Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?

Subject: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: GUEST,SarahM
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 04:26 PM

I fell in with a nest of drunken morris men two weeks ago, in a pub in Durham, and there was drinking of cider followed by singing.

One man sang a song which (in my half-cut state) intrigued me, but I can only remember the lyrics thus:

"...that's why parliament must opposed be..."
and
"...I'm going to shoot the Duke of Wellington..."

I've been googling those phrases but have probably set off all the terrorism alerts at GCHQ.

Any ideas? Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 04:33 PM

Here you are

Coopes Boyes and Simpson sing it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: GUEST,SarahM
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 04:41 PM

Oh fantastic! Thank you so much, that's exactly it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 11:03 PM

From Chapter 12 of "Notices of My Life and Times" by Benjamin Gregory, in Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine (London: Sept., 1890), page 692:


The tract of country then included within the Belper Circuit had been for twenty years, from the days of the Luddites, a focus of popular discontent and the head-quarters of organized conspiracy. One of three men executed at Derby for high treason had been the ablest Local-preacher in the Circuit. A near relative of the two principal Methodist families in Belper, as well as a relative of another highly respectable family with which I became familiar, had been at the same time and for implication in the same offence, condemned to penal servitude. I was on the best terms with the two leading politicians of the place. These were the republican freethinker who kept the principal circulating library,—whose leisurely business made him very communicative with his customers on current and recent politics,—and Mr. Palmer, at once the most popular Local-preacher and the most effective street-orator of the district. The favourite street-song of young Belper was:

'The Levelution is begun,
So I'll go home and get my gun.
And shoot the Duke of Wellington.'

'The Levelution' (a significant and sinister corruption of Revolution).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 12:05 AM

The following lines are quoted several times in "Trial of Jeremiah Brandreth for High Treason, A. D. 1817," "Trial of William Turner for High Treason, A. D. 1817," "Trial of Isaac Ludlam the Elder for High Treason, A. D. 1817," and "Trial of George Weightman for High Treason, A. D. 1817" in A Complete Collection of State Trials and Proceedings for High Treason and Other Crimes and Misdemeanors, Volume 32 compiled by T. B. Howell and Thomas Jones Howell (London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green et al., 1824) page 554:


Every man his skill must try,
He must turn out and not deny.
No bloody soldiers must he dread;
He must turn out and fight for bread.
The time is come you plainly see,
When government opposed must be.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: GUEST,Meggly
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 09:26 AM

It's not clear to me from the link provided whether Boyes wrote the lyrics for this. His name and no reference to trad implies that he did. Further confusing me are the snippets of song quoted by historical records. They are not quite the same as the lyrics quoted on the Coops, Boyes and Simpson website and there seems to be a verse missing.

Was there an original song that was re-jigged by Boyes, or am I missing something (i.e. getting confused)?

Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 09:06 PM

The verse quoted by Jim on 5 August comes from (or was included in) 'Nottingham Captain' by Bill Prince, sung by Roy Bailey on 'Rhythm & Reds' (1994), one of my all-time favourite albums. No idea who Bill Prince is, or was, though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: GUEST,Georgina Boyes
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:12 AM

It's really two songs put together - "Brandreth's Complaint" - words traditional/music John Tams and "The Levelution" words Jim Boyes/music trad. It's part of the song cycle, "Where You Belong" which the town of Belper commissioned from Coope Boyes & Simpson to celebrate the past, present and future of the people of Belper at the Millennium. As well as writing new songs, the band researched the traditional music of the area and when Jim found the rhyme "The levelution is begun..." he included it in a longer song, set it all to "Over the Hills and Far Away" and Barry added "Brandreth's Complaint" to the start.

"Brandreth's Complaint" was written at the time of the 'Pentrich Revolution" when stockingers and other unemployed workers in the area set off to march on Parliament to win better conditions during the deep recession of 1817 after the Napoleonic Wars.
Apparently they were betrayed by "Oliver", a agent provocateur working for the government and only got a few miles into their journey when they were met and routed by dragoons. The rising was punished with great severity. Jeremiah Brandreth was convicted of high treason, hanged and beheaded.

Georgina

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: theleveller
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:36 AM

It's a fantastic song. There's a bizarre (double) synchronicity here. The other day I was vaguely researching a story line for a novel I'm thinking of writing which features an agent provocateur recently returned fron the Napoleonic wars, and immediately came up with the story of Oliver, which is very close to what I had in my mind. Now, out of the blue, this thread comes up - weird!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: GUEST,Steve Harrison
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 03:57 AM

Bill Prince (still) is an English singer, guitarist and song writer. His web page is at http://www.billprince.co.uk/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parliament must opposed be?
From: GUEST,Bloke in Groucho Mask
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 04:13 AM

Ironic that for many, Brexit speaking, it has come to the point where Parliament must oppose the "people."

Just an observation....