Song about the Thames River

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 02 Dec 12 - 11:43 PM

G'day Good Soldier Schweik,

You have the tale of the original poem "A Pub Without Beer" and its WW II origin, in Ingham, down well.

Another point might be made about the tune ( ... set by Gordon Parsons ... ?) sounding suspiciously like the 'A' part of "Beautiful Dreamer".

Unfortunately, the Australian end of commercial songs of a "country / rural" market have always cleaved to American C & W models ... including the concept that copyright is owned by last brazen thief ... and extorted by Big Business.

Regard(les)s,

Bob

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: Bert
Date: 02 Dec 12 - 05:25 PM

Wouldn't The Eton Boating Song qualify?

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST,Laura
Date: 02 Dec 12 - 01:17 PM

Does anyone have the chord sequence for Rolling Up, Rolling Down the River by Jack Forbes?

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Nov 12 - 03:33 AM

more thread creep.
Lyrics for the song

Oh it's-a lonesome away from your kindred and all

By the campfire at night we'll hear the wild dingoes call
But there's-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear
Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer

Now the publican's anxious for the quota to come
And there's a far away look on the face of the bum
The maid's gone all cranky and the cook's acting queer
Oh what a terrible place is a pub with no beer

Then the stockman rides up with his dry dusty throat
He breasts up to the bar and pulls a wad from his coat
But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer
As the barman says sadly the pub's got no beer

Then the swaggie comes in smothered in dust and flies
He throws down his roll and rubs the sweat from his eyes
But when he is told, he says what's this I hear
I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer

Now there's a dog on the v'randa, for his master he waits
But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates
He hurries for cover and he cringes in fear
It's no place for a dog 'round a pub with no beer

And old Billy the blacksmith, the first time in his life
Why he's gone home cold sober to his darling wife
He walks in the kitchen, she says you're early Bill dear
But then he breaks down and tells her the pub's got no beer

Oh it's hard to believe that there's customers still
But the money's still tinkling in the old ancient till
The wine buffs are happy and I know they're sincere
When they say they don't care if the pub's got no beer

So it's-a lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night we'll hear the wild dingoes call
But there's-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear
Than to stand in the bar of that pub with no beer
        













Category: Taylors Arm

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Nov 12 - 03:31 AM

sorry about thread creep about pub with no beer, the song was originally a poem by dan sheehan,[bert] the words are quota not quarter, some info about the actual pub.

The song made Slim Dusty an international star, but the famous words have humble beginnings in an old Ingham pub called the Day Dawn. And the history lives on today through the Lee's Hotel

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During World War II, the Day Dawn Hotel in Ingham was a popular spot, and not just with locals.

The small town was the first night's stop for convoys of thirsty American soldiers travelling from Townsville to Cairns and Darwin.

And if it wasn't for those soldiers drinking the Day Dawn dry one evening in 1943, the iconic Aussie song "A Pub With No Beer" would never have been recorded by Slim Dusty, it would never have gone gold, and would never have become internationally renowned.

Lee's Hotel now stands where the Day Dawn once did, and publican Mark Doyle says the story of the infamous pub began the following day, with a poem by local Irish-born farmer Dan Sheahan.

"Dan came in from a small area called Long Pocket and was told by the then publican, 'We've run out of beer'," Mark explains. "He was quite a prolific Irish poet and he sat in the corner with a warm glass of wine and penned the poem 'A pub without beer'."

The Harvey family were the publicans at the time, and the family still owns the Station Hotel in Ingham. "Dulcie Harvey who runs the Station Hotel now still recalls the day her mum Gladys actually told Dan that the pub had run out of beer," Mark says.

The poem was published in The North Queensland Register, and about 12 years later Gordon Parsons found the verses.

He added his own characters, set it to music and his friend Slim Dusty recorded it as a b-side in 1957.

As the song became an international success, controversy grew over the identity of the pub.

"The controversy is where the song was written versus where the poem was written I suppose," Mark Doyle explains.

