Barrel Songs

Subject: Barrel Songs
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:19 AM

Mention of The Unthanks Tar Barrel in Dale makes me ask myself - how many other barrel songs are there? Off the top of my weary head I can think of...

1) Bring Us a Barrel
2) Roll Out the Barrel
3) Barrel of Nails (Ivor Cutler)
4) - er -
5) That's it.

Any more???

Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 04:48 AM

Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money.... (Side By Side, by Harry Woods)

Another good one was recorded by Pete Seeger: Barrel of Money Blues (Empty Pocket Blues)

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:43 AM

Does The Sick Note count?

Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 05:45 AM

I see that one's offically called:

WHY PADDY'S NOT AT WORK TODAY (Excuse Note)

Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: breezy
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 06:38 AM

'Barley Mow'

Barrel, the arf barrel,
gallon the arf gallon,
quart pot
pint pot
arf a pint
nippikin etc the etc

Good luck to the Barley Mow

happy Christmas

snow in The South east of England and Terry has left the building

Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: Susan of DT
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 06:52 AM

72 hits on barrel in the DT

Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 07:26 AM

Much of the action in the song "Campbell The Rover (Drover)" concerns a barrel.

Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 10:02 AM

In several Child ballad analogues cited in the notes [to e.g. 'Young Waters'#94], a malefactor is agonisingly executed by being dragged along or rolled downhill in a barrel pierced by spikes or nails. The following stanza #8 actually occurs in #194, 'The Laird of Wariston', version B:

Word has gane to her father, the grit Dunipace,
And an angry man was he;
Cries, Gar mak a barrel of pikes,
And row her down some lea!

Not sure if this can be cited a a song - Bronson gives no tune for it. But presumably all the Child ballads will have been sung at some time, even if no tune attributed to some of them has survived?

Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 19 Dec 09 - 06:18 AM

Thanks all; I am truly heartened by the response. Mustn't forget songs about Coopers either. Digitrad comes up with The Wee Cooper of Fife (Child #277) and The Cooper of Dundee - both charming wee songs. And I wonder could the kilderkin Phil Tanner sings of in his Gower Wassail be some sort a barrel too? You know, I think it just might...