O' Me Spinnin' Finger* / Introduction - Four Jolly Bowlers* / Pride Of The County - Harold Gimblett's Hundred* / Ian Botham, Somerset C. C. C. - Somerset* - Beefy's Army* - Closing
* songs by The Yetties 1984

LFF

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,John Gray in Oz
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 12:06 PM

We have one, that I guess was recorded in the late 30's, called "Our Don Bradman"

JG/FME

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 12:39 PM

The song from the 1950 test match was a Calypso called "Cricket lovely Cricket"
Try here
Giok

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: greg stephens
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 01:44 PM

Glok's just mentioned one of my favourites, the other being the very evocative "Cricketers of Hambledon".

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: boglion
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 02:36 PM

The Kipper Family recorded the definitive Criket Song. I think it was called "The Cricket Song"!!

"When I once began to tire she stroked me through the covers" etc.

Terry

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,JohnO'Hagan. (Cockersdale)
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 06:05 PM

Try "Tortoises always come last". Words bt Keith Marsden, Music by Chris Sugden

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Dug
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 06:15 PM

John Dengate's very fine song "Song of Childhood" has the following lines:

Bring out the bat and the old cork ball and we'll bowl at an old wooden case.
She;ll jump and she'll turn on the ashphalt road, she'll come at a lively pace,
But barefoot, careless and undismayed, we'll drive and hammer and glance,
Now the ball is lost in the tangled years; my hands couldn't hold the chance.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 07:10 PM

The Cricket Match or The Game of Cricket (from the Trunch Tradition, Henry and Sid Kipper)

As I was walking out one day, the season just beginning,
I met a maid all dressed in white, a-practicing her spinning.
Young Sir, she cried, are you the sort to only stand and watch?
I have both bat and ball says I, then let us have a match.

I won the toss and put her in, I soon got in the groove,
And as the wicket was quite damp, the ball began to move.
I bowled to her balls fast and slow, we were both cricket lovers
And when I once began to tire, she stroked me through the covers.

I pitched it right up in the crease and then around her head.
Forward and backward, both she played, come one, was all she said,
And then come two, I ran her out, her innings was all through.
She said let's change positions now, and I will bowl to you.

Her action really was so smooth, though it was quite chest on,
And when she got the ball to turn, I knew I'd not last long.
So I began to have a thrash, my score did quickly mount
She flicked my bails and cried, How's that, but I was not quite out.

But now this girl increased her pace, I couldn't deal with that.
She thundered in, before I knew, my middle stump was flat.
Well that had been a first class match and now we knew the score
The game was up, our passion spoent, all ending in a drw.

Now as you sportsmen will all know, opponents are a mixture.
Such a good match is bound to become a regular favourite fixture
And so we play, home and away, and afterwards share a tub,
And one day soon, I feel quite sure, I'll get her in the club.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Bert
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 12:37 AM

The Spinners did one called the Absentee. It went something like

Sunshine, sunshine a happy day
of to the cricket match I'm away
somebody else can work for me
I'm the happy absentee.....

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,Elfcall
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 08:52 AM

Further to my previous post - Sid Kipper has done a parody on this calypso too on his 'Rhinestone Ploughboy'cd it is called the 'Bodyline Collapso'.

Elfcall

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,DavidfromSydney
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 01:46 AM

There's a song by the Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly called "Bradman". Not one of his best in my view, but then I'n a Pom

David

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 02:23 AM

G'day David,

Is it any worse than Our Don Bradman ...?

Regard(les)s,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 03:32 AM

There is a reggae song called "Sticky Wicket" by Tony .......... which uses cricketing metaphors.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 03:40 AM

Knock, knock, Yank here. I doubt many of us will get this far, but I did find a reasonable explanation of cricket for those who might be interested. At least now I understand it a little...maybe about as much as most of you understand baseball or American football!

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 04:35 AM

THE CRICKET BAG
(A parody of 'The Deck of Cards')
as narrated by
David Frost


One day, some soldier boys were returning from an exercise on Sal-is-bury Plain.
They were tired and hungry and so they went into a church to pray.
Each soldier boy had a prayer book and a bible... but one boy, he had no prayer book and no bible, he had only... a cricket bag!

