Narrowboat songs

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST,Graham Bradshaw
Date: 29 May 10 - 10:58 AM

There's lots more good songs of the waterways on the album recorded by the late Jeff Dennison and Benny Graham, "They're coming back to the water - Songs of the Waterways" (FSCD47)
Try the link for details.

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Cusco
Date: 29 May 10 - 11:26 AM

I have a really good CD that was put out by Buz Collins - Water & Rain. He lived on the canals and the whole work relates to them.

One is a bit of a Route 66 for narrow boats titled London to Birmingham in 4.5 minutes.

Sadly Buz had some personal problems he couldn't resolve and is no longer with us. He was the son of Dolly Collins. Great shame.

The CD was a Fellside issue FECD139

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 May 10 - 08:27 PM

Mike Kennedy and I have been working on "The Jolly Bargeman," a poem by Cicely Fox Smith, adapting it for singing and I thing we've got something of interest. Mike has a nice melody for the chorus and I have a different melody than Mike's for the verse, and I've done some minor revision of this World War 1 era poem. Here's a link to the song and the original poem on my website with a MP3 sample: click here for lyrics and MP3 Sample!

Here's the song with chords:

Composed by Cicely Fox Smith, © 1919
Adapted for singing by Charles Ipcar, 5/23/10
Tune: Mike Kennedy chorus/Charles Ipcar verse

The Jolly Bargeman


C--------F-----------C--------------F-------------------G
And it's "Gee-hup, Mabel," we'll do the best we're able,
----------C-------------------------------------F----------------G
For the Country's took us over an' we're helping her to win,
-----C--------------------------------F----------------G
An' when this war is over, we'll all lay down in clover,
------------F-----------------------G---C-G--C--G7-C
An' we'll drink all together at the Na-vi-ga-tion Inn!

C-------------------------F------------------------C-----------------G
I've put the old mare's tail in plaits — now ain't she lookin' gay?
--------F------------G--C-----------------------F----C-G
Bright ribbons in her mane, you'd think it First o' May;
C----F--------------------C--------------------------F------------------G-C
For why? We're under Government, though it ain't quite plain to me
----------F------------C------------G----------------C
If we're in the Civil Service or in the Admiral-ty!


Now I brought the news to Missis, an' to her these words did say:
"Just chuck your old broom-handle an' some rusty nails this way:
We're bound to have a flag-staff for our old red, white an' blue,
For now we're under Government we'll have our ensign too." (CHO)

Now the Navy is the Navy, an' it sails upon the sea,
The Army is the Army, an' on land it has to be;
There's the land an' there's the water, an' the Cut comes in between,
And I don't know what they'll call me if it ain't the Horse Marine. (CHO)

So the Missis sits upon the barge, the same's she used to sit,
But they'll have her in the papers now for "doin' her own bit":
And I trudge upon the tow-path here as proud as anything,
Though I haven't got no uniform, I'm serving of the King. (CHO)

Notes:

From Small Craft: Sailor Ballads and Chantys, edited by Cicely Fox Smith, published by George H. Doran Co., New York, US, © 1919, pp. 72-73. First published in Punch Magazine, Volume 152, May 16, 1917, p. 320.

Captures a moment in World War 1 when the British Government had issued an order mobilizing the canal bargemen into the war effort, replete with great detail.

Always interested in comments if you have any.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 05 Jun 10 - 04:12 PM

Just a reminder that there is an archive of British and Irish canal songs at

Songs of the Inland Waterways

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST,Graeme Meek (Life & Times)
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 07:16 AM

Songs on our CD and in our show WHERE THE WORKING BOATS WENT:
The Duke of Bridgewater (Meek)
The Bold Navigators(Broadside arr. Raven arr. Life & Times)
The Ivel Navigation (Meek)
A Working Boatie Man (Meek)
Carrying The Load (Goodman)
Lock Keepers Of The Waterways (Meek)
Narrow Boats To Tow (Goodman)
Push Boys Push (Dudley Tunnel Trust)
Roses & Castles (Meek)
A Bit Of A Do (Goodman)
The Row Between The Boaters (Meek)
Finest Of Them All (Ritchie)
Banbury White Horse/Four Up (Goodman)
Iced In (Goodman)
Until The Cut Runs Dry (Meek)
A Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Goodman)
Where The Working Boats Went (Meek)

Hear The Duke Of Bridgwater & Iced In at www.myspace.com/broadsidesrevisited
Hear Where The Working Boats Went at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJPiVjZMbqQ

www.lifeandtimes.info

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 07:57 AM

This an excellent CD and if you get a chance to see the show then do so. Here's the link given above : Where The Working Boats Went

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 08:04 AM

The other link above didn't seem to work. It needed another slash. Here it is : Life and Times and here's Iced In on Youtube.

