Lyr Req: The 24th of February

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The 24th of February
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 23 Feb 17 - 05:57 PM

No doubt a corruption of 'Turkey stuffing'!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The 24th of February
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 23 Feb 17 - 03:17 PM

I remember June Tabor singing a version to which she gave the (informal) name "Turk duffing".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The 24th of February
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 23 Feb 17 - 03:01 PM

Like other ballads of its ilk this song has been much rewritten with different names of ships/locations.

The earlier broadsides are titled 'Captain Mansfield's Fight with the Turks at Sea'. There's a version in Roy Palmer's Oxford Book of Sea Songs (Boxing the Compass). Another broadside simply titled 'A New Song' has the captain as Captain Farmer with the 'Goldsport' of Plymouth.

Oral versions have titles:
The Marigold
Turkish Men-of-War
The Good Luck Ship
The Twenty-fourth of February
and one untitled version is even set aboard the Victory at Trafalgar

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The 24th of February
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 23 Feb 17 - 05:02 AM

Chris Roche did extensive research on this years back, including going to the public records office. It is a true story, but the date is wrong!!!! I think the accompanying booklet with "Let The Wind Blow Free" on which we recorded it succinctly covers the background.

I think (I am trusting my fuddled memory here) the most commonly performed version is printed in Whall's collection.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The 24th of February
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Feb 17 - 04:25 AM

I take it that the 23rd, 24th, and 25th of February are all the same song as "The Royal Oak." But then we have The Fourteenth Day of February, and some messages in that thread make me think it's still the same song.
Go figure.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The 24th of February
From: GUEST,SteveT
Date: 23 Feb 17 - 04:02 AM

There's a version, with the alternative 23rd February name, in the DT here. It's not quite the same aas the version I sing which is:


On the twenty-fourth of February the weather being clear
We spied seven sails of Turkish men-o-war belonging to Algiers.

To me ri-fol-lether-o ri-fol-lether-o ri-fol-lether-o day
Fother-didle-di fother-diddle-di
To me ri-fol-lether-o ri-fol-lether-o ri-fol-lether-o day

"Pull down your colours you English dogs, pull 'em down do not refuse.
Pull down your colours you English dogs or your precious lives you'll lose."

Our captain being a valiant man and well-bespoken he,
"Oh we'll not die like dogs," he said, "But we'll fight them manfully."

The first that came to our ship's side it was a pink so clear,
Commanded by a big pasha and belonging to Algiers.

And the next that came to our ship's side it was the "Rose and Crown"
But we fired into her one hard broadside and quickly sent her down.

Oh two we sunk and two we burned and two we chased away,
And one we brought to Bristol Town to show we'd won the day.

And if anyone should then enquire as to our captain's name,
Captain Marshall was the chief commander, from Bristol Town he came.

I believe it's a variant of the "Royal Oak" family of songs (Roud #951)

Subject: Lyr Req: The 24th of February
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Feb 17 - 10:26 PM

Looking for words to this song. And ideally background info too.

First verse: On the 24tof February, the weather being clear. W spied 7 sails of Turkish Man o' War, all belonging to ALgiers.