After the service, the Sergeant called him over and said, 'Son, why were you playing cricket in church... what have you got to say for yourself?'
'Much Sir!' replied the soldier boy.
'I hope so,' said the Sergeant 'for if not, you will surely be punished more than any soldier boy has ever been punished before you... even more than that soldier boy we caught lying about playing cards in church, last week!'

So, the soldier began...

'You see, Sir, when I look at the cricket ball... I think of God's Earth, spinning in the firmament.

When I look at the two umpires, I think of those other two umpires at York and Cantebury... there's no throwing there!

And when I look at the three cricket stumps... I think of the three virtues or of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego!

And when I look at the four bails... I think of the gathering swine... or at least, four of them!

And when I look at the six balls in an over, I remember that is just half the number of the disciples!

And when I look at the eight balls in an Australian over... I remember that is just two thirds the number of disciples!

And when I look at the eleven men in a team... I think of the 'Ten Commandments'... plus one!

So you see, Sir, my cricket bag serves me as my Bible, my prayer book and my... cricket bag.'

And friends, this story is true!
I know... I was that cricket bag!

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Amergin
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 04:54 AM

there is eric bogle's song It's Not Cricket....

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 07:29 AM

The "Sticky Wicket" artist is Tony Tuff (stage name of Winston Morris) and you can hear a clip here http://entertainment.msn.com/artist/?artist=137472

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Pied Piper
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 07:45 AM

I loved Cricket at School; I got the game sussed perfectly.
If you judged your position in the batting order correctly, and accidentally on purpose knocked your bails off, you could spend the whole games period sat under a tree reading.
As a younger child I played (and enjoyed) proper Cricket using, a tree, some chalk, a tennis ball, and a piece of wood.
Now I've grown up I find people still playing or even worse, watching children's games a bit sad.

PP

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 08:56 AM

i also don't like to watch others playing sport- any kind.

i enjoy sometimes to have a kick about footy or play cricket with the kids,but can't really understand why so many people derive so much pleasure from watching other people doing sports.

its similar with music- prob thats why i became a musician & siner.

anyone else feel this way?

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: The Shambles
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 11:31 AM

For discussions on the sport rather than songs about it - there is a current BS thread on the subject.

BS Anyone for cricket?

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 12:45 PM

My contribution to the cricketing song list is Stackridge's 'Happy in the Lord'

As for not understanding other people watching sport or finding it 'sad' ... I can only think it's like trying to explain the colour brown to a blind person.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 02:09 PM

The good thing about real cricket, by which I mean amateur cricket on village greeens and suchlike (yes, it still happens), is that virtually noone is really watching. It's a pleasant and unobtrusive backgound to sleeping and drinking and conversation.

It doesn't really have spectators, it's got observers or bystanders. That's how it should be. A bit like Morris Dancing really.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GMT
Date: 22 Aug 03 - 05:13 AM

mmmm, I seem to remember Richard Stilgoe (yes I know) did a song about Lilly and Thompson ( that impressive pair of Australian fasties)that went something like :

Lilly and Thompson (this was made to sound like Lillian Thompson)
Australias finest flower.
A maiden bowling overs at a hundred miles an hour.
She'd bowl 'em at your ankles,
She'd bowl 'em at you forehead,
If she bowled them in the middle
She could hurt you something horrid.

Heard on a bit flat plastic thing borrowed from the local library.

Cheers
Gary

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: ooh-aah
Date: 23 Aug 03 - 01:29 AM

Anyway, cricket isn't a game, it's religion.
No one has mentioned that popular song from the seventies(?) which goes:
      
    I don't like cricket -0h no
    I love it! etc

I think it was a West Indies calypso-type song.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Barb'ry
Date: 23 Aug 03 - 02:02 PM

My kids learned a song at school in New Zealand which went
Have a ball
Have a bat
Howzat Howzat
add 4 to you score, no ball
When you're out for a duck it's bye bye
That's all!

or something like that - they did all the umpire's actions for 4, bye, duck etc! Well it was fun for 6 year olds!