"The actual poem was written here in Ingham, and that poem was then translated into the song some years later down in a pub in New South Wales, [whose owners] also claimed the same fame."

The Taylor's Arms Hotel was Gordon Parson's local, and according to the pub's website it's the one that ran out of beer.

"But of course Slim Dusty mentions in his book Walk a Country Mile that this is the pub that the song came from," Mark Doyle says.

"Of course there's the New South Wales/Queensland rivalry that always occurs. But we know this one's the right one, as do the family of Dan Sheahan, and there's quite a few of them around town here in Ingham," he says.

Controversy aside, Mark says the original Day Dawn Hotel was a typical western-style pub. It was a Queenslander-style hotel, with hitching rails and swinging doors out the front.

"It was very popular back then with one cold beer on tap and that was about it, apart from a bit of warm wine that Dan had to have," Mark laughs.

The Day Dawn replaced the Telegraph Hotel, which was built on the site in the late 1800s. Then the Day Dawn was eventually demolished, and Rupert Lee built a new pub in its place: Lee's Hotel.

"[Rupert Lee's] whole family was in town and he owned a number of stores and built a couple of buildings around the town as well."

The current publicans Mark and Belinda Doyle have owned Lee's Hotel for three and a half years, after moving up from Melbourne.

"We saw this one and thought it a great opportunity for us to develop and to modernise it to what it is now, and it'll continue to go that way.

"We're proud of the fact that it's the original pub with no beer and that the Sheahan family come in here regularly."

Mark Doyle says it's currently going through a refurbishment phase. He and his wife have fitted a new wine and cocktail bar and the restaurant out the back is empty for renovations.

"It's more your 1960s style of hotel that's going through this phase of modernisation," Mark says.

Not long after the Doyles took over in 2005 the pub was named as a National Trust Queensland Icon.

"We elected for the Sheahan family to go down and pick up the award, which is fantastic given the history that they have in creating the icon status that it is," Mark says.

But should visitors be concerned that the Lee's Hotel might actually run out of beer again?

"I've sworn now that we'll never run out of beer," Mark says. "There was a flood about two years ago and the

International Hotel in Giru was looking at running out of beer. I was almost tempted to supply them with some so they couldn't take my story away from me," he laughs.

So it seems the pub with no beer will always have beer - or perhaps a glass of warm wine for budding Irish poets.
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Topics: history

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Nov 12 - 03:21 AM

bert, its quota[ meaning beer]in pub with no beer not quarter.

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST,Dean
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 03:54 PM

Rivers by Frank Turner - not specifically about the Thames, more all British Rivers, but one line specifically mentions The Thames in the second verse

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Nov 12 - 10:20 AM

This poem by Cicely Fox Smith is a tribute to the River Thames or "London River" as she calls it:

The Oldest Thing in London

A thousand landmarks perish,
A hundred streets grow strange;
With all the dreams they cherish
They go the ways of change;
But, whatso towers may tumble,
And whatso bridges fall,
And whatso statues crumble
Of folk both great and small,
The Oldest Thing in London he changes not at all.

The shoutings of the foeman,
The groanings of the slain,
The galley of the Roman,
The longship of the Dane,
The warring of the nations,
The judgment of the Lord
On heedless generations
In plague and fire and sword,
The Oldest Thing in London has known them and endured.

When London wall was builded
And London stone was new,
When first Paul's spire rose gilded
And gleaming in the blue,
Ere Holbein yet was christened,
When no one dreamed of Wren,
And clear the Ty-bourne glistened
And the Fleet was seen of men
The Oldest Thing in London was not much younger then.

New Londons rise like bubbles,
Like bubbles break and pass,
Or some dark dream that troubles
A wizard's magic glass;
A little while they hustle
And glitter in the sun,
And feast and fret and bustle
And chaffer, and have done –
The Oldest Thing in London he sees them every one.

No stones so strong to weather
Sun's heat or winter's blast
But time and man together
May tear them down at last;

The toughest rafters moulder,
The stoutest beams decay,
But he seems little older
From day to changing day –
The Oldest Thing in London that passes not away.

