Lyr Add: A Fal-De-Lal-Day (Chantey)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A Fal-De-Lal-Day (Chantey)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jul 11 - 12:54 PM

Youtube gives me the little dots going round and round for several minutes. I'll try again later.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A Fal-De-Lal-Day (Chantey)
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 20 Jul 11 - 12:39 AM

Hi,
You can get a sense of the song from my rendition, below.

Even though I was engaging Hugill's text (he also gives a version of this song, learned from a shipmate), musically speaking I followed Harlow's text because I thought it made more sense. (At the time, I was not trying to represent Hugill's [sometimes wrong] notations note-for-note.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW1H47Y3RzU

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A Fal-De-Lal-Day (Chantey)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 08:56 PM

Addition and correction:
While "Hanging Johnny had its melancholy tune, the new chantey, "A fal-de-lal-day," was decidedly humorous. The word 'fal-de-lal-day' fitting in at the most opportune time and usually kept us laughing because it was so ridiculously funny that when it was time for the first chorus, which was whistled by all, not half of the men could pucker sufficiently to whistle, -breaking up the song with loud bursts of laughter." Harlow, in commenting on the song.

My posting was incorrect because I paid no attention to the musical score and used only the text, which lacked the chorus. I apologise for my carelessness.

A-Fal-de-lal-day is in 6/8 time, Banks of Sacramento in 4/4.

1
I met a girl in Portland Street.
Chorus:-
I met a girl in Portland Street with her
Fal-de-lal-day, fal-de-lal-day,
fal-de-lal-lal-de-lal-de-lal-day.

The sweetest girl I chanced to meet.

The tunes of "A-fal...." and "Banks...." seem different to me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: A Fal-De-Lal-Day (Chantey)
From: Dead Horse
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 06:18 PM

Surely just another version of Banks Of The Sacremento?

Subject: Lyr Add: A Fal-De-Lal-Day (Chantey)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 06:11 PM

Lyr. Add A-FAL-DE-LAL-DAY

I met a girl in Portland Street,
The sweetest girl I chanced to meet.

Said I, "Young Miss, how do you do?"
Said she, "The worse for meeting you."

"Young Miss," said I, "I like your style."
Said she, "Young man, just wait awhile."

I took her hand and on we trod;
Said she, "Young man, you're rather odd."

And to her room, not far away,
She bade me call another day.

I put my arm around her waist;
Said she, "Young man, you show good taste."

I pulled her down upon my lap;
Said she, "You now deserve a slap."

Her ankle next, I placed my hand;
Said she, "For this I will not stand."

I pulled her dress above her knee;
Said she, "Young man, please let me be."

And why did I no further go?
Alas, her leg was cork, you know.

Sung while pumping, repeating each line "to make the chantey last longer."
With musical score.

Frederick Pease Harlow, 1928, The Making of a Sailor, Dover reprint of Publication number 17 of the Marine Research Society, Salem, MA.