Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: r.padgett Date: 24 Jun 09 - 03:52 AM I like it!! Ray |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Jon Bartlett Date: 23 Jun 09 - 06:40 PM A more recently composed verse: can't remember from whom I learned it! But now we are in Europe, and friends we have to be Exchanging eurocoffee for our British cup of tea But no matter what we export, there's one thing we'll deny - We'll never send our beer and leave old England dry. Jon Bartlett |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: GUEST,Oz Childs Date: 23 Jun 09 - 03:41 PM "trained band" (Macaulay calls them "trainbands") is absolutely right. The militia was raised and commanded in the shires, the trained bands were raised in London and I think other cities. Legally, they were part of the militia, but the London bands were under the jurisdiction of a locally-appointed committee. They would have helped defend London, if Napoleon had invaded. |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Steve Gardham Date: 13 Sep 08 - 04:36 PM Right... episode 2. Manchester Central Library BRf 821.04 Bal Vol 4 p160 A NEW SONG CALLED OLD ENGLAND DRY. Come drink my brave boys and never give o'er Come drink, my brave boys as I told you before The French are for landing with a fresh supply, And swear they will drink Old England dry. The French are for landing in Ireland they say, But if they receive them, no taxes we'll pay; We ne'er could believe them for fear they should lie, For they ne'er shall..... The French are for landing in England, we think, But the devil shall take them before they shall drink Our cannons shall rattle, our bullets shall fly, Before they shall...... The rest as Q posted from the Bodl v4 the 2 words are 'seas' and 'ease' v5 'band' is correct v6 line 2 ends in ; line 3..last word should be 'die' Imprint LIVERPOOL: Printed and Sold by S. Summersides, No. 58, White-Chapel. This is also the version referred to by Frank Purslow in 'The Foggy Dew' p108 The whole thing is surely a patriotic propaganda piece. The authorities were shit-scared of any Napoleon sympathisers in Britain and took every opportunity to plug the invasion rumours and scotch any French sympathies. Hence the references to 'Jacobins'. Thread #114305 Message #2438002 Posted By: Q 12-Sep-08 - 12:08 AM (excerpt) 4 If that we meet with their ships on the seas, I'll warrant you my boys, they shall have little ease. We'll take them, or sink, or cause them to fly, Before they shall drink Old England dry. 5 Old England is loyal, as we understand, They have rais'd the militia, likewise the train'd band (?) With a strong resolution, King George to stand by, Before they shall drink Old England dry. 6 So here's a good health to the Church, King and Crown, And to all loyal subjects that pull the French down; King George and his subjects will fight till they die, Before they shall drink Old England dry. |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Steve Gardham Date: 13 Sep 08 - 04:19 PM Here is what I assume to be the earlier of the two if not the original. It must be easily datable by the invasion scares referred to. Derby Public Library Broadsides Box 15 A NEW SONG ON THE TIMES, BY JOHN MUNRO Come drink my brave boys, and never give o'er Come drink my brave boys, as I told you before For the French are for landing with their fresh supply, And surely they will drink Old England dry They are for landing in Scotland, for a truth as they say, But if we do catch them will show them ggod play, But we ne'er will believe them, for we know they do lie, For they never shall.... But if ever we meet with their fleet on the seas, they well may expect to have but little ease, We will take, burn, and sink them, and make them to fly, Before they shall...... But as for Tom Paine, and his Jacobin crew, If e'er we do catch them we'll make them to rue; For daring to offer their King to destroy, But they never shall...... So britons be loyal wherever you be, And we'll conquer the French dogs by land and by sea, Where we do meet them, we will them destroy, That they never may drink... So drink a good health, boys, to Church, King, and Crown, And let all loyal subjects pull the Jacobins down; King George he has sworn his good land to stand by, That they never may..... No imprint, with seraph s |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Richard Bridge Date: 13 Sep 08 - 04:09 PM THat was a quick drink |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Steve Gardham Date: 13 Sep 08 - 04:08 PM I've just typed out both versions and then wiped the lot before posting so I'm going to have another go and send it in bits. ******** |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Steve Gardham Date: 13 Sep 08 - 03:25 PM I have a copy of the Bodleian broadside from Manchester C Library and one from Derby P Lib which I'll post in a bit after I've had a drink. |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Dead Horse Date: 13 Sep 08 - 07:49 AM Q. Missing words from manuscript:- v4 If that we meet with their ships on the ....