Each day to her, his daughter,
On each returning tide
He brings as first he brought her
Her dower of wealth and pride;
Twice daily, now as ever
At London's feet is laid
By London's ancient river
The burthen of her trade
By London's ancient river –
Way-hay, you London River!
The Oldest Thing in London, whereby was London made!


Notes from The Complete Poetry of Cicely Fox Smith, p. 450:

From Here and There in England with the Painter Brangwyn, by Cicely Fox Smith, a limited edition published by F. Lewis, Leigh-on-Sea, UK, © 1945, pp. 18-19, with excellent color plates and is one of her better travel books; published earlier in Sailor's Delight in 1931.

The words imply they were written during World War 1 when the London River, as the poet called the Thames, was a target for many bombs and the scene of much destruction. It is interesting to note that this book was published in large format at a time (or very soon after) of severe paper rationing.

To those unfamiliar with London, "Paul's spire" is the dome of St. Paul's cathedral designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Ty-bourne (nowadays Tyburn) and Fleet are tributary rivers of the Thames. Holbein was Court painter to the late Tudor monarchs of England.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST,tony
Date: 16 Nov 12 - 08:47 AM

i ve just completed the thames path from the barrier to the source and making a video which will run for about two hours.

i need music suggestions please

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST,John B
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 04:36 AM

Guest With No Name is correct - I also repeat - 'Dear River Thames' was written and sung by Miss Accreditation, aka Richard Digance.

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 04:12 PM

I repeat Ralph did not write or perform Dear River Thames. Google search results are because he is erroneously credited as having done so. I suggest you don't believe everything you Google.

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 07:40 AM

To GUEST 14th February 06.51am..... Suggest you google Dear River Thames Ralph McTell.... and you have my answer...... I don't tend to invent things!!!!!

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST,Henryp
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 07:37 AM

From The Humours of Whiskey

What'll make the lame walk, what will make the dumb talk,
The elixir of life and philospher's stone
And what helped Mr. Brunel to build the Thames Tunnel
Wasn't it poteen from ould Inishowen

So stick to the cratur' the best thing in nature
For sinking your sorrows and raising your joys
Oh lord, it's no wonder, if lightning and thunder
Weren't made from the plunder of poteen me boys.

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: IanC
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 07:33 AM

The Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset" ... a nice poem about the river and its environs.

:-)

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST,Henryp
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 07:26 AM

If you're prepared to include London's docklands, Ratcliffe Highway reflects sailors' lives ashore too.

Ratcliffe Highway

As I was a-walking down London,
From Wapping to Ratcliffe Highway,
I chanced to pop into a gin-shop,
To spend a long night and a day.

The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs, eds Ralph Vaughan Williams & A.L. Lloyd, Penguin, 1959.

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 02:06 AM

Rod Shearman also wrote (and sings on 'Off to sea again') a song that could be almost any river but fits the Thames - 'That old river'.

I have also written one, about Rod Shearman, called 'The Shantyman's gone', to the tune of 'Searching for lambs' which mentions the London river...

LTS

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 12:49 AM

Re RosemaryLane/RagFair - pl see new thread I have started on this, "Going To Rag Fair".

Subject: ADD: London River
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 12:44 AM

LONDON RIVER

London River, oh the London River
All the love I have I'll give her
London River, oh the London River
That's the river for me

First time that I set my eyes upon her
Tell no lie, upon my honour
Sights and sounds that made my heart a-shiver
Then I saw her on the London River-oh

London River, oh the London River
All the love I have I'll give her
London River, oh the London River
That's the river for me

Signed to my master in the 1930s
The hours were long and the work was dirty
Out in the indies where the Rum is brewed
Had me a drop and got me kidneys too

London River, oh the London River
All the love I have I'll give her
London River, oh the London River
That's the river for me

(Instr. Verse -- Violin)

Signed for a while on the old rasover
Some of them stewards they'll blow you over
Lipstick and Makeup, and all that muck,
Walk like a woman and they call you duck

London River, oh the London River
All the love I have I'll give her
London River, oh the London River
That's the river for me

First time that I set my eyes upon her
Tell no lie, upon my honour
Sights and sounds that made my heart a-shiver
Then I saw her on the London River-oh

London River, oh the London River
All the love I have I'll give her
London River, oh the London River
That's the river for me

Cheers

bugsy

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 10:00 PM

Rosemary Lane, acc to a note in World's Classics edition of Smollett's 'Roderick Random' [1748], was the location of the original so-named 'Rag Fair'("a squalid place of evil reputation").

