Lyr Req: Tough Old Town (John Conolly & Bill Meek)

Subject: Lyr Req: Tough Old Town
From: Darlodave
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 03:01 AM

Anyone provide me with the lyrics please for above song by Conolly and Meek, again have the cd to which they are on but always difficult to pick up.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tough Old Town
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 03:54 AM

Hi, Dave -
I think it's also on a CD by the Sheringham Shantymen called All At Sea. If nobody responds, let me know, and I'll download that version and give a try at a transcription.
Why don't you type up what you can figure out and post it here?

-Joe-

Subject: Lyr Add: TOUGH OLD TOWN (John Conolly & Bill Meek)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 04:45 AM

OK, here's my attempt, such as it is. I couldn't find a John Conolly recording, but it's supposed to be on his Northern Trawl CD, and on another called By Humber's Brown Water. This page says it's also in a songbook called The Singing River by John Conolly & Bill Meek.

TOUGH OLD TOWN
(John Conolly & Bill Meek)

You're just a northern fishing town, beside a salty river,
A working town without much time for pride;
The North Sea's been your livelihood, you'll take her and you'll give her,
And the east wind washes 'round you like a tide.

CHORUS
And I can feel your reach to greet me, when I am homeward bound,
You lift me up when life has laid me down
My journey's end will always be where seagulls sing rough harmony,
And [cold skies] tumble to the sea beside this tough old town.

A haven for the mariner in wild or winter weather,
A market for a country man to share;
The farmer and the fisherman, it's here they came together,
To build a town with dreams of hope and care[??]
CHORUS

The gales that drowned a thousand men that time the town remembers,
We dried our tears and put to sea once more;
The streets that bear the flames of war have risen from the embers
This tough old town has seen it all before.
CHORUS

Today our trawlers rust away, a sad scrapyard reminder
Of fishing grounds forgotten and denied[??];
But all sea tides will turn again, you'll feel the winds grow kinder,
Our sons will sail again from Humberside.
CHORUS


transcribed by ear from the Sheringham Shantymen CD, All At Sea

So, is this a song about Hull? Goole?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tough Old Town
From: GUEST,Captain Swing
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 11:49 AM

It's about Grimsby

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tough Old Town
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 05:38 PM

Well, I got the transcription to the point where it more-or-less makes sense, but there are parts I'm not certain of. Can anybody suggest corrections?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tough Old Town
From: Cobble
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 08:04 PM

Joe this song is about Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

Cobble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tough Old Town
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 12:05 PM

Cobble, is Grimsby in Lincolnshire the same as the Grimsby at the mouth of the Humber? In my tour of Hull, I almost got as far as the mouth of the Humber. Wish I had - I understand there are a number of lighthouses there.

Any corrections to my transcription?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tough Old Town
From: GUEST,old git
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 01:01 PM

verse 1 line 3...your taker and your giver
line 4 the tide

chorus....you reach.....tall skies

verse2
wild and winter.....the countryman....bricks of hope and care

verse 3...are times the town remembers... the streets that felt the flames of war

verse4   ....your trawlers...
But North Sea tides will turn again,you'll feel the wind blow kinder.....your sons


small points....but these are from Bill and John's original words in   "The Singing River"



geoff t

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tough Old Town (John Conolly & Bill Meek)
From: GUEST,old git
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 06:33 AM

and yes Joe..it's the grimsby at the mouth of the Humber!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tough Old Town -- Chords
From: GUEST,Lloyd Fisher
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 03:24 PM

I know it's an old thread, but I really liked this song. So I think I came up with some working chords, in case anybody else wants to play along, here they are:

C                   Am                F               G
You're just a northern fishing town, beside a salty river,
C                Am                  F    G
A working town without much time for pride;
C                      Am             F                   G
The North Sea's been your livelihood, you'll take her and you'll give her,
C             Am               G
And the east wind washes 'round you like a tide.

CHORUS
F                Dm               G                  C
And I can feel your reach to greet me, when I am homeward bound,
F             Am/C                   G
You lift me up when life has laid me down
F          G7                     C               Am
My journey's end will always be where seagulls sing rough harmony,
F             Dm                   G             C
And cold skies tumble to the sea beside this tough old town.

C               Am         F               G
A haven for the mariner in wild or winter weather,
C                Am            F    G
A market for a country man to share;
C                      Am         F                   G
The farmer and the fisherman, it's here they came together,
C             Am               G
To build a town with dreams of hope and care

CHORUS
F                Dm               G                  C
And I can feel your reach to greet me, when I am homeward bound,
F             Am/C                   G
You lift me up when life has laid me down
F          G7                     C               Am
My journey's end will always be where seagulls sing rough harmony,
F             Dm                   G             C
And cold skies tumble to the sea beside this tough old town.

C                   Am                F               G
The gales that drowned a thousand men that time the town remembers,
C                Am                  F    G
We dried our tears and put to sea once more;
C                      Am             F                   G
The streets that bear the flames of war have risen from the embers
C             Am               G
This tough old town has seen it all before.

CHORUS
F                Dm               G                  C
And I can feel your reach to greet me, when I am homeward bound,
F             Am/C                   G
You lift me up when life has laid me down
F          G7                     C               Am
My journey's end will always be where seagulls sing rough harmony,
F             Dm                   G             C
And cold skies tumble to the sea beside this tough old town.

C                   Am             F               G
Today our trawlers rust away, a sad scrapyard reminder
C                Am               F    G
Of fishing grounds forgotten and denied
C                      Am             F                   G
But all sea tides will turn again, you'll feel the winds grow kinder,
C             Am               G
Our sons will sail again from Humberside.

CHORUS
F                Dm               G                  C
And I can feel your reach to greet me, when I am homeward bound,
F             Am/C                   G
You lift me up when life has laid me down
F          G7                     C               Am
My journey's end will always be where seagulls sing rough harmony,
F             Dm                   G             C
And cold skies tumble to the sea beside this tough old town.