Lyr Req: The Row Between the Cages

Subject: Lyric Req: The Row Between The Cages
From: Chris Kinghorn
Date: 02 Jan 00 - 07:37 PM

Please does anyone have the lyrics to a north east Engish Song which I believe was written by Joe Wilson a 19th century composer.

The song is called "The Row Between The Cages" and was performed on an album by the Whiskey Priests.

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ROW BETWEEEN THE CAGES
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 02 Jan 00 - 09:46 PM

The Row Between The Cages

One mornen wen aw went ta wark, th'seet wis most exsiten.
Aw ard a noise en luckt aroond, en we de ye think wis fiten?
Aw stud amaisd en at thim gaisd, te see thim in such raiges,
For aw nivor seed e row like that between th' Brockwil caiges.

Wor aud caige sais: "Cum over th' gaits, becaws it's mei intenshin
To let th' see wethor too or me is th' best invenshin."
Th' neuin been raised, teuk off his clais, then at it thae went dabbin;
Th' blud wis runnen doon th' skeets an past th' weimin's cabin.

Wor aud caige sais: "Let's heh me clais; thoo thwot thit thoo cud flae me,
But if aw'd been is young is thoo, aw's certain aw cud pae thee."
Th' patent knockt hees ankel off, en th' buaith ad cutten fuaices.
Th' shifters rapt three for te ride, so th' buaith went te thor plaices.

Wen gannen up en doon th' shaft, th' paitint caige did threetin
For te tuaik wor audin's life if thae stopt it meeten.
Wor aud caige bawld oot is thae passt: "Thoo nasty dorty paitint,
Rub thee ies eguain th' skeets -aw think too's ardly wakinit."

Th' patint te wor aud caige sais: "Altho aw be a strangoer,
Aw kin work me wark is weel is thoo, an free th' men freh daingor.
Noo, if th' rope shub brick we me, aud skinny jaws, just watch us-
Thoo'll see me clag on te th' skeets, for aw's full e springs en catches."

Wor aud caige te th' paitint sais: "Aw warned thoo think thoo's clivor
Becaws thi'v polished thoo we paint, but thoo'l not last for ivor.
The paint on thoo 'ill wer awae, an then thoo's lost thei beuty;
Th' nivor painted me at aal, en still aw've deun my deuty."

Th' braiksmin browt thim buaith te bank, th' mischeef for te sattil,
Thae fit frae five o'clock te six, en th' paitint won th' battle.
It teuk th' braiksmin half e shift te clag thim up wi plaistors.
Wor aud caige sent hees noatece in, but just te vex th' maistors.

The song was written by Tommy Armstrong (1848-1919) of Tanfield, County Durham.  The above is as he wrote it, "Pitmatic" dialect and all, and is taken from A.L Lloyd's Folk Song in England.  The song was set to a traditional melody, used earlier by Alexander Rodger for Robin Tamson's Smiddy.

Malcolm

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ROW BETWEEEN THE CAGES
From: Chris/Darwin
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 02:04 AM

And of course, there is the almost comprehensible version recorded by Bob Fox and Stu Luckley on their 1978 album "Nowt So Good'll Pass" (Rubber RUB 028).

ROW BETWEEN THE CAGES

One morning when I went to work, the sight was most exciting,
I heard a noise and I looked around, and who d'you think was fighting
I stood amazed and at them gazed, to see them in such rages,
I'd never seen a row like that, between the Brockwell cages.

Now the Old Cage says "Come ower the gates, because it's my intention,
To let you see whether you or me, is the best invention"
The New'n being raised, took off his clathes and at it they went dabbin'
The blood was runnin down the skeets, and past the weighman's cabin

Now the Old Cage says "Let's have me clathes, thou thought that thou could flay me,
But if I'd been as young as thou, I'm certain I could pay thee,"
The Patent knocked his ankle off, and they both had cutten faces,
The shifters rapped three for to ride, and they both went to their places.

When gannin' up and doon the shaft, the Patent Cage did threaten,
For to take the Old'ns life, if they stopt it meeting,
Now the Old Cage bawled out as he passed, "Ye nasty, dorty Patent,
Rub your eyes against the skeets, for I think you've hardly wakened."

So the Patent to the Old Cage says, "Although I be a stranger
I can work me work as well as you, and free the men from danger,
For if the rope should break with me, old skinny jaws, just watch us,
You'll see us clag on to the skeets, for I'm full of springs and catches."

Now the Old Cage to the Patent says, "I'll warrant you think you're clever
Because they've polished you with paint, but you'll not last forever,
The paint on you it'll wear away, then you've lost your beauty,
They never painted me at all, and still I've done me duty."