(seas), I'll warrant you my boys, they shall have little ...(ease) We'll take them, or sink, or cause them to fly, Before they shall drink Old England dry. |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 12 Sep 08 - 09:12 PM There don't seem to be any traditional examples that mention Boney, Bonaparte, Collingwood or Marlborough. I rather suspect that those names were stuffed in by revival singers in an attempt to emphasise the (likely) Napoleonic connection, or to make the song sound older than it really is. The issue with links to the Bodleian site is, I think, just one of those glitches that happen sometimes (most commonly on Sundays in my experience). It will probably be back to normal soon. |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 12 Sep 08 - 01:40 PM There are several broadsides at the Bodleian from the time of Napoleon that use the nickname 'Boney,' so it is possible that it occurs in an early version. Haven't checked NLS yet. |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 12 Sep 08 - 01:32 PM pavanne, I posted part of that version you link from the Bodleian, but could not read it all (see my earlier post with the last three verses). Perhaps you might be able to read (or guess) more of it. I haven't gone back to it yet. The version posted by Greenjack also appears in Contemplator. Drink Little England Dry Did Barrett have any evidence that the version he printed actually came from the time of Napoleon? The English first applied the word 'frog' to Jesuits and esp. Dutchmen in the 17th c., references indicate that it was also applied to Frenchmen in the late 18th c. (OED) |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Joe Offer Date: 12 Sep 08 - 01:26 PM Doc Tom - your version is almost the same as the version Dick Holdstock does. Any idea where it came from? I haven't found a "Boney" version in print. -Joe- |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Martin Graebe Date: 12 Sep 08 - 12:12 PM I've been singing this version from Barrett for several years - but it is a bit anti-gallic. Drink Little England Dry Drink, my boys, and ne'er give o'er Drink until you can't drink no more For the Frenchmen are coming for a fresh supply And they swear they'll drink little England Dry Paddie, widdie, waddie, widdie, bow, wow, wow Paddie, widdie, waddie, widdie, bow, wow, wow For the Frenchmen are coming for a fresh supply And they swear they'll drink little England Dry They may come , the frogs of France But we'll teach them a new-fashioned dance For we'll pepper their jackets most ter-ri-bully Afore they'll drink little England dry Paddie, widdie, waddie, widdie, bow, wow, wow Paddie, widdie, waddie, widdie, bow, wow, wow For we'll pepper their jackets most ter-ri-bully Afore they'll drink little England dry They may come as they may think But they shall fight afore they drink For the guns they shall rattle and the bullets they shall fly Afore they'll drink little England dry Paddie, widdie, waddie, widdie, bow, wow, wow Paddie, widdie, waddie, widdie, bow, wow, wow For the guns they shall rattle and the bullets they shall fly Afore they'll drink little England dry Then drink, my boys, and ne-er give oer Drink until you can't drink no more For the Frenchmen's brags are all my eye And they'll never drink little England dry Paddie, widdie, waddie, widdie, bow, wow, wow Paddie, widdie, waddie, widdie, bow, wow, wow For the Frenchmen's brags are all my eye And they'll never drink little England dry William Barret, English Folk Songs, London: Novello (1891) p. 20 'Written at the time of the threatened invasion of England by Napoleon, 1800' Martin Graebe |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: GUEST,doc.tom Date: 12 Sep 08 - 04:22 AM For what it's worth, here's my set. It was learnt in Sussex in the early 1960s - but cannot now remember who/where from! Obviously similar to the Haxey set, but a distinct tune variant. (The first line of the third verse is also a good test of sobriety!) Drink round brave boys and never give o'er. Drink round brave boys as I have said before, For Old Boney he has sent to us a new reply And swears that he will come and drink old England dry. Dry, dry, dry boys dry. He swears that he will come and drink old England dry. 