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: Mrs Wickham
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 04:40 PM

Dave Rickard wrote a song about the sinking of the SS Princess Alice in 1878 (when she sank, not when he wrote it)

Chorus was;

When the Princess Alice sank in Barking reach
Six hundred and thirty died together
Not all had been drowned as the coroner found
Some were poisoned by the black stinking river...

sorry, can't remember the rest, don't know if anyone else knows of it?

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: Leadfingers
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 09:08 AM

I sang 'Sweet Thames Flow Softly ' last night , in memory of a trip on a Thames River boat in February 2008 .

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 06:44 PM

In Rosemary Lane by the river, in Rosemary Lane we were friends, in Rosemary Lane became lovers, in Rosemary Lane by the Thames - written by Bob Kirkpatrick (Sunray FC).

Kitty

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 06:51 AM

Hi all,

Georgiansilver = Ralph has never sung Dear River Thames.

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST,Silas
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 05:18 AM

Sweet Thames Flow Softy - lovley McColl song, sung best by Heidi Talbot with Cherish the Ladies.

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST,Henryp
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 05:13 AM

ROSEMARY LANE

When I was in service in the Rosemary Lane,
I won the good will of my master and dame.
Till a sailor came there one night to lay;
That was the beginning of my misery.

In his Book of British Ballads, Roy Palmer says, 'Rosemary Lane was a thoroughfare near London Docks renowned for its street stalls. (It is now called Royal Mint Street.)'

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Feb 10 - 12:23 PM

trying to find music to london river.........sang at school

from the cotswolds to the chilterns

from your fountains and your springs

flow down o london river to the sea gulls silver wings


anyone?

Subject: RE: Song about the Thames River
From: GUEST,Katycarr.com
Date: 13 Feb 10 - 05:19 AM

I really need the lyrics for lighterman tom song - can anybody help?
email me please at info at katycarr dot com

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 03:22 PM

Bob Roberts also sang "Stormy Weather, Boys" which starts with the barge in the Surrey Dock and goes down the river and the estuary, with a series of comical and scurrilous episodes, ending in Yarmouth.

Richard

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 20 Jan 10 - 04:15 PM

Thought it was, many thanks JB.

CC

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: BB
Date: 20 Jan 10 - 03:48 PM

'Thames Lighterman' by Alisdair Clayre, recorded by Cockersdale. There's also a tune called 'The Thames Hornpipe' but that may be no good, and a song called 'The Thames Flowed Proudly to the Sea', which sounds promising until you realise that it was written by Robert Burns, therefore is saying how much better a Scottish river is! There's the Charles Dibden's 'The London Waterman' which Bob Roberts and Peter Bellamy recorded, and 'Tuppence to London Bridge', which seems to be a series of floating nursery-rhyme type verses linked by a chorus about travelling on the Thames. Also 'Limehouse Reach' by Cicely Fox-Smith, tune by Dave Webber.

That should give him a few.

Barbara

Subject: RE: Songs about the Thames River
From: GUEST,John B
Date: 19 Jan 10 - 05:19 PM

'Dear River Thames' was written and sung by Miss Accreditation, aka Richard Digance.

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 19 Jan 10 - 02:09 PM

Georgiansilver

You're right and I have a recording of it by RD. have searched the web but can't find who it is credited to though.

I have an old double cassette recording by transatlantic where the song is stated as being sung by Ralph but it is actually Richard singing it.

