Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)

Subject: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: GUEST,Pete Titchener
Date: 02 Aug 09 - 11:53 PM

A weird one I know.....

There once was a trio from Royal Tunbridge Wells called The Three Bums (Honestly!)

I'd like to copy a song they used to do called High Barbary (Unaccompanied)

So, here's my challenge..... does anyone have a) the lyrics and/or b) an MP3 of the song?

[e-mail]
(Australia)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: JesseW
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 10:03 PM

I'm surprised not to find it in the Digitrad, but *The Coasts of High Barbary* is an old ballad, to the tune of one of the Child ballads. I learned the tune from a filk (Science Fiction fandom parody) of it called "High Barratry" about the folks who tried to steal Linux. Regarding the original, there is more information (and a MIDI) on this page from
Lesley Nelson-Burns' (aka the Contemplator)'s Folk Music Site (WebCite copy). Hope this helps!

Jesse Weinstein

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: Amos
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 11:18 PM

If you mean the one that begins (in one form) "There were two lofty ships from old England, they came. low low, blow high! And so sailed we...." it has at least two tunes in this version of the words, and there are half a dozen cousins with slightly different words.

HIGH BARBAREE

There were two lofty ships, from old England came
Blow High! Blow low! And so sailed we,
One was the Prince o' Luther and the other Prince o' Wales.
Cruisin' down along the coast of the High Barbaree.

"Aloft, there, aloft!" our bully [jolly] bosun cried.
Blow highl Blow low! An' so sailed we!
"Look ahead, look astern, look to weather an' a-lee!"
All a-cruisin' down the coasts of the High Barbaree!

"Thcre's naught upon the starn, sir, there's naught upon the lee
But there's a lofty ship to wind'ard an' she's sailin' fast an' free"

"O hail her! O hail her!' our gallant cap'n cried,
Are you a man-o'-war or a privateer?" cried he.

"Oh, no I'm not a man-o'-war, nor privateer," cried he,
"But I'm a salt sea pirate, all a-lookin' for me fee!"
"For broadside, for broadside, a long time we lay,
Till at last the Prince o' Luther shot the plrate's mast away

"O quartcr! O quarter!' thosc pirates they did cry,
But the quarter that we gave 'em, was to sink 'em in the sea.

Note: Hugill gives two tunes: an older one, used as a forebitter, and
a faster one, used as a shanty. Both are supplied. RG
From several sources; tunes from Hugill
DT #412
Laws K33


It is in the Digital Tradition under "High Barbaree"

ww.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=2641

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: JesseW
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 11:22 PM

grumble. the lack of a sufficiently smart search of the digitrad rises again... ;-) Thanks, Amos.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: Rasener
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 04:37 AM

http://www.contemplator.com/england/barbary.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2q1GLOMPq0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6k8DHc4RA4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqti-G28egc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDYg0-kkAkU&feature=related

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: Amos
Date: 22 Apr 11 - 03:58 PM

Child notes there is an entry for July 31, 1590 of a ditty that was based upon a fight on "the fourth of June last" in the straits of Gibraltar between the George and the Thomas Bonaventure and eight galleys and three frigates. The correlation of the incident to the ballad cannot be confirmed as there were probably several ships named George.

The ballad was given new words and experienced a resurgence of popularity in America between the years of 1795 and 1815 - when Barbary pirates were attacking American ships. America (and most other nations) paid tribute to the pirates until the government took action in 1801. The pirates were not completely defeated until 1815.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jul 11 - 05:50 AM

Thanks for remebering the Three Bums. Brian Gibb double bass & vocals, Graham Woodhams guitar, banjo & vocals, Roy Gibb guitar, penny whistle & vocals. Great memories.
                                          Roy Gibb.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 04:54 PM

Great memories indeed - 3 bums at the Y Bar Tunbridge Wells a major part of my youth. Also remember Roy's fish!

Lisa Lawton

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 05:16 PM

How can a boat be called 'Prince of Luther"?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 10:16 PM

ship

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Jun 12 - 04:14 AM

Oh, and verse missing.

"It was a dreadful sight and it grieved our hearts full sore
To see them all a drowning as they tried to swim ashore"

Source - the recording on Saydisc.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jun 12 - 02:17 PM

they gave me a gig back around 1970

as it appens
Im at the Friday club this week in Orpington !

15th June 2012

At the Liberal Club Station Road

I took along colleague from school and had a great night
The boys had a very upbeat and friendly club

It was fun and frolics all the way

breezy

Subject: RE: Tune Req: High Barbary (The Three Bums - Kent)
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 05:37 AM

I remember The Three Bums well they were a great group. I used to own their cd but can no longer find it, I would love another copy if only I could find one.

Martin