'Twas Collingwood, of high reknown, Swore he'd fight for his King, his country and his crown, His crown, king and country would fight until he die Before that they should come and drink old England dry. etc.... Now if our ships should meet all on the sea, Ten thousand to one that they would not agree. The cannons they would rattle and bullets swiftly fly Before that they should come and drink old England dry. etc... Tom |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: pavane Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:40 AM From the Bodleian collection. The mention of King George puts it before 1837, I suppose, and probably c 1800: Old England Dry [Harding B25 (1403) - part posted by Q above. The links are correct, but they're not working. Maybe Bodleian doen't allow direct links. -Joe Offer-] |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Joe Offer Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:27 AM Know anything of a Bonaparte ("Boney") version, Malcolm? -Joe- |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:19 AM Not found very often in tradition (see listing in Roud), but it became popular in the revival; during the '60s, I'd guess. Probably the texts 'Dead Horse' and 'stormalong' posted are of that vintage; they look to be expansions of the Haxey set. It seems most likely that the occasional appearance of Churchill and the Germans in this song is due to its persistence in tradition throughout the 20th century rather than evidence of an 18th century origin; that at least is the opinion of editors such as Patrick O'Shaughnessey and Frank Purslow, and I see no reason to dissent. Actually, that's only in in the Haxey version anyway; though it appears that by the 1970s the Boggins had dropped him and restored Lord Roberts. I don't know what they sing nowadays, but could probably find out; mind you, if Will Noble and John Cocking got their text directly from them, it will have been relatively recently, so perhaps Churchill is back in favour again. |
Subject: ADD Version: Drink Old England Dry From: stormalong Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:05 AM For many years there used to be a Georgian festival in Tunbridge Wells (Kent) staged by a company of professional players. This is the version they had. It's close to other versions. I suspect they added the 'B' word for fun: Drink Old England Dry Come drink me brave boys as I've told you before Come drink me brave boys till we boldly call for more For the Frenchies have invited us: They say that they will try, will try They say that they will come and drink old England dry Aye dry, Aye dry me boys aye dry They say that they will come and drink old England dry Supposing we should meet with some Spanish by the way Ten thousand to one we will show them British play With our swords and our cutlasses we'll fight until we die, we die Before that they shall come and drink old England dry Aye dry, Aye dry me boys aye dry Before that they shall come and drink old England dry Up spake the Duke of Marlborough of fame and renown He swears he'll be true to his country and his crown Well, the cannon they will rattle and the bullets they will fly, will fly Before we let the bastards drink old England dry Aye dry, Aye dry me boys aye dry Before we let the bastards drink old England dry So it's drink me brave boys as I've told you before Come drink me brave boys till we cannot drink no more For the Frenchies they may boast and shout but their brags are all my eye, my eye They'll never ever come and drink old England dry Aye dry, Aye dry me boys aye dry They'll never ever come and drink old England dry |