My apologies for the previous post! the typing wasn't meant to have sounded that way.

Ralph is indeed my favourite singer songwriter and I have most of his stuff (except for the early stuff that was nicked from the boot of my old Capri in Plymouth).

If this thread goes on a bit maybe someone will enlighten us as to who wrote it.

Regards

CC

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: GUEST,John from Kemsing
Date: 19 Jan 10 - 09:40 AM

"The Barge John Bayly" by Tony Franklin. I believe "Elsie`s Band" have recorded it.

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Mr Red
Date: 19 Jan 10 - 06:02 AM

ARGH!
I posted here and it got lost in the fog. The info is here now anyway.

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 19 Jan 10 - 02:02 AM

Commander Crabbe... all I know is that Ralphie sung it!.. Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Nick
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 07:34 PM

If London Bridge fell down might it not end up in Arizona?

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Alan Day
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 06:40 PM

Thanks Dave
So much to learn
Al

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 05:37 PM

Forgive me if I'm wrong but wasn't "Dear River Thames" written by Richard Digance.

CC

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Bert
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 02:17 PM

You're right Dave, as in Pub with no beer,

The Publican's anxious for the quarter to come.

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: GUEST,Dave Hunt
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 12:28 PM

From Alan above -
'...or I forget me beer me lads or the Landlords quart a day'

********************

I think you'll find that should be Quarter Day -
The Quarter Days are the traditional days in English law when rent payments become due. These are important to landlords as it is still the practice today that commercial rents become due on the quarter days, quarterly in advance.

Subject: Lyr Add: ROLLING DOWN THE RIVER (ROLLING UP...)
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 11:29 AM

Rolling Down the River
(Rolling Up, Rolling Down)


I once was a rigger & I worked like hell
Rolling up, rolling down
But now I'm working with the OCL
And go rolling down the river

Rolling up, rolling down,
We'll all get drunk in Tilbury Town
In twenty four hours we'll turn around
And go rolling down the river

The work is good and the wages fine
When you take a trip on a container line

The cargo comes in TEUs
That's a twenty-foot box boys filled with booze

When I first saw a TEU
I wondered where they stored the crew

There's a Tilbury girl called Kettle Jane,         
First on the boil then off again,               

She's got a friend called Teapot Anne
When she's well brewed she'll take a man

Those Tilbury girls go round in pairs
You'll never catch them unawares

But at the dockyard gates when the work is done
You can pick 'em up boys, one by one

© Jack Forbes 1982

I wrote and recorded the song 'Rolling down the River' in 1982 for a radio programme
about Tilbury Docks. It has since been used in an Educational Drama production,
a Folk Theatre presentation and also as a Morris Dance, as well as being sung all over the world.
It can be heard wherever there are shanty sessions at folk festivals and festivals of the sea.
There is an American version and a Polish version (sung of course in Polish).

                

If you have any comment about this site please contact [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 11:25 AM

Just remembered Elton Johns.. 'Across The River Thames'

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 11:24 AM

Ralph McTell... 'Dear River Thames'

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 09:15 AM

Leaving London (Tom Paxton)

Tomorrow's Thames Tide (Bryn Pugh)

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Alan Day
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 09:02 AM

Not sure what happened to my last posting so here it is again

In the song 10000 Miles away the verse goes

If the sun should shine through a London Fog
or the Thames should run quite clear
or the ocean's brine be turned to wine or I forget me beer
or I forget me beer me lads or the Landlords quart a day
Before I forget me own true love ten thousand miles away

Al

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Nick
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 07:11 AM

Waterloo Sunset

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 07:07 AM

If London Bridge DID fall down it would end up in the Thames - Will that do?

:D (eG(

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 06:21 AM

The Bows of London

Grey Cock: "The burning Thames I have to cross"

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 06:14 AM

Old Father Thames, preferably sung by Peter Dawson. ;-)

Subject: RE: Song abut the Thames River
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 05:52 AM

London River by Rod Shearman.
Sweet Thames, Flow Softly by Ewan McColl.