The brakesman brought them both to bank, the mischief for to settle,
They fought from five o'clock 'till louse, and the Patent won the battle,
It took the brakesman half a shift, to clag them up with plasters,
And the Old Cage sent his notice in, just to vex the masters.

Regards
Chris

Subject: RE: Lyric Req: The Row Between The Cages
From: Chris Kinghorn
Date: 04 Jan 00 - 02:55 AM

Many thanks to both Malcolm Douglas and Chris/Darwen who obviously went to a lot of effort to reply to my query.

The Tommy Armstong version in Pitmatic Dialect must have been particularly difficult to retype.

The Bob Fox and Stu Luickley version as Chris says is more comprehensible and is the version that I seem to remember being sung at the Marsden folk Club in South Shields.

Many thanks for the time and trouble spent in replying to my query to you both.

I also thank my brother-in-law Tim Salt of Sidmouth East Devon who showed me the ropes on making queries on this site. Hopefully I may be able to make a positive contribution to the forum in the future.

Subject: RE: Lyric Req: The Row Between The Cages
From: Dani
Date: 04 Jan 00 - 09:12 AM

Welcome, Chris! Make yourself at home.

Dani

Subject: RE: Lyric Req: The Row Between The Cages
From:
Date: 05 Jan 00 - 10:16 PM

You will find the Row Between the Cages on: Tommy Armstrong of Tyneside TSCD 484 Topic Records

A good CD. Available via amazon....

You will find other northumnbrian tunes recorded by the Whiskey Priests on my roots of the Whiskey Priests web page:

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~dc920/HomePage.priests.html

The Priests have recorded the song on more than one cd. They give it real excitement and life. Conrad Bladey [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyric Req: The Row Between The Cages
From: Chris Kinghorn
Date: 10 Jan 00 - 03:02 AM

Thanks to Conrad Bladey for yet another excellant lead regarding Tommy Armstrong and the Row between the Cages.

I will certainly look at the web page suggested and the CD lead.

Thank you once again

Regards

Chris Kinghorn

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ROW BETWEEEN THE CAGES
From: Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)
Date: 26 Feb 00 - 08:09 AM

Now....does anyone have an abc or notation or midi? A great song Performed by the Whisky Priests and Killen.

The Row Between The Cages

 One mornen wen aw went ta wark, th'seet wis most exsiten.
 Aw ard a noise en luckt aroond, en we de ye think wis fiten?
 Aw stud amaisd en at thim gaisd, te see thim in such raiges,
 For aw nivor seed e row like that between th' Brockwil caiges.

 Wor aud caige sais: "Cum over th' gaits, becaws it's mei intenshin
 To let th' see wethor too or me is th' best invenshin."
 Th' neuin been raised, teuk off his clais, then at it thae went dabbin;
 Th' blud wis runnen doon th' skeets an past th' weimin's cabin.

 Wor aud caige sais: "Let's heh me clais; thoo thwot thit thoo cud flae me,
 But if aw'd been is young is thoo, aw's certain aw cud pae thee."
 Th' patent knockt hees ankel off, en th' buaith ad cutten fuaices.
 Th' shifters rapt three for te ride, so th' buaith went te thor plaices.

 Wen gannen up en doon th' shaft, th' paitint caige did threetin
 For te tuaik wor audin's life if thae stopt it meeten.
 Wor aud caige bawld oot is thae passt: "Thoo nasty dorty paitint,
 Rub thee ies eguain th' skeets -aw think too's ardly wakinit."

 Th' patint te wor aud caige sais: "Altho aw be a strangoer,
 Aw kin work me wark is weel is thoo, an free th' men freh daingor.
 Noo, if th' rope shub brick we me, aud skinny jaws, just watch us-
 Thoo'll see me clag on te th' skeets, for aw's full e springs en catches."

 Wor aud caige te th' paitint sais: "Aw warned thoo think thoo's clivor
 Becaws thi'v polished thoo we paint, but thoo'l not last for ivor.
 The paint on thoo 'ill wer awae, an then thoo's lost thei beuty;
 Th' nivor painted me at aal, en still aw've deun my deuty."

 Th' braiksmin browt thim buaith te bank, th' mischeef for te sattil,
 Thae fit frae five o'clock te six, en th' paitint won th' battle.
 It teuk th' braiksmin half e shift te clag thim up wi plaistors.
 Wor aud caige sent hees noatece in, but just te vex th' maistors.

 The song was written by Tommy Armstrong (1848-1919) of Tanfield, County Durham.  The above is as he wrote it, "Pitmatic" dialect and all, and is taken from A.L Lloyd's Folk Song in
 England.  The song was set to a traditional melody, used earlier by Alexander Rodger for Robin Tamson's Smiddy.