Subject: ADD Version: Drink England Dry From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 12 Sep 08 - 01:04 AM DRINK ENGLAND DRY Sung at Hoxey, Jan. 6 (Old Christmas) 1 Come, me brave boys, as I've told you before, And drink, me brave boys, and we'll boldly call for more. For the French they invade us, they say they will try, They say that they will come and drink Old England dry. Chorus: Ay, dry, me boys, ay dry! They say they will come and drink Old England dry. 2 Then up spoke Lord Roberts, a man of fair renown, He swears he'll be true to his country and his crown, For the cannons they shall rattle, and the bullets they shall fly 'Fore that they shall come and drink Old England dry. Chorus: 3 Supposing we should meet with the Germans by the way, Ten thousand to one we should show them British play, With our swords and our cutlasses we'll fight until we die, We'll die before that they shall come and drink Old England dry. Chorus: Ethel H. Rudkin, 1932, "An Account of the Hoxey Hood Game," Folklore, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 289-301. Mrs. Rudkin describes the activities in detail, and provides a few photographs. She said that, of the songs sung, the only one she had never heard before was "Drink Old England Dry." |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 12 Sep 08 - 12:08 AM A broadside at the Bodleian, no date but probably not long after 1800, is about the French drinking Old England dry. It is badly inked, I may give it another try later. Last three verses: OLD ENGLAND DRY, (A new song called ...) Harding B25(1403); Liverpool, S. Summersides. First line- Come drink my brave boys .... 4 If that we meet with their ships on the ...., I'll warrant you my boys, they shall have little .... We'll take them, or sink, or cause them to fly, Before they shall drink Old England dry. 5 Old England is loyal, as we understand, They have rais'd the militia, likewise the train'd band (?) With a strong resolution, King George to stand by, Before they shall drink Old England dry. 6 So here's a good health to the Church, King and Crown, And to all loyal subjects that pull the French down, King George and his subjects will fight till they drop Before they shall drink Old England dry. Verse 2 starts "The French they are for landing in Ireland ...", the next "The French are for landing in England ..." |
Subject: ADD Version: Drink Old England Dry From: Joe Offer Date: 11 Sep 08 - 10:21 PM OK, so here's what I hear on the Dick Holdstock recording. I've known him for over ten years, and I still can't say I understand him completely. Dick says this is from a broadside, but I have known him to use his imagination at times. His scholarship is impeccable, but sometimes I can't tell when he's pulling my leg... -Joe- Drink Old England Dry Oh, drink round right, boys, and never give o'er; Drink round right, boys, as you have done before. Old Boney he has sent us a fresh reply, He swears that he will come and drink Old England Dry. (Chorus:) Aye dry, aye dry me boys, aye dry, He swears that he will come and drink old England dry. (last line of chorus repeats last line of each verse) Ofttimes, ofttimes, old Boney, he has said, If England would receive him, no taxes need be paid; We'd rather not believe him, for fear that he should lie, For fear that he should come and drink old England dry. Lord Collingwood, of high renown, Swore he'd fight for his king, his country, and his crown; His crown, king, and country, he will fight until he dies, He'll fight before they'll come and drink old England dry. And if we meet with the French all on the high seas, Ten thousand to one that we should not agree; But cannons they will rattle, and the bullets swiftly fly, Before that they should come and drink old England dry. transcribed by ear from the Holdstock and MacLeod album, Deepwater Return. |
Subject: ADD Version: Drink Old England Dry From: Dead Horse Date: 11 Sep 08 - 09:50 PM This was the "drinking-in song" of my old Morris side:- DRINK OLD ENGLAND DRY Come drink me brave boys, as I've told you before. Come drink me brave boys and we'll boldly call for more For the French they are invading and they say that they will try, will try. They say that they shall come and drink Old England dry Aye dry. Aye dry. me boys aye dry. They say that they shall come and drink Old England dry. Supposing that we should meet with the Prussians by the way. Ten thousand to one we will show them British play. With our swords and our cutlasses we'll fight until we die, we die. Before that they shall come and drink Old England dry Then up spake bold Wellington of fame and renown. He swore to be true to his country and his crown For those cannons they may rattle and the musket balls may fly, may fly. Before that they shall come and drink Old England dry Supposing we should meet with their fleet upon the main We have done so before and we can do so again We will shrink them we will sink them beneath the seas so high, so high. Before that they shall come and drink Old England dry Then it's drink me brave boys, as I've told you before. Come drink me brave boys 'till you cannot drink no more For those Frenchies they may boast brag, but their brags are all my eye, my eye. They say that they shall come and drink Old England dry. Here's a YouTube recording. -Joe- |