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 08:14 AM

Life and Times have posted a number of items on YouTube for us to enjoy. Here's a lovely video about The B & MK.

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 09:49 AM

Looks and sounds great!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 28 Aug 10 - 10:11 AM

The link to my canal song web-site posted well over a year ago doesn't seem to be working. I wonder how long it's been broke?

So here it is again : Songs of the Inland Waterways

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 07:32 PM

The 'lost' Radio Ballad "A Cry From The Cut" has been found. Ashas "The Jewellery."

Backstory is here:

http://www.mustrad.org.uk/enth13.htm

Recording is here:

http://www.waterwaysongs.co.uk/cry_from_the_cut.htm

Vimeo version with historic slides is here:

https://vimeo.com/17437484

Thanks Jim!!

CJB

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 07:36 PM

BTW the BBC LP "Narrowboats" and the Folkweave Canal Trilogy can be found here:

http://www.oysterbroadcast.co.uk/click.html

CJB

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 08:12 PM

More 'lost' recordings about canals...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2008/02/05/radio_stoke_on_the_cut_feature.shtml

Sadly the audio files have been deleted, but they are here:

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/exih4wb9a948x/On_The_Cut

CJB

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 27 Mar 15 - 07:11 AM

Thanks for these postings Chris.

Those recordings that aren't already on the Songs of the Inland Waterways website will be added asap.

'Tales from the Towpath' - the radio programme featuring the Albion Band and narrated by Mike Harding - has recently been added in the Reference section.

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 27 Mar 15 - 08:27 AM

A pity they didn't use some of the great tracks available of the Aire & Calder when they interviewed Chris Sherburn a couple of weeks back!

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST,Ian Hendrie
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 07:16 AM

There have been quite a few recent additions to the Songs of the Inland Waterways website, including some radio broadcasts and videos.

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: rich-joy
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 06:48 PM

This is a contemporary Narrowboat story from Aussie duo (now trio), CLOUDSTREET, Nicole Murray & John Thompson (who until John's diagnosis, were very regular music tourers of the UK):

"VIOLET SARAH"    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K2COj27dGc

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST,Erich
Date: 06 Jun 20 - 03:58 AM

Didn't have the nerve to read all the above entries, but did anyone mention the CD "They're coming back to the Water, Songs of the Waterways" by Jeff Dennison & Benny Graham?

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST,Ian
Date: 06 Jun 20 - 04:39 AM

Thanks rich-joy for pointing me in the direction of "Violet Sarah" - an excellent canal song.

Songs of the Inland Waterways by Jeff Dennison and Benny Graham is already on the website, with newly added video.

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 06 Jun 20 - 05:40 AM

A little broader; Following Olga To Lynn - written by Paul Eady, recorded by Mark Dowding on Brown Photographs Cock Robin Music CRM 063 2002

Lyrics on Songs of the Inland Waterways

This song is about two tank barges called Enid and Lizzie that were pulled by a motor boat called Olga on their journey from Cambridge to Kings Lynn taking Gas Water which was a by-product of the coke industry.
Gas Water was full of ammonia and was processed to use as a fertiliser.

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Ian
Date: 07 Jun 20 - 01:10 PM

The is a song by Tony 'the admiral' O'Niell about a ghost narrow boat. I will have to look out he correct title.

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 07 Jun 20 - 01:29 PM

Hi Ian

It wouldn't be The Rosemary that Tony O'Niell sang would it? If it wasn't I'm hopeful you will be able to point me in the direction of another elusive canal song.

Ian

Subject: RE: Narrowboat songs
From: GUEST,Ian
Date: 28 Nov 21 - 04:18 AM

An update of the Songs of the Inland Waterways website earlier this year has meant that many of the links in this thread no longer work. With over 300 songs on the site I haven't so far attempted to redirect all the old addresses.

Rest assured that all the material is still there (with an increased number of recordings and videos) and can be accessed through the new menu system.

The update was necessary as Google insisted on making the site almost invisible when searched for, because it didn't have a mobile variant (which it does now). Weeks of work were imposed upon me but I hope the new site is better than the old.

Here are a few of the new addresses for links mentioned above.

Finest of them all
https://www.waterwaysongs.info/Songs/F/finest.htm

Radio Recording - Cry from the Cut
https://www.waterwaysongs.info/AV/cry_from_the_cut.htm

The Rosemary
https://www.waterwaysongs.info/Songs/R/rosemary.htm

Following Olga to Lynn
https://www.waterwaysongs.info/Songs/F/following_olga.htm

They're Coming Back to the Water by Jeff Dennison and Benny Graham
https://www.waterwaysongs.info/CD/coming_back.htm

Keep singing the songs,
Ian