Lyr Req/Add: Marlborough's Health (Strawhead)

Subject: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: GUEST,Jon Berger
Date: 18 May 16 - 01:29 PM

There's an English country dance tune called "The Health," and it's just occurred to me that it's the tune to a song I remember from a long-ago recording by Strawhead. Does anyone remember the full lyric? The only lines I remember are "Boney's a great commander," "as brave as Alexander" (which probably rhymed with the first one), and "we'll die before we yield" at the end of the A part of the tune. Can anyone remind me of the complete lyric?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 May 16 - 01:30 AM

I looked and looked, and found nothing. Anybody?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 19 May 16 - 01:43 AM

This may be it, though it's about Marlborough rather than Bonaparte.

It's from the notes to Strawhead's Fortunes of War album (1978).

I can't help about the tune at the moment, as the computer is being sniffy about reading the mp3s on my copy of The Complete Strawhead.

5. Marlborough's Health
A Health to Marlborough at the time of the Battle of Oudenarde collated from two versions in Pills to Purge Melancholy. It succeeds in proposing a toast, mentioning most of the main characters of the Battle and throwing in a mention of Almanza all in two verses - no mean achievement.

Words and Tune: (Wit and Mirth or Pills to Purge Melancholy. Thomas D'Urfey 1719.)

Marlborough's a brave commander
He conducts us into the field
As brave as Alexander
He'll die before he'll yield
Vendome drew out to spite him
The household troops to fight him
Princes of the blood
Got off as they could
And ne'er durst return to fight him
This is the year of wonders
The gendarmes gored
With bullet and sword
Quake when the general thunders
Almanza was the word
Sound the trumpet sound boys
Let no man steal your ground boys
Ne'er let us flinch
Nor give back an inch
So let his health go round boys

LFF

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 19 May 16 - 02:10 AM

Got it! Here's a link to the song and lyrics in Pills to Purge All Melancholy:

Marlborough

LFF

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 May 16 - 04:08 AM

Touché, Freddie!!!
I think you've got it.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: GUEST,MG
Date: 19 May 16 - 05:29 AM

Compleat Strawhead available HERE

HERE

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 19 May 16 - 07:09 AM

Thanks, Joe.

I wonder if Guest MG is Malcolm Gibbons of Strawhead? If so, thanks for all the music!

The Compleat Strawhead is a great buy - over 300 tracks for £30.

The accompanying booklet is great too.

I don't think I'd put the disk in properly before, because it's working just fine now!

LFF

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: GUEST,MG
Date: 19 May 16 - 04:23 PM

You're most welcome !

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: GUEST
Date: 19 May 16 - 06:41 PM

That's the one. Thanks so much! Apparently I mis-remembered who the great commander was, but this is definitely the right song because the music matches the tune I was curious about. There's an English country dance to it, recently reconstructed (and I think not yet published) by Andrew Shaw.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander'
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 20 May 16 - 04:58 AM

You're welcome, Jon.

Joe, would it be worth changing the thread title now?

LFF

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH'S HEALTH
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 May 16 - 01:19 AM

From Wit and Mirth: Or Pills to Purge Melancholy..., Vol. 4 (London: Printed by William Pearson and Sold by John Young, 1709), page 9:

THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH'S HEALTH

Marlborough's a brave Commander,
He Conducts us into the Field;
As bold as Alexander,
He'll Dy before he'll yield:

Sound the Trumpet Sound boys,
Let each Man stand his Ground boys;
Ne'er let us flinch, nor give back an inch,
And so let his Health go round boys.

[The following Stan. made to the foregoing Tune on the Battle of Audenarde by Mr. D'Urfey.]

Sing mighty Marlborough's Story,
Mars of the Field
He passes the Scheld,
And to increase his Glory,
The French all fly or yeild:
Vendosme drew out to spine him,
Th' Houshold Troops to fright him,
Princes o' th' Blood
Got of as they cou'd,
But ne'er durst return to Fight him.

This is the year of Wonders,
The Gen d'arms Gor'd
With Bullet and Sword,
Quake when the General Thunders,
Almanza was the word:
Sound the Trumpet Sound boys,
This to his Health be crown'd boys,
Circle his Brows
With fresh Oaken boughs,
And thus let the Glass go round boys.

Now we have made a Motion,
Eugene the brave
A Second shall have,
And could we tope an Ocean,
His due we hardly give:
Still there's one more must be boys,
Hannover makes 'em up three boys,
Three in a Hand,
I'll drink to my Friend,
And so let us all agree boys.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Marlborough's Health (Strawhead)
From: GUEST,Gervase
Date: 27 May 16 - 10:46 AM

Just forked out a very reasonable £30 for the collection - absolutely blooming brilliant! I can't recommend this highly enough. So great to hear some of these songs again, and to hear some I've never heard before.
Over 300 tracks. That's less than two bob a song. Buy it!