Lyr Req: Somerset Fair

Subject: Lyr Req: Somerset Fair
From: Rivermusic
Date: 24 Jan 16 - 06:31 PM

Does anyone know the lyrics, or even better the chords as well, to an old song about a fair in Somerset and the various events that happen at it. The songs starts with the line 'Down in Somersetshire'. Later in the song it is implied that the vicar looks up a womans skirt and it ends with some chap called Sam Garvey climbing a greasy pole to get at a bacon that is on the top of it, but the pole falls down and he ends up sat on top of the bacon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Somerset Fair
From: GUEST,#
Date: 24 Jan 16 - 09:59 PM

http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Keith-Summers-Collection/025M-C1002X0032XX-0400V0

This is the song you want. It's done acapella.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Somerset Fair
From: Tradsinger
Date: 25 Jan 16 - 04:24 AM

Here it is again:

http://glostrad.com/somerset-fair/

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Somerset Fair
From: Rivermusic
Date: 25 Jan 16 - 10:49 AM

Thanks for being so helpful. Not sure my Yorkshire born and bred hearing has quite made sense of the Suffolk accent on the recording, but I think I am just about there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Somerset Fair
From: GUEST,#
Date: 25 Jan 16 - 10:59 AM

I'm Canadian and didn't understand anything :-), so I know the feeling.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Somerset Fair
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 25 Jan 16 - 11:03 AM

"This jolly song is surprisingly rare, having been collected once in Suffolk, once in Yorkshire and several times in Gloucestershire,
but curiously never in Somerset."

As a born and bred Scrumpyshire lad..

all I can say after listening to as much as bearable..
.. is no effin wonder.. both versions are diabolically shite... 😬

Subject: Lyr Add: SOMERSET FAIR
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Jan 16 - 04:37 PM

Lyrics copied from http://glostrad.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/239-Arthur-Ellaway-Somerset-Fair.pdf:


SOMERSET FAIR

1. Oh, way down in Somersetshire,
We had some wonderful doings last Saturday.
We had the annual fair.
All of them lads and them lasses were there.
Such fine doings you never did see.
Some of them bullocks were fatter than me.
There were lambs and sheep and rams,
Donkeys and pigs, and with our Bill my brother,
At Somerset Fair, derry-oh-rary,
At Somerset Fair, derry-oh-mare.
There were coconut shying
And young George kept on a-trying
To send them coconuts flying,
But 'e couldn't hit one, I declare.
'E picked up a ball just to aim at Aunt Sally,
But hit his Aunt Betsy in Somerset Fair.

2: Outside one of the shows
Some fellow cried out: "Have 'em on with the n****r,"
And Old Giles went up to fight.
Well, there'll be a stranger in heaven tonight.
Oh, the fat lady's show was a draw.
She was the fattest girl you ever saw.
She were plump, a lovely lump.
Twenty got killed in the rush for .....admission,
In Somerset Fair, derry-oh-lerry,
in Somerset Fair, derry-oh-there.
It were a penny to see her,
And it were twopence to squeeze her,
And it were fourpence to cuddle
And canoodle her, aye aye!
Old Ebenezer sold three of his bullocks,
But he's not come back yet now from Somerset Fair.

3. Oh the merry-go-rounds!
Abey kept treating his wife on the hosses,
And she fell, breaking her jaw,
As Abey was treating his mother-in-law.
Young Betsy Spriggins went up in the swing.
Some people said: "What a forward young thing!"
Up she'd go; the wind did blow.
That's why the parson kept looking at ...heaven,
At Somerset Fair, darry-oh-rarry,
At Somerset Fair, darry-do-there.
While that swing were a-rocking,
Well, she showed plenty of stocking.
The parson murmured: "'Tis shocking
What fancy things women do wear!"
The squire looked up and whispered quite merr'ly:
"There's lots o' things to see down at Somerset Fair."

Source: Arthur Ellaway, Cheltenham. Recorded by Gwilym Davies 5th September 1977
(c) Gloucestershire Traditions

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Somerset Fair
From: Tradsinger
Date: 26 Jan 16 - 07:07 PM

Note to punkfolkrocker - I don't write 'em, I only collect 'em!

Tastes vary.

And there's a 4th verse:

We had plenty of fun
Climbing that pole but the pole was so greasy
Folks kept falling down flop
Trying to get to the bacon on top
Young Sam [Jarvis]
So silly and soft
Said as he gazed on the bacon aloft
"'Pon my soul, I'll climb that pole"
The people all shouted "You're up it already"
At Somerset Fair, derry-oh erry
At Somerset Fair, derry down there.
Though the pole was greasy
To get the bacon was easy
But the weather was breezy
It blew down the pole, I declare
Sam got the top but he tumbled down flop
And he fell on his bacon at Somerset Fair.


Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Somerset Fair
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 26 Jan 16 - 08:39 PM

Yeah Trad - that's the wonderful world of folk !!!

All praise to the recordists, collectors, and archivists.
It's great such historic tapes still survive and are preserved...

That is punkfolkrocker with his ex museum photo archivist and oral history recordist head on...

Eff me that sounds dreadful...

That is punkfolkrocker with his fingers crossed hoping to enjoy a vintage performance head on.... 😜

Must say the words remind me of that tent at Bridgwater Fair in the early to mid 1970s..

Yes she was old and plump... and they let us pay to get in wearing school uniform...