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 23 Aug 03 - 04:04 PM

Have only just caught up with this thread. I'm surprised no-one's yet mentioned Graham Miles, who's written at least 2 songs about cricket, one of which, about the origins of cricket, was sung in the barn of the Three Horsheshoes at Towersey today lunchtime. The other is "An Evening in Summer".

Kitty

PS Thanks Okthen for McDougal, which I haven't heard for ages (probably not since the Bushwhackers came over to England)

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Wotcha
Date: 24 Aug 03 - 07:38 AM

Cricket Explained (www.jokes.net/cricketexplained.htm)

This was an old schoolboy favourite:


All you need to know about cricket:


You have two sides one out in the field and one in .
Each man that's in the side that's in goes out and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out .

When they are all out the side that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes out and tries to get those coming in out .

Sometimes you get men still in and not out .

When both sides have been in and out including the not outs , THAT'S THE END OF THE GAME !

HOWZAT !!!!!


Cheers,

Brian

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: ooh-aah
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 06:56 AM

I used to have a tea-towel with that on it - always made me smile.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 05:45 PM

The song by the Spinners McGrath and Bert refer to is called

SUNSHINE
(Leslie Haworth)

Chorus:
Sunshine, sunshine, a happy day
Off to the cricket match I'm away
Somebody else will work for me
I'm the happy absentee

If Gulbenkian should offer me a thousand pounds
To stay away from the cricket grounds
I would reckon that money was really hard earned
Until he does I'm unconcerned

Will both sides attack from the minute they begin
Bowl, field and bat as if they meant to win
Or will the play be so tedious I can hardly stick it
You never can tell when you go to watch cricket

So when it's past seven o clock and the play must stop
Let's hope that Lancashire's well on top
No time wasted and a win in sight
Up with the Red Rose - down with the White


Leslie Haworth is also responsible for 'Here's To Cheshire', a new version of 'The Frog and The Mouse'.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,Elfcall
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 05:16 AM

The lyrics that ooh-aah refers to are from Dreadlock Holiday by 10cc and have been oft played during this years 20-20 competition.

Elfcall

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 07:28 AM

Kitty - I agree with you about "An evening in summer" (I always wondered who wrote it) - perhaps village cricket is the the most english form of the game.

Mr Happy - thanks for the words of the "Cricket Bag" - I was looking for them on an earlier thread - it originally came from the radio show "I'm sorry I'll read that again" which John Cleese was in with Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Bill Oddie etc.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,T-boy
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 07:36 AM

Little boxes, little boxes, little boxes made for cricketers,
And you stuff them down your trousers when you're playing in the game,
There's a pink one and a blue one, and one made of aluminium,
But if you stop one from Ian Botham it will hurt you just the same.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,Aussie girl
Date: 15 Jan 04 - 12:18 AM

Can anyone help me with the words of a poem/song that begins " Once I thought I'd like to be a cricketer, so one day I took a little stroll" My father used to recite it when I was a little girl, I would love to have all the words. Thanks in anticipation.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: Ed.
Date: 15 Jan 04 - 02:16 AM

See this page, Aussie girl.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: GUEST,Aussie girl
Date: 15 Jan 04 - 11:07 PM

Thankyou so much Ed, This is the poem, but I beleive there are more verses, any additions will be appreciated, this is a great site, Aussie Girl (originally from Darwen, Lancashire)

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 03:42 AM

A pop love song with cricket references... Howzat!

"You fooled around, I caught you out - Howzat!"

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 07:56 AM

Any songs about the recent test series with Sr Lanka?, and please not the one favoured by the Soccer fraternity, 1 nil, 1 nil, 1 nil, 1 nil.

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: mike the knife
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 12:49 PM

Is there a song that lasts 3 days?

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: The Shambles
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 12:53 PM

There are certainly songs that seem to..........

Subject: RE: Songs about the game of Cricket?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 04:04 PM

Very good Mike, and Shambles that 1 nil rhyme seems to go on forever.