Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Hollowfox
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 02:48 PM

Blessings upon you for all this good work, robd!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST,me
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 02:33 PM

The Drunkards Looking Glass

.....we used to sing this here in Norfolk Uk. the missing word.....
"some folks like radishes, some curly kale"
wonderful traditional song!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Artful Codger
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 03:06 PM

Ahem, that line's in "Ale, Ale, Glorious Ale", and the omission had already been supplied (see the project plain text line above).

Using a guest name such as "me" or "guest" is also contrary to the posting guidelines, so if you want your posts to be retained, I suggest using another handle which is more disambiguating.

Cheers, you!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 10 Oct 15 - 11:46 AM

The OP listed October Brew as one of the songs whose lyrics he had; could he (or anyone else) share them with us? There's a version on this thread, but the second verse is noticeably different from the one Peter Bellamy sang. It's a completely different song from "Blann's".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Oct 15 - 01:25 PM

Phil Edwards: I haven't heard Peter Bellamy's recording (at least not recently), so I can't tell whether this is what you're looking for, but did you notice there are TWO versions of October Brew in that thread?

The first version was posted from memory by someone who said he had known it "for a very long time." You can expect such versions to have gone through many changes.

The second version, called simply "October," was transcribed by me from Punch from 1877, which might be its origin.

Please check and see if that's what you want; if not, I'll go looking for Bellamy's recording.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Sep 16 - 05:30 AM

This morning I was listening to a track on a CD called "Mélodies en sous sol", an anthology of French bagpipe tunes. One track made me sit up and take notice: "Le Départ Pour La Provence", as published by Achille Millien, 1880 (played by Noëllie Nioulou and Julien Cartonnet on the CD).

The resemblance between this tune and "The Merry Fellows" as performed on "The Tale of Ale" is striking. Which came first? there's obviously a common ancestor. Can we attach a date to the Merry Fellows tune?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 16 - 05:01 PM

My apologies. It wasn't "Le Départ Pour La Provence", but the adjacent tune from the same track of the same CD that I was referring to: "Nicolas consolé", collected by Millien in the Nièvre (France) from one Louis Martin in 1887.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: DaveRo
Date: 04 Dec 17 - 03:13 AM

I've just been transferring my Tale of Ale LPs to CD/mp3

Does anyone have the word sheet done by robd in his_post_of_09_Dec_09?

I see there's a Tale_of_Ale-Revisited now.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE EXCISE BALLAD
From: robd
Date: 12 Apr 18 - 07:30 PM

After nineteen long years, the final piece is fell into place.

I was able to get, to a great satisfaction, the lyrics to all of the songs and spoken passages, except for one. Until today. Here, finally,


THE EXCISE BALLAD

Come hither me jovial blades and listen unto me song
You there to several trades have born the burthen long
So long as the Patientees in England kept on foot
So naves go there by fees, the devil an all to boot

Oh fie upon this excise, tis pity that ever twas paid
It makes good liquor to rise and pulls down many a trade

'Tis a fit companion for war, it fills the whole kingdom with care
Good fellas wherever they are bear a great part for their share
It never should grieve me much a more excise is worth
The thing I only grudge is that to ale and beer
I never would vex nor by whatever you say or think
To double the price of wine for that I seldom drink

However it came to pass that drink is grown so dear
The tradesman is the ass which must the burthen bear
What though the Brewer paid mine host pays him again
Whilst that good fellows they do all the loss sustain

The shoemaker and the glover, the tailor and the weaver
When they meet one another they go to drink together
But for the odd farthing loss the tailor deeply swore
He'll ne'er raise his legs acrossd to work for ale once more

If any good fellow doth want and calls for a pot on trust
Now charity's grown so scant that out of the door he's thrust
The brewer he must be paid, the hostess she will not score
Yet drink is smaller made than it was in times before

The tinker which doth ring his kettles through the town
He merrily used to sing the tune of Malt's Come Down
But what is the meaning of this, which grieves me at the heart
To see how good ale is for two pence sold a quart

Good fellows both great and small, men pray that wars may cease
That no excise at all may be the price of peace
But now to conclude in the end, cast up the reckoning even
Considering what they spend they lose a full pot in seven

from A Song Book: Musical Phantasies fitting for Soldiers, Citie and Country Humours by David Ingram

In the 2nd line of the last verse, it sounds like "time" on the album, but "price" may make more sense.

Thanks to everyone who helped, and their great patience.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 07:22 PM

Steve Belsey or somebody, can you post "The Drunkard's Looking Glass"??

Subject: ADD: The Drunkard’s Looking Glass
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 22 Feb 22 - 08:09 PM

Fairly close to the version on The Tale of Ale (this track performed by Willie Rushton). The last four lines were omitted on the album:

Drunkard's Looking Glass

LFF

---

THE DRUNKARD'S LOOKING GLASS

What will a drunkard do for ale?
Shall I unfold this dreadful tale?
Yes, I'll unfold it, if I can,
To benefit the drunken man.

What will a drunkard. do for ale?
’Twill make a. sober man turn pale.
He'll sell his hat, and pawn his coat,
To satisfy his greedy throat.
He'll sell his stockings and his shirt,
And strut about in rags and dirt
He'll sell his shoes from off his feet,
And barefoot go along the street.

What will he do to gain his ends?
He will deceive his dearest friends.
His crafty plans he will devise,
And tell the most atrocious lies.

What will a drunkard do for ale?
Dark and dismal grows my tale!
He'll sell his bedsteads and his bed,
Nor leave a place to lay his head.
He'll sell his blankets and his sheets,
And lie in barns or walk in streets.
His thirsty throat will cry for more—
He's starved and miserably poor.
He'll beg for halfpence when he can,
And tell you he'a a dying man;
And when three halfpence he has got,
He'll go and find another sot,
As mean and shabby as himself-
A dirty, ragged. drunken elf.
Then in some alehouse corner,
Lounging, watching every one,
They'll freely enter into chat,
If so they can but catch a flat.
With every man they will be friends,
If they can only gain their ends.
Then, with their bosoms full of strife,
Each man goes home and beats his wife.
The children are beat, and sent to bed,
Because the creatures have no bread.
Nor meat nor butter have they got-
Such is the dwelling of the sot.
His wife in tears, arid ragged too,.
Say, drunkard, is this statement true?

What! do you own my statement right?
Then give up drinking from to-night.
Away with liquors, ale and wine,
And with teetotalers go and join.


LFF