Subject: RE: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 11 Sep 08 - 09:14 PM In the index to vol. 3, 1828, the song is grouped under Bacchanalian by it's first line, "Since I'm named for a song," rather than "Drink Old England Dry," the title in the text, p. 104. One must search both the title and first line in the indexes to The Universal Songster. |
Subject: Lyr. Add: Drink Old England Dry (Non-patriotic) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 11 Sep 08 - 08:54 PM DRINK OLD ENGLAND DRY Air- Lunuun is the Devil (Bryant) 1 Since I'm named for a song, First I'll wet my throttle, Come, waiter, don't be long, But bring another bottle; First, I'll toast my friends, Then my sweethearts pretty, And then, to make amends, I'll drink my comrades witty. Tooral loo, etc. 2 Here's to all those boys Who are so brisk and funny, Here's those who prompt new joys, And those that lend me money; Here's the jolly man, And may he ne'er grow thinner, For he, whene'er he can, Invites me to a dinner. Too ral loo, etc. 3 Here's to charming Bet, For she's a maid so jolly, And here's to lovely Let, And here's to plump-faced Molly And here's to Sukie Sly, Likewise to pale-faced Jenny, Who looks with roguish eye, And tells me I'm a ninny. Too ral loo, etc. 4 Now to lovely Nan, For she's the best of lasses, But not forgetting Fan, Who cheers me in my glasses; Fill to Lucy, dear, Who crowns my life with blisses, For she it is can cheer Each passion with her kisses. Too ral loo, etc. 5 Now a bumper toast, Fill the goblets- brimmers, For we will rule the roast Until sweet day-light glimmers; Fill, oh! fill my boys, All sorrow we defy, sirs, We'll taste of social joys, And drink Old England dry, sirs. Too ral loo, etc. The Universal Songster or Museum of Mirth: etc., 1828, vol. III, p. 104; Jones and Co., London, Temple of the Muses. Quite a different song from "Drink Old England Dry" of the Traditional Ballad Index and "Drink Little England Dry" at the Contemplator- Drink Little England Dry There are many versions of the 'patriotic' song, but so far I haven't found another of this song. |
Subject: ADD Version: Drink Old England Dry From: Joe Offer Date: 11 Sep 08 - 06:05 PM This page has the version that's printed in The Folk Handbook, pp 97-98 (Backbeat Books, 2007) Drink Old England Dry (as sung by Will Noble and John Cocking) Now, come my brave boys, as I've told you before. Come drink, my brave boys, and we'll boldly call for more, For the French have invited us and they say that they will try, will try, They say that they will come and drink old England dry. (Chorus:) Aye dry, aye dry me boys, aye dry, They say that they will come and drink old England dry. (last line of chorus repeats last line of each verse) Supposin' we should meet with the Germans by the way, Ten thousand to one, we will show them British play. With our swords and our cutlasses, we'll fight until we die, we die, Before that they shall come and drink old England dry. Then up spake bold Churchill, of fame and renown, He swears he'll be true to his country and his crown. For the cannon they will rattle and the bullets they will fly, will fly, Before that they shall come and drink old England dry. Then it's come my brave boys as I've told you before, Come drink my brave boys 'til you can not drink no more. For those Germans they may boast and shout but their brags are all my eye, my eye. They say that they will come and drink old England dry. Notes:
The song was adopted by the men of Haxey in Lincolnshire, where each spring they play a game across muddy fields with a leather ball called a 'Hood'. The game lasts all day and then at nightfall songs are sung by the 'boggins' in the local pub. It was from the Haxey Hood singers that Will and John learned the song. Song transcribed by John Howson Song notes: John Howson, Will Noble & John Cocking |
Subject: DTStudy: Drink Old England Dry From: Joe Offer Date: 11 Sep 08 - 05:47 PM This is an edited DTStudy thread, and all messages posted here are subject to editing and deletion. This thread is intended to serve as a forum for corrections and annotations for the Digital Tradition song named in the title of this thread. Search for other DTStudy threadsI heard Holdstock and MacLeod sing this at their CD release concert last week, and they sang a lot more verses that the two I found in the Digital Tradition. I wonder if we can find other versions with more verses than what we have. Except for one word that I've crossed out, the DT version is a transcription of what you'll find in Peter Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain and Ireland, #270: DRINK OLD ENGLAND DRY Now come, me brave boys, as I've told you before Come drink, me brave boys, and we'll boldly call for more For the French they've invited us and they say that they will try Will try They say that they will come and drink old England dry Aye, dry, aye dry, me boys, aye, dry They say they will come Supposin' we should meet with the Germans by the way Ten thousand to one we will show them British play With our swords and our cutlasses, we'll fight until we die We die Before that they shall come and drink old England dry From Folksongs of Britain and Ireland, Kennedy Collected from Rowland Whitehead, 1953 @drink filename[ DRNKENGL TUNE FILE: DRNKENGL CLICK TO PLAY RG apr96 Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song: Drink Old England DryDESCRIPTION: Singer calls on his companions to drink, for the English are at war with the French (Germans, Russians). The singer vows to show the enemy "British play": "We'll fight until we die/Before that they shall come and drink old England dry."AUTHOR: unknown EARLIEST DATE: 1890 (Rev. J. Broadwood, "Sussex Songs") LONG DESCRIPTION: Singer calls on his companions to drink, for the English are at war with the French (Germans, Russians). The singer vows to show the enemy "British play"; "With our swords and with our cutlasses, We'll fight until we die/Before that they shall come and drink old England dry." A national hero (Lord Raglan, Lord Roberts, Churchill) swears he shall be true to his country and crown, and that cannons will rattle and bullets fly before they drink old England dry KEYWORDS: promise fight violence war drink France Germany Russia nonballad patriotic ritual FOUND IN: Britain(England(South,North)) REFERENCES (4 citations): Kennedy 270, "Drink Old England Dry" (1 text, 1 tune) Browne-Hampshire, pp. 43-45, "Drink Old England Dry" (1 text, 1 tune) DallasCruel, pp. 148-149, "Drink Old England Dry" (1 text, 1 tune) DT, DRNKENGL* Roud #882 RECORDINGS: Rowland Whitehead & chorus, "Drink Old England Dry" (on FSB8) NOTES [273 words]: Anne Gilchrist dates the original of this song to the time of the Napoleonic Wars. It was sung by a group known as The Boggens who would go around the village of Haxey (Lincolnshire) during the week preceding the day of the Hood Game, a combat ritual game. - PJS The Napoleonic date is of course possible, but I personally think it's older. The British have, of course, fought the French for as long as both nations existed. But the reference in Kennedy's text to fighting the *Germans* "with our swords and our cutlasses" argues against such a date -- and postponing to the World Wars hardly helps. Personally, I'd guess (very tentatively) that this dates to one of the "Succession Wars" of the eighteenth century. During the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748), for instance, Britain was allied with Austria against France (e.g. Battle of Dettingen, 1743), and sometimes Prussia (which started the war, then backed out, then went back in). It therefore fits the situation better than the Napoleonic era. The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713) doesn't fit quite as well, since the German states were mostly on the same side as England in opposing France -- but it has the advantage of bringing in a Churchill before Winston (and note that the Kennedy text does not refer to *Winston* Churchill, merely "Churchill"): The Duke of Marlborough's name was John Churchill. This, of course, is not to deny that the song could be adapted to later wars, as in the version collected by Cecil Sharp, which was adapted to the Crimean War by the insertion of Lord Raglan (the British commander on the Black Sea front) into the song. - RBW Last updated in version 5.0 File: K270 Go to the Ballad Search form Go to the Ballad Index Instructions The Ballad Index Copyright 2020 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle. |
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