Lyr Add: 25th of February.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE 25TH OF FEBRUARY
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 06:43 PM

From the songbook of Malcomb Clapp (of Sydney, when last heard of.) You'd have to ask him where he got it from. The Young Tradition?

The 25th of February.

On the 25th of February, the weather being clear.
we spied seven sail of Turkish men-o-war, belonging to Algier.
chorus.
To-me-right-fol-leatherol, right-fol-leatherol, right-fol-leatherol day,
Rol-the-diddle-day, rol-the diddle-day, to me right-fol-leatherol-day.

Now, the very first ship that a-come alongside, it was a/the Pink so clear,
commanded by the Big Pasha, belonging to Algier.
ch.
Now, the very next hull that come alongside, it was the Rose and Crown,
We fired a broadside into her, and so quickly she went down.
ch.
And the very last ship that come alongside, it was the Harp and Lyre,
We poured our fire-buckets into her, and she quickly took upon fire.
ch.
Well, two we sunk, and two we burned, and two, they run away,
and one we towed to Plymouth town, to show we'd won the day!
ch.
And if anybody should enquire to know our captain's name,
his name is Thomas Carpenter, from Bristol town he came.
ch.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 25th of February.
From: Dead Horse
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 07:13 PM

This is in the DT as The Royal Oak
It is more often called The 23rd of February in these parts.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 25th of February.
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 07:51 PM

I learned this forty years ago as "The Twenty-Fourth of February."

But what's in a date?

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 25th of February.
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 07:54 PM

DH, I'd never heard this variant before Malcomb taught it to us, though I'd sung that one in the DT. This has an entirely different tune, in march time, but I agree it is one of the Royal Oak family.

Folk Process rules OK.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 25th of February.
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 07:57 PM

Years ago this was the song that, IIRC, June Tabor used to introduce as her Turk-duffing song.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 25th of February.
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 08:01 PM

Bob, I'd remembered it as the 24th, but consulted my songbook to be as accurate as poss. What's in a date? Sometimes you get lucky!

Malcolm and I and John Jones had a short-lived group called Tiddley-Pom-Pom-Pom. You have to be Britons in Australasia to get the full flavour of that name.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 25th of February.
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Nov 12 - 05:18 PM

Which one was the tiddley Pom, or